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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.

My first kayak, I bought off of Craigslist for $300. The kayak has seen better days, but I found a lot of great things about it. As a tall person with big feet, I found the fabric deck to be a blessing. My feet can push against it and get the room they need without having to contort my legs in odd manners.

This kayak is very spartan. The seat isn't padded and neither is the backrest. This can make for uncomfortable paddling experiences if you don't buy your own padding.