They slip like crazy! Don't…
They slip like crazy! Don't buy them.
I am a recreational kayaker.…
Submitted by:
paddler237116
on 9/14/2019
I am a recreational kayaker. I used to get sores on my hands after kayaking for an extended time. I was given Yak gripper to put on the paddle and problems solved. They are so easy to place on paddles and the comfort is fabulous. I would recommend Yak grippers for the paddle to everyone.
20 years ago when I started…
Submitted by:
med951
on 9/4/2019
20 years ago when I started paddling, I was much younger. 15 years ago I had some surgery on my foot which changed my life forever. I was a very active hiker and cross country skier, as well as kayaker. After trying for many years to go back to hiking and cross country skiing, I realized I was not going to be able to participate in those sports. Seven years ago I noticed some changes in my hands that were making it difficult to grasp the kayak paddle. I thought to myself that this might be the end of paddling as well. I would not let this end my paddling! I tried paddling gloves, but I ended up with blisters at the end of my fingers. Then I found yak grips! I saw a huge improvement in comfort and the ability to hold my paddle easier. I have been using yakgrips for five years, and have introduced many other people to them. In the 20 years that I’ve been paddling, there has been a huge boom in the amount of people who paddle, partly due to more recreational kayaks on the market. Yakgrips are a great solution for arthritis and other hand ailments. Thank you for keeping me (and probably others) in my boat!
I received a pair of YakGrips…
I received a pair of YakGrips with my Paddling.Net membership. I had hoped that the grips would be comfortable and make paddling more enjoyable that it already is. Sadly I found that the grips didn't do much other than frustrate me. Following the directions to mount the grips on the paddle, they went on with no trouble. I adjusted them to the area of the shaft where I grip the paddle. At this point I discovered the first flaw in design, while the majority of the grip was comfortable in my hand the seam on them became irritating. I realize that due to the construction process finding a different way to close the grips is probably challenging, but this was a detractor for me.
The next and far greater issue was that once a little water got around the grips on the paddle shaft they began sliding around. I found myself spending more time readjusting the grips than I did paddling. About 15 minutes into this bothersome nonsense I removed the grips and went back to a bare paddle shaft. I discarded the grips at the end of the paddle and have absolutely no plans to try them again. If your paddle shaft never gets wet these might be for you, but they most certainly aren't for me.
I found the best way to get…
Submitted by:
dbhain
on 8/18/2015
I found the best way to get these on my break apart paddle was by wetting them first. Slide the grips into place and effectively prevent blisters and sore hands after a long day of paddling. Longest trip with them so far has been 3 hours and they did not slide down the shaft at all.
They are a simple little…
Submitted by:
Ducky
on 7/1/2015
They are a simple little idea, but have saved me from those painful blisters which dissuaded me from paddling. Yay for Yakgrips!
I love these grips. I have…
I love these grips. I have used them for several years. I have searched local stores for an additional pair for my husband's paddle and have not been able to locate them. So glad I can order them online from a reputable source. Everyone should have a pair.
We purchased two pairs of…
We purchased two pairs of these (non-velcro) for our take-apart paddles. They require slight effort in putting them on, using water makes it easier. They fit snug on our paddles. They are not thick, yet they provide just enough cushion to keep a good grip and be comfortable, even in heavy paddling. If and when they wear out, I will purchase them again.
I was very surprised at how…
I was very surprised at how comfortable the neoprene grips are. I thought they might have been made cheap because of the price, but they saved my hands in the long run. If they are wet or dry, the condition doesn't matter. They still remain comfortable and easy to place on paddle. Excellent product and good job Yak Grips.
I purchased a pair of Yakgrips kayak paddle grips for my paddles. I wanted to protect my hands from blisters while paddling. I figured it was a great idea. I also considering paddling gloves as an alternative to the Yakgrips. Used them one time and noticed they don't stay put on the paddle shafts. When they get wet they tend to slide up and down the shaft. I found it better to paddle without them. Needless to say I will be retuning them.
I have a few paddles that…
I have a few paddles that have seen better days. A fiberglass model that has tears in the wrapping in the grip area. I have another one that has loose drip rings. Couple that with a sister-in-law and daughter who keep getting blisters and I figured I should give these a try.
I bought four: two of each style (split shaft and solid shaft) they seem to work as advertised. Everyone who has used them has liked them. I'd recommend the solid shaft model because the Velcro closure allows one to put it on directly rather than taking things apart rand trying to slip the pad down the shaft. Also, if you have a paddle that splits and allows you to set the feathering to a wide range of settings, you won't be able to slip the split paddle model on one of the shafts.
Did not like them. Neither…
Did not like them. Neither did my wife. We took them off and will give them away to someone who likes them. They slipped around too much for me. I'd rather do without.
We paddled a few trips…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 9/5/2012
We paddled a few trips without Yakgrips and started to get blisters on our hands. I seen the Yakgrips on ebay and ordered a couple of pair. They are great, no more blisters and makes holding onto the paddle easier. We has them on Aqua-Bound Manta Ray aluminum shaft paddles and they do slip a little on the shaft, but not so much that it becomes annoying. Would not hesitate to buy more if I needed them.
I'm on my second set of…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 8/4/2010
I'm on my second set of YakGrips because I love them! After 3 full summers of paddling a couple times per week the rubber wore out and the grips started slipping on my first pair.
They slip onto the paddle shaft after you wet it (hard to get all the way on the right, wider shaft end) and stay in place until the rubber wears out. I saw a review on Amazon that said they slip; when new, mine barely move at all on the shaft.
I find these help with paddling comfort, which reduces fatigue. If you have large hands they are especially helpful. My fingers no longer wrap way around the paddle shaft, making finger release on the forward stroke easier. I tried paddling gloves for a few excursions, but prefer YG's.
I highly recommend this for kayaking.
