What Paddlers Are Saying about Our Ultralight Tetra
4-minute read + 3 short videos
We’re super excited about our Tetra Ultralight kayak touring paddle—and others in the kayaking world are, too. Let’s look at how the Tetra can benefit your kayaking life with some video reviews…
New for 2025 is Aqua Bound’s Ultralight Tetra low-angle kayak paddle (photo courtesy of Headwaters Kayak)
Brief Overview of the Ultralight Tetra by Aqua Bound
“We’re going after high-end sea kayakers and touring paddlers with this particular paddle. We wanted to give that customer something one click nicer than what we currently had in our lineup,” says Brian Boyea (Co-Owner and VP of Sales) in this interview with Paddling Magazine:
Part of what makes the Tetra so light is its tip-to-tip carbon construction. And then we give the blades a foam core that makes them extremely buoyant at the end of each stroke.
Around the edges of each blade are about 15 feet of aramid stitching that we call our Lam-Lok™ technology. This stitching holds the layers of foam and carbon fiber together during the molding process and acts as an impact and corrosion-resistant barrier throughout the life of the paddle. Lam-Lok extends the Tetra’s life up to five times that of other paddles.
Another new manufacturing technology we use with the Tetra is to mold the blade and paddle shaft as one piece instead of two. Not having a joint or adhesive between the blade and shaft adds strength and reduces weight.
Tetra Review • Headwaters Kayak
Dan of Headwaters Kayak admits he initially had reservations about the Tetra when he first received one to test—the graphics, the low-angle blade and the “sticky” shaft didn’t impress him…at first.
But after testing it himself and then giving it to dozens of other kayakers over the months for them to test as well, the feedback has been super positive. “Across the board, it’s been a resounding, ‘Oh my god, this is the nicest paddle I’ve ever used.’ And this is coming from people that have…very high-end stuff,” he says.
After having used it for about a year of active kayaking, Dad has been impressed with how it’s held up. While the blades show average wear, there’s no sign of any delamination of the blade layers. That Lam-Lok stitching (which Dan calls Kevlar® in the video—a brand name of a material made with aramid) protects without adding weight.
The coating in the shaft that gives it a sticky feel when it’s dry won Dan over once he got the paddle in the water. When the paddle is wet, that grippy texture keeps the shaft from slipping in your hands.
Finally, the low-angle vs high-angle difference: The Tetra is a low-angle paddle, designed for touring and a relaxed stroke for hours at a time. With a preference for the high-angle style, Dan wasn’t sure how this blade shape would work for him.
He says, “Historically when I’ve used a low-angle paddle I’ve always noticed my paddle blade starting to flutter if I go too high with my stroke. I didn’t notice that with the Tetra…I don’t notice any difference whether I’m doing low-angle, mid-angle or high-angle. I just do what feels comfortable and the paddle disappears. I don’t think about it, which is what I’m looking for in a paddle…I just want a paddle to be silent, neutral and work, and I really feel like the Aqua Bound Tetra does that for me.”
Dan’s conclusion? The Tetra is his current most-used paddle:
- He loves the way it feels in the water
- Its lightweight and blade buoyancy make it easy on his shoulder (he’s nursing an injury)
- The spread tow weave carbon increases stiffness and impact resistance while reducing weight
- It performs well with every stroke, not just the forward stroke
“Aqua Bound waited a long time to get into foam core high-end paddles and they definitely made a splash. They put a lot of effort, a lot of engineering into this and I think it stands out above the crowd,” he says.
Tetra Review • Outdoor Turkey
Osi of Outdoor Turkey (and recent addition to Aqua Bound’s Ambassador team) offers his first impressions of the Ultralight Tetra:
[NOTE: Osi does a good job in the above video explaining the difference between low-angle and high-angle blades and paddling style. The Tetra is a low-angle paddle, designed for a more relaxed paddling style than the aggressive high-angle style.]
While the holographic design elements weren’t Dan’s favorite, Osi says, “I love the design. It has this iridescent look with different colors in different lighting conditions. I like shiny things and this paddle just does it for me.”
When he’s on the water, he notes how effortless the Tetra is to paddle with. This is due to the foam core blades popping out of the water at the end of each stroke as well as its overall ultra-light weight.
Osi notes that the shaft’s shape at the grip areas is almost triangular rather than round or oval. This fits most people’s hands nicely for a comfortable hold, along with the grippy texture that won’t slip even when wet.
(Photo courtesy of Headwaters Kayak)
We appreciate these experienced paddlers testing the Tetra thoroughly and offering their honest reviews.
Do you want to try our Ultralight Tetra kayak paddle too? Use our Find a Dealer tool to look for a paddlesports shop near you that carries them so you can check it out in person.
Or reach out to our friendly Customer Service team with your questions: 715-755-3405 • sales@aquabound.com • choose our online chat option
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