Kalliste Kayak Paddle

Bought the paddle mid summer in 230 cm length. Love it. Ver light and quiet entry and smooth exit. Would love to see 5 degree feather adjustments but all in all a great paddle

Much like scuba diving where your mask is your most important personal piece of equipment, a comfortable kayak paddle is your most critical piece of personal gear for kayaking. The Werner Kallisite is strong, light and intuitive in use. It is amazing how the combination of a light, floating blade coupled with a smooth power and back face make all the difference in the world. The catch is smooth; with no flutter in the power stroke and the release almost happens by it self. If anything ever happen to my Kalliste, I would spend the money to replace it before even buying food or beer. Last year while working out of state, a paddling buddy make my house hurricane ready in my absence. The best way I could think to thank him was to get him a Werner Kalliste in the appropriate size. Money well spent!

This is by far the best performing low angle sea kayak tour style paddle. I have been using this paddle a little under a year, but am returning it for warranty work. I kayak with folks that go out quite often and demand the best quality equipment. Almost all of them use or have used Werner paddles. The one thing most of them have in common is issues with the button connection. My first Werner had issues and now my Kalliste is having similar issues. In this case, the spring is staying in the compressed position and I cannot budge it. Unfortunate because I cannot think of anything else that I do not simply love about this great product. I wish Werner would get their act together. If Celtic and Aqua-Bound can find a good solution, why not Werner? (I have submitted for warranty and am awaiting response from the company)

I used this paddle with my Tarpon 120. Since my height is 5-10 and the boat width is 30" I decided to get the 230cm paddle. Although a 230cm is my appropriate paddle size, I felt that I would've benefited from a 240cm instead. With this particular paddle I caught myself hitting the side of the boat more often than I usually do.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied with my purchase.

I went with the bent shaft 230cm kalliste to use with a native ultimate 14.5. I wanted something with a more appropriate blade shape for my paddling style. I've been using an aquabound manta ray hybrid that I got for free with my kayak (purchased used.) The manta ray is ok for a cheaper paddle and much better than a dirt cheap entry level model. I decided to step it up to the next level and recently purchased the kalliste.

The first obvious difference is the weight. At 26 oz., it is one of the lightest paddles out there. I also tried bent shaft and straight and I am really liking the bent shaft so far. I would recommend trying both if you have the budget to do so. I also like the foam core blades. They are very light and seem to help my keep the paddle at the right depth for maximum efficiency. The exit is also super clean and precise. In the water the paddle is very quiet with very little splash. I believe this is due to the flatter back vs something like a Camano.

One thing that surprised me a little was how loud the blades are when they hit sticks or underwater logs. This is my first carbon fiber blade, so I'm guessing it comes with the territory. I don't beat on my equipment but the build seems tough enough for my use, which consists of kayak fishing and photography, so I'm often pushing off banks and logs.

My only regret is waiting so long to get a high end paddle. I would recommend making sure that you use a low angle paddling style and then demo this paddle alongside a few other models. I think that a paddle should be a "try before you buy" just like a kayak.

The cons are very small. It's true that the lettering for the angles rubs off over time and yes, the ferrule button is small and very recessed. I barely notice these inconveniences compared to the delite of this light, stiff paddle.

I have to admit at first I was hesitant to spend $360 for a set of paddles which cost 2/3 the amount I spend on my inflatable kayaks but what a difference quality paddles make. They are so light and at the end of the day after several hours of constant paddling my shoulders were not sore and did not ache that evening.

I'm convinced that quality-made paddles are necessary for a good adventure kayaking and does make a world of difference. It was just amazing how I am able to pick up speed with each stroke and how strong my paddling becomes and how well my kayak responds to each stroke. Plus, it's very quiet and no splashes. My boat was not wet from water effected by each stroke as the paddle hits and moves in the water.

I rate this product a strong '10'.

Bent shaft: Definitely a help for my arthritis and a bone spur in my shoulder. The angle took a couple of days to get used to, but now it seems natural.

Carbon: Light, yes, and seems to provide a better feel for the water, but if you're trying to birdwatch or not scare wildlife, then carbon is too loud when you're sneaking through the puckerbrush. Every little twig that touches any part of the paddle, especially the blade, sounds like a loud fire popping. I found that entry into the water also was a bit noisier than FG.

Both carbon and bent shaft: Longest day so far is a little less than 10 hours and I felt more alert than with my straight shaft FG paddle over a same length of time in similar conditions. First day out with this paddle found us in 15-20 kt; breeze on the nose over an 8-mile fetch. That produced mixed feelings: The good was the lighter weight definitely saved energy. The not-as-good was that the paddle was buffeted by the gusts quite a bit, no matter what feather angle. My FG paddle doesn't to be as twitchy, but I'll take the energy saving any day in those conditions.
Side strokes (sculling especially) takes some adjustment, but then the quickness of the paddle helps as long as you don't rush it.

Quirks: Got to let this blade do its thing on most strokes. Rush it and you'll feel what seems like a flutter. Take it slow and deliberate, even at a fast pace. This is particularly true using a forward stroke that's all torso with very little elbow flex--a strong, power stroke. With that stroke sometimes I could also feel a bit of flexing in the shaft, might have been my imagination, though.

Feather adjustment: Needs refinement because
1) The button you push to release both halves or adjust feather is miniscule and very difficult to use in cold weather (20 degrees F.)
2) The indication lettering is already showing signs of rubbing off even though we are a Type A about cleaning it every day and my wife has made a paddle cozy to keep it from rattling around in the truck.
3) If you forget what angle you're at (assuming you even need to know by reading a number), you have to take the paddle almost fully apart to read the gauge. Seems like that is an invitation to losing an expensive stick. On the upside though, it does float well.

Recommend waxing the ferrule to make it easier to make feathering adjustments while in our boat in high winds. We use West Marine's Teflon Boat Wax which works well.

Blade size and shape: We're a medium angle paddler mostly, sometimes high, yet we like this blade for our longer days. The lighter swing weight helps us accelerate faster to cruise speed and keep a strong pace more comfortably.

Another advantage to the light weight is when using a "resting" cruising stroke (3 pulls, rest, 3 pulls, rest, etc.)it feels like you're actually getting more of a break because resuming the pull requires less energy.

Durability: Time will tell.

I'd like to see carbon paddle blades in a bright color if the technology allows. This would make the paddle easier to find when it goes missing. A bright blade would also help find a companion if they get too far away and would allow for decent paddle signals. Black doesn't cut it for either.

Pros: weight, shaft angle
Cons: Lettering, feather adjustment, noise, color.

Would I recommend the Kalliste to a friend:
Depends on their skill, dedication to paddling, and their wallet.