I borrowed the double diamond paddle at a pool session yesterday and it felt stiffer than my fg powerhouse, much like other carbon paddles I have borrowed in the past. BUT, I couldn’t sense any difference between it and the regular carbon paddles. Taking into account that I’m a novice, could somebody explain what I should have sensed/discerned from the foam core construction. The ads state they are more buoyant but I could hardly tell if they were at all … and even if they were marginally more bouyant what would you gain by this?

I also want to make a side comment. Over the past couple of months I inquired about “Bent-Shaft vs Straight Shaft” and about “Paddle Blade Shape” and I want to thank those of you (if you see this) who responded. Albeit opinions are different but there’s a common thread of solid experience that came from each response and I learned what would have taken me years to learn on my own.

Where do you live in DC. I probaly see you around. There is a pretty legitamate difference between foam core blades and ones that are found on the werner fiberglass or carbon iines of paddles. You should defenitly be able to feel a difference in the paddles, however; the benefits gained are probaly not that great. I paddle with a mitchell rodeo. It's a pretty nice paddle and I would recomend them over any other paddle. I've used AT's, werners and H20's. Valleymill carries them and Mike Mathwin(local team WS paddler) has some to if you want to try them out.

I have used a Werner DD off and on, we have a demo at work, and it feels as if rolling and bracing are easier. All of the staff agree with me at work. It may have something to do with the foam having some floatation or the size of the blade. It also feels like the blade enters and exits the water smoother than the Fg or Carbon player blade. My friend also owns one and paddles three times a week plus weekends teaching all day and his has lasted 6 years with no loss in blade size. You can see that it is worn but when compared to a new DD it does not look like it has lost size. Where as his wife has a had two Carbon players in that time and replaced them both because of loss of blade size.

Nathan, you said \"There is a pretty legitimate difference between foam core blades and ones that are found on the werner fiberglass or carbon iines of paddles.\"

What is that difference?

Also, being new at ww you probably haven't seen me around DC but you will .

When you first feel foam core blades they should feel a little floaty in the water. It may feel strange. I like the catch of blades that have some width to them. When doing some more advanced strokes like vertical draws and duffeks the width of the blade seems to be less twitchy in the water. In addition, when you hit rocks with foam core blades they tend not to bounce off as sharply as carbon or fiberglass blades. I find the defelection of those blades jaring when creeking. For playboating, It makes low bracing a little more comfortable because the blades want to stay near the surface as you scull the blade when in a side surf. I personaly paddle with a wood paddle that has carbon blades. Since it is wood core it is kinda floaty. This paddle has a great catch www.mitchellpaddles.com/paddles/kww/rodeo.html (copy and paste the link) I think having a good paddle is more important than having a good boat, although I have both. The most important part of a paddle is that you are used to it. As long as you know the feel of your paddle it probaly doesn't matter that much what kind of paddle it is, blade shape etc ect. I use an Aqua-bound shred paddle for creeking and I used to use it for play until I got the mitchell. Honestly, I would tell you to go down to spring river when they re-open with their new stock and let Joe Stumpfel help you out. He's a good guy and not the salesmen type.

there is a difference, but when you are rolling, it isn't that significant. One big thing I have noticed though is that they will surface much faster if you happen to get worked in a nasty hole. My friend's 7-2 stayed under in a pool beneath a playspot for around a minute before it came up.

I don't know about other foam core paddles but the Double Diamond and the other Werner foam cores are as durable as it gets.

The benefit of foam is that they can build a more robust blade with less heavy material. Using foam and the carbon fibre cloth skin creates a much stiffer blade than the carbon fibre alone. To have this kind of stiffness without the foam would mean a much heavier blade.

As for the feeling that this paddle is easier to roll with, it probably is. The extra stiffness is way more efficient, getting more of your power into and out of the blade and not wasting it. The downside of this is that it allows you to roll with less than good body technique.

More flexible paddles are easier on your muscles and joints but require more effort to get the same result. For example I can pump my boat into a stern stall position on a single stroke with my DD but always needed the double pump with my Werner Freestyle. I also find critical ferries and attainments much more predictable as my paddle transfers all my energy more efficiently.

Are they worth the extra money? I think so, it's the next most critical piece of gear after your helmet. Probably stays with you thru several boats and should out last most of your other gear by years.

Think of it like a guitar or pool cue, if you want to be an ace at anything you need a really good axe.

I went from a carbon Fluid Tech paddle to a Werner Sho Gun. I never thought I would replace my beloved broken Fluid Tech, but I paddle the Sho Gun and I almost feel like it's cheating. I could definitely feel the floatiness of the blades, especially in a hole. I was a little concerned the Sho Gun wouldn't feather through the water like the thin carbon fiber blade and it doesn't, but I just got use to it fairly quickly. The Sho Gun has huge blade and it can definitely work an unconditioned paddler when playing.