Paddle material

The choice of paddle material is personal and based on preference, feel, esthetics, price and other factors. There is no "right" material for a paddle.

Wood paddles can be light, though some are heavy. They tend to not be as strong as well-made synthetic paddles, but are fine for most paddlers. They can be made in many shapes and styles and now feature attributes like feather, take apart and bent shaft just like synthetics. Wood paddles can be expensive for the fancy ones, but home-made paddles can be really cheap. Most traditional style paddles are wood.

Synthetic paddles can be made with many materials and can use mixes of materials. For example, a paddle can have the same material for the shaft and blade or different materials. This affects the weight, stiffness and significantly, price.

Cheap paddles are available made with aluminum shafts and plastic blades. These are usually horrible performers and are only good for cottage recreational kayaks or as spares.

Molded plastic is usually only used for paddle blades. The plastics can be reinforced, usually by adding randomly oriented fiberglass or carbon fiber strands to the mix. Plastic blades are usually heavier than composite blades, but tend to be tough. They are a good choice for areas that are rocky or for paddlers who want a no-nonsense paddle that can take abuse.

Fiberglass is used in less expensive paddles. It tends to be heavy, though may be robust. Fiberglass blades are relatively light but tend to be a bit fragile. The edges often chip or fray with repeated impact with rocks and things.

Carbon fiber is used in premium paddles and the price shows it. This material makes for very light, strong paddles. Carbon fiber blades are lighter than fiberglass, but have the same problems with chipping and so on.

Some carbon and fiberglass paddles are reinforced with other materials, such as Kevlar. Mixing the materials and the way that they are layed up allows the paddle designer to tune the stiffness and strength of a paddle for a given weight.