What type of kayak paddle to get?
What kayak paddle should i get. i’ll be paddleing in rivers and pond like conditions (not white water rivers, just class 1 at most). I like the wooden paddles but ive heard that they arent as durable. I dont want to spend over 80 dollars either.
You need a light touring paddle, probably at least 230 cm long, 240 cm if your kayak is wider than 25" at the cockpit. If its too short you will hit your knuckles on the gunwales when you paddle. Wooden paddles are nice but the good ones tend to be more expensive than fibreglass and plastic paddles. I have two wooden Greenland style paddles (long thin blades) which I love but they cost almost $200 each.
It will be tough to find a good paddle under $100 but you might find one on sale. Please don’t buy an aluminum shaft paddle though (which most cheap ones are.) They are heavy and stiff and will spoil your enjoyment of paddling by being tiring to use and not giving you a good stroke. This one here:
http://www.rei.com/product/784926
is $100 but it is a decent paddle with a fiberglass shaft and a decent blade design. You might want to consider a two piece paddle (which most are) so that you can feather or un-feather the blade. Feathering (rotating the blades in a different plane from each other) is helpful when it’s windy.
Check on-line listings and you might find something on sale this time of year. I got a $130 paddle last year on sale for $60 to use with the boat that I loan my friends.
You need a light touring paddle, probably at least 230 cm long, 240 cm if your kayak is wider than 25" at the cockpit. If its too short you will hit your knuckles on the gunwales when you paddle. Wooden paddles are nice but the good ones tend to be more expensive than fibreglass and plastic paddles. I have two wooden Greenland style paddles (long thin blades) which I love but they cost almost $200 each.
It will be tough to find a good paddle under $100 but you might find one on sale. Please don’t buy an aluminum shaft paddle though (which most cheap ones are.) They are heavy and stiff and will spoil your enjoyment of paddling by being tiring to use and not giving you a good stroke. This one here:
http://www.rei.com/product/784926
is $100 but it is a decent paddle with a fiberglass shaft and a decent blade design. You might want to consider a two piece paddle (which most are) so that you can feather or un-feather the blade. Feathering (rotating the blades in a different plane from each other) is helpful when it’s windy.
Check on-line listings and you might find something on sale this time of year. I got a $130 paddle last year on sale for $60 to use with the boat that I loan my friends.
References :
Kayak paddles come in many forms and materials. Determine the size you need. Stretch an arm over your head; the distance from your toes to the tip of your fingers will be a good length. You can buy paddles that are either left handed or right handed as well as neutral. Paddles are available in one length or two parts. Material ranges from plastic and aliminium to high tech carbon fiber layups. Start with a Mohawk paddle. A price without freight is about $40. The blades are reinforced plastic and the shaft is aluminum. They come in two parts or one part. A quality wood paddle will last forever with proper care.
References :
Sold Mohawk paddles
Hi,
Durability of the paddle really depends on if you take care of it. (Don’t push off of rocks with it, don’t walk with it as a hiking stick, etc.!)
There are some excellent quality wooden paddles available – and many of them will be lighter than those cheap aluminum shaft paddles with the plastic blades. (Bending Branches comes to mind).
Consider this: If you’re going to be serious about kayaking and really paddle frequently and / or cover long distances, you’ll be lifting that paddle thousands of times. You can start with a really cheap one, but the cheaper the blade, the heavier the materials it’s made of. A heavy paddle will feel like lifting a brick after 10,000 strokes. Get the lightest paddle you can afford.
The paddle should be sized appropriately for your body, but also the type of boat your paddling. Visit a paddlesports shop and discuss your options with someone who can talk to you about your personal info and make a recommendation.
If you don’t have a dedicated paddling shop nearby, try calling a couple of the places I’ve linked below. There are different schools of thought on paddle length. There are high angle paddlers who consistently recommend shorter shaft paddles, and there are low angle paddlers who would recommend a longer paddle shaft. If you’re looking at mellow trips, maybe covering some distance, you’ll probably fit into the longer paddle shaft / low angle group – but you still have to take into consideration your body and boat too.
Here’s an article on kayak paddle selection:
http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?17
And here’s an article that explains High angle Vs. Low Angle:
http://www.touringkayaks.com/paddle_length.htm
References :
http://www.rutabaga.com/section.asp?sid=3
http://www.aqua-adventures.com/
http://www.oakorchardcanoe.com/
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product_list.asp?deptid=1119