RPC3 Mid-Wing Kayak Paddle Review
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- Опубликовано: 31 мар 2018
- This video is about I was given a paddle by the crew at RPC3! I decided to make a review video to return the favor. In this video, I field test and discuss the features and quality of the RPC3 Mid-Wing paddle. What makes a great paddle? ...durability, feel, smoothness, efficiency, weight, strength, catch, etc... I now have over 1000 hard miles on my Epic touring paddle and I love it. While I would like to believe that paddles last forever, they do not. If you are between paddles or just looking to update the quiver, the RPC3 has the quality and features found on the world's best paddles for about half the price! While this is a brand you may not be familiar with yet, you should take a look!
RPC3.com
Hey, thanks for the review!! It's greatly appreciated. Glad you like it. Don't worry about longevity, Traci Lynn Martin used one last year for about 4,000 miles in horrible conditions. Again, many thanks!!Scott (RPC3)
You bet Scott, thanks again!
Scott Smith I am looking to upgrade my currwnt paddle to a full carbon standard touring blade. Would love to see what you offer.
I must check RPC3 out .
Practical Outdoorist they are an amazing deal!
Love my RPC3 small wing. Using it for the MR340
Right on! Good luck in the race!
🙄 Well, wouldn't you know it, as I watch this video and go to the RPC3 website, they are sold out of the Mid Wing paddles. 🙄 LOL! It's ok though, I'm not ready to buy a paddle yet. Good looking paddle. 👍🏻
All their paddles are really nice. I prefer the Performance Tour Blade as they are basically a ww blade on a touring layup. With the wing paddles, you lose your ability to perform active blade techniques for scenarios with whitewater etc. But if you are looking to go fast in straight lines, there is nothing better!
So the epic up for grabs...lol
It looked like it pushed a lot of water with the wing design. Compared to your go to paddle would you foresee more or less muscle fatigue on a long or Multiday paddle? Does it's efficiency offset any added fatigue?
Great question. The wing paddles definitely pull more water. This causes more muscle fatigue for sure. The efficiency is unmatched in the paddle world for power and bite in the stroke. I like to think of it as bicycle gears. Paddles with less surface area are like the low gears for going up hill. the fatter blades and wing paddles etc are like the high gears for going fast down hill. If you are racing or a young stud really looking to pump out the miles, the large wings are hands down the only option.
For all day paddling, the mid wings or small wings can work if you are a strong paddler already. The relaxed or traditional touring paddles will offer all day paddling with the least amount of fatigue. Perhaps more important than the paddle design for fatigue is actually paddle weight. If you have never used a 20oz carbon fiber paddle, then you really can not imagine the difference between that and even a mid range paddle. The $450+ price tags are hard to swallow. However, if you ever throw 500,000 or more strokes in a week of paddling then you will gladly throw that money at your shoulders all day long! lol.
The RPC3 are a great option at slightly heavier (27oz) than the industry gold standard (20oz) and some of that is due to the locking system, but they are much more affordable. For example, the $130 Werner skagit that is everywhere as a go between for those not looking to break the bank but wanting out of the Walmart paddle still weighs 35oz. The typical Carlisle walmart-ish paddle weighs upwards of 40oz for the good one. I will not even discuss the $40 aluminum paddles. You could just buy a two sided shovel! lol! In effect, the cheap paddle requires twice as much strength and muscle to use in the regards to just holding up that paddle all day when compared to my Epic. Couple that with lost strength from paddle blade and shaft flex and you are just killing yourself out there.
I have used a standard relaxed touring blade for many many miles and have sometimes wanted more blade to really stroke it out at times. Those times have been few and far between. I would not choose a wing over the standard blade for what I do. I also, though, would not have any issue with using a wing paddle for a long trip. When a company gives you an unsolicited paddle, you take it and say thank you!
I would generally recommend a relaxed touring layup just on the premise that you do not know. The typical wing users are seeking out maximum output from the paddle and are conditioned to take the abuse and have impeccable paddling technique. If that is the direction you want to go with your paddling, then a wing is the way to go.
Getting any top of the line paddle is the first step to reducing fatigue. If you don't want to spend too much to drop those last 3 or 4 oz., then take a look at the RPC3 relaxed touring layup. Hope this helps!
I also made a paddle designs video a while back, I should have included the wing design as well! Thanks for the question!