Carbon Fibre Canoe Paddles Made Simple

A carbon fibre canoe paddle can sound like something meant for elite racers, but Chris from Ripple FX Paddles makes a convincing case that the right design is actually about making paddling simpler, smoother, and less punishing on your body. We’re live at the Hamilton Adventure Expo as he shares what it’s like to bring a new gear business into the real world, talk face-to-face with trippers, and watch people’s reactions when they pick up an eight-ounce paddle for the first time. 

We get into the story behind Ripple FX, starting with an intense Muskoka River race that turned discomfort into obsession, friendships, and a desire to go faster and farther. When Chris’s first carbon paddle arrived broken, he used it as a blueprint and taught himself composite building through trial, error, and relentless iteration. Along the way, he learned how bent shaft ergonomics can keep your top hand lower, reduce shoulder strain, and support sit-and-switch efficiency for long-distance canoe tripping and marathon-style paddling. 

Durability also gets a deep dive, especially for shallow-water routes where bottom strikes can chip blades and lead to delamination. Chris explains a replaceable fiberglass wear sleeve that can be epoxied on, worn down, and swapped out later, plus the kinds of strength tests he runs in the shop and the few things you simply shouldn’t do with a lightweight composite paddle. If you care about canoe camping gear, backcountry performance, and smart design that’s easy to live with, you’ll get a lot from this conversation. Subscribe, share the episode with a paddling buddy, and leave a review. What’s the one piece of canoe gear you’d never head out without?

www.ripplefxpaddles.com

https://www.instagram.com/ripplefxpaddles/

https://www.facebook.com/ripplefxpaddles

https://www.youtube.com/@ripplefxpaddles

https://www.hamiltonadventureexpo.com/

Transcript

Welcome And Live Expo Setup

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Good day. Welcome to the Super Good Camping Podcast. I'm flying solo today, so uh when I screw this up, it's not Pamela's fault. My name is Tim at Supergoodcamping.com. We're here because we're on a mission to inspire other people to get outside and enjoy camping adventures such as we have as a family. Today's guest is Chris from Ripple Effects Paddles. How are you doing, man?

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Really well, thank you. Thank you for having me on.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Oh, no problem. Uh, so this is a live stream from the Hamilton Adventure Expo. This is day two of the 2026 version. How's it been going for you so far?

SPEAKER_00 0:35

Uh great. Yeah, this is actually my first um show that I've ever had, ever been to um pretty new business. Uh despite that I've been making paddles for 10 years, but really only getting into the more kind of business side of it in the last three or four. And kind of slow growth has been the model. Um, so yeah, this is my first real show, and uh a week ago I didn't have a display booth. So uh, you know, that's uh it's been quite the quite the rise. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So uh excellent. Actually, it's kind of been it's been a lot of fun to uh kind of celebrate what I've accomplished over over the last week or so just to reflect on that.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

That's well yeah, to pull that together, like hold macroman.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

No, uh no. Glad that's behind me. And now I've got a cool display. So that's excellent.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

And well, and how is the how's for lack of a better term, how's the traffic been? Like how are the folks that you're interacting with been?

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Oh, really good, yeah. Um it's a very focused group on uh like camping, tripping, backcountry, paddle sports, um, which that's what I'm here for. So uh I think it's very the value for me has been very, very good. Lots of good, authentic uh conversations and contacts.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Very cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

Uh just out of the blue, I saw Joe Robinette walking by with one of your paddles. So yeah, good on you, man.

How A Creator Earns Trust

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Yeah, he's uh he's a conger. He he actually didn't love single blading very much uh until he tried my paddle. And I just I reached out to him through Instagram and I was like, hey man, you want to try my paddle sometime? And he's like, sure, why not? And uh messaged me, he messaged back a couple weeks later and was like, dude, this thing's awesome. Um I've never enjoyed the single blade until now. Cool. Um so yeah, I think that part of uh it's a bent shaft carbon fiber, which sounds like very high tech. And I think a big part of uh a big part of the challenge for me is kind of demystifying that. It sounds like it's a very because it's high tech, it sounds like it's hard to use and complicated, but the way that it's designed and because it's so lightweight, um, it's it basically makes it designed to make you a better paddler, even if you don't know really or don't think you know what you're doing. It's it uh creates the right forces at the right point in your stroke. So yeah.

Demystifying Bent Shaft Carbon Paddles

SPEAKER_01 2:57

Sweet. Yeah. So it could make a a useless boob like me actually look like I know what I'm doing. I'm okay with that. So uh so 10 years. Yeah. What what got you into it in the first place?

