The blade
At 700 cm² the Creeker sits in the middle of VE's whitewater range, and that is exactly why it works for so many people. There is enough area to move a loaded boat and to make a stroke count when it needs to, without the blade loading up so hard that a slightly late catch punishes your shoulders. It is forgiving at the entry, quiet through the power phase and clean at the exit.
It is the VE paddle we sell most of, and it goes out to paddlers at every level, from people still learning to read moving water through to coaches and guides who are on the river most days of the week.
Glass or Aircore carbon
Aircore is VE's carbon blade construction. A carbon Creeker is lighter in the hand and stiffer through the stroke, so less of your effort disappears into flex. Glass weighs a little more and has slightly more give, costs less, and is the option most of our customers pick. If you want to split the difference, carbon blades on a glass shaft take the weight off the ends of the paddle, which is where you notice it most.
Straight, cranked or split shaft
A straight shaft suits most paddlers and is where to start. A cranked shaft holds the wrist in a more neutral position, which helps anyone with existing wrist, elbow or shoulder trouble and which many paddlers find more comfortable regardless. A split shaft comes apart into two pieces for travel, expeditions and spares, and lets you change length and feather on the go.
The other VE whitewater blades
If you want a bigger, more aggressive blade, look at the Flyte at 735 cm², built around stroke efficiency with a slalom derived shape, or the Pro at 740 cm², which is the most powerful of the three and a favourite with freestyle paddlers.
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How to choose a VE whitewater kayak paddle covers blade size, construction and shaft choice across the whole range.
