Landis Arnold of Prijon and Wildwasser fame is no stranger to paddlesports. That’s why his new Full Circle paddle line from Nomadic Inc. has got us stoked to make strokes.
Arnold updated a classic design with cutting-edge technology to create the OG2-F, what he calls “the ultimate whitewater paddle….nothing else even comes close.” Made in the USA, its unique one-piece blade-shaft construction delivers a solid connection with the water, and its carbon, foam-cored blades are lightweight, buoyant, and extremely durable. Lengths range from 192-200cm, custom for $20 extra, with offsets including zero,15, 30, 45, 60 and custom ($20). $595
We caught up with Arnold for more beta on the new blades:
PL: Why get into the whitewater paddle market?
In a way I never left, at least emotionally. We sold paddles since day one (back to 1984) and paddles are a super crucial element in the transformation that one we all undergo when we becoming a kayaker (sort of a life-changing, seasonal, and sometimes daily transformation). I am fascinated by paddles. I collect them, I use them, I enjoy them in my hand and also as objects, whether considered tools, or art or sporting goods. I bore people trying to describe the new (to me) paddle stroke I found myself doing. I call it the propeller stroke. Like I said, I love paddles. And I really love good paddles.
PL: How’s it better than others?
I like to use the term “different” but “better” does work at least for me. Attributes focused upon are ergonomics, hydrodynamics and strength. The shape is modeled after the well-known (and otherwise discontinued) AT-2. In terms of ergonomics and hydrodynamics it is just a fantastic shape. It really is.
Ergonomically: The grip with the paddle is very comfortable and secure. I have found that I can’t lose my grip. Because of that it allows me to have a more relaxed grip which really helps in many ways, among them allowing me to relax a bit more and focus on the run. That relaxed grip is a confidence key. It is there for you. You can’t get confused as to which side is up, what is front or back. Relaxed confidence is key.
Hydrodynamically, the blade is built around a foam core which provides both flotation and a flow contour which is dynamic, not too fast on the sweep, but also without flow disturbance that is caused by the “ribbed back” of many paddle shapes. Flotation is also very helpful when you are working to bring your blade to the surface—you can basically “relax” and the blade will want to float up. The hydrodynamics ties into the ergonomics, such that your connection to the paddle is secure and your control of the paddle is known.
In terms of strength and durability, the paddles combine several elements. They have Delrin edge around each blade which is integrated and bonded both to the foam core and to the carbon composite surface. They have a relatively high density and strong foam core in each blade. There are many varieties of foam that could be used but having a durable one that bonds well to the paddles other elements is key. Having a tight cell structure is part of this strength. Additional strength comes from the bonding that takes place to the other elements, skin, edging and shaft. A detail that ties strength and ergonomics together is the “flex shaft” we’ve integrated. Combining glass with carbon brings more flexibility to the shaft. That flex, like the suspension in a car, makes it more comfortable to paddle, and spreads loading forces over larger areas. In many ways the character of the shaft, as well as the blades in their build, brings the comfort (flex, warmth, buoyancy) factors and feel one gets with a high-end wood paddle.
PL: How has the industry changed since you were last involved?
I was last involved on a “day to day” basis in 2014. We had sold the Wildwasser brand and designs to Salamander. The partnership we had around kayaks together with Mike Neckar had wound down (NorAm Kayaks was selling both the Prijon and Mikes Delsyk -brand boats). I was ready for a change, and I will say, I have learned a whole slate of new skills and experiences in those 10 years. And I have been doing some contract work in the paddlesports realm the last few years so I have not been fully removed.
Emotionally, I have stuck with paddling and I have a big focus on making gear. I love it. It is fascinating. And I love to make things. I think the Inuit were that way. They made everything. We actually made almost everything for ourselves in my first 10 years of paddling, too. In these last 10 years I have been paddling more somehow than when I was working around it full time. Part of that is that I have had weekends free to get out with the gang and I have a hard time saying no when it sounds really fun. Not as much sea kayaking as much as I used to, and I miss that, but I feel I have been on the river more. More touring time will come again. It is all touring really. I even have a book on the shelf, from 1973 or so, called “Whitewater Touring.” They describe a great set of approaches in that book.
