Are Wooden Paddles Better Than Plastic?

Finding the best canoe paddle for your needs is about comprehending various designs and materials. Yet, it’s also about how the paddle really feels as you move through the water. Are wooden paddles better than plastic? Keep reading this guide to find out!

This article will show you if wooden paddles are better than plastic ones. Also, it will help you purchase the paddle that works best for you. The first thing you should do to accelerate your search is to see what type of paddling you will be doing most often.

Notably, wooden paddles are weightier. They have a solid feel to them and can be expensive. The bend in plastic blades can point you to lose control, and the blades can flap under serious load. Aluminum paddle shafts aren’t that pleasant to hold in the long run, mainly in the chilly weather. These tend to be the cheapest choice.

Table of Contents

The Purpose of a Canoe Paddle

Flatwater And Tripping Paddles

If you will be doing most of the paddling on flatwater lakes, select an Ottertail or beavertail blade shape. The so-called beavertail shape has a round tip and the same width until it tapers off towards the neck.

The Ottertail has a slightly less twisted blade tip and is much narrower. These particular knife shapes hold less water on the shell than those that have ample designs. This point can definitely make for less tiring and more pleasant paddling on comprehensive flatwater trips.

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Whitewater Canoe Paddles

It was planned for whitewater paddlers to have blades much shorter and a bit wider, with square blade tips. This structure makes it more comfortable for whitewater paddlers to make quick strokes. The same goes for eleventh-hour maneuvers like draws or prizes.

A linear shaft is critical for a whitewater canoe paddle. Why is that? Well, it makes prominent approaches like a brace much easier. This goes without saying, by all means!

Numerous whitewater paddles will have an arched blade. What is that? That is a setup component that allows the blade to grip the water better upon connection. Some paddlers on journeys with whitewater and flatwater will fetch a paddle fitted for each.

Tip: It’s vital to know what side of the river you should kayak in the UK. The answer to this may be obvious.

Solo Canoe Paddles

Let’s focus for a moment on those who like to paddle solo. A paddle with a more extended and slimmer blade and a shorter shaft gives more command and accuracy in the water.

The long blade exists to stay in the water, with the paddler recovering underwater rather than in the air.

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Let’s Talk About the Materials

Now it’s time that we discuss the materials of canoe paddles. Stay tuned for more information below!

Wooden Canoe Paddles

This traditional paddle material is gorgeous. It feels good in the hands and is warm to the touch in cold temperatures. Wood canoe paddles are generally the preference of lakewater paddlers. Wood paddles really need some care over time. For instance, periodic sanding and whitewashing keep moistness and rot at bay.

Not all types of wood are identical. Ash is an extremely long-lasting wood that is an excellent option for tripping. How? Well, it can stand up to harsh conditions. Maple is likewise quite powerful, but also adjustable.

Cherry is a prevalent wood for canoe paddles because it is enduring and light, making it a popular option for wood paddles. Walnut is stiff and on the heavier side, and can also be more pricey. Some paddles will come with a fiberglass tip.

This can be a suitable option if you will be paddling consistently in shallow or rocky waterways and want some impact safety. Some wooden canoe paddles consist of not just one, but so many additional types of wood laminated jointly. You can see if a wooden paddle is laminated. How can you do that? Well, because there will be various colors or tints of wood beside each other.

The Composite Materials

Canoe paddles consist of mixed materials like carbon, aramid, and fiberglass. These materials are extremely light and strong at the same time. So, these paddles don’t require the supervision that wooden paddles do.

Carbon canoe paddles are the preference of racers. So, relying on the ratio of carbon to other fibers in the paddle, the cost will fluctuate. The higher the amount of carbon in the paddle, the more pricey it will tend to be. Composite paddles are stuffy and have less flex than some types of wooden paddles.

Note: Everyone should learn more information about skimboards and how long they can last.

Aluminum And Plastic Canoe Paddles

So many plastic canoe paddles out there have a plastic blade. They also have an aluminum hold. Plastic paddles are long-lasting and don’t need supervision. It can be relatively less enjoyable to grip the aluminum shaft compared to a wooden one on a chilly day.

How to Size a Canoe Paddle?

Perhaps you have located a canoe paddle that is ideal for the type of canoeing you want to do. If it isn’t the correct size for you, nevertheless, the fact that its gorgeous wood finish makes your heart skip a beat is irrelevant. This is the unwritten rule.

A paddle too small or large is awkward and ineffective on the water. Also, it may result in you not utilizing it very frequently. Here are a couple of our tried-and-true techniques for making sure your canoe paddle is the right size.

The perfect paddle size for you will alter based on the canoe you are in and how you sit in it. It is best if you can get on the water in the canoe to see instinctively how the paddle feels. Yet, if that isn’t an option, we have some sizing strategies for you too.

Sizing Strategies

If in the shop, kneel on the ground and keep the paddle by its neck. The grip needs to be touching the floor in front of you. If the paddle is the right size for you, your arm should be lying down.
Sit in the canoe with your feet on the bottom. Also, be mindful of the span between the water and your nose. This span should be identical to the length between the grip of the paddle and the paddle’s neck.
Paddling Magazine’s Publisher Scott MacGregor suggests the exact way of paddling in the canoe with a broomstick. Paddle regularly, and the part of the shaft that remains dry is similar to the right shaft span for you in that precise canoe. MacGregor favors this approach because it takes into account the placement of your hands, the height of the seat, the depth of the canoe, and your paddling technique. After utilizing this approach, you will only need to figure out the altitude of the blade you want.
If you don’t yet need a paddle or a canoe at your disposal, you can sit in a chair and specify the length from the chair to the top of your eyebrows to find out a proper shaft altitude for you.

Additional Tips About Your Paddle

It’s time that we dive into some additional tips about your paddle. Stay tuned for more!

Keep Your Canoe Paddle Safely

You can find tons of help online for making your own simple paddle rack or holder. Or you can simply place it flat someplace in your house or garage.

Hold it out of the sun and keep it in a dry area over the winter where moistness won’t uncover its way into the wood. Know that keeping your canoe is just as essential as keeping your paddle.

Note: If you want to know more about kayaking, take a look at our article about sitting in a white water kayak.

Pack An Extra

Whether it’s omitting your paddle or having it wash away during the night when the water level shifts, it’s not difficult to lose the blade.

If you are going on any vast canoe trip, pack an additional one just in case. It will make you much more comfortable. Also, your buddies who won’t have to paddle-chauffeur you around.

Tip: Is white water rafting bad for your back? Did you know that multiple back injuries can be a result of this?

Make Use Of Hockey Socks For Paddles

On a canoe expedition, plunge a hockey sock over your paddle blade on portages or at the camp. This is an effortless way to save your wooden canoe paddle and can help keep its stunning aesthetic. Many individuals have canoe paddles for decades if they are well supervised. Don’t make your judgment solely based on cost.

A well-made paddle that suits your canoeing needs and feels terrific to utilize is worth paying for. That’s a fact!

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