Pelican Poseidon Review

The Pelican Poseidon is about as inexpensive as they come, while still being suitable for use on the water. Due to its conductive properties, the aluminum shaft is more susceptible to temperature extremes, and it is likely you will want gloves if using this paddle on a cold day. Although advertised as a two-piece paddle, the paddle's shaft appears to be constructed from multiple shorter tubes that are pre-joined together. This design approach results in sharp edges where the tubes are joined which some paddlers found this to be uncomfortable on their hands. In addition, the pre-curved polypropylene blades are prone to flutter when put under duress, however, this is not likely to be of concern to the casual kayaker.

Performance Comparison

Performance

The Poseidon paddle is functional and will enable you to travel from A to B with little concern, as long as there are no significant currents at play. This paddle is suitable for casual kayakers embarking on trips of less than two hours. When put under pressure (i.e in strong currents), you will notice that the polypropylene blades are prone to flex and flutter, reducing the effectiveness of your power strokes. This may not concern the recreational kayaker, however, if you are looking for a performance paddle, consider something with a more sturdy blade construction.

Due to its conductive nature, the aluminum shaft transfers heat and cold more readily than its rivals made of fiberglass or carbon fiber. When hot, a simple dunk in the water will usually be enough to address this issue, however on particularly cold days testers wished they had gloves on in order to make holding this paddle more comfortable. Another concern that we have with the shaft is the seam lines. Pelican uses multiple small tubes joined together to produce their shaft, this results in an 'edge' between each piece which some tester reported being uncomfortable on their hands, particularly during longer journeys.

The polypropylene paddles are supposedly reinforced with fiberglass however testers felt that this blend was not up to the standard of other paddle blades made of the same materials. When put under pressure the blades were prone to bend, resulting in a less powerful stroke. Casual kayakers may not notice the difference until they pick up a paddle made of superior materials.

Ease of Adjustment

The snap button locking mechanism system utilized on this paddle is straightforward to use. By pushing on the metallic button and twisting the two pieces on either side, users are able to disengage the locking mechanism and adjust the feather of the paddle or disconnect the two pieces for travel.

This paddle can be set at a 0 or 65-degree offset. Unlike some paddles tested the length of this paddle cannot be adjusted, however, it is available in two different lengths.

Locking Mechanism Security

As with all the snap button locking systems tested, testers noticed some play between the two pieces of the paddle, even when the snap button is still engaged. Although this won't prevent you from going kayaking, it does reduce the performance of the paddle.

Weight

The Poseidon paddle feels heavier to use than most paddles tested, predominately due to the aluminum shaft. Other paddles may weigh the same amount overall, however, by distributing the weight differently (i.e lighter shaft, heavier blades) they are able to deliver a better swing weight that feels lighter when in use.

Quality of Construction

This was one metric where this paddle performed relatively well. The plastic blades on this paddle faired well on our gravel text and although they were noticed to flex when put under pressure, no overall damage was observed. The durable blades are also able to withstand significant blunt force trauma so you don't have to worry about them when kayaking in rocky environments, nor when transporting them in the back for your vehicle.

Value

Relative to other paddles on the market, this is a real steal. Costing less than half of most of the paddles available, the Poseidon will get you floating on the water without sinking your bank balance.

Conclusion