Want to buy a Kayak paddle for x-mas, need advice

Hey guys, my son bought a used clearwater design sit in kayak ( I think the model is Nunu) 9 or 10 ft long. He s been using it a few times when it was warm and really liked it just for paddling up and down river and the weight is great as he carries it to the river without a cart, but complained about the paddle it came with. I am thinking of getting a nicer paddle for him for X-Mass. Any good brands/ styles you d recommend and places to buy? between Toronto and London? I see that Mec has nothing in the stores but a decent selection online. I heard carbon fiber paddles are good.

I think carbon fiber or fiberglass is good and light weight. Yes make sure it is not too heavy (or else you'd get tired quite soon on the water:-), and make sure you get one that's long enough...

Thank you Xialou,

i got this paddle in 240cm: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5053-033/Lanai-Select-Paddle. i use it with a feelfree moken. what i had before came from an inflatable kayak so it made a huge difference. regardless is fairly good, and it is cheap enough. i see it is now on sale again.

if you have a sit in, a shorter paddle should work.

gunoieru, thank you, I see Mec has some, they also have a carbon version too. Is the kingpin locking system giving you any problems? there are a couple of bad reviews on it

no, no issues so far, but i saw the reviews as well so i was careful not to keep the halves separated more than needed. if i need to split them for transport i would do so right before putting in the car and then put them back together once they are out. just don't give a chance to dirt to get in.

be aware that MEC shipping times can take weeks. and do check it when you pick it up in store. mine was missing one of the drip rings so i had them give me one from another paddle.

all in all, i find them to be very good paddles for the price (especially if on sale): not heavy, stiff enough. carbon/fiber shaft means won;t get too cold or too hot; the blades are the weak(ish) area, with a slight flex but stiff enough to use them to push yourself of shore or rocks, and they are a bit on the soft side: they will scoff and dent if used for pushing yourself around but on the good side they should not crack.

hope this review helps.

Thanks a lot for your input gunoieru! I've ordered the same maker's Accent Air paddle from MEC for $214, supposedly really light, was only available online. Thanks for the heads up I'll check it for completeness once it arrives

Size makes a big difference. Adjustable is an awesome feature to have. If he is getting into paddling he will want the best paddle you can get.

Check out Werner paddles
https://www.wernerpaddles.com/paddles/fishing

Having a nice light weight efficient paddle will make or break an outing.

Good paddles are expensive up front but will save you from upgrading every now and then.

Thank you for your information, RCRward. I already got that air paddle in from MEC, it feels incredibly light. I'll pass the info about the adjustable Werners to my son in case he decides to upgrade.

No Problem.

Enjoy your new Paddle and I hope you catch some big fish out on the Yak!