Myself, I paddle with a Brasca and I would never give it up. I've tried every paddle on the market except for a Chinook.
Brasca is definitely worth the money. The wooden palm grip is fantastic. And the balance of the paddle is almost perfect. If you're going to be racing in Calgary, you'll see a bunch of us with Brascas.
Oh, and I've tried the Brasca outrigger paddles as well, and I'd recommend those to everyone....great paddle.