Life since the Lightning
The UK paddle industry has been growing extensively over these last years. We are now starting to see many new inventions and forward thinking in the designs and production of paddles that can cope with the pressure of modern-day paddle missions. I, personally have gone through hundreds of paddles due to the extensive usage and testing of them. I push them all to expose any weaknesses and strengths. Using many different blades has its advantages and dis-advantages. I have loved variation but there is nothing like finding a paddle that can be a life partner for you and your kayaking. Coming from a slalom background, i was used to light carbon paddles, long set at 90 degrees, remember them? ha ha. Well, they were just too brittle to handle pushy class 5 or high pressure impacts. The trade off was a much stronger paddle but you would gain weight. The trick is to find something on a perfect balance between strength and weight. Robson have supported me for 10 years now, making sure I was never without a paddle even when I broke a few :-) I was using strait shaft greens and studs for years, awesome paddles. After Sydney Worlds, I suffered bad RSI in my arms, i put this down to hand position and over usage. I turned to cranks and the problem went away meaning I could keep kayaking as much as I had been.
I have found a paddle that I can trust and will look after me. Not break when a Nepali cow sits on them or when I drive over them by accident. I let everyone enjoy them and will be using them for a long time to come. The Freeride paddles for me are the right length at ( 198cm ) and feather ( 30degrees ). Full carbon crank. They are strong, light and flexible and perfect for reactionary freestyle and creek racing. I would recommend going longer for creeking and shorter for freestyle. Either way, these blades are gorgeous.
There are many paddles in the range, I have not used many of them but I do know that different blades will serve you differently depending on the type of boating you are doing. I remember well the days when I was 17 or so and a paddle buddy of mine, Christian had a set of lightnings, can't remember the model but he put those things through hell, one day drove over them to see if they could take it, they did and without flinching. He still has the paddles to this day.
I have been out in the creeks of Wales quite a lot lately with all the usual suspects. Been a really good few months of rain over this way and we have been out the door every time it rains. We managed to get a high run on chip shop boof ( betws y coed ) section. Got creamed in the hole and boils under the bridge with Jim Shrimpton and Jak Alder. The paddles worked well, getting me out from the whirlpools below. All in all, paddles coped well under the harsh Welsh conditions. They are making paddling lots of fun again. I look forward to Norway, Canada and Nepal and testing the freerides and taking them to some new fun locations.
See you all soon I hope. Welcome to come to Bala and paddle with Endless Summers Kayak School and test out some lightnings! Peace.
Matt Cooke
Team Lightning
Endless Summers Kayak School
mattcookekayak.com
