Far too many kayakers are happy to just make do and use any old paddle. Yet choosing the correct length of stick, and type, can have a massive effect – positive and negative – on your kayaking.
With so many options available, you’ll need to get out there and demo as much gear as you can, that way you’ll discover what works (and what doesn’t) for you. Check out my kayak paddle length article over on Sitons.com
Punching through – kayak paddle length affects all areas of your paddling
Tez Plavenieks - content creation/strategy, SEO/tech SEO, social media, print media. 
Trying lots of paddles is a really important step that many people skip because there are a wide price and weight range of paddles that are all shaped pretty similar. The problem of not being able to find a good paddle at any price (400$ paddle…really?) concerns me, so I did a lot of experiments and math and a little rough carpentry. The result is my RLP12. I have two. I abuse them roughly and have yet to break one, get sore shoulders, drip in my boat, or wish for a different paddle while out on the water. http://itznu.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/paddles/