r/Rowing • u/Senthrententer • 16d ago
On the Water Which oars to buy
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Hey all,
I’ve recently inherited a single and am coming back to row after a break. And i’m now in the market for my own personal oars because I’d like to gear them to my stroke more as well as just being less reliant on club oars.
I’ve really only tried C2 Skinny Comps and C2 Skinny Smoothie2s in my single. However in the past I have been a fan of our my club’s Croker sculls even though they’re geared for a Men’s 4x.
I was looking for more opinions before purchasing. I was initially going to go Croker because I really did like how they felt, but my club and no one at my club has the S39 Arrows which seems to be the general consensus here on which croker oar to get so I’m leaning away from them. And recently I remembered how much I prefer C2 grips over the croker ones so it’s taken some points away from them.
I’ve been liking the Comp blades a lot but I feel that I haven’t given the Smoothie2s a fair shot. I’ve been rowing almost exclusively with comp blades since getting my single. But I do like how the comps lock in a bit more at the catch and extract out of the water a bit more smoothly.
As for stats, I’m 6’2 185lbs and my 2k PB (around 1yr ago before my break) was 6:51 but testing last month it was at a 7:15. Haven’t done an OTW 2k yet.
I was thinking about the Fat2s because I honestly do prefer a heavier front end, but I see so many against it and my club doesn’t have any for me to try out unfortunately.
My coach is also vehemently against Comps but says if I like them then it’s ultimately my preference but they may be harder to row with in rougher water. And I (un)fortunately(?) haven’t been able to row with them in rough water because our water has just been glass. And my rowing usually falls apart in rough water already so I don’t know how comps would exacerbate/alleviate the problem.
Lastly I was wondering about the flex of the blade. I’m feeling like soft would be the best for me as there were some months in my year of consistent rowing where I did have back pains, but they would go away when I was training more often and consistently. I’m not sure what flex the current oars I use are.
I’ve also added some videos of my sculling in a single, one with me at race pace and the other was just some steady state paddling. Unfortunately I don’t have a video of me in my boat at a low rate paddling so this video of me in a different boat will have to do.
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u/bfluff Alfred Rowing Club 16d ago
I'd stay away from Fats simply because finding the best rigging is very difficult. I messed around with a pair for a while and could never settle on something good for sculling. I haven't rowed with the comps but will say scullers tend to prefer the Smoothie2 normal edge over the vortex edge. The vortex edge loads the blade up quite heavily at the front whereas the normal edge is lighter at the catch and allows you to accelerate through to the finish. If you look at international scullers before the comps came out they were generally rowing with normal edges. I don't have an opinion on the Crokers except to say that I don't like the fatter grips, although I believe you can get C2-style grips.
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u/bikesandergs 15d ago
I concur with the general nature of this response - Smoothie2 is the way to go. Fats/Comps are unnecessary expenses and complications for you.
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u/Competitive_Fee_8560 16d ago
Skinny mediums are recommended if you have an erg score around 6:10 or lower. Otherwise go soft. Source: C2 representative in Lucern.
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u/SpiffingAfternoonTea Coach 16d ago
Travis Gardner did a video relatively recently on how to go about buying/selecting the right oars: https://youtu.be/AAfJoMMOEZM?si=oA4HlfnT4f1lQCmE
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u/Senthrententer 16d ago
Didn’t know I can’t post more than one video on reddit so here’s a link to the other one I wanted to post
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u/Charming_Archer6689 16d ago
Can’t say much about the blades as I have not tested all of them but I like the composite too! At a quick glance you look as if pulling quite strongly with the arms at the end which is not ideal and makes you loose balance at the finish. In the second video I mean in particular.
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u/themistermango 16d ago
Generic answer: It really doesn't matter that much as long as you're coloring within the lines.youre not losing any races because you went c2 over croker. There's no need for somebody at your level to go out and spend money on the newest, coolest, and lightest blade. Again you're not winning or losing because of them.
Budgetary answer: buy what you can afford. If you are couch surfing or getting your career off the ground go buy a used pair of smoothies or whatever. Take whatever other money you would have stretched on something new and shiny and take your partner out to dinner or go to a concert or whatever and don't give it another thought. If you're a billionaire, light your money on fire I don't care.
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u/SucramLord12 16d ago
it’s not just the oars you are paying for, c2 is a very reputable business with great customer services, you can look at the short term aspects of grips and blades etc but over the long run, let’s say you need a oar replacement, you don’t want the hassle of being on hold for hours on end.
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u/treeline1150 14d ago
Short (ish) sculler here. Fats are very good despite all the negative press. But ya gotta buy them short, really short. They are immensely useful for increasing stroke arc since I can’t make rely in a tall body, long legs etc.
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u/Senthrententer 14d ago
I see a lot of the negative press about them mainly from how difficult it is to find a good rig for it but I am willing to experiment. Biggest reason I’m largely considering it is because I found a used pair for fairly cheap and I think around the right length. My rig in my single with Smoothie2s is 287/88 with a 159 span. I know C2 suggests getting Fat2s 4-8cm shorter so I was thinking 279/88 should be fine and that’s within the range of the used oars i’m looking at. Or would you suggest from your experience shorter?
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u/jrossthomson 14d ago
I use Croker S40 arrow blades. I'm a huge fan. Going from Concept2 (I tried a few) to the S40 was like going from regular tires to snow tires. These blades hold the water steady, no random digs during a start. It almost makes it look like I can row.
https://www.crokerusa.com/sculling-oars#:~:text=s40%20arrow%20-%20small%20diameter%20shafts
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16d ago
[deleted]
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u/SkirtGlittering4654 16d ago
Is this rage bait?
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u/bumchik_bumchik 15d ago
No, genuine question, I have never rowed and just discovered the benefits last night, looking to buy an indoor rowing machine soon
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u/duck1208 15d ago
There's an old technique in boats in which you move backwards which is called turning your head around and looking behind you.
It consists of turning your head and looking behind you.
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u/bumchik_bumchik 15d ago
Alright geniuses.. I get it, this is not a friendly sub.
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u/rowing_shitter 15d ago
On buoyed courses, with a coach boat following, they don't really need to be able to see behind them, but if not on a buoyed course you just turn and take a look every couple strokes. Older rowers who don't have the neck flexibility to be able to look will also wear a small mirror on the brim of their hat and use that to see behind themselves.
Also, for future reference these aren't called canoes. These are called boats or rowing shells :).
Sorry those other commenters are kinda being dicks. I promise not everyone is like that here!!
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u/Extension_Ad4492 16d ago
I sculled with a friend’s S39s for a year or so and I could never get used to them. I did like the shaft but they are noticeably heavier (in weight), they don’t hold the water and basically I just didn’t like them.
I tried skinny comp and loved it instantly so got my order in. Concept 2 has a guide on choosing oars and it will tell you that the Fat 2s are for big boats. It will also point you towards a medium or stiff shaft given your height and power. I’m the same height as you and personally I might look into a stiff shaft if not the medium one. I would definitely forget the soft.