Whitewater Kayak Paddle
What length whitewater kayak paddle should I buy?
I am 5' 10" and am paddling a Jackson Fun. I was thinking maybe 194 or 196 cm...but I'm not sure. I'm still growing, so would it be good to buy a larger paddle?
Either one should work ok for you. In his books, pro paddler Ken Whiting recommends a 194-198 for someone 5'8" to 6', and 198-204 for someone 6' to 6'4". That tends to be slightly longer than what I see people typically use. At 6'3", I use a 197 cm and like it.
Length will partly depend on whether you tend to take more vertical strokes (shorter paddle) or horizontal strokes (longer). Sitting in your boat, put the paddle in the water as if you're taking a stroke. If you have to lean way forward or to the side to submerge the paddle blade in the water, then the paddle is too short. With the lower blade submerged, check to see how high your top hand is. If it's above your forehead, the paddle's probably too long. Try this with vertical strokes such as draws in addition to the forward stroke.
The difference between a 194 and 196 is only 1 cm on each side. Differences in blade size and shape, shaft diameter, and feather angle will likely make a bigger difference in the overall feel of the paddle than that 1 cm.
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