I do perceive that there have been changes this past decade, and most of them I think for the better. There have been whole series of changes through the last 50 years that I have seen. My first 10 years I look at as my “full stoke” years. Enthusiasm was mixed with wonder and wanting to know more. I paddled a lot then and I really felt it as the summer side of life. Yes, there was skiing, but I mixed the two. It was through skiing and traveling to Europe that I made a side trip, introduced myself to Prijon and actually started importing as a result of my stopping by the second time. Channeling the European “extreme” enthusiasm was one of the changes I tied into.
Some of the changes—including the extreme thing—sometimes went too far, and over time I did not feel were always healthy. In regards to whitewater paddling, I felt, that it had become a bit too focused on a few elite level niches. Having a focus on very extreme paddling, both in regards to difficulty and danger, but also in regards to the requirements of skill and settings required had the unintended but real effect of turning people away from the sport. Inside the sport, it simply wasn’t cool in some circles to run Class III anymore. A weird result was that it became less attractive to enter the sport and strive for Class III or IV. Fun was not good enough. Thankfully, I feel that much of those subjects have passed now.
Right now, it seems like people are having a lot of fun paddling. Getting out with their friends, stretching their comfort zone here and there, but mostly hitting the next eddy, checking in, thinking about the next surf wave, or where might the best place for lunch. Maybe I say that because that is how my experience has been. My last day paddling this season was on the Blue River and it was amazing how beautiful it was. The aspen leaves were in full color. The river just right. Not crowded, but there were cars at both put in and takeout.
Many people say that the sport is smaller now than it was. I probably agree as an unmeasured observation, but it certainly has not disappeared. For learning opportunities, especially with the growth of play parks there are more places to learn than there used to be. It’s a way better human development than the damn dam building that had a very real impact on paddling opportunities especially between the 1950 and 1980—Waterton Canyon and the Gunnison River above Black Canyon are cases in point.
Negatively for the sport/lifestyle now though, there is clearly more competition for time, from devices like our phones, video games and the like. Competition really for our “here-now” attention. That is a huge commodity that is being mined from us. And it causes a real challenge when trying to bring certain groups like the youth into the realm. The beauty, though, of paddling is that most of all those other things go away when you get in a boat. It is you, the water, your friends and where it is you are going. People feel that and value that if they can set the time aside and get their team together, get out, be safe and have fun. Oh, and one more change: This patent expired in 2016. It was a very good one. Ergonomically improved kayak paddle: https://patents.google.com/patent/US5820424A/en
PL: What’s your take on the state of paddling and the industry these days?
Although I used to put a big X over the SUP world, and felt that it was hurting kayaking, my attitude on that has changed. SUP is also paddling and nine times out of 10 it is about safe and achievable paddling. That is great. Sounds like there is some bit of over supply out there and I do feel that the broad spread that SUP, and also “rec boating” took, has taken away from parts of the specialty business. If people think that kayaks are worth $239 because they saw them at Walmart it is hard to break that expectation. Butmountain biking certainly breaks such expectations which might be formed by bicycles you might find at Walmart. So it is an education thing. And if a $5,000 carbon mountain bike is chump change, then a $600 carbon paddle is really a good deal, in my view, especially when you put the fun and importance-to-self factor in.
An industry take in all of this, is that it is expensive to build good things and it has become more expensive. We are opting for a model which tries to keep an expensive to build item still affordably. We’re doing that with the Full Circle line, at least for now, by not having a wholesale level to the offering. That is complicated for various reasons, but it keeps the price in the window. If we can find better cost factors to our build, we hope to open-up the dealer channel. Perhaps we can raise our price to achieve that. For now, though, we are at the price we feel we need to be. We are making each paddle to order—we keep set of right and left halves ready to set to specification.
I speak of “we” but the reality is, my company is comprised right now of me. I do work with suppliers and we work well together. My company, Nomadic Inc., is the same company that Wildwasser was, just amended the corporate name when I sold Wildwasser. Check Salamander Paddle Gear for that. Some very nice gear they have. And it will be nice to get to know old friends and new…I see that ahead.
Info: Nomadic Inc (Full Circle Paddles)