Sculls: Blades

Our blade designs have evolved with one purpose—to more efficiently convert the athlete’s power into boat speed. At the same time, the unique characteristics of each blade design impact the feel of the drive. 

As a blade moves through the water, it resists the athlete’s effort, thus generating the load the athlete feels. A blade’s loading profile refers to the varying amounts of load the athlete feels as the blade progresses through the drive. More efficient blades offer more resistance earlier in the drive while others offer more resistance later in the drive and throughout the finish.

Because the loading profile preferences of athletes and coaches differ, the best way to choose a blade is to learn about the options available to determine the best fit.

Comp Blade

The Comp combines the best elements of our existing designs to create a lightweight, efficient, and stable blade. The Comp has a solid lock in the water at the catch with a dynamic acceleration into the finish. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, seven crews medaled using Comp sculls (2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze).

The blade width and the Vortex Edge are the two most important blade features that contribute to boat speed. The Comp blade has a small surface area, resulting in a lighter weight, efficient blade that releases easily.

The Comp is a short, wide blade that is very stable on the drive which contributes to confidence when applying power and overall comfort. “Weight in the hand” or “swing weight” is lighter than oars with larger blades, saving energy and facilitating higher stroke rates.

Fat2

With minimal slip in the beginning of the drive, the Fat2 offers efficiency gains that increase boat speed. The Fat2 combines vortex-generating features and increased blade width, resulting in a stiff, heavy feel at the catch and a high handle speed at the finish. 

Proper rigging requires a 4-8 cm shorter overall length than other designs. The Fat2 is a great option for athletes who are looking to find extra speed and are prepared to experiment with rigging. 
 

Smoothie2 Vortex Edge

The Smoothie2 Vortex Edge blade combines the characteristics of smooth-faced plain edge blades with the added efficiency of a vortex-generating edge. Based on the same principles used in aeronautics and unique to Concept2, the Vortex Edge increases efficiency by reducing slip and results in a firm feel during the early part of the drive and accelerating handle speed at the finish. 
 

Smoothie2 Plain Edge

The Smoothie2 Plain Edge blade is a modernisation of the traditional hatchet blade.  Investigating the effects of curvature and tip angle on blade handling and efficiency proved faster than previous designs.The smooth blade face, curved top edge, and wide tip result in a soft feel at the catch and a moderate handle speed over the course of the drive. 
 

Bantam

The Bantam blade is a cost effective design that is injection-molded; it’s specifically designed for the pre-configured Bantam sculls. This blade is roughly the same width as our efficient carbon blades but 10 cm shorter. By maintaining this width, the blade is stable and easy to row. Bantam sculls are well-suited to a variety of rowers including youth, recreational, beginners, and masters athletes.
 

Big Blade

Released in 1991, the asymmetric hatchet-shaped design of the Big Blade was 1–2% faster than existing designs and revolutionized competitive rowing during the build-up to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. This success guided the direction of blade evolution to wider and shorter blades. However, the Big Blade feels softer at oar entry compared to current designs and has a heavier load in the last third of the drive, which is counter to the rowing style of modern crews.  
 

Macon

Concept2’s first blade, designed in 1976, was based on the traditional wood “Macon” of the day. This first blade, produced with composite materials, reduced weight and added durability to the finished oar. Characterized by the symmetrical “tulip” shape and central spine, this blade is a suitable choice for classic recreational rowing boats.
 

Vortex Edge

The Vortex Edge improves blade efficiency by:

• Decreasing slip in the first half of drive, increasing resistance and efficiency.
• Increasing slip in the last quarter of the drive, which decreases backwatering.

The Vortex Edge also provides an additional benefit of protecting the blade edge from wear or impact damage.

Our testing has show that a Vortex Edge provides a speed advantage. The Vortex Edge comes as standard on our Comp, Fat2 and Smoothie2 Vortex Edge blades, and can be added to our Big Blades