Choosing a PaddleThe paddle is probably the most important piece of equipment you will buy. Saving a few pounds here is false economy, quality and comfort are king. While a good paddle is expensive, it should last you many years if looked after. Here are a few points to help choose the right paddle.
Primary variables
1) Blade size (area)
2) Paddle length (tip to tip)
3) Shaft rigidity
Secondary variables
1) Blade shape
2) Shaft section (oval/round)
3) Feather angle
Blade size
Blades range from 600 cm sq. to 840 cm sq. The physics tells us that a bigger blade can increase load, which in turn increases speed. However, as the user you have to be able to efficiently resist the loading on the blade through your body. In reality the smaller the blade the easier this is to do. The key point in choosing a paddle is selecting the size blade suitable for your current ability.
There is very little penalty to under-sizing a blade (beyond the first 20 strokes) and a significant penalty for oversizing it. Using a paddle that is too big will increase your chances of early fatigue, injury and inefficiency.
As a rough guide, the strongest women in the world (those who can chin-up twice their body weight and finish a 500m in around 1.47 minutes) use a blade around 780 for sprint events. If you are not competing at this level, however strong you think you are, you are not this strong!!
Paddle length
Paddle length is perhaps slightly easier to gauge for most people. The age-old estimate of being able to reach up and curl your fingers over the top of the paddle is a reasonable starting point. This method may not be accurate however if you are over 6’2” or under 5’2”. The shortest you would want to go with a wing paddle is 190cm and the longest is 220cm (at its shortest).
This bizarrely accurate formula also works for those within the standard height range: (252 + height in cm)/2 + 1.5
Nearly all paddles these days come with either 5 or 10cm adjustment so if you are in doubt, buy a paddle with a bit of wriggle room either side of what you think may be your desired length.
Also remember paddles can always be shortened but we can’t lengthen them!
Shaft rigidity
Current thinking is that stiffer shafts give better transfer of power to the blade. This is not however a universal view. Top end sprinters tend to use stiff shafts, as do many top end marathon racers.
Factors that may mean you want to move up the scale of flexibility in your paddle shaft include:
Joint pains/injuries
Athlete still growing
Long distance events (25k plus)
Ocean use
Weaker athletes
Athletes with poor technical skills
Blade shape
Historically this has been dictated by fashion, however some people are more comfortable with some blades than others. I would suggest that a blade which feels stable in the water is the one that suits you. A paddle that wants to dictate to you is not a good choice. A paddle you can control with minimal effort is the way to go.
Tear drop: Probably the most common type of shape. Braca 4 is the industry standard and comes in all sizes.
Twisted blades: Becoming increasingly popular. Jantex Gamma shape.
Straight or parallel sided: Possibly considered old school now. Lettmann and Jantex Alpha. The world appears to have moved on from these.
Shaft section
Paddle shafts are generally round, but some are oval which some paddlers like as they feel it “locates” the shaft in their hands better. Location bumps can also be added to round shafts if the user feels they want to go that way. Currently only Epic offer the oval shaft in our range.
Feather angle
There is ongoing debate over feather angle: However all our paddles are available as adjustable angle so you can choose that yourself on whatever paddle you buy.
The paddle is probably the most important piece of equipment you will buy. Saving a few pounds here is false economy, quality and comfort are king. While a good paddle is expensive, it should last you many years if looked after. Here are a few points to help choose the right paddle.
Primary variables
1) Blade size (area)
2) Paddle length (tip to tip)
3) Shaft rigidity
Secondary variables
1) Blade shape
2) Shaft section (oval/round)
3) Feather angle
Blade size
Blades range from 600 cm sq. to 840 cm sq. The physics tells us that a bigger blade can increase load, which in turn increases speed. However, as the user you have to be able to efficiently resist the loading on the blade through your body. In reality the smaller the blade the easier this is to do. The key point in choosing a paddle is selecting the size blade suitable for your current ability.
There is very little penalty to under-sizing a blade (beyond the first 20 strokes) and a significant penalty for oversizing it. Using a paddle that is too big will increase your chances of early fatigue, injury and inefficiency.
As a rough guide, the strongest women in the world (those who can chin-up twice their body weight and finish a 500m in around 1.47 minutes) use a blade around 780 for sprint events. If you are not competing at this level, however strong you think you are, you are not this strong!!
Paddle length
Paddle length is perhaps slightly easier to gauge for most people. The age-old estimate of being able to reach up and curl your fingers over the top of the paddle is a reasonable starting point. This method may not be accurate however if you are over 6’2” or under 5’2”. The shortest you would want to go with a wing paddle is 190cm and the longest is 220cm (at its shortest).
This bizarrely accurate formula also works for those within the standard height range: (252 + height in cm)/2 + 1.5
Nearly all paddles these days come with either 5 or 10cm adjustment so if you are in doubt, buy a paddle with a bit of wriggle room either side of what you think may be your desired length.
Also remember paddles can always be shortened but we can’t lengthen them!
Shaft rigidity
Current thinking is that stiffer shafts give better transfer of power to the blade. This is not however a universal view. Top end sprinters tend to use stiff shafts, as do many top end marathon racers.
Factors that may mean you want to move up the scale of flexibility in your paddle shaft include:
Joint pains/injuries
Athlete still growing
Long distance events (25k plus)
Ocean use
Weaker athletes
Athletes with poor technical skills
Blade shape
Historically this has been dictated by fashion, however some people are more comfortable with some blades than others. I would suggest that a blade which feels stable in the water is the one that suits you. A paddle that wants to dictate to you is not a good choice. A paddle you can control with minimal effort is the way to go.
Tear drop: Probably the most common type of shape. Braca 4 is the industry standard and comes in all sizes.
Twisted blades: Becoming increasingly popular. Jantex Gamma shape.
Straight or parallel sided: Possibly considered old school now. Lettmann and Jantex Alpha. The world appears to have moved on from these.
Shaft section
Paddle shafts are generally round, but some are oval which some paddlers like as they feel it “locates” the shaft in their hands better. Location bumps can also be added to round shafts if the user feels they want to go that way. Currently only Epic offer the oval shaft in our range.
Feather angle
There is ongoing debate over feather angle: However all our paddles are available as adjustable angle so you can choose that yourself on whatever paddle you buy.