When you go kayaking, it is important that you have the right length of your paddle. The right length improves your technique and enables a more efficient paddling.

To quickly determine what length you should have, you can look at the table above. The length of 220 cm is for most people a good length to start with, then you can feel it out and make adjustments.

A practical way to determine roughly how long a paddle you should have is to stretch your arm straight up. The length of the pad should be from the ground to your fingertips ±10 cm. If you have the paddle available, you can place it vertically in front of you and extend one arm toward the top of the blade.

The type of kayak you will be paddling also affects your choice of paddle length. In general, you can say that the wider the kayak, the longer the paddle should be. If you have a very wide kayak (over 76 cm), a paddle in the 230-250 cm range is suitable. However, the majority of all kayaks are under 59 cm wide, so it is most common to choose a paddle that is between 210-220 cm.

Your technique or rather your paddling style is also important when choosing the length of the paddle. Most common among beginners is that you have a relatively low paddle position, i.e. you keep the paddle relatively close to the kayak when paddling. The same applies when paddling longer trips. If you think you will be paddling with a lower paddle stroke, get a longer paddle.

For those of you with a taller paddle, for example if you want to paddle for exercise, you should choose a shorter paddle. With the higher paddle position, you hold the paddle in a higher basic position (approximately at eye level) and start your paddling from there.

Tip! - The length of the paddle also determines how much leverage you get. If you want to pull heavy powerful strokes, you can choose a paddle that is slightly longer. With a shorter paddle, you get a higher frequency instead. With some paddles you can adjust the length, at Långholmen kayak there are for example carbon fiber paddles and wing paddles where you can infinitely adjust both the length of the paddle and the angle between the blades.

Here you will find a more detailed guide on kayak paddles where we cover different types of paddles and materials.