How to Choose Kayak Paddles for Maximum Performance

Negotiating the rapids, finding your course through the whitewater or simply getting around the lake in a kayak without kayak paddles would be pretty tough – the stuff that jokes are made of.  The good news is that today’s kayak paddles offer you a diversity of styles so that you and your kayak can perform superbly in any and all conditions.  Let’s take a look at the wide range of new and used kayak paddles so you can select the right one for the way you like to navigate in the water.

As you peruse the various kayak paddles for sale keep these three criteria in mind.  They will narrow your choice and help you select a model that will work with you to accomplish your kayaking goals.

1. Fit the paddle to the type of water you are navigating.   Calm water is the perfect place for a wide, beefy paddle that can create good movement/acceleration, even if maneuverability isn’t as sharp.  Recreating in a lake or approaching your favorite fishing hole doesn’t require incredible agility.  If a stretch of fast-moving whitewater is on the day’s route you’ll likely prefer narrow, lighter kayak paddles that you can use to make quick corrections or thrusts in any direction.  Kayak paddles for touring might feature a combination of breadth and agility to handle a greater diversity of water conditions.

2. Match your kayak paddles to your size.  The typical kayak paddle for sale is geared toward a person 5’3 inches to 5’8” so if you are shorter or taller than that choose paddles that are proportionate to your size.  Having a kayak paddle that is either too long or too short will cause you complications and hassles, plus drastically reduce both your performance and your enjoyment on the water.

3. Higher kayaks require longer kayak paddles, and so do wider models.  You’ve got to get the paddle comfortably into the water or you won’t make much progress, right?  If you’re kayak features a higher seat, or if you use a fishing kayak you sit on, not in, you’ll want to choose kayak paddles that are longer than you’d otherwise use.

Beyond these considerations you’ll find nuances in kayak paddles that allow you to customize your choice to the way you like to propel yourself.  Among the options are feathered kayak paddles, symmetrical and asymmetrical options, spooned or dihedral models.  They are offered in a range of materials that include traditional wood, super-strong yet lightweight Kevlar, fiberglass, aluminum, graphite and carbon.  Peruse kayak paddles and you’ll get a general feel for the style and type that you’d make the best use of in your pursuits on the water.