What are you going to use the paddle for? Are you keen on a relaxing, get back to nature paddle on the lake? Or are you out for a bit of excitement and want to hit the whitewater? Perhaps you're going on a tour that will include both. Paddles come in different shapes, lengths, and materials, each with their own purpose.

Grip: Now grip is just as important as anything, if you're going for a long haul you don't want to be getting blisters and if you're out on the white water you don't want your paddle slipping. Two basic shapes are available to you; the T-grip and the heart shaped grip. The T-Grip is great for keeping control and is harder to loose grip of, but can tend to give blisters on longer treks. The heart shaped grip is better for comfort and it is worth looking around to find a shape that fits your hand as the heart shaped grip can come in many different shapes and thicknesses.

Length: It used to be that you test the length of a paddle to see if it was the right size for you by measuring from toe to nose. If while resting the tip of the paddle on your toe the grip came up to the space between your chin and nose it was the right size for you. The Variety of lengths and shapes of paddle blades makes this technique unreliable. An easy and effective way to measure to see if a paddle is the right size for you is to hold the paddle like you would if you were sitting in a boat. Have one hand over the grip and one hand holding just above the throat (where the shaft meets the blade). Now hold the paddle over your head, ideally your elbows should be at a 45 degree angle. Any more and the shaft is too big for you, any less and it is too small for you.

Now that we have the right length of shaft, it time to start thinking about blade shape and length. Short, wide blades are desirable on white water as they have more grip in the water, they allow you to put more power behind a stroke and help you do those dynamic moves you need to. Longer, slimmer blades are ideal for touring as they require less energy and make it easier to steer. Something between the two makes a great all round paddle. While a short fat blade tires you out needlessly on placid water, and a long slim blade isn't very useful and likely to break in the white water, a blade between the two extremes will do okay on either. Also you can get crank shaft paddles that have the blade at an angle to the shaft. This takes advantage of the strongest part of the stroke and adds

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Tips for buying canoe paddles?
We want to hear your view. Write now!