# Raft guides w/ wood sticks



## Robin (May 21, 2007)

Can anyone tell me about their experience using a wood guide stick for paddle rafting? I'm looking at a Bending Branches canoe paddle and it seems it might make a nice guide stick.


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## fatbob (Apr 11, 2008)

iam not familiar w/ bending branches,, but i once tried a wooden canoe paddle,, it broke the first trip right before a rapid. i think they are not made for the same kinda weight. there is a guy in ohiopyle, PA that makes phenominal wooden paddles tho, kayak and rafting. i know several guides that have his wooden paddles, and they havn't ever broken. Backland paddles, Keith Backland i think is his name? and they look sweet, he puts your name in em too.


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## Don (Oct 16, 2003)

*Woody*

Wood paddles have pros and cons such as; they can be easier on your wrists and elbows, can feel warmer during cold trips, they can be a bit more personalized, and they can feel sweet in the water (more of a natural feel).

Cons: weight, cost, durabilty, variations in quality. 

A wood paddle can almost always be fixed (if you have the skills, knowledge, cash and time).


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## eklars (Mar 28, 2006)

I have some Espresso 14 paddles from Bending Branches that I use for canoeing. I do not think they would be up the rigors of whitewater. They are very light with just a thin fiberglass finish. That said the quality is insanely high, perfect paddle really, and couldn't be happier. 

The whitewater specific line from that company might be good though, might want to ask if they are further reinforced from their other lines, if not I'd say no go.


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## sgb3000 (Nov 22, 2004)

The best wooden guide sticks:

Single Blades wood canoe paddles

There's at least one in use on the Ark already.


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

Hey Robin! I think you should buy a paddle from my friend Kenny at Blunt Family Paddles. He makes super good sticks. Those Bending Branches paddles are junk, they won't take the beating you'll give them on the Poudre. I'm thinking about getting one too, but will probably wait until I break or lose my Werner. See you this summer!!

bluntfamilypaddles.blogspot.com


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## Robin (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the info & sweet paddle maker sites!


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## Ladderboy (Feb 21, 2011)

Sawyer makes some good paddles. If you live in the rogue Valley you can go down there and have them make it custom for you.


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## BarryDingle (Mar 13, 2008)

It doesn't matter,cuz i'm gonna find it in an eddy and its goin in my pile of guide sticks. Inappropriately NOT labeled,of course....


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## Kendi (May 15, 2009)

Ladderboy.com said:


> Sawyer makes some good paddles. If you live in the rogue Valley you can go down there and have them make it custom for you.


 The owner at Sawyer is super nice and will go the extra mile for you on orders. That being said, I personally don't like the feel of the Sawyer guidestick as I have used my Werner for two years now and have gotten used to it.


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## cooljerk (Jun 18, 2006)

While Backlund is the Godfather of custom laminate wood canoe and kayak paddles, he's unfortunately no longer making dust- he suffered a stroke in June of 2009 and lost a good bit of his eyesight. He was in a managed care facility in Markleysburg for awhile but is now back in Clarksburg, Md with Ann and Itchy.

In my opinion, your next best bet would be one of Jimmy Snyder's paddles. You can reach him at Rivrstyx custom wood kayak and canoe paddles

In the immortal words of KJ Backlund when folks would ask about the durability of using wood paddles in whitewater: Paddle water, not rocks.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Nice to see a couple of replies referencing Jim Snyders' styx. As a paddler who's worked in wood working trades for 40 years now, I feel qualified to say that his paddles are the best I've ever seen. They are comparable in weight to composites. They are balanced, nuanced and super efficient. They are *tough*. The edges of his blades are 20 layers of dynel. I have hundreds of runs on my Jimistyk including over 175 runs here in CO. many of them at very bony ELF flows. My stick looks new. I put a fresh coat of Helmsman's urethane on it every 6 months. I'm a kayaker, not a single blade guy, but his paddles represent a lifetime of experience and commitment to the pursuit of excellence. He, and his paddles are legendary for very good reason.


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

Randaddy said:


> Hey Robin! I think you should buy a paddle from my friend Kenny at Blunt Family Paddles. He makes super good sticks. Those Bending Branches paddles are junk, they won't take the beating you'll give them on the Poudre. I'm thinking about getting one too, but will probably wait until I break or lose my Werner. See you this summer!!
> 
> bluntfamilypaddles.blogspot.com


Yeah, mega bonus points to Kenny. I run a set of his oars on my raft, and they are flat out sexy and get lots of questions. His work is absolutely beautiful, top notch, and exactly what you ask for.


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

I've been happy with my wooden kayaking paddle from Anderson Paddles out of Oregon. 

I'm not too familiar with raft guide paddles. I'm sure Phil Anderson makes one. His prices are quite reasonable, and as far as I know, this paddle of mine is quite sturdy and could last me awhile, provided I don't lose it. I've abused it pretty good even though I only got it late last season. 

He helped me decide what paddle/shape size I should get for creeking, too.


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## Blade&Shaft (May 23, 2009)

I had a Sawyer guidestick for 1 month till high water last year when my buddy broke the stick on his forehead while we getting a little roughed up in some seriously big(er) water. Not sure if it's a testament to the durability of the stick or the thickness of my friends skull.... Anyway, I went stickless with my company the rest of the season, used a variety of diff ones, and missed my old Werner the whole time. I'll be getting another of their sticks; they're def the lightest I've used, the plastic-fiber whatever blade splinters and whittles down nice and smooth over abuse, and I'm not sure I could break it over my friends' head.


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## jconnsurf (Mar 7, 2010)

*blunt family paddle*

robin, kenny kiley makes great paddles. any wood paddle will take a beating over time, and kenny's has done me well over the last three years on the ark. check out his paddles at bluntfamily. i think you'll like what you find.


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## idratherpaddle (Aug 17, 2010)

If you are going to go with a wood stick, its already been said either go with Keith or Jimmy. However, its gonna cost you. Potholes paddles out of SC also makes a good stick for less, if you are gonna go with wood. For the money I would stick with a Werner. Composite paddles have come a long way but again, the arent cheap. Easton came out with the Core series, Select has some good stuff out, If you wanna get big and burly, and can find one let alone lift one, there are some Norse sticks still out there.


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