Greenland paddles consist of 3 main parts: the blade, the loom and the shoulder.
The Overall Length is found by the addition of an "Arm-span and a cubit." Measure your complete arm-span, fingertip to finger tip. Then add this number with the distance from the outside tip of your elbow to your finger tip.
Find the Loom Length(the part you will hold between your hands) by raising your hands parallel to the floor and parallel to each other. To do this, start with arms at your sides, hands pointing towards the floor, then bend your arms at the elbow, take extra care to keep them parallel to each other (don't let either arm toe in or out). Now measure the distance between your thumbs. I find the way to get the most accurate measurement is by having a friend help you while you do this.
Blade Width: all of my paddles are made from a solid 2x4 which means the widest blade I am able to make is about a 3.4"
Shoulder Style: The shoulder is where the loom meets the blade. There are two basic styles: soft and hard(see picture below). A hard shoulder allows for easy indexing of the paddle, while the soft allows for a smoother Slide Stroke. Personal preference is the main factor here; if you are new to Greenland Kayaking, I would encourage you to go with a hard shoulder, but if you have a chance, try out a soft shoulder and see what you like.
Soft shoulder on Left, Hard on Right.
