When sports are conceived, a variety of equipment choices are typically non-existent. As sports grow and technology has progressed our options for equipment have become quite varied and as a result, quite cumbersome. Within every discipline of kayaking you have a plethora of choices for equipment. My hope is to help throw light on your paddle choices by going back to some very fundamental thoughts within kayak instruction concerning body mechanics as well as discussing some of the nuances of materials used. Be aware however you will get what you pay for, and of course if you paddle less, then some of the subtleties of more expensive kayak paddles can easily be overlooked and unnecessary.
A little nomenclature for those not experienced with paddles first. The paddle is broken down into 3 major parts, the shaft, the blades and the throat (the blades structural integrity and where the blade meets the shaft). Many manufacturers use different construction techniques, but in large part are very similar. It may be worthwhile to take an interest in the idiosyncrasies of each paddle manufacturers techniques for construction. You will also start to find that paddles are now offered with many upgrades such as neutral bent shaft, handgrips and different shaft diameters.
The major factor in making your paddle choice will probably be the materials that paddles themselves are made out of. This includes plastic polymers, fiberglass weaves, different carbon fiber weaves, wood, foam core and the list continues. Each material has differences in weight, durability, flex or stiffness, and aesthetics. The most common and cost effective are fiberglass paddles which will include qualities of some of the higher end paddles but are still a great price point. At the high end are carbon fiber weaves that will at times include a foam core to add rigidity and buoyancy. Plastics are typically the lowest cost as manufacturing and cost of materials are reduced, but are also extremely reliable. Though wood paddles used to be the most common on the river at one point at time, they are less common now.
So a few questions will help us determine what type of paddle we will purchase. What is the paddles primary use? How often will you use the paddle and for what duration of time? What style of paddling are you? What is your price range? These are a few of the questions your local outdoor retailer may ask you when considering your paddle purchase. General outdoor retailers will sell predominantly what sells best and may lack the variety that many specialty retailers may have. The more specialized the shop, the more specialized the service. So be sure to do your research on the retailers as well the paddles.
The paddles primary use will narrow down many of the choices initially. This typically means what discipline of kayaking you do. Whitewater, sea touring, recreational are the large umbrella disciplines and can be further broken down. For example whitewater can be segmented further into play-boating, creek-boating, river running and different styles of racing. The more specialized your discipline of kayaking the more specialized your paddle becomes. It is pretty simple at first however with each company offering quality entry paddles that will perform well for all disciplines.
How often will you use the paddle and for what duration of time? A person who uses the paddle 4-5 days per year for a couple of hours will choose a completely different paddle than one who paddles over 300 days a year all day long. A few of the reasons are that particular materials will take abuse much better and therefore last longer. Are you beating your paddle off of rocks down a steep creek, or do you have 300 feet of water underneath you? Include incidental abuse from multiple “abusers” such as rental programs or paddling schools as a consideration.
Also contemplate your time spent paddling. Are you going out for a few hours on the weekend, or maybe paddling a major crossing for a 10-hour day. Materials differ drastically in weight and therefore you need to think of how many strokes your swinging that paddle through the air. If you paddle an open water-crossing non-stop for ten hours you are taking one stroke per second or two. This is an average stroke rate of 40-60 strokes per minute, or 4000 – 6000 strokes per day. There are many different combinations of materials that help you reach the levels of durability, weight and price.
Next thing to consider is what style of paddling you have. I distinguish a style of paddling as the predominant stroke form that an individual uses. The stroke form is the angle in which you predominantly hold the paddle, stroke choice, and cadence which all effect length of paddle, blade shape and paddle feather (blade offset). This is typically where people differ the most on what they choose for their paddles, as this mainly is a stylistic choice. A few things to know however, the length of the paddle will directly affect the angle (verticality) of your strokes and cadence, which in whitewater boats is immediately noticed and not so much in a sea kayak. Basically, longer paddles equate to wider strokes, shorter paddles equate to more vertical strokes. For the sake of saving a lesson on paddle strokes, a whole book in itself, we will keep it that simple. It is a great idea to take a lesson from an instructor to learn many of the subtleties of stroke concepts.
Blade shape is also a direct reflection of the angle of your strokes but also translates to how much propulsion you receive from the paddle. Essentially, the more surface area, the more power. Take into consideration that moving a larger blade through the water can be more fatiguing. Larger blades are usually reserved for those looking to accelerate quickly as opposed to smaller blades used for a very uniform paddling cadence over longer periods of time.
Outer - Larger RiverRunning Blade
Inner - Smaller Downturned Playboating Blade
Blade offset, also known as paddle feather, has become a hot topic of debate in recent history and has so many differing opinions that I would be opening a grand forum for never ending head aches, er... I mean debate. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and should be played with to find what you like. You will most commonly find 45° paddles in retail stores, though retailers are carrying a better variety to cater to new trends in paddle sports.
One last stylistic choice again takes us back to materials. Different materials will flex and absorb shock differently as well transfer power from your body to the paddle more effectively. Once again the best course to find what suits you, is to try out many different paddles to see what you like. A way to tell a paddle that will flex more or less is in the density of the material used to make the shaft and blades. I will use carbon as an example as these materials are the easiest to see its density of weave. The tighter the weave of the carbon, the stiffer the paddle, and hence the wider the lay-up the more flexible the paddle will be.
Tighter Weave - Stiffer Feel
Larger Weave - Flexible
The bottom line will probably always come back to price and it is not difficult to get sticker shock the first time paddle shopping. I have however never regretted paying higher prices for a paddle, as I have always have been satisfied with the quality of the product. The customer service is top notch as well. That being said, a good all-around mid-range paddle can be acquired without breaking the piggy bank and give you years of quality service.
Paddle Images Courtesy of H2O Performance Paddles
