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Independent Playak Review: Werner Paddles' top model, the Sho-Gun.

Playak tested the Werner Sho-Gun throughout the Swiss creeking season. The Sho-Gun is probably the world's most expensive paddle (being Werner's top model), so we wanted to find out if it lives up to its price tag. Here are our findings:

The hype

From wernerpaddles.com:

The Sho-Gun is the ultimate creek and river running paddle. The large blade design is balanced to create a clean catch that is immediately powerful and smooth through out the entire stroke.

• Our largest Foam Core blade is powerful from catch to release
• Balanced blade design and slight dihedral create smooth strokes
• Light weight and responsive
• Impact resistant Kevlar™ is molded into the power face along with a double layer of Dynel™ edging for added durability
• Ultimate choice for creek and river running

Our first touch

The most notable thing about the Sho-Gun is that the blades are totally different from the classic Werner blades. Where the classic Werner blade construction is thin with a foam core down the middle that extends the shaft, the Sho-Gun has a thick foam core blade, laminated with carbon, and a Dynel edge (some kind of PE webbing).

The shaft is Werner's carbon bent shaft, as known from other Werner paddles. The whole paddle looks very noble, light and strong and is super stiff. Much like with some expensive SUV, it can go offroad, but knowing the price tag, you don't even dare to drive over the boardwalk while parking in the shopping zone. And so it felt awkward at first to go and use it in the rough Swiss creeking conditions. Then again, rough creeking is exactly what this paddle was made for...

On the water

In short, thumbs up.

The buoyant blades feel really nice and are definitely more abrasion resistant than the classic Werners.

The grip of the bent-shaft is really good, but I normally prefer small diameter shafts, and the bent shaft feels even a bit thicker than a standard straight one, so I'd prefer a thin bent shaft, which is also available.

Much more important than the shaft is the effect of the new blades. Shapes may just be much of a religion, a question of getting used to, but the difference between a thin blade that will sink, and a thick one that is buoyant, is enormous. Putting one blade in the water and relaxing your active arm - the blade floats just under the surface, exactly where you need it to pull a stroke. This means that paddling feels easier and the blades seem to jump back out of the water at the end of every stroke. Hard to describe, but it feels just right...

My main concern was the fragile look of the construction, but looks can be deceiving. Hitting rocks with the blade's edges feels much softer than with other fiber laminated constructions, much like an injection moulded plastic blade, and the abrasion resistance is much better. Since August 2004 I've also been paddling a Werner Double Diamond, which has the same blade construction, and my experience from that is totally positive. After the Grand Canyon, lots of local creeks, more than two months in Chile and a dry, rocky week in Corsica, the blades still look great and have lost about nothing of their size...

The face and back of the blades are very puncture proof. I had no problems there on my Double Diamond either, and the Sho Gun has an even stronger construction with some carbon-kevlar reinforcement.

What I did not like about the Sho Gun was the color (even though it looks sexy). After experiencing more than once in my paddling career how hard it is to find a black paddle in the river, I wish the Sho-Gun had some color, not only to find a lost paddle, but I think gear visibility adds to overall savety.

Some people have problems with very stiff paddles: it hurts their wrists, elbows and shoulders. In that respect, the Sho-Gun is as stiff as it gets. But for me, compared to my straight glass shaft Double-Diamond, I had lower stress on my wrists while playboating, so I think the bent shaft eases the problem.

In the Lab

Stiffness is a more serious issue for the paddle itself though. Most of the broken paddles I've seen were stiff ones, and your physics teacher can explain you why things that can't flex will break sooner than things that can - try wood and window. I personally think that flexible glass shafts are better for creeking.

Something similar can be said for bent against a straight shaft: I think a straight glass shaft is the best solution from a durability point of view, but the bent shaft has other benefits. I don't know why there are no glass bent shafts from Werner. Maybe such shafts would be too heavy in order to be strong enough?

[ed. we got the following response from Werner to this issue: "In our testing the more flexible the shaft, the more likely it will break. We do make stiff shafts because our first priority is durability."]

Conclusion

The only thing that i remain sceptic about is the carbon bent shaft. I think it makes the paddle too stiff and would personally prefer a glass shaft version. Maybe Werner will offer a bent shaft that flexes too one day?

The blades are fantastic, both because of their buoyancy and their durability.

All-in-all, the Sho-Gun is not just a show gun, but a paddle that feels as excellent as it looks, and it's strong enough for the SERIOUS whitewater and creeking job.

For Playak
-- Thomas Rogenmoser

[All photos by Neumann & Shuman]