I really wanted to like the Crystal-X and I do, but I don't love it. I've used it for a year, alternating with an older Werner Camano (bent, glass), AT Odyssey (bent, glass) and H20 LTW (straight, carbon). The Crystal-X is light-weight and the transparent blades come in high-visibility colors (not black!). It feels efficient, with good power transfer from each stroke and no flutter. Very good customer service from the maker is another plus.
But here's the weird and annoying thing- as you raise the blade at the end of a stroke, it carries a tremendous volume of water forward. Even at a very low angle, there's too much water for the drip rings to handle, so it runs down the shaft to your hands, forearm, lap and cockpit. The trident rib design may be partly responsible, but it also seems like the blade material is hydrophilic. Rather than shedding water quickly as the , it's as if the blade is a water magnet. Now I certainly don't claim to have perfect form, but there's always much more water on me and in my boat after using this paddle versus the others so it's not all on me. If you don't mind getting wet, go ahead and add a star or two to my rating. I like everything else about it.
