Old-school Bending Branches beauty in a beefed-up paddle that meets the needs of the modern-day kayak angler. The wood blades on the Angler Navigator are known for their durability and their quietness. The dense, dark woods Bending Branches selects hold their form and stay intact, and there is not a quieter entry and exit than these blades. Wood gives one of the easiest, most forgiving forward strokes in paddling. The natural buoyancy springs the paddle out of the water, and the wood absorbs the rigors of the river or lake rather than passing it all back to you. The blades are wrapped with Rockgard tip protection and coated with 2 oz fiberglass, which seals in the wood and protects it from abuse and long-term wear. The oversized blade is sized for horsepower and control with a heavily loaded fishing kayak, and the carbon shaft is ovalized where your hands go for comfort, control and fewer blisters. This is the snap-button version: fixed length, tight fitting and secure, with a 3-hole design for 0 or 60 degree feather angles, left or right hand control. Videos Official product video from Bending Branches Specifications Shaft Material: 100% Carbon Blade Material: Red Alder, Roasted Basswood & Basswood Blade Size: 7.25 x 18 in. Blade Surface Area: 105 sq. in. Weight: 33 oz. Feather Angle: 0° and 60° (L or R) Ferrule: Snap Button, 3-hole, fixed length Pieces: 2-piece Blade Protection: Rockgard tips, 2 oz. fiberglass coating Warranty: 2-year manufacturing Made In: Osceola, Wisconsin, USA Key Features Wood Blades: Dense, dark woods that hold form and stay intact. Quietest Entry and Exit: Nothing in the line moves through the water quieter. Natural Buoyancy: The wood springs the paddle out of the water each stroke. Forgiving Stroke: Wood absorbs the rigors of the river or lake and flexes more than composite. Rockgard Tip Protection: Plus a 2 oz fiberglass coating that seals the wood. Oversized Blade: Horsepower and control for a heavily loaded fishing kayak. Carbon Shaft: The lightest material available, tight and secure weave. Ovalized Grip: More comfort and control, and fewer blisters. Snap-Button Ferrule: Fixed length, tight, secure, no wobble. 40-Inch Tape Measure: Printed on the shaft to verify a catch on the spot. Hand Built in Osceola, Wisconsin: Made in the USA, 2-year manufacturing warranty. Bending Branches Angler Navigator Questions, Answered Do wood blades hold up to kayak fishing? Bending Branches builds them to. The woods are dense and dark, chosen for holding form and staying intact, and the blades are wrapped with Rockgard tip protection and coated with 2 oz fiberglass, which seals the wood in and protects it from abuse and long-term wear. What does wood do for the stroke? The natural buoyancy springs the paddle out of the water at the end of each stroke, so the recovery costs you less. And the wood absorbs the rigors of the river or lake instead of passing every jolt into your hands. Compared to composite or plastic, wood blades are more flexible. How much quieter is it? Bending Branches will tell you there is not a quieter entry and exit than these blades. If you fish skinny water or work a bank at dawn, that is a real advantage over a hard plastic blade. Snap-Button or Versa-Lok? Same wood blades and carbon shaft. The snap-button is fixed length with 0 and 60 degree feather, and it is the more robust, simpler connection. Versa-Lok adds 15cm of adjustable length and infinite feathering for wider kayaks and elevated seat positions. Can I use the tape measure to check a legal fish? Not officially. Bending Branches states it is a sizing guide, not an official measuring tool for competitive angling or for determining the legality of a catch, and print accuracy can vary from the manufacturing process. How does it ship? Ships parcel, nationwide. It breaks down into two pieces and boxes up, so it goes out as a standard ground shipment.
