Impression Solo

I transitioned from a traditional paddle to the double bladed solo canoe set up. My Bending Branches 260 cm is just right for the task. I like the fact that the blades like to come up on their own when completing a stroke. I recommend this paddle. I use a Bending Branches Navigatot 220cm with a carbon shaft for my Current Designs Kestral 140. Bending Branches designs are great value and great quality.

I paddle my kids about in Pakcanoes (see my reviews). Sometimes I do not have another adult to help and the wind bullies me around, or, the long boring stretch of (usually slow moving, lower) river goes on for ever. Then I reach for my two piece, twin blade. It’s like firing up an outboard motor. There are two different lengths, and I have each for either of my canoes (Pakcanoes 165 and 170). Great to bring on every trip and other people’s kids use them as make shift paddles when joining us. Saves on the number of spare junior paddles I have to pack. Every family paddler should have one, or, both in the range.

I bought a Bending Branches Impression 280 cm paddle for use with my new Kevlar canoe. It was definitely not inexpensive, but seemed a good, lightweight paddle for use with my lightweight canoe. It was also the only double ended, kayak style paddle long enough for my canoe manufacturer to recommend for use solo from the center seat of the canoe.

After the first outing of this year, I noticed that paddle had split through the "rock guard" at the tip of the paddle, and the split extended about 5 inches toward the paddle shaft. The paddle was about 13 months old at the time. I emailed Bending Branches with a description of the break, the purchase date, and the dealer I had bought if from. Within 5 hours (excluding the Memorial Day weekend) they replied and asked for photos, which I promptly sent. The next day they shipped a replacement paddle, and asked me to return the damaged paddle in the same box using a prepaid shipping label to be included with the replacement paddle. Unfortunately, the return shipping label was not in the box. I notified them of the missing shipping label and within a couple hours received a reply indicating they had failed to inform the shipping department to include the label, that they did not really need the paddle back because they had my photos, and that I should keep or dispose of the broken paddle at my discretion.

At no point did anyone question the 13 month age of the paddle. (The Bending Branches web site mentions a 1 year warrantee.) And no one questioned if I might have abused the paddle. (It might have broken when I tried unsuccessfully to stop a strong current from carrying me downstream by pushing the paddle into a rocky streambed. Abuse? I don't know.)

I have not seen better customer service from any company and have only seen equivalent service from a few. If only all companies treated their customers this way.