Craftsmanship Echo Paddles are each hand made to your specifications from sustainably harvested local wood. Most of the wood that goes into an Echo has been selectively cut from the property surrounding the Echo shop, as part of the Managed Forest Program. Any other wood is purchased as sustainably harvested wood, preferably from local sources. The shafts are laminated on a custom bending form to shape the curve. The softwood core of the shaft is tapered to end part way down the blade, allowing the hardwood outers to extend the full length of the blade. The softwood core in the shaft is tapered to allow the hardwood outers to enter the t-grip and the t-grip is pinned with a hardwood dowel. These details make the t-grip less likely to twist or break. The laminates in the blade are a mix of hardwood and softwood to provide lightness and strength. They are thin laminates, increasing the labour in laminating a blade, but reducing the chance of weakness across the grain and therefore a split in a piece of wood. The ash outers of the shaft run the length of the paddle, providing consistent flex and strength as well as an aesthetically pleasing paddle. Aluminum tips provide durability and grip for “rock strokes”. Echo Paddles uses 6000 series high strength aluminum for low wear in the tips, and “pins” the tips with epoxy through a series of drilled holes. Each tip is held in place by 4 layers of fiberglass for durability. The edges are protected with a synthetic edging (either fiberglass or Dynel). The edging runs the entire length of the blade for maximum protection. The shaft is wrapped with a Dynel sock for protection against the gunwhale.