Quote from: deptrai on June 03, 2019, 07:24:02 PM

My 2017 Hobie paddle is 230cm length.  Every kayak site I've seen recommends a 240cm length paddle for someone my height (5'10") and a 33" wide (Outback) kayak.  I want a new paddle that gives me a chance to paddle to safety in wind and swell when my Mirage Drive breaks again.  I don't know what the Hobie paddle weighs, but I'd like something lighter.  I like the idea of yellow blades which could be used to signal in an emergency.

Any recommendations within a $150 budget?  I imagine a lighter paddle will be made of more fragile materials that I'll need to take care of.

It's a little outside your listed price range, but I really like the Adventure Technology Odyssey Angler. Lightweight, infinite feathering, and oversized paddle blades to get more oomph out of every stroke. You can also adjust the length for an additional 10cm, giving you better odds of finding the sweet spot for your paddling needs. The painted ruler on the shaft and line catcher on one of the blades are cool too--I use the ruler all the time for quick OTW fish measurements. When I busted a Mirage Drive mast a few miles northwest of Depoe Bay last fall, the Odyssey paddled my Revo 13 back to port with no issues. Of course, it's great for paddle kayaks as well  .

Pshhh paddling a revo is easy compared to an Outback.... throw an extra $100 on your price and you can get a quality paddle that will last many years, the fiberglass and composite paddles are way lighter but surprisingly stronger. I use a Werner and paddle my Big Tuna with it and hand it on my my Native propel kayaks unless someone else’s arse is in my Tuna, then they have it.

Pshhh paddling a revo is easy compared to an Outback....

True. That's one of the reasons I haven't pulled the trigger on an Outback . But an Outback can indeed be paddled. My brother has the same AT Odyssey paddle as me, and fishes exclusively from an Outback. He puts in way more miles on the salt than me, and when he has a Mirage Drive snafu, he's had to paddle that Outback in crap conditions several times, including at least one five mile trudge from the Pac halibut grounds off Trinidad in whitecapping conditions.

The kayak fishing scene's changed a lot over the last ten years, to the point where paddling is almost an afterthought. IMO, knowing how to paddle properly is an invaluable safety skill. If your Mirage or Propel or Helix or whatever drive craps out, it'll give you peace of mind if you know you can get back home using only your paddle.