Exciting New Kayak Paddle Upgrades for 2026
4-minute read
We’ve got some exciting new product upgrades for 2026 that we want to tell you about in our Angler Pro and Navigator kayak paddles.
Bending Branches new Bruiser design for Angler Pro, with Lam-LokTM edge protection (photo: Seth Ezekiel West)
Discerning kayakers and kayak anglers alike will rejoice at these improvements in two models that have been customer favorites for many years now.
Let’s take a look at each to see how these will benefit you with your next paddle purchase:
Lam-Lok™ Edge Protection on the Angler Pro
Our revolutionary and patent-pending Lam-Lok™ edge protection has come to Angler Pro!
We developed Lam-Lok™ initially for a family of whitewater paddles released through our sister brand, Aqua Bound. It was such a hit with our customers and Ambassador team that we decided to bring it beyond the whitewater market into kayak touring, canoeing and kayak fishing.
This one-of-a-kind protection increases the life of your paddle by five times that of similar paddles without it. You won’t have to be afraid of impact and abrasion on rocks and gravel, or the layers of the blades delaminating and deteriorating over time.
A close-up look at our Lam-Lok™ edge protection on the Angler Pro Carbon
Lam-Lok™ mechanically bonds the laminated blade layers together with over 15 feet of aramid thread per blade:
(Aramid is the same material canoe builders have used for many years now for ultra-lightweight canoes. Many people know it by a popular brand name, Kevlar®.)
Angler Pro Paddles with Lam-Lok™
Our two kayak fishing paddles that are now available with Lam-Lok™ edge protection are the Angler Pro fiberglass paddles with our brand new Bruiser design and our Angler Pro Carbon paddles.
The high-performance Angler Pro has been a favorite with professional and recreational kayak anglers alike since we released it in 2017. We’ve continually innovated over the last few years to make it better than ever. Now with this superior edge protection, we believe we’ve hit a new apex in paddle engineering.
Here are the models available with Lam-Lok™ edge protection:
Angler Pro Versa-Lok™ in Bruiser
Angler Pro Posi-Lok™ in Bruiser
Angler Pro Carbon Versa-Lok™
Angler Pro Carbon Posi-Lok™
What’s this “Posi-Lok,” you say? Keep reading…
The Ultra Easy-to-Use Posi-Lok™ Ferrule System
We’ve been using the Posi-Lok™ ferrule system with Aqua Bound’s mid-range and high-performance kayak paddles for years now. It’s a customer favorite for its ease of use, feathering angle possibilities and secure hold.
This ferrule system is much easier to use than the standard snap-button ferrule. You can even change its feathering angle in 15º increments (either left or right) on the fly if you find yourself facing a stiff headwind suddenly.
It has no wobble as it holds the two pieces of your paddle together, can’t corrode as there are no metal components, and is effortless to connect and disconnect.
Now, we’ve brought Posi-Lok™ over to some of our top Bending Branches kayak paddles to replace the snap-button versions.
The Navigator wood kayak touring paddle with our Posi-Lok™ ferrule
Bending Branches Kayak Paddles with Posi-Lok™
As you probably noticed in the list of links above, Angler Pro Carbon is now available with Posi-Lok™, as is Angler Pro in Bruiser with the fiberglass blades.
In addition, our top wood kayak paddle for touring, the Navigator, is now available with the Posi-Lok™ ferrule instead of the snap button.
If all you’ve ever used are snap button ferrules, you’ll absolutely love it!
Here are the models available with our Posi-Lok™ ferrule system:
Angler Pro Posi-Lok in Bruiser
Angler Pro Carbon Posi-Lok
Navigator Posi-Lok
Small But Mighty Upgrades
The upgrades of edge protection and a different ferrule system may seem like small improvements.
But if you’ve ever roughed up the edges of your paddle blades beyond repair, Lam-Lok™ will be a godsend. If you’ve been wanting to be able to access whitewater for your favorite fishing spots, now you’ll have the right tool. If your fishing environments are gravelly and rough, no worries.
You can now have the best of both worlds: An ultra-light and high-performance paddle that’s also tough as nails.
And if you’ve ever struggled with those snap button ferrules, struggle no longer. This small but mighty ferrule upgrade makes your kayaking life just a little bit easier. We all can appreciate that!
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or bbinfo@bendingbranches.com, or choose our online chat option.
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