This is exactly the paddle I needed. The shaft is carbon and lightweight. Most sup paddles are pretty heavy and it is amazing what just an extra pound can do. This was the lightest combo/hybrid paddle I could find. I love that it has the drip rings. Another option I was considering did not have them. They don't matter when you are in sup mode, but they come in handy in kayak mode. My dog sits in front of me and he'd be so sad if I dripped on him with every stroke. Tip- if you get this paddle and can't get the drip rings on, you can heat them with a hair dryer to soften them up (this is what I had to do). If you don't have a hair dryer in your house you may be able to soften them by sitting them out in the hot sun on the hood of your car or something like that. Note that the clamp tightens (or loosens) by being in the open position and then turning it kind of like a wingnut. You don't need a socket wrench or any other tool to use it. I think another reviewer didn't understand the mechanism. I purchased some sup/kayak paddle straps that have clips on them to hold the extra piece of paddle or sup handle on my board while I am not using it. They clip to the D-rings on your board. I got a 4-pack, and one set can hold the assembled pieces and the other set can hold the extra piece. The 4-pack was around 6 dollars. Definitely have a plan for holding whichever piece you aren't gonna be using. I love that you can adjust the offset of the paddle blades to whatever you want. Some paddles only click-in in one position. I personally like my blade offset at around 25 degrees and it is so simple to put it there, and as long as you have adjusted the tension on the clamp properly, it will stay in place. If you don't know what I mean by blade offset, I mean the way one blade is positioned in relation to the other blade. Original kayak paddles were often set at a 90-degree offset which made for a lot of extra, unnecessary wrist rotations. Then 45 degree offsets became more popular. I have always preferred an even lesser offset. Play with it to see what works best for you. The sup paddle can extend pretty long, and I like that because I don't like hunching over to paddle. I am skeptical about the quality/longevity of the clamp piece because it is very lightweight. It feels cheap, but it might just feel that way because it is so lightweight. It is carbon, which is strong. Time will tell. I have a lot of paddling experience with whitewater kayaking, so that is where my paddle knowledge and experience comes from, and why I can't tolerate a cheap heavy paddle that wreaks havoc on wrist and shoulder joints. This paddle is worth the extra money. If you are ready to ditch the cheap, heavy paddle that came free with your board, get this one. Don't waste your energy with an exclusively one-bladed sup paddle, because it is so nice to be able to sit down for a while and paddle evenly on both sides without the awkwardness of having to turn the sup paddle around repeatedly (especially when a storm kicks up and you are trying to make time in windy conditions). Note, this is not indestructable. Treat it kindly. It is carbon and you can break it if you are trying to pole your way along rocks or use it to stabilize yourself getting on and off your board with all of your weight. Think expensive carbon road bike versus a beach cruiser.