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Yeah, that's a good question. Um, so there's a race in Huntsville uh called the Muskoka River Rides.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Yep. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

And I had really only been in a canoe prior, this was 10 years ago, maybe 11 years ago. I had only been in a canoe prior to that to basically go on my local kind of uh lake and fish. And it was I had really old fiberglass with aluminum gunnels, aluminum seeds, flat bench, um, super heavy. So that was my experience of canoeing before the Muskoka River X. My wife, my uh wife's cousin asked me if I wanted to do this race, and I was like, I thought about it, I told her I think about it for a few hours. I agreed to it pretty quickly. And uh having you know no real idea of what I was committing to, um trained a little bit, and uh we uh we finished it. The cutoff time is like 24 hours, right? Um, and this was back when they did like a loop from Huntsville down to Bracebridge and then back up to Huntsville again, and uh so it was painful and demoralizing, but uh what came out of that was I realized I kind of liked that sort of intense effort, and uh you know, as much as it hurts, um it's the stories and the camaraderie that you kind of develop, uh it's amazing. So uh yeah, that I started and the paddle making came out of that. So for that race, I ordered a carbon fiber paddle out of the States, and when it got there, it had broken transit. But the good part of that was I got to see inside kind of how it was made, and I'm a super uh I get intrigued by that stuff. Um, I've always liked making stuff and been really good with my hands, made I've made cedar tow boats and wooden paddles and stuff uh growing up. And uh so yeah, that kind of one thing led to another, and I was like, well, I think I could make one of these. So, you know, a year of YouTube videos and uh self self-learning, uh, lots of experiment, trial and error. Um, and I had like my first kind of working prototype, which I still have, and it's uh ugly as hell, but you know, it's a good it's a good memory. Um, and my friends saw it and looked at it and tried it, and they're like, I think we would take one of these. I'm like, okay, well, if I make it again, I would do this and this different. And uh, and that's been the process over 10 years basically. Um, and it has it's been such a fun evolution of both skill and technology and learning, and um, yeah, just really enriching um to get to where I am. And uh I'm to the point now where uh I I've always been a perfectionist, which can be it's a blessing and a curse.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

Absolutely.

The Race That Started It

SPEAKER_00 5:55

Um but I'm to the point now where you know when when I glue a paddle up and I look at it, sometimes you know I don't even believe that you know it could come from my shop, you know. It's pretty cool. So yeah, I'm really really stoked to be putting these in people's hands and to get the feedback that I'm getting. Yeah, it's a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_01 6:12

Sweet. So it are different are there different models that you do now as well?

SPEAKER_00 6:17

Not yet. Um, I am in the works for a straight shaft uh model. Um I brought the handle along with me today that I've I've kind of prototyped uh for the straight shaft. Oh, I saw you talking to Adam about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep, yeah, there it is. Yeah. Very cool. So it's a that one is a on my regular paddles, my bent shaft paddles, it's um an asymmetrical grip. The one in your hand, the straight shaft, it's symmetrical. Um you can tell it doesn't weigh. There's like it's like grams, it would blow away. Yeah, yeah. That is so awesome.

SPEAKER_01 6:51

Yeah, and yet strong is like bomb proof, right?

SPEAKER_00 6:53

Yeah, and actually that's stronger than my typical one. I put three layers of carbon in that. In my regular handles, I only put two. Just thinking, okay, I'm gonna make this new straight shaft more for like uh a backcountry tripper market, so it's okay if it's a little bit heavier. When I say a little bit heavier, like talking an ounce, you know, right? Yeah, for the extra material that I put in, you get so much strength out of it. Um, that yeah, it's it's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 7:18

And it looks cool too. Yeah, it does.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

It's all hot and stuff. Oh, yeah, I think yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

That's a nice that's a nice fit in the hand.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

Well, that's why I brought it because I wanted to get some feedback from the house. Yeah, no, that is. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:29

Oh, I like that.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

Sweet. I'm gonna steal it if I don't give it back to you. And no worries. Very cool.

