Instructional Article · Kayak ·Oct 13, 2020

How to Keep Your Kayak Paddle(s) in Tip-Tip Condition

3-minute read

Even the toughest paddles in the industry appreciate a little love. Here at Bending Branches, we know our kayak paddles perform best when they receive the proper care.

Here are a few suggestions to keeping your paddle in tip-top condition for years of paddling adventures.

woman kayaking on a small lake or river

After each use:

Separate your paddle halves.
Rinse each half with clean, fresh water; be sure to rinse the ferrule as well.
Examine the internal parts of the shaft frequently to make sure they are clear of water and debris.
When not in use, store your kayak paddle halves apart in a clean, dry, indoor place whenever possible.

General Blade Cleaning:

The easiest and cheapest way is to start with warm water and mild detergent. This could be all you need for our plastic blades to clean up nicely.

Advanced Blade Cleaning:

While the first step is always a mild detergent, for more aggressive markings you may need a little more power. Our production team uses the first two steps of the 3-part NOVUS Plastic Polishing system.

For a $20 investment you can bring your plastic-bladed paddle back to looking great:

Plastic Clean & Shine: Use this gently to clean the blade and restore its shine.
Fine Scratch Remover: This can be used to remove fine scratches, haziness and light abrasions.
Heavy Scratch Remover: We do NOT recommend using this product on our blades. It’s too aggressive, and may end up doing more harm than good.

If your kayak paddle is wood and/or has wood blades, read “Caring for Your Wood Paddle.”

Protectant Options

If you have one of our fiberglass or carbon laminate bladed paddles, like the Angler Pro or Angler Ace, you can wax the blades.

Bending Branches' Angler Pro kayak fishing paddle blade in Glowtek

(Photo courtesy of @tackle_fishing_adventures)

Just be sure to use a straight wax with no additives. Many waxes that advertise deep shine, cleaner and wax or wax and polish have mild abrasives that can scratch our products and possibly leave a haze on the material you’re applying it to.

(DO NOT wax our plastic-bladed products—it will cause hazing on the blades.)

303 Aerospace Protectant is another option. This spray-on solution protects your paddle blades from the sun’s harmful UV rays that causes color fading, cracking and discoloration. It’s safe to use on plastics, fiberglass and carbon.

Warranty and Repair

If you follow these suggestions, your paddle will thank you!

Some scratches and signs of wear are inevitable, but hey, that just means you’re using it! If you have any additional questions regarding paddle care or you have a unique situation, call or email us and we will do our best to help.

Although we build strong paddles and have one of the lowest breakage rates in the industry, we know the unthinkable can happen. When it does, we honor all reasonable requests for repair or replacement.

Bending Branches paddles are guaranteed against manufacturing defects for one year from date of purchase. See our online Warranty & Repair form to start a claim.

Reach our friendly Customer Service Team at 715-755-3405 or [email protected]

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