Paddle Grips for Take-Apart Kayak Paddle Shaft, Kayaking Accessories, Non-Slip Grip, Blister Prevention - Cascade Creek

No more blisters after a long day of paddling when you forgot your gloves in the car. Fairly easy to install, but they're nice and grippy on the paddle. I found it easiest to install them by getting them wet, as they suggest, get the paddle wet from the joint where the other half of the paddle attaches all the way to where you want the grips to end up, then start slipping the grip onto the paddle. The secret is that once it's on part way, hold the paddle vertically so the blade is on the ground, then pull the Yakgrip from the TOP of the grip downward. I actually stuck my fingertips into the Yakgrip rim, which pulls it away from the paddle a bit and makes it a whole lot easier to slide the grip on. I would bet soapy water would work even better, but I was too lazy to go that route and really didn't need to. The grips are nice and comfortable as long as you rotate them on the paddle so your hand and fingers avoid the seam, which is pretty much a no-brainer.

They work great. Gives added grip and pressure relief to your hands. And they look cool.

These grips performed well in terms of reducing blisters on my hands. I went out one day with just one pad to see if there was a difference and there definitely was. Made for much more comfortable grips. I have a Caviness CavPro KPC which it fit nicely on. Even with my ergonomic grips, these made the paddle more comfortable. You WILL need to have a 2-piece paddle (comes apart in the middle) to install this variant. Although they sell the one with Velcro that comes apart in the middle (which I actually ordered but received this) that may work, you can't be sure that they will send that one unfortunately (maybe discontinued?). HOWEVER, the grips did slide a little bit when wet, which is inevitable. And frankly it's impossible to say how much they will on your paddle because paddles vary greatly in material and shape. My paddle has a different material for the grips with a feel similar to graphite which these grips did hold on to well enough that it didn't bother me much. But with an aluminum paddle, or plastic, it may slip more. Can't really say. It IS rubberized on the inside of the grip so it's not neoprene all the way through, but when the rubber gets wet it's a little less grippy. Overall I was satisfied with the product, it did what I'd hoped and it's not to expensive so if it doesn't stay in place on your paddle like you'd hoped, you can use tape/zip ties to tighten it or just let it go.

Got my first kayak this summer and enjoy the kayak but was getting blisters on my hand. The yakgrips have solved this problem very nicely. Comfortable, reasonably easy to install (but you really do need to follow the directions and wet/soak grips to get them to slide on), and easy to hold (I see other reviewers felt they were too thick but they fit my hands very nicely). My only complaint-- after six weeks one of the two grips started to separate at the seam and couldn't really be used any longer. I expected them to be more durable than that. I will say though that I contacted the company (Cascade) and they very nice and immediately sent me a replacement grip with expedited shipping at no charge at all. Very pleased with this simple product which does exactly what I wanted it to do, and can't beat the service when I had a problem.

I wasn't able to get both pieces installed on my Aqua Bound paddle. So, not wanting to delay my friends any longer, I went with 1 glove and this grip on the other side. I want sure if I liked this grip at first, as it felt kind of weird having the paddle feel so much bigger around than I was used to. Or maybe it was just the difference between the grip on one side and the glove on the other. But, at the end of the day, I compared how my hands felt. The side where I just used the glove, my hand was cramping and my forearm ached. The side where I used the grip was a bit tired, but no pain at all. I realized later that there is another option where the grip wraps around the paddle and velcros together, so you don't need to slip it over the paddle at all. I'm probably going to buy one of those for my next trip, so I can use my favorite paddle without discomfort.

I've only had these out on one paddle so far, in interested to see if they last the season or not. They immediately made a huge difference in comfort. As for the slippiness, I decided to take care of that on install. An old bicyclers trick is to use cheap hairspray when installing new grips, but I really didn't want to go that route this time. Instead I rummaged around my garage until I found a roll of drywall fiber repair tape. Three wraps around the paddle shaft and place the grip over it. Now they're rock solid, no slip, no twist, no matter how wet they get. I hope to get a full season out of these. They really help with the fatigue!

I have been using these grips for well over 15 years. I just recently replaced another set on each of my paddles. The only reason they ever need to be replaced for is fading (every 2-3 years with heavy use. If kept uncovered, the sun will bleach them. Pro Tip: wait until you get to the put-in before you try to install these. Submerge the paddle handle and the grip, it will slide on much, much easier than dry. Don’t use soap to lube! The grips will slide for a while until the soap residue disappears.

I had been using surfer wax on my carbon fiber paddle shaft, but that wore off in the spots I used it. I thought I'd try these. After several long paddles these are my results. GOOD: They are comfortable and provide the hand to paddle grip I wanted. They are not too big--but I would prefer them to be thinner. BAD: They do slip and slide up and down the paddle shaft. I've tried various methods of making them stay in one place--nothing works. I even tried wrapping heavy duty rubber bands around each end---even that didn't work. Contact cement might work. This is a drag. They slip in one of two ways. Slowly--that I don't notice, and suddenly: stick, stick, stick-SLIDE. When I try to push them back into the correct position, same thing. They won't move and then they jump several inches. I spend a lot of time fussing with them. ---- The concept works but not the execution.---- What I plan to try next is to contact cement neoprene material from an old wetsuit top. The neoprene is less bulky than the Yakgrips, which is OK, and I can make a longer grip. - I tested the Yakgrips on a Werner Camano Paddle with a narrow shaft 1.25" (instead of the usual 1.5" -- this would make some difference but I don't think a larger diameter would solve the problem). I have good paddle technique and correct grip (which is loose) No feathering. -- I use the paddle for ocean (salt water) kayaking off the southern California coast in water that is about 68-72 degrees. -I tried using Windex as a temporary lubricant ( wet it's slippery (it's a base) when dries usually nothing slides) Works great for applications like this, but didn't help in this case.

I do not need padding gloves anymore. Yeah! I noticed that the grips are better than others I tried. But they can still shift slightly when the paddle is soaked - but that has to be expected knowing how the grips are applied to the paddle. The grips stayed in place for 4/5 of my excursions.

AWESOME LITTLE PRODUCT!

When I started kayaking 15 years ago my hands seemed to get tired fairly quickly and would get blisters the odd time. These grips are great for keeping your hands in the correct position on your paddle. I’ve had mine for at least 10 years and they are still going strong. I highly recommend.

I love kayaking but like grips to help with arthritis in my hands. I have tried less expensive grips but have returned to these as they are the best ones.

I used these on my last multi-day kayaking trip and they really do make a difference. Very comfortable and allow me to vary my grip in a very satisfying manner. I actually found them easier to install when they were dry.