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I've had the 230 cm small shaft, CF model for two seasons, well into my third. It's my go-to paddle. It's tough. I've pushed off rocks, logs, mud, sand, and got stuck in ice crystals where I thought for sure I'd crack the blade trying to moosh through that stuff. I love this paddle.

I got the small shaft because my hands are small. With cold weather gloves it feels like a normal shaft and my hands last longer than with a normal shaft plus gloves. Long length because I paddle a loon 138 which is a very wide boat. I keep it slightly feathered because that's my natural tendency in open water.

The only complaint is that the decals for the feathering adjustment came off at the end of one season. It's possible that hard use combined with sun, rain, and encounters with sand bars might have been a little much. I emailed Werner and they sent me new decals but in the end I decided to just scratch some adjusting markers into the shaft pieces.

Aside from that, it's really holding up. I've used it hard, two or three times a month and a couple long camping trips. Rivers, creeks, and lakes only. No whitewater.

I'll replace it with the same model if I lose it or break it but I hope it lasts. I finally got it looking just the way I want. Scratched up, nicks at the edges, permanent mud stains from the Wisconsin River. It's beautiful.