Designing For Durability And Repairs

SPEAKER_00 7:37

So oh, and you've got uh don't beat the crap out of the phone. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, and so that was something I came up with like just from our training, like through all of our training in Southwestern Ontario, um, we don't have very much water most of the time. So we are scraping the bottom a lot, and just due to that, you know, we were nicking paddles and uh eventually with carbon and most composite paddles, if you keep hanging it on the bottom, it's gonna chip, and eventually that'll work go into like a delamination where the layers start to come apart. So this was uh this idea here, it's like a sleeve of fiberglass that uh just slides right over top of the bottom of the blade. So you put it on after the blade is made, and it's its own kind of like rigid solid part that just slides on there almost like a uh a double-sided toenail for the end of the blade. And uh that is just a game changer. Um, I put it on with like a 10-minute epoxy, um, which is enough to hold it on there. Uh, but if it gets to the point where you've really worn that away and you want to replace it, then you can just kind of warm it up gently with the hairdryer, peel it off, slide, sand up, clean it up, slide a new one on, and then you're back in the game. 10-minute epoxy and you're up. So, I mean, I feel like for for myself, from a training perspective, you know, you go through you don't want to be going through a new paddle every season, um, especially at this price point. Yeah. So, but that's kind of what has been happening. Um, so I needed something that was replaceable and and uh kind of wearable. Um, yeah, so that was that was a really cool solution. And I think it it lends itself really nicely to uh the tripping uh tripping group. So yeah, pretty I'm really stoked about that idea.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

Sweet. What does how much does that one of those weigh?

SPEAKER_00 9:24

Yeah, so in ounces, it's eight ounces. Uh in grams, it's like that's 230 grams, so it's half a pound. Yeah, you know, I mean felt yeah. That's I was saying I want to get a video of people's faces. Yeah, oh no, exactly. I would like to get a video of people's faces, just I hand it to them and their face light like lights up and they giggle a bit and they're like disbelief. Oh yeah, it could be like an Instagram read all that all day, that'd be so funny.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

So I gotta tell you, I I have a I again, I will steal that. Um I have a uh a cherry uh otter tail that I made when I was like 14. It that that weighs about as much as the handle on my ways, man.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

And so when people pick it up, they instantly are concerned that it's fragile because it's so light. You gotta break it, yeah. Yeah. Um, but you know, we race with these, and when we race, it's pull on. You are max effort, you know, at times, sometimes pulling off the bottom, pulling off rocks and stuff. Um, so they can take a pretty good punishing. Um I I did some tests in the shop where um just to see what the failure point was. Right because I need to, you know, I I did it's been a 10-year process, so I did go through a phase where I had some issues with shafts, and uh I wanted to make sure I had gotten past that. Um, so the only way to figure it out is to really to break some break some stuff. Um yeah, so I made like this fixture that holds the top and the bottom of the shaft, and then in the middle, I've got like this ratcheting mechanism with like a heavy-duty luggage uh digital scale on it. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. So I can basically see the force that's applied to the middle, and uh I can pull on the middle with 230 pounds of force, and then it'll snap. And you know, to me that says, okay, would the average human be able to do that?

SPEAKER_01 11:13

That'd be pretty tough.

Strength Tests And What Not To Do

SPEAKER_00 11:15

That's like you know, 90th percentile human, but also like what conditions is that? That's the the blade has to be anchored on the bottom, but it's not going to be in the water, you're not gonna be able to apply that kind of force when the water when the blade is just in the water, right? You know, without the blade moving backwards is some of that the force decreasing. So, you know, I I feel pretty confident about uh about that. And there's there's some things that you really you I guess the only thing you shouldn't do is pry it off the gunnels because it's just so much force and a focus point that uh that could cause uh a little bit of a crack to develop. But yeah, so if you're gonna J stroke with it, just uh you know don't pry it off the gunnels. Be be kind to your to your paddle. Sweet. Yeah, but you know, um that said, uh I know Adam Schultz has kind of got his figured out that you know this is he's got two paddles, he's got mine, then he's got the fish shell. Um and he's realized that there's uh a purpose for each. And you know, when you want to go long distance and efficient and the water is nice and glassy, then pulls my paddle out, and when it gets a little a little bit rougher and needs uh needs a little more leverage, he'll he'll grab the longer fish shell. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Cool. Yeah, cool. Well, yeah, I mean there's I used to I well I I that that cherry one that I made has been my paddle forever. Yeah, uh, but I've I've also paddled some uh some different ones over the last you know four, five, six years, and discovered that there is a use you there's you know more arrows in your quiver. It's not a bad thing then, yeah, for sure. Like I'm really comfortable with mine, but to see what other ones do, how light they are, different flexes to change how you go about. You know, I I'm not a spring chicken anymore. Yeah, maybe not being out over top all the time if I've got a bit more flex that I can do things with, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

