Stikine

by Ed Gaker 

 

At Gauleyfest, Bernie showed me the new “Stikine” blade that Werner was debuting. It looked cool, but, seeing as how I just bought a paddle, I wasn’t really that interested. However, due to an interesting turn of events (getting pinned, losing my paddle), I was suddenly in the market for a new paddle and with all of the water, I needed it pretty fast. Bernie fortunately had a Stikine that fit the specs I wanted down south, so I made the trek that night, and was able to paddle while the water was still around. With the foam core blades, the first thing I noticed was the amount of power that one gets with each stroke. The extra buoyancy packs a good punch even though the blade size is known to be a bit smaller than the Shogun. I am also a big fan of Werner’s blade designs. Just about any paddle can C-stroke and forward stroke, but the Stikine really excels at precision strokes. It is great for duffeking: I let a buddy of mine use it, and he used a duffek stroke the whole time down the stretch of whitewater, which not only showed the ability of the paddle, but was pretty funny to watch also. The shaft is made of carbon fiber, and has grooves in the handles that allow for a really firm grip. Finally, the whole paddle is really light, but doesn’t sacrifice its durability. This makes it great for everything from big waves to manky creeks. The cons are few. It is a bit more expensive, requires a bit more maintenance, and because it is black, I have been advised to use paint or stickers to make it a bit more visible. Other than that, tha only negative is that all of your buddies are going to be wanting to borrow it on the river. If they ask, just be nice and let them… Ed