Camp/Foxworx Paddles

[Mike McCrea]

Not so much paddle technique as paddles themselves; FoxWorx Paddles shutting down

According to the company website 2022 will be the last year for FoxWorx paddles.

FoxWorx Paddles

www.foxworxpaddle.com

Mitchell Paddles is rumored to be going the same way.

The world of canoes and canoeing gear continues to shrink. If you have an old and beloved Camp/Foxworx or Mitchell paddle the time to buy a spare is now.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I have two Camp bent shaft paddles, which have cork in the blades and are my lightest paddles other than my carbons.

Al Camp sold his paddle business to Dale Fox in 1996, who changed the company name to FoxWorx. Now, Dale and his wife are retiring and I can only assume his sons won't be carrying on the business and there are no interested buyers. Too bad.

End of an era, and of a historic line of reasonably priced and lightweight wooden paddles. All my best wooden paddles have been made by one or two person shops.

 

[Mike McCrea]

“I have two Camp bent shaft paddles, which have cork in the blades and are my lightest paddles other than my carbons.

Al Camp sold his paddle business to Dale Fox in 1996, who changed the company name to FoxWorx. Now, Dale and his wife are retiring and I can only assume his sons won't be carrying on the business and there are no interested buyers. Too bad.

End of an era, and of a historic line of reasonably priced and lightweight wooden paddles. All my best wooden paddles have been made by one or two person shops”

A frightening number of small-shop providers are calling it quits. Niche canoe makers, paddle makers, and other specialized paddlesport crafts people. 30 – 40 years in the business, the proprietors now older than me, jeeze, even older than Glenn. Can’t blame them for slowing down or stopping. End of an era indeed; glad I got to be there for some of the best of it, and acquire the stuff I wanted.

We have a light, slender throated Camp bent that is irreplaceable to me, and, uh, I don’t even single blade that often. It may be an heirloom paddle, or a museum piece.

With the canoe sport market diminished, and enthusiasm for open boats being on the wane, no one is evincing much interest in taking over/buying those businesses. . . . . . adios muchachos, it’s been good to know you.

 

[yknpdlr]

I worked with Fox son Andy for a number of years as instructors in a BSA wilderness high adventure guide training program in the Adirondacks. I also paddled along with him on the 90 miler race when he worked at Placid Boatworks for a few years. I have one Fox straight blade paddle, but sorry to say it is not among my favorites.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I will miss Fox Worx.. My one paddle of theirs is a 46 inch bent so I can single blade my RapidFIre. I don't know another company that will make such a short bent.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

My wife has a Fox Worx paddle. Lightweight, comfortable grip, reasonably priced, and holding up very well. I'm afraid they will be replaced by more hipster doofus "artisans".

 

[Mike McCrea]

“I will miss Fox Worx.. My one paddle of theirs is a 46 inch bent so I can single blade my RapidFIre. I don't know another company that will make such a short bent”

Zaveral maybe, or a Zav without the grip attached and cut the shaft to desired length?

Our Recreational Canoe Paddles can be custom manufactured and cut to your specs.

Mix and match blades, shafts and grips!

Choose from:

Blade widths from 8 inches to 8.75 inches (quarter-inch increments)

Shaft lengths from 46 to 70 inches

Choice of Red or Black High Strength Plastic Grips

Or… choose the 100% carbon-fiber grip

Choose the standard 12 degree shaft angle (custom angles 0 to 15 degrees available)

 

[yellowcanoe]

yes but Zavs don't fit my budget. And they are not wood. I do have a Zav that I like though. I just like choices.

 

[WinterWarlock]

FoxWorx is definitely done...they just made their last paddle, I understand. Apparently Dave Curtis has some FoxWorx inventory at Hemlock...if you need one, might be worth contacting him.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

Darn you, Mike! Ignorance is bliss. I just ordered a FoxWorx paddle. My wife says that I should sell some of the 'inferior' paddles to pay for the damage.

 

[yknpdlr]

I will miss Fox Worx.. My one paddle of theirs is a 46 inch bent so I can single blade my RapidFIre. I don't know another company that will make such a short bent.

I'm pretty sure Gene Newman (GRB) would make you one in Carbon of any size you like. I use either a a 48" or 49" in my Rapidfire., each seems perfect for my style.

 

[Mike McCrea]

“I just ordered a FoxWorx paddle”

Sweetfancymoses, what Foxworx did you choose?

Ordered direct from Foxworx, or from a paddleshop with stock? The better stocked outfitters still have Foxworx in stock. For now.

“My wife says that I should sell some of the 'inferior' paddles to pay for the damage”

That has somehow never worked for me. We have acquired a lot of nice paddles, gotten some decent paddles with used boat buys and DIY’ed a few, but I have yet to sell one. I’ve included little used paddle with boats I’ve sold and given 2x that many away, including a Black Bart I got for free that was too long for my use, especially in a decked canoe.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

I ordered the standard bent shaft from a dealer. My local canoe shop doesn't carry them anymore. The FoxWorx webstore only has some oddball paddles in stock anymore.

You and I are in the same boat when it comes to parting with paddles. I've given them away along with canoes I sold but never sold one outright.

 

[Seeker]

Sad to hear about FoxWorx... I have one of their doubles for my Nessmuk II, and love it... that said, I hope not to need another, ever.

 

[coldfeet]

Waterspyder turned me onto Fox paddles gosh, 8 years ago? I bought a short bent paddle to use with my Rapidfire. Then I bought a very long double blade 270cm ( wanted 260 but he didn’t have and I drove to his house(shop) and didn’t want to walk away without something. Oh so pretty. I had a Hornbeck and Monarch decked canoe at the time ( both have been sold, do miss them)
Last summer I drove to Bill and he shortened the double blade for me I think down to 260cm to use when I tandem with my wife and she tired out. Me too sometimes.
They were busy as heck making paddles. The Covid created a huge demand for paddles. They mentioned that this year was time for them to kick back and relax. Very very nice guy. Cool shop also in his yard. I like both paddles.