Poor quality control, worse…
Poor quality control, worse customer service. I was gifted a cherry paddle and it has a pitch pocket right at the paddle throat where you place your hand. This is not a place to have a defect unless you'd like chafing against your hand. The company owner (Brian) said he would fill, sand and refinish the defect as long as I drove (or delivered) the paddle to their factory over an hour away! That is completely unacceptable for any paddle let alone a $100 paddle
I recently bought a Grey Owl…
I recently bought a Grey Owl Pathfinder paddle at the London Paddle Shop in London, Ontario. I've use a number of paddles from a variety of manufacturers but I've never been as impressed as I have been with this paddle. To begin with, it\\'s a work of art. The combination of woods is aesthetically pleasing yet provides lightweight strength. The contoured handle is also something you don\\'t find on a paddle in this price range. Speaking of price, I compared this paddle to others in the shop that were similar, but twice the price. I\\'ll be telling my friends about Grey Owl paddles.
I am 70 years old, live near…
I am 70 years old, live near the N. CA. coastal rivers, and fortunately my Minnesota-born wife loves to canoe. She also likes the sizing, weight, finish, and feel of these paddles. I have five canoes (+ one kayak)...(two canoes of which I built myself) each with a different design and application.
I have found a Grey Owl recreational paddle perfect for each boat and water condition I encounter. They also make beautiful high performance canoe and kayak paddles. I recently ordered two "Scout" paddles to add to my others, when we take out an extra boat for guests.
These craftspeople make the best lightweight, cost/quality wood paddle on the market.(to my knowledge) Shop Canadian on this paddle purchase. It is hard to find a middle price range quality paddle from US makers.(take note)
Quality, price, service is A-1. Looking for a wooden canoe paddle...If you start with Grey Owl you will likely find the best quality/cost/benefit ratio. They are in Ontario, and ship affordably to the USA. Prompt, efficient, customer service.
If you want to class up paddle without sacrificing performance a Grey Owl paddle is for you. I stumbled across this small Canadian paddle maker during an extensive Internet search for wooden paddle that would compliment my wooden kayak. I bought a Tempest which fit nicely with my budget and has returned my investment with hours of relaxing comfortable paddling.
This straight shaft paddle allows only three feathering options, zero degrees and 60 degrees right or left, which is the most limiting factor of the paddle. There is also a minorly detectable slip at the Chinese made carbon fiber ferrule. For both of these deficits are easily overshadowed by its beauty and craftsmanship. The Ash shaft and Butternut, walnut, and bass blades are flawlessly finished and natural compliment magnets.
I bought a 230cm Grey Owl…
I bought a 230cm Grey Owl wooden kayak paddle off the internet and it has proved its worth over the last 5 years. It's very efficient and very light. Outperforms every other paddle I've had or used (Werner, Bending Branches). Will buy another when this one is done, but shows no sign of wearing out!
Grey Owl " Tenderfoot" paddle.
This is the lightest paddle one could want…
Grey Owl " Tenderfoot" paddle.
This is the lightest paddle one could want. Performs like a weightless extension of ones arms.
It has a user friendly feel and flex. I use it on my 13" 8" homemade ply canoe. It has unusually quiet water interface.
I highly recommend it for easy-going pleasure paddling.
Have two Grey Owl Hammerhead…
Submitted by:
paddler232023
on 5/8/2007
Have two Grey Owl Hammerhead Paddles. This paddle feels at home in my hands. The response and feel of the water is perfect. the T-grip is a sure fit. I don't worry about rocks or breaking the paddle, it's taken plenty of beatings on Class 1-4 in my Esquif Nitro. I highly recommend this paddle. It's purdy too!
Grey Owl Scout model - I own…
Submitted by:
gallke
on 3/2/2007
Grey Owl Scout model - I own several canoe paddles including some expensive composite bent-shafts. My Grey Owl Scout gets the most use though. The features I value are; narrow blade width, small shaft diameter, and light weight (it is only a few ounces heavier than the composites). The price cannot be beat either.
My wife and I just purchased…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 10/18/2004
My wife and I just purchased our Voyageur paddles. It has a wider/shorter blade that is easy to use on all conditions, especially shallow waters. I just love it. I highly recommend them.
Grey Owl Tempest touring…
Submitted by:
paddler229561
on 1/15/2002
Grey Owl Tempest touring paddle. This is an excellent buy for a well made 2-piece wooden paddle. It's weight is just over 2# (34oz). The Tempest has a beautiful finish that shows care & quality. I shopped hard for a light weight wooden paddle and am extremely pleased with this one. Paddling is a real pleasure with little effort. A definite winner.
I am referring to the…
Submitted by:
paddler228505
on 4/2/2000
I am referring to the freestyle paddle. A good paddle for the money but it would be much better if the grip were about twice as large. I use mine as a spare but plan to make the grip larger when time permits.
Excellent production stick…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 10/4/1999
Excellent production stick very comparable to Mitchell Slalom. I like the grip style on the Grey Owl better than any other - lots of thumb control. Oval shaft grip is sized right. This is a solid stick, very stiff when needed in braces and rolls, and just enough flex so that it can be used all day. Some flutter when you really pour on the juice. Good catch. Better recovery. Underwater returns are a snap. Twirls overhead well but the balance point is a little high (I use a 59" overall). This is a pretty paddle (good wood choices and matching). Marginally lighter than most comparable models in wood or synthetic. This is not a high performance stick but is an excellent recreational choice for class III-IV cruising.
