: It is impossible for someone else to tell you what paddle is best for you.
: The only way to know is to try different styles and models and see which
: fit you. I paddle with a wing almost exclusively, for racing and for
: touring, but that's what suits me. I can't do some strokes, such as
: sculling, Duffeks etc. with it, but for the type of paddling I do now
: that's not a significant disadvantage. For me.

: And it takes time to get the feel right. I paddle an Epic mid-wing, which is
: the standard wing for performance paddling for the past few years. Many of
: my friends, particularly smaller paddlers and those doing longer
: distances, have switched to the new small mid-wing. I tried one Sunday for
: a few minutes and didn't like it, but it would take at least a couple of
: hours with it (and a GPS, in this case) to really see if it would have
: benefits for me. It was certainly lighter and faster, but without the bite
: that I'm used to. And a Bracsa I tried a while back had too much bite. For
: me.

: Try different styles of regular 'flat' bladed paddles. Try a wing or two.
: Carve a Greenland paddle and try that for a while. See what works for you
: and how and what you paddle. Maybe you'll end up a GP fanatic, maybe
: you'll end up with a quiver. The important part is that you end up with a
: smile on your face.

Yeah I'll have to agree at least to start. I've got all sorts of paddles though most of the time anymore I use the GP. I've got a wing too and it's wonderful for exercise, nothing better, the stroke is powerful (fast too) and uses darn near all the muscles in the bod. Still, the GP is silent.

Bill H.