Paddle Styles

Hi There, I am so so Happy that I found Badger Paddles i was looking for a unique gift for my wife plus be a part of our adventures. I ordered her a 10 th anniversary paddle for her Birthday. I will say the Mike you have a connection with your craft that you do not see everyday, the detail and mastery of your paddles is amazing. If you are looking for a paddle look no further, in my opinion they are the finest crafted paddles that I have put in the water. Oh by the way, my wife is super please, Fits her like a prize find on her stringer. I ordered a second one for me and Wow ! I Love it . Than You Again Mike and Fiona Keep Digging the Water And may your Adventures find Peace Robert and Dawn

Robert Miller

In this age of "techno-gear" you don't often come across any hand-made products that really stand out. Badger Paddles is the exception. You can tell that each paddle shows the love and commitment of the manufacturer...artistically rendered by true crafts-people, Mike and Fiona at Badger Paddles. Every avid paddler needs a "real" paddle, and I love my Badger!

Hap Wilson - https://cabinfalls.ca

"I bought a Sliver in cherry, and really like the paddle. It's the first otter tail-style paddle I have owned. I have been learning to paddle the canadian stroke, knifing the paddle back through the water on the recovery, often keeping the paddle in the water the entire stroke. This paddle has made learning this stroke much easier. Also, while battling significant whitecaps that were coming from two directions (across the lake and down an angling bay) the length of the paddle made it possible for me to keep us headed in the right direction with speed by reaching out wide to steer us through the angling waves. I love the solid single piece of wood - very sturdy in the hands. The single piece also makes it easy to keep the paddle in top shape as you can sand the end of the blade as needed. It is easy to apply a fresh coat of your Badger wood oil after each trip. The sock that comes with the paddle is a nice touch and helps protect the paddle in transit and while in storage. Finally, the Sliver in cherry is among the most beautiful paddles out there. While far from the most important feature of a paddle, it is an added bonus to have something that is nice to look at. Keep up the good work. And keep that badger claw imprint on the paddle. We in Wisconsin - the Badger State - love that! Thank you for such an excellent product."

Mike Wenholz WI, USA

“there's a lot of ideas about paddles out there -- i'm just advocating for things as i see 'em -- i notice little things, the subtle thickening of the shaft just before the blade, fine edges on the sides, stoutness still at the blade end, a well grained wood in a solid serviceable, not show-room-gloss finish, -- i see a lot of over-engineered laminate and composite paddles, or the clever and finely finished furniture grade pieces...i mean, they are nice, and i appreciate them for what they are -- but there is an elegant functional simplicity to (my) badger paddle that really works for me -- i wouldn't mind hanging it on my wall or snubbing off a rock in mild moving water mid-expedition. one the fantastic things about canoeing is the intersection between simplicity, aesthetic, and solid functionality and the badger paddle hits it dead centre...then factor in being able to banter 'bout paddle-stuff at a show with the paddle-maker...that's almost master-card priceless...”

Ian Hanna ON, CAN

Hi Fiona and Mike, I just got back from a 3 day trip to Little Trout Lake and I wanted to let you know how impressed I was with the paddle you made for me. The oil rub on the handle and shaft make it grip wet or dry. This was the most important feature to me. I found I had more power and control over the canoe than my previous paddle. The glossy finish on the blade looks great on my wall too! So it's the best piece of gear I've bought in a long time. Thank you.

Roger Parnis

Purchasing my first Badger Paddle was a memorable event for me. I chose the “Sliver" style, and opted for the oiled finish rather than varnish. I can remember when I first held it in my hands, I had to smile; it looked and felt great! Rather than being made from several pieces of wood glued together, it was crafted from a single, solid block of wood. This means no joints to split or crack if you hit an unexpected rock (been there, done that… more than once)! The grip fit my hand perfectly; I really liked the shape and the size: comfortable to hold, taking almost no effort. Something else that immediately stood out was the velvety smooth finish of the entire paddle. All my other paddles are covered in varnish, my Badger Paddle is instead oiled wood. I can’t stress enough what a difference this makes in the feel of the wood! When I paddle with varnished paddles, I always develop a blister where the shaft and throat of the paddle rub against the skin between my thumb and index finger; the varnish doesn’t really slide that well over skin. But the oiled wood is different; it just glides across the same area. I’m sure there is some friction, but it’s at a level that just doesn’t matter.

@swiftypaddler • Ron Breault

Consider this: you are likely to paddle well over 1,000 strokes an hour on an average canoe trip, which adds up to around 8,000 strokes per day or 56,000 strokes per week. I’m guessing a solid 20-day trip you'll do at least 160,000 paddle strokes. It’s proof that the paddle you pick is one of the most important decisions you'll make. My all time favourite is Badger's traditionally shaped ottertail paddle called the Tripper.

Kevin Callan • The Happy Camper

My wife was recently in need of a new paddle after her current favorite was broken. This was second favorite paddle of hers broken by someone else. We had hoped to find one at the WCHA assembly, but no luck. So we stopped at Raquette River Outfitters on our way home to have a look. They carry Badger Paddles. Most were cherry and although beautiful were heavier than she wanted. We found one made from sassafras in her preferred length of 54 inches that was very light. (22.25 oz. When we weighed it at home) The paddle was a traditional otter tail shape with a 28.5” blade. She liked it immediately and said it felt better than any paddle she had used before. Her previous paddle was a Sawyer sugar island type in the same length. After looking at the paddle for a few days it occurred to me that this was the paddle that I had wanted for a number of years. Many years ago I had seen a vintage photo of a guy holding a paddle the appeared to be half blade and half shaft and liked the look and wanted one. I took it out for a test paddle and it surpassed my expectations. First off, it had way more power than I expected. I thought an otter tail would pull less water than an equivalent beaver tail but was wrong. This paddle is the Tripper model with a 5.5” wide blade. It carries its width almost the full length of the blade and you can feel the power from the large volume blade. This is not the blade shape if you are looking for something easier on your shoulders and hands. With the extra catch and power I think I get just as much or more boat movement as I get from my 57” beaver tail, and being three inches shorter it is easier for hit and switch style paddling. It was great for heeled over paddling amidship and power paddling switching from the stern. The short length made it very comfortable paddling. I didn’t have to angle it a certain way to prevent my arms from going too high, it was just natural. The oil finish was nicely done and feels and looks great. The blade is thick enough to be reliable for tripping yet it still cut through the water nicely for underwater recovery strokes. It comes with a protective one size fits all sock, so if you get two paddles, you get a free pair of socks😉.

Alan and Gail Pezzner • Alaska, USA