Most paddle blades are curved and are designed to scoop water with every stroke to push your kayak forward. These are what you’ll use to generate power while sitting in your kayak. The paddle blades are located at either end of the paddle shaft. It is the aluminum, fiberglass, or carbon fiber rod that connects the two blades and where the drip rings are located. The paddle shaft is where you hold your kayak paddle. Some of the paddles in the medium price range actually offer a blend of fiberglass and carbon fiber in the paddle shaft design. They are durable, strong, and, most importantly, very lightweight. The best kayak paddles have either fiberglass or carbon fiber shafts. Aluminum will stand up to the rigors of paddling and provide good performance, but will tend to heat up or cool down more than other materials. More commonly, you’ll find aluminum used in the paddles that fall on the lower end of the pricing scale. However, these paddles are by far the most expensive on the market today.Īlthough some of the most affordable paddles out there have plastic shafts, this is increasingly rare. These are going to be the lightest paddles on the market and their extra rigidity makes for excellent energy transfer. If you really want the best performance out there, you can’t beat a paddle with carbon fiber blades. Rigid fiberglass blades also perform more efficiently in the water. Paddles with fiberglass blades are going to be in the middle of the spectrum in terms of price and they are going to weigh less than plastic blades. Fiberglassįiberglass blades perform very well and are more durable than plastic or nylon. However, plastic or nylon blades are more susceptible to cracking and deteriorate more quickly when exposed to sunlight. These are going to be the most affordable paddles. The major advantage of buying a kayak paddle with plastic or nylon blades is price. On the contrary, high-angle paddlers usually gravitate towards shorter paddles because it makes it easier to get another blade into the water on the other side of their kayak when they’re moving quickly through swiftwater.įor our purposes, we’re going to focus on the pros and cons of the following blade construction materials: plastic and/or nylon, fiberglass, and carbon fiber.

This will make it easier to generate power without leaning or lifting the opposing blade too high in the air. Generally speaking, you’ll want to get yourself a slightly longer paddle if you’re mostly going to be doing low-angle paddling. High-angle paddling is what you’ll be doing if you plan on doing more whitewater or ocean kayaking. Low-angle paddling is what you’ll typically be doing on flatwater such as lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers. In general, this can be broken down into high-angle and low-angle paddling. The other factor to consider is your paddling style, or the nature of paddling you intend to do. If you’re looking for a general sizing guide, REI has a great one here. Keep in mind that every manufacturer has different recommendations for paddle sizing, so be careful to look at the sizing guide for each brand before settling on the length that’s correct for you. Once you have this number, you’ll be able to determine the general range of paddle length you’re looking for. Then, measure from there up to the bony prominence at the back of your neck (generally the last of the cervical vertebrae in your spine). This is measured by tracing the tops of your Iliac crest (hip bones) around to your spine. The first measurement you’ll need is your torso length.

Picking the right size for your kayak paddle is largely a consideration of your body stature and the nature of paddling you intend to do. THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A KAYAK PADDLE SIZING Comparison Table - Best Kayak Paddle For the best experience turn your device horizontally Name

Kayak paddles