8" blade canoe paddle

I posted a glowing review of Mohawk paddles a few months ago [2015-09-08] but apparently Mohawk has changed the type of plastic they now use. Our first pair of Mohawk single blade paddles were awesome and stood up to years of use and abuse on rocky whitewater over 25 years of use. Unfortunately we lost one earlier this year and bought a replacement from Mohawk. I noticed immediately that the new plastic was not as rigid as our originals but dismissed that as no big deal. I even thought it might be an advantage when paddling. Regardless, we only used the new paddle one time because when we tried to go the second time we were stunned to discover that the paddle blade was actually broken! It must have been stepped on or damaged during the shuttle but for the life of me I can't imagine what happened. All I know is that I had put the first pair of paddles through hell for a long, long time with no problem.

Clearly, the new Mohawks are less durable than the old. Having said that, they probably aren't any worse than the Carlisle's or other popular brands. Still kicking myself for losing that original Mohawk (even though I'm not the one who lost it).

I've been paddling seriously (tandem mostly) for about 30 years. My first paddles were cheap wooden things that I quickly replaced with a pair of Mohawk 8" blade paddles. These paddles are a tremendous value (about $20 each) but even more amazing than the price is their durability! Most of my paddling has been on whitewater, often on shallow creeks where your paddle hits rock. On occasion, I've had to use my paddle to push the canoe away from surface rocks.

In short, I have not gone easy on these paddles, and they still perform like new. I love the T-grip which is ideal for hooking onto wayward gear and especially painters. Mohawk paddles are comfortable to use, and best of all I like their feel. I recently lost my wife's original paddle and quickly bought a new Mohawk. I was pleased to see that the design and quality has not changed.

Mohawk Paddles are far and away the best plastic/aluminum canoe paddles available; their paddles approach wood in terms of handling ease and enjoyment. While I like Caviness aluminum paddles very much, they can't compare to Mohawk for quality and design. This small company's customer service is excellent.