Um, and then like speaking about just kind of ergonomics and stuff, um, the nice one of the benefits of this paddle is it's designed so that your top hand is always like below your eyes, um which really takes a lot of the stress off your shoulder on your top hand. Um, and then depending on how you paddle, like you can you know do a traditional kind of J stroke with it if you want. Um, the design, this paddle is designed more from a marathon canoeing um kind of sit and switch style, what would they call it? Um, where you're taking about eight to ten strokes on one side and then switching or hutting, as we call it, to the other side, and eight to ten strokes on that side. So, in terms of balance and your body fatiguing and kind of um just sustainability, it makes it a really nice paddle through a long, long trip. Yeah, so it's great for uh for longer backcountry expeditions.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

Well, I was gonna say that that that would be so much nicer to carry on a portage.

Technique, Ergonomics, And Trip Use

SPEAKER_00 14:02

I have uh in my boat, uh in my canoe, I've got uh clips. So they basically they I've got a little like pocket that the blade slides into, and then the shaft up by the handle just clips underneath one of the gunnels, and uh I can portage with four paddles in the boat, don't even know they're there. Yeah, you know, yeah. We're we're pretty intense, so sometimes we'll jog a portage with the boat, and uh everything's in there, it's secure, and you're just rocking it. So good for you. Those days are behind me, man.

SPEAKER_01 14:31

Cool. Are you a one-man operation? How does that work out? You you said your shop, so yes, it I am it.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

This is I am the hands.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

Jesus, man. How long does it take you to to put a paddle together?

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Yeah, well, I've got um kind of a cluster of molds now, so um I can make multiple parts at a time, which is more efficient. But usually I'm making about 10 to 12 paddles a week. Um, so it's not high volume at all. Last year I made 300 paddles, um, which yeah, it you're making them by hand, so that's it's no small feat for sure. Um, it's a lot of manual labor that goes on. Uh I have it, it's it's a blend of to make 300 paddles in a year for me, uh it's been a blend of technology and just efficient trying to make processes more efficient.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

Yeah, but it's a progressive, it's always a learning experience. So it's right.

SPEAKER_00 15:22

You know, I've got some CNC that does a lot of stuff. Um, but in the end, there's still a lot of hand layup and sanding and stuff. So, you know, despite the fact you try to mechanize and as much as you can, but in the end, there's still a lot of labor. Um, so yeah, you know, 300 a year is a lot for two hands.

SPEAKER_01 15:38

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:39

My kids my kids are old enough to help out, so they do a lot of material cutting. Slave labor. Yeah, no, no, they're trust me. Uh they work real hard, they get paid. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Well, good for you.

One Person Shop And Family Life

SPEAKER_00 15:52

We've got four kids, so oh, that'll keep you busy too. They're 14 to 18, four kids. So somebody asked me recently what the age credit was, and I actually second guessed myself when I said 14 and 18, because that's that's one a year, baby.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

Yeah, yeah. Have they have they endeavored just completely off topic? Have they even endeavored to eat you at a house at home?

SPEAKER_00 16:15

Oh, oh yeah. Like my they're in that window. Yeah, he's a 17-year-old son who's a little bit taller than me. Uh yeah, the grocery bill is ridiculous. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

So I don't know when that ends, but uh, I don't know that it ever does until they move out. Like I've got a I've got a 20 and a 24-year-old, uh just about 24-year-old, and they both still when went thankfully one's at school and one's out with his girlfriend and being 24. Yeah, but when they're home, it's it's like it's just shovels.

SPEAKER_00 16:47

We don't even bother with like forking and just shovels. Yeah, my son and I are supposed to do, we're we're gonna do a trip this year, like uh um a canoe trip. And I'm a little bit concerned about how much food we need to bring. Yeah, and I think I'm gonna get him to carry a lot of it. Maybe we carry a lot of things. I do the same with my do the same with mine. Yeah.

Where To Find Ripple FX Paddles

SPEAKER_01 17:06

All right, Chris. Well, thanks for dropping by, man. Yeah, greatly appreciate it. Very cool, very cool. So uh tell everybody where they can find you on social media, your website, all that stuff.

SPEAKER_00 17:16

Absolutely, yeah. So Facebook and Instagram, it's uh Ripple FX Paddles. Okay. Um, and then on uh website it's ripple fxpaddles.com. So ripple and then letter F, letter X paddles. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Perfect, awesome. Well best of luck, man. Appreciate it. Yeah, cool, cool.