How to Chose the Right Kayak Paddle for You?

After the Kayak, choosing a paddle that suits your physique and paddling style is the most important decision you'll make. There are a lot of choices depending on what you're looking for.

LENGTH

The first factor you to consider is the shaft length which depends on your height and the kayak width. In general, the taller you are and the wider the kayak, the longer the shaft should be. The chart below from Werner Paddles gives an idea of how to choose your shaft size

Paddler Height	Boat Width
	< 23in	23in to 28in	28in to 32in	32in
< 5ft	210cm	220cm	230cm	240cm
5ft to 5.5ft	215cm	220cm	230cm	240cm
5.5ft to 6ft	220cm	220cm	230cm	250cm
>6ft	220cm	230cm	240cm	250cm

Note that these numbers aren't set in stone. I for example am 6 feet tall and my kayak is only 20.5 inches wide, but I like to have a short 200cm paddle for when I paddle up wind, and a long 220cm paddle for when I go down wind, so I will alternate between them depending on what the conditions for the day will be. If you are a high angle paddler, you would probably want to decrease the lengths above by about 5 to 10cm.

The video below from Canterbury Paddles tells how to set the right paddle length for you.

LOW VS HIGH ANGLE PADDLER

Depending on your style, you might you might be a High Angle or a Low Angle paddler. The high angle paddler has a more vertical and short paddle stroke with the paddle sweeping close to the kayak, while the low angle paddler has a more horizontal stroke, with the paddle sweeping through a wider ark.

The high angle style is suited for quick acceleration, strength and uses a wide blade but shorter shaft. It also allows for quicker changes in direction and finer control when edging for kayak surfing and white water conditions.

The low angle style is best suited for kayak touring and covering long distances. It uses a paddle with a longer shaft, but narrower blade which reduces fatigue and improves the overall efficiency.

The video below from Werner Paddles shows the difference between the two styles.

MATERIALS

Paddle and blade materials come in different varieties where the lighter the paddle the more it costs. Lighter paddles tend to be less fatiguing, as there's less material for you to swing with every stroke, and the longer and more intense is your paddling, the more difference you will feel from the weight.

PLASTIC/NYLON paddles are the cheapest material, and often used for recreational paddlers, and/or recreational rentals. They are durable, flexible and can take a beating, but their lack of stiffness sacrifices efficiency in the stroke. Plastic blades are usually coupled with aluminum shafts for durability, but the blades can degrade when left exposed to the sun. The aluminum shaft also adds weight.

https://vibekayaks.com/

FIBERGLASS paddles are a big improvement on plastic paddles both in weight and performance. Going from a plastic to a fiberglass paddle is like upgrading from a horse chariot to a car. Your sea kayak will feel like a different boat. You do, however, have to be careful not to chip the blades, especially if you are rock gardening. Avoid pushing off against rocks and things like that.

https://vibekayaks.com/

CARBON FIBER paddles are top of the price and performance range. They are lighter and stiffer than fiberglass, though the jump in performance isn't as steep as going from plastic to fiberglass. It would be like upgrading from a bicycle with a Shimano 105 gears to a Shimano Dura Ace. The increase in price is bigger than the increase in performance. BUT, I will let you in on a secret I found out. If you want a top notch carbon fiber paddle, It's definitely worth ordering from a Chinese brand like Z&J Sports. You might have to wait a month and a half for it to arrive, but the quality is excellent, and the price is less than half of an Epic or Werner.

https://www.zjpaddle.com/

BLADE DESIGN

Most paddles have an asymmetrical dihedral shape which consists of a rib down the middle of the blade with one half being slightly narrower than the other, and the leading edge being slightly longer. This shape helps the blade slice through the water without fluttering. The wider the blade, the quicker you can accelerate and control the kayak, but also the greater the effort that goes into each stroke.

https://wernerpaddles.com/

SHAFT DESIGN

Paddle shafts can be either straight or bent, round or oval shaped, and feathered or matched.

The bent shaft has two kinks on the hand grips to allow for a slightly more comfortable wrist angle which reduces fatigue in long paddles. Personally, I don't feel that much of a difference. Normally a bent shaft will add about $100 to the price of an equivalent straight shaft paddle.

https://wernerpaddles.com/

Oval Shafts supposedly offer a slightly more comfortable grip for the hands as they more closely resemble the shape of a gripping palm. Honestly thought, I have both an oval and a round shaft paddle, and I can't feel or see the difference, and couldn't pick out one from the other. So if there is ever a price difference I would go with the cheaper version.

Feathering on the paddle shaft allows you to adjust the angle of the blade that is out of the water during the stroke. It's helpful when you're paddling into a strong wind as that will minimize the surface area facing the wind and will greatly reduce the effort, especially if you have a wide angle blade. Feathering also helps to reduce the arm twisting in your strokes which for some paddlers feels more comfortable.

Feathering can usually be both right hand and left hand controlled depending on which is your dominant hand.

https://wernerpaddles.com/

The video below from Canterbury Paddling goes through how to select the

right feather angle.