Call us on 01392 219600 and we can help!

VE Paddles

Whitewater and touring kayak paddles, handmade in the UK from prepreg composites. Three whitewater blades and three touring blades, each available in glass or Aircore carbon with a choice of shafts. Good stock selection, with less common lengths and feathers available to order.
View as

Handmade in the UK

VE build every paddle themselves in Nottingham, using prepreg composites rather than wet layup. The cloth arrives already impregnated with resin in controlled quantities, which keeps the resin to fibre ratio consistent and the finished blade light without losing strength. It is a slower way to make a paddle and it shows in how they hold up.

The whitewater blades

Three shapes, all asymmetric and all usable by the same paddler. The difference is surface area and how hard the catch bites.

  • Creeker, 700 cm². Mid sized, predictable and forgiving. The one we sell most of and the sensible starting point for most paddlers. See the Creeker range
  • Flyte, 735 cm². A slalom derived shape built around stroke efficiency, with an assertive catch and a clean exit. See the Flyte range
  • Pro, 740 cm². The largest and most aggressive blade, with power on tap from the moment it loads. A freestyle blade at heart. See the Pro range

The touring blades

All three come as a two piece split, which makes transport easier and lets you adjust length and feather on the water.

  • Fara, 650 cm². The largest touring blade, built for a higher angle stroke with real power when conditions ask for it. See the Fara range
  • Skera, 615 cm². Developed with sea kayak guides and the most adaptable of the three, happy at a low or a high angle. See the Skera range
  • Vanda, 633 cm². Long, narrow and low angle, with a very clean entry and a precise feel for covering ground. See the Vanda range

Glass or Aircore carbon

Aircore is VE's carbon blade construction. It is noticeably lighter in the hand and stiffer through the stroke, so more of what you put in goes into moving the boat. Glass is the heavier of the two but has a little more give, costs less and is the option most of our customers choose. Shafts follow the same pattern, and on whitewater paddles you can also pair carbon blades with a glass shaft to save weight where it matters most.

Straight, cranked or split

A straight shaft is the default and suits most people. A cranked or bent shaft puts a bend where your hands sit so the wrist stays in a more neutral position, which helps anyone with existing wrist, elbow or shoulder trouble and which plenty of paddlers simply find more comfortable. It is a personal preference rather than an upgrade. Split shafts come apart into two pieces, which makes them the choice for travel, expeditions and spares, and adds length and feather adjustment you can change on the bank.

Stock and lead times

Every VE paddle is made to order in the sense that nothing sits half finished in a warehouse, but we carry a good stock selection and the common lengths and feathers are normally available to us straight away. Unusual combinations can be built, and that is where a wait comes in. If you need a paddle for a specific date, give us a call and we will tell you where things stand.

Read more

How to choose a VE whitewater kayak paddle walks through blade size, construction and shaft choice in more detail.

Back to top

Compare /3