Dragon Boat Paddle

This is the 2nd Dragon Boat Paddle I have owned. Love that this one is adjustable. I start the season at a 47” and end at a 49”, it’s great that I can adjust as the season goes along. The paddle is light as a feather too.

Good mid-priced paddle. This is my first dragon boat paddle, so I opted for an adjustable one. It’s plain, but it was preferable for me since I added my own designs. I’ve used it once and liked the feel.

very good to use

I am new to Dragon Boating and this paddle is working out great! Easy to adjust and this was a great company to work with. I did not put the correct code in for a free paddle bag when I purchased the paddle. I then contacted the company and they allowed me to still order the paddle bag offer. Highly recommend this company!

Excellent!

I've been paddling dragon boats for 3 years, and I have a Kialoa hybrid (carbon blade & wood handle). I was wanting an extra paddle to try different lengths, and to be able to loan it to teammates. At $125, I thought I'd give this one a try (adjustable name-brand carbon paddles are going for around $300). My biggest "unknown" looking at the ad was whether or not I needed a tool to adjust the length. There is a screw, but you only need to adjust that once, and then you use the flip-out latch to release the pressure and adjust the length (see photo). You can flip the plastic latch in/out easily with your finger. (Note - do not over-tighten the metal screw that adjusts the amount of pressure, as I suspect that would break the latch.) This paddle is shipped from China, so be prepared to wait a few weeks. It comes well-wrapped in many layers of foam sheets & micro bubble wrap, and then the entire thing wrapped in several layers of clear packing tape. It takes a major effort to unwrap it! It arrived through USPS, with 'signature required' (which is kind of a pain, getting off work early, driving across town, and waiting in the Christmas-rush line at the post office - ymmv). The main section of the shaft is oval, similar to my Kialoa - I like this, as it helps you "feel" that your paddle is right, and gives you better control. You can feel just a hint of the fiberglass seam under the smooth finish of the shaft. There are no measurement marks on the handle to let you know what length you have it adjusted to. The t-handle section of the handle has a round shaft, which means you could actually turn the handle at a slight angle (I think you would more likely do this by accident, rather than on purpose ... but ymmv). The tip of the blade is not quite as thin as my Kialoa, but it's close. There is a sticker on the blade that says "IDBF Sport Paddle, specification 202a". The t-grip handle is slightly curved along the top, and has ever-so-slight finger indentions on one side. And of course, you could spin the handle so the Z&J Sport logo is facing forward or backward on the paddle (not that it would make any difference to your paddling). I would advise you to take the handle section completely out, and clean the shaft & hole periodically (especially if your paddle's been in dirt/sand). And, as with any paddle, never-ever place the tip on the ground, or jab it in the sand, or use your paddle as a leaning post, etc. I see so many newbies do that, and it makes me cringe. If the paddle is too heavy for you to hold in the air while on land, then place the tip on the top of your foot and let it rest there (never on the ground). <-- yes, that is my "soapbox" :) I'll hopefully get a chance to try out the paddle this weekend (if December North Carolina weather allows it), and once I've used it a few times I'll update the review with how I think it paddles. I'm including several photos of the various things I mentioned about the paddle.

Working great for my first paddle. I chose an adjustable paddle because I'm fairly new to the sport and not sure what length paddle I want to end up with. A bonus- since I have long arms-if I'm sitting behind someone with an odd rhythm or stroke that causes occasional clashes of paddles-I can shorten my paddle to compensate.

Pro: Very light paddle, 399g, fit 44~52 inches. Con: The handle comes scratched and a bit dirty, didn't give lower score because the seller is very responsive and is taking steps to remedy the issue.