Description

The Tarpon Glass Paddle is part of Wilderness Systems’ premium paddle lineup designed specifically to pair with their Tarpon kayak series, but engineered to work well with many recreational and touring kayaks. It strikes a balance between durability, stiffness, weight, and adjustability, making it suitable for paddlers who want performance without stepping all the way to full-carbon options.

Key Features

• Optimized Blade Shape — The blade design is tailored for the Tarpon kayaks, with entry angle, curvature, and depth optimized for smooth, flutter-free strokes. It’s also useful in other rec/touring models.

• Large Blade Area (≈ 640 cm²) — Provides better grip on the water, responsive control especially when maneuvering or paddling against current or wind.

• Dihedral Asymmetric Blade — Helps reduce flutter, improves efficiency of each stroke, especially helpful for less experienced paddlers or in longer paddling sessions.

• Two-Piece Design — Can be broken down for easier storage and transport. Makes carry-on, packing, or roof-rack storage more manageable.

• Adjustable Shaft / Leverlock Ferrule — Forest Systems included their Leverlock® system, which lets you adjust both paddle length (up to about 20 cm) and feather angle. Great for tailoring to paddler height, stroke style, or interchangeable use across different kayaks.

Materials & Build

• Blade Material: Durable fiberglass composite. Offers a balance between strength, durability, and weight. Less expensive and more shock-resistant than full carbon, though heavier.

• Shaft Material: A blend: 50% carbon + 50% fiberglass. This hybrid mixes stiffness and some lightweight benefit from carbon with added toughness from fiberglass. Good middle ground.

Warranty and Care

• Warranty: Typically includes 1-year limited warranty.

• Care tips: Rinse with fresh water after saltwater use; avoid dropping on hard surfaces; store in pieces without undue tension on the ferrule; avoid overtightening adjustments.

Conclusion

The Wilderness Systems Tarpon Glass Paddle is an excellent mid-to-upper class kayak paddle that balances durability, performance, and adjustability. If you paddle a Wilderness Systems Tarpon or similar kayak and want a paddle that delivers good power, control, and longevity without paying for full-carbon fragility/cost, this is a strong option.