New to the lineup of Bending branches Pro Series paddles is the Angler Pro Carbon. A milti-laminate full carbon fiber high performance light weight paddle. This is the first carbon fiber fishing specific paddle offered by Bending Branches.
Angler Pro Carbon First Impressions:
This paddle is light. Coming in at 24 oz it is now one of the lightest kayak paddles available on the market. Using a light paddle will extend your day on the water saving you energy with every paddle stroke.
The finish of the paddle is stunning. A mirror glaze on the blades brings out the woven fiber patterns. A smooth and comfortable shaft form fits to your grip but will not easily slip.
The paddle blade is noticeably wider and has a distinct angle and ridge on the front face.
The paddle is a 2 peice making it easy to transport when off the water. IT is simply assembled by joining the shaft together and twisting to lock in the desired length with the plus ferrule and snapping at the desired angle with the snap ferrule.
Available in both a snap button ferrule and the plus ferrule options. The snap ferrule is the most economical option and also less weight and allows you to feather the paddle at 0 & 60 to the left or right. The plus ferrule allows you to adjust on the fly +15 CM. The paddle can now be used with multiple kayak widths.
The new logo is very sleek and stylish with its white stencil on the black carbon blade.
Trust me this paddle is for the hardcore kayak angler. Brandishing a measuring strip in both inches and centimeters like all Bending Branches angler series paddles. The paddle itself becomes a fishing tool.
Carbon fiber although being light weight can still take a beating like fiberglass. Carbon however is stiffer than fiberglass so will not absorb any power from your stroke.
New Technology:
Bending branches made an advancement in technology on all of the Angler Pro Series paddles. The blade width has become wider and thinner from the previous pro series. This enables more surface area to get the maximum output from your paddle stroke! This along with the plus ferrule introduced 2 years ago makes it the most versatile paddle as you can adjust the length +5cm to your kayaks width and to your paddling style.
Review:
I have been using the Bending Branches Angler Pro Carbon since September 2017. Must say it has become my go to paddle! The lightweight is very noticeable on a long day of paddling and fishing. Much like the wood navigator paddle the Angler Pro Carbon has little of no flex in the blade which applies all of my paddle stroke with no loss due to flex of the blades against the water. I am able to reach my top speed faster with less strokes which is ideal while using a high end paddle. I do notice the difference after paddling all day with Carbon compared to the previous years Angler Pro with the fiberglass blades.
The Angler Pro Carbon is rigid and tough. It will stand up to the test of time due to its high standard during fabrication. Bending Branches takes pride in every product they manufacture as it was being made for themselves. During my use of the paddle I made sure to push off rocks and mud banks and yes even oyster bars. The paddle held up and did not show any blemishes nicks or chips.
I love the plus ferrule option with this paddle as I do tend to paddle a few different kayaks which vary in width. This is a great option that bending branches offers and is worth the extra cash if you do paddle multiple styles of kayaks.
Although the high price there are so many pros for this new paddle. If you are a hardcore kayak angler or enjoy just paddling the high angle style I would highly recommend picking up an Angler Pro Carbon. So head down to your local kayak shop that carries Bending Branches paddles and check one out for yourself!
Specs:
Snap Ferrule – 25oz Available in lengths 230cm 240cm 250cm 260cm
Feathers to – 0° & 60° (L or R)
Plus Ferrule – 26oz Available in Increments of 10cm lengths from 230-245cm 240-255cm
Infinite Ferrule 360° Feather
Price:
Snap Ferrule $399.96 MSRP
Plus Ferrule $424.95 MSRP
Link:
https://bendingbranches.com/products/angler-pro-carbon-snap-kayak-fishing-paddle
The Plastic Hull gives this product a 5 star rating.
The update Installs Lowrance FishReveal software. This enables the ability to display 200kHz broadband overlay within 455/800kHz down scan on the Elite 5Ti. The update also allows CHIRP pulse scan overlay on the HDS Carbon and Gen3 Units. A feature that was not available previously. Previously you could only overlay downscan imaging on the 2D display, but this option did not show nearly as much detail. This update on the HDS Carbon and Gen3 models enables a clearer image utilizing the CHIRP sonar frequency. There are also new color palettes available for the HDS Carbon only.
Also with this update is a new C-MAP version which are an upgrade to Lowrance’s Base Chart Maps. It allows for better plotting and routing to the way point at the shortest and safest distance. This can be used with Navionics also. As kayak anglers we tend not to plot courses very often. This new feature isn’t really an advantage for us.
