Rated 5 out of 5 by ineedagoodnickname Wonderful
Besides being almost a work of art, this paddle is a Best Buy
It's comfortable, light and beautiful.
As for the stroke, ohhh yeah!!! : I often "GPS" myself, and on the same route, (about 3hrs)(Flatwater) I shaved 20 min off my regular "dilettante" time.
When you compare the ratio Price/Quality it's really a Great Buy!
Sure, it won't beat your carbon/kevlar $9,999 top of the line paddle, but I as won't compete in the Olympics (this year:) it's a perfect fit for my use.
So, What are you waiting for? buy it now!
October 27, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Doc1983 Nice paddle
The paddle is light and pretty. The grip is comfortable. Haven't tried it on the lake yet but foresee no issues.
July 25, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Outdoor2009 Works great
Used this for the first time and loved it. It was easy to use and gave me greater power in the stroke.
July 11, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Wheats1 Great paddle!
Our Scout crew is going up to Northern Tier (Boy Scout camp in Minnesota) and one of the other members had this paddle at our first shakedown paddle. It takes a little getting used to, but after 15 minutes, we were flying along the lake. I will never use a flat paddle again!
May 16, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by HighAdventurePaddler Paddle is a work of art.
Bending Branches make probably the best paddles around, in my opinion. My old paddle recently cracked on a trip to the Maine High Adventure Area, BSA ( it was only 30 years old ). I looked into replacing it when I saw our trip guide was using a bent shaft paddle on the big lakes we were canoeing. I did some research and for a recreational paddler this turned out to be the best choice. When I received it I was not disappointed, this is a gorgeous paddle, almost to nice to use. It is light and the perfect choice for my return trip this summer.
February 1, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by MidMissouriMomma Of Beauty and Brawn
Out of the box, these paddles (I ordered two) look like they should be mounted permanently on our wall, like fine art. Beautifully constructed, strong and lightweight, these paddles are a joy to hold. Canoe paddle handles have never fit in the palm of my hand as perfectly as these do. The additional feature of the protective plastic tip at the end of the paddle is smart for hitting rocky river bottoms. Looking forward to using them this spring!
Good design, LLBean.
January 4, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Vermin93 Great paddle
I purchased this to use in my motorized square-back canoe when I'm not running the motor. The shape of the paddle makes it really easy to use. It's well made and has a good looking finish. I highly recommend it.
October 19, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by
JPierreM re: worth every dollar
I don't like the feel of plastic and aluminum, and my favorite standard wooden paddle of 20 years was cracking apart. My back-up paddle was in worse shape.
Bent shafts got pretty good reviews, but the prices at the local camping stores were outrageous- above $110
I took a chance and bought 2 bending branches canoe paddles from LL Bean. Best price on the web, always love their service...
I am experienced in a canoe. My 13 year old son was a novice. I loved the paddle immediately - light weight, but lots of area in the water, efficiently propelling the canoe forward. My son paddled well, right from the start. At the end of a portage, I used my old paddle to push off and pull away from the rocks - yikes, it was heavy, and delivered less power. I am never going back to a straight shaft again.
August 17, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by Lawsonj BB Special Bent-Shaft Canoe Paddle
A quality bent shaft paddle. A piece of functional art. A joy to paddle with. Experience the Zen of paddling on a quite lake. Definitely recommend.
July 6, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by DJMas Great Paddle!
This is a great paddle. I've owned a canoe for many years and I should have broken down and purchased a bent-shaft paddle long ago. The first time out with the paddle I was really impressed with how well it works. I let my friend try it and when we switched it felt like I was doing nothing with my old straight shaft paddle. The next day he ordered the BB Special from Bean himself. These paddles should make a difference in our upcoming Adirondack paddle trip.
August 25, 2010
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