Protoco Oar

Perfect fit for my Achilles oars.To ease the installation, I warmed the grips up in hot water and applied a bit of soap to the bars.

The only problem I have with these grips is getting them on the oar. Instructions call for soaking in hot water for 30 seconds. I followed instruction and then re-soaked several times. NO LUCK. I was ready to cut into little pieces. As a last resort I used mineral oil, on the oars and in the grip. Even then you have to push and twist with great effort. Alas, they are on the oar, fit right, feel right. GOOD LUCK!!

One side seems to be flimsy on the end. These are a little to big in diameter for my aluminum oars that came with my HydroForce raft. I will need to put rubber cement inside them to hold them on. But they are really good for grip and keeping my hands away from the cold metal in these chilly Northwest days.

Extremely difficult to get on

These grips are nice covers for varnished oars. The instructions for getting them on are rather optimistic however. Soaking them in hot water does not even come close to making them loose enough to fit the oars. I coated the inside of the grips and the oar handles with soap and then they went on fairly easily. It did take a bit of effort to get all the air out but once the oars dried, the grips seemed to be well stuck on.