When sore shoulders get a run for their money
One of the reasons I build my own Greenlandic paddles is that I want to avoid body injuries when I’m out on the water. And I don’t get that from my paddles.
I’ve spent years fine-tuning the design. I want my paddle to feel like an extension of my arms and legs, not heavy and cumbersome equipment that requires unnatural twisting of the body to handle. It’s in those moments when I become one with my kayak and my paddle that I sense nature the most and notice the nuances of smells and sounds.
It’s in those moments that I feel the greatest joy in kayaking.
The advantage of choosing a Greenlandic paddle is that it is less stressful to row with. Its leaves are long and narrow and not angled in relation to each other. The handle is oval and made of wood. Together, they help protect your body from hard twists and your hands from the cold on a chilly fall day.
Which paddle should you choose?
– The answer to a question that has no answer
One of the most common questions I get from my customers is how long a paddle should be. But it’s one of the hardest questions to answer.
How long a paddle should be can depend on factors such as your strength, your height and the type of paddle. For example, a Greenlandic paddle will usually be slightly longer than the European paddle you normally use. And even when you’ve taken these factors into account, you may still need to do some trial and error before you find the right paddle.
So don’t spend too much time trying to find a magic formula for the exact length of your next paddle. Because it doesn’t exist.
But so that you don’t sigh in resignation at not getting an answer, I’ve put together some of the pointers that I think will best guide you in the right direction when choosing a Greenlandic paddle.
Greenlandic Paddle Length
You may have heard of a rule of thumb that says you determine the length of your paddle by standing with your arm stretched above your head. The length of the paddle then corresponds to the distance from the floor to the tip of your fingers. However, the rule only gives you an indicative length because you are sitting down and rowing. This makes the length of your legs less important.
Instead, I recommend looking at your upper body because it can determine how far you need to stretch after the water. To measure your torso, sit up straight on a chair and measure the distance between the seat of the chair and the top of your shoulder. Typically, a good length for your paddle will then be:
Upper body
Pagaj
In addition, your strength also plays a role when choosing your paddle:
If you are very strong, you can choose a slightly longer paddle. If you have less muscle mass than your rowing buddies, you can choose a slightly shorter paddle. Women typically have less muscle mass than men and can therefore benefit from investing in a slightly shorter paddle
You can also do this if you have joint injuries or similar. In these cases, a 210-215 cm paddle has been shown to get you back out on the water without bothering you or making your injuries worse.
As mentioned above, the guide above is indicative and you should therefore take the length of your paddle with a grain of salt.
Because remember, if you choose a paddle with an extra 4 cm in length, it only means an extra 16 cm2 of surface area. And that’s in relation to the leaf’s total area of approximately 650 cm2.
Paddle weight
I recommend choosing a paddle that weighs between 500 and 1,100 grams.
I do this because a paddle weighing less than 500 grams becomes difficult to control when you can’t feel it clearly in your hands.
Similarly, a paddle weighing more than 1,100 grams will mean more load for each stroke. You can feel it after a full morning kayaking on the bay.
Paddle blade
You can choose between two types of leaf among my Greenlandic paddles:
- Blade 1 with two curved sides
- Blade 2 with one curved and one flat side
You can see a cross-section of the two types of leaves at the bottom of the page.
Whichever type of blade you choose, you get a paddle where the blades are not angled in relation to each other. This means you don’t have to twist your wrists and shoulders and you always hit the water at the right angle, automatically.
Perhaps that’s why the Greenlandic paddle has gained its reputation, as several rowers have experienced freedom from discomfort after switching to this type of paddle. Rowers with a history of elbow, shoulder and wrist problems.
What type of blade should your paddle have?
What’s special about Blade 2 is the option it gives you to choose between two different ways to row. The flat side gives you maximum power, while the curved side gives you a slower pace. This way you get a paddle with two gears and greater flexibility.
However, the fact that the blade has two different sides also makes it more difficult to maneuver. That’s why I usually only recommend it for experienced rowers. While it may be tempting to go for a paddle with a flat side that bites better in the water and gets you through faster with the same cadence, you’ll need more effort with each stroke. Just like you need to master the technique so that the paddle doesn’t wobble and flick its tail, as some put it.
That said, it’s a technique that can be learned. I have yet to meet anyone who had to give up if they had the will to learn it. But it requires you to be able to mentally concentrate and focus on the movement of the paddle in the water. Then you will succeed.