Bending Branches has combined the beauty and flexibility of a wooden blade with a lightweight carbon shaft to create an aesthetically pleasing paddle that's easy on the shoulders. The Navigator weighs just 27 ounces, which makes it lighter than some other composite paddles, and the black willow blade is beautiful. The combination of materials provides a unique flex in the water that makes for incredibly smooth paddling. Each blade tip is reinforced with fiberglass to add durability that's not seen in most lightweight paddles on the market.