The Global Paddling Community

Take for instance the Seven2 R-1: a whitewater razor that can carve effortlessly through waves, eddylines and slice turkey so thin your relatives will never come back - but when it comes to hacking through heavy pile or fallow boulder gardens, it can't always be trusted. No, for this kind of creeking, ELF and big water work, heavy machinery is required. Enter the Riot Bentshaft: quite possibly the ugliest axe you'll ever see on the river. A hefty carbon shaft with two beefy nylon blades jammed on either end. In my prouder moments I thought to myself I'd never need a brute like this to protect me from what hides below surface, from the ancient ones who lurk under holes and shoals and stare at flimsy paddles like a Pit Bull stares at a kitten wrapped in filet mignon. No, surely someone like myself doesn't need that kind of armament. I'm a technique boater - I use the power of the river to my own advantage like a tai chi master. I'm not like those ex-football players who muscle their way out of - and right back into - hole after hole, lurching down the river like some kind of freestyle Frankenstein. The Freeride looks like it would be equally comfortable to use as a paddle or to commit capital crimes. "Riot Bentshaft: all you'll ever need from class V to murder 1", "Riot Bentshaft: when you absolutely, positively have to kill every last person in the room, accept no imitations." Why not?

So anyway, I got a hold of one of these black beasties to try out on the water, and this is what came of it.

PERFORMANCE:

Surprisingly good. I had a 185cm Surfer to play with. The short length is an integral part of the design of this paddle - get one of these things longer than it needs to be and the leverage applied to your shoulders would be torturous. The blades are very large and powerful, bringing to mind the old Waterstick leaf blades - the "4-wheel drive" of the kayaking world. In spite of being rather ponderous when first picked up compared to most high-end paddles on the market these days, the swing-weight is fairly low. It doesn't paddle like any of the worst paddles I've tried, but I can't say it's in the same category as the Seven2 either. The ergonomics of the shaft are good, but I found myself up against a problem that I have with all paddles with more than a 30° feather - I tend to torque the shaft in my hands. Couple this with the memory ridges which are supposed to remain under the knuckles of the finger and it can be a bit of an effort to get the blade alignment correct, or at least I found myself having to think about it more frequently than I am used to with my G3. The market is driving feather angles down every year, but it seems to have stuck at 45° for a while now - hopefully that will change as loops and bow stalls become more mainstream. What I did like about this paddle was the traction and the drawing action. When you need to put a little rocket sauce on your ferry, it delivers. It also cuts nicely through the water on a draw, and plants firmly in place for Duffeks.

CONSTRUCTION:

It would be hard to overstate the solidity of this paddle. The blades are made of a super-tough injection molded nylon and are more than a match for heavy abuse. The ferrules are solid and the seals reinforced with shrink-wrap. This is definitely a paddle you aren't afraid to throw off a drop or cliff during a portage, and Riot makes sure of that by backing it up with a very generous warranty.

CONCLUSION:

For someone looking for a higher performance paddle that can take serious damage, this is a good choice. I'd prefer a lower feather angle, but most paddlers are used to 45° so that's probably more of a personal issue.