You would think that choosing a paddle would be fairly straight forward. All paddles look the same and after all perform the same function. The difficulty lies in the huge range of paddles available. Walk into any kayak store and you will be presented with a wide array of what appears on the surface the same bit of kit.

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Shaft options:

Shafts are available in lots of different materials and each has there own set of advantages and disadvantages. At the cheaper end if the market is the aluminium shafted paddle. They can feel cold to the touch and often have some form of insulation or covering in the areas that they make contact with your hands. The shaft in such paddles will also probably be straight.

The benefits of a straight shaft is that they have a familiar feel and are cheaper to produce than their cranked cousins.

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