Help choosing a kayak paddle

Symmetric Blades The standard style of paddle, square ended, generally cheaper paddles are the starting point of most peoples experience, but are the least refined of all the shapes. 'Spooned'

Asymmetric Blades The theory is... that the bottom half of the paddle is deeper in the water than the top half of the blade through the stroke. This means the bottom of the paddle experience greater pressure. By reducing the area of the bottom half of the paddle, the asymmetric design seeks to equal the pressure/ area force on the blade through the stroke and alleviate 'flutter' (the rotational force often felt on the shaft when performing powerful strokes).

The merits of different materials

With paddles it is a simple matter of cost verses performance. Cheaper paddles are robust but often lack performance, while only the very best lightweight performance paddles are particularly durable. The range we stock rings true to this as we start with basic plastic blades with aluminum shafts and move up the price range as we save weight.

In performance terms the ideal is stiff blades and a flexible shaft. This ensures maximum propulsion for your efforts, but some flex in the shaft to ease the stress on your muscles. Aluminum shafts do not have the same flex as glass shafts and will bend under less pressure. Glass shafts can deal with greater stresses, are lighter but are more expensive. 

The same is true of blade material in that the cheaper, more robust materials are not as stiff. The injection moulded blades are really economical and pretty durable but are not very stiff compared to high the quality glass and carbon blades. 

Paddle length

There are really only general guides as to the best length for your paddle, not hard and fast rules, and personal preference will be a big part. Generally paddle length is a product of your height and the style of paddling you are undertaking. Sea kayakers use long boats and consequently longer paddles, general purpose kayaks are medium sized and so a medium length paddle is required, and white water paddlers use shorter boats so short paddles seem best. Short paddles allow a greater stroke rate seeing as it takes less time for a short paddle to complete a stroke and will enable greater acceleration strokes. Long paddles will take longer to complete a forward stroke and are better for cruising. Below is a suggested height verses length table, which seems to be about right...choose shorter in a given size range if you have an aggressive paddling style, or longer if you are more of a cruiser!

 I use a 194 for white water and I am about 5'8". I have a crank paddle and the next size in this style down was the 191, this felt too narrow for my grip when I held it, so the194 it was. Paddles come in all lengths, feathers, some standard off the peg length from the manufacturer, some we make custom for you. Please come in and ask for further details.

Feather

Feather is the angle at which the blades of the paddle are offset against each other. The advantage of a greater feather is that when the blade is not in the water it is cutting through the air, rather than creating resistance. This is useful for distance paddling/ racing/ touring and consequently, these styles of paddle tend to have a feather of between 70 and 90 degrees. 

The disadvantage of a greater feather is that your control hand wrist does a lot of work during your paddling session. With the publicity about repetitive strain injuries lately it is important to keep this in mind. Perhaps reducing the feather of your paddle will reduce the work your wrist does and keep you paddling for longer. White water paddlers are looking at smaller feathers, with the standard production feather being currently 45 degrees. There is no advantage for this type of paddling regarding reducing resistance of the blade that is out of the water, this style is more for fun than for racing or efficiency. Indeed many touring paddlers are now opting for a 60 degree to save their wrists from hurting. A general purpose paddle tends to be set at about 60 degrees, touring paddles at about 70/ 80 degrees and white water paddles at about 30/ 45 degrees. We can often custom make paddles to your requirements.

Bent shaft paddles

Bent shaft paddles can offer two advantages. The first is an ergonomic one, the shaft is presented at a comfortable angle to the hand, this should feel more comfortable for the paddler. The second is a mechanical advantage in that some bent shafts act like a lever to make sure the blade is always pulled through the water vertical, offering very effiecient paddling.

Neutral bent shafts offer a comfortable grip for the paddler so that their wrists should not be bent when holding the shaft, as they would be on a straight shaft. The neutral bent shaft offers no mechanical advantage as the bend of the shaft is aligned along the centre line of the paddle, thus there is no leverage force. Many playboating paddles are using this style as there is no advantage on forward or reverse strokes.

Neutral bent shaft on a Werner playboating paddle, power face is upward.

A Modified crank is the other popular crank and this acts like a lever to pull the blade through the water vertically on every forward stroke. Pictured is a Lendal crank shaft and we can see that the bend is behind the centre line of the paddle. As the paddler pulls through the stroke, the lever (bend) ensures that the blade remains vertical. This gives powerful forward strokes but an unstable blade for strokes using the back of the blade. It is therefore preferred for sea kayaking/ touring/ racing, journeying style paddling.

Modified crank on a Lendal touring paddle, power face is downward.