DayTripper kayak paddle

As former canoers but new kayakers we were reluctant to spend a lot on paddles until we knew a little more on what we needed. The outfitter suggested the Carlisle Day Tripper fixed length, fixed angle (flat) model. Before I put it in the water I had "angle envy" because I thought for sure that I would notice the need for a 60 deg. option. After paddling for a couple hours with my wife in our Twin Heron, I appreciated the ease of using the fixed flat angle paddle.

Prior to seeing and using these Carlisles, I had held some aluminum paddles which were much heavier in a couple sporting goods stores and I was concerned about having to spend big buck on a non-aluminum paddle. For an aluminum paddle it feels quite light and didn't tire either of us on our maiden voyage of our tandem kayak.

I like the paddle for mild ocean. They are light and float. When I back paddle to stop they work very well. One paddle backwards going at a good clip and the 8ft polypropylene kayak stops. Recommend for light ocean or mild stream.

This a a good entry level paddle. It is not too heavy or expensive for someone just getting started. It is well made and easy to break apart. The day tripper was my 1st paddle and I still keep it as an extra paddle. good paddle for the price but if you kayak a lot or long distances you will eventually want to upgrade to something lighter with a longer blade.

I just purchased 2 Carlisle "Daytripper" paddles which I have used once. Overall, they seem to be good paddles for recreational use. They're relatively inexpensive at $50, they appear that they will last a long time, and they float which is great. One thing I noticed after I purchased the first one is that the right-hand grip area is slightly oval or "squished" looking. I was upset about it at first because I thought I damaged it accidentally. After speaking with a Kayak store however, it turns out they are intentionally made that way so that you can quickly determine which end is which after picking it up out of the water. The only con I can think of for this paddle is that one of mine is Has a VERY small amount of play in it at the joint. The other one does not.