Celtic Paddles

Celtic paddles are MIKCo's paddle of choice.

Celtic paddles are available in a range of blade sizes, shapes, and shaft lengths. At Maine Island Kayak Co, we prefer paddles in the 200-212cm length range; shorter paddles allow for easier control. MIKCo builds custom 4-piece, pro-carbon paddles with nylon Leverlok ™ center joins and Paddlok ™ joins at the ends.

Ask us about how Celtic's various blade shapes can enhance your personal paddling style. Or come out to Peaks Island and try one yourself. We believe you'll feel the difference!

With its origins in whitewater paddling, our Celtic Kinetik Touring is a performance paddle suited for ocean touring and bumpy water play. Its aggressive spoon allows for use of a smaller size blade. Paddling with a more vertical shaft allows for a shorter length paddle and a less tired paddler; our recommended paddle length for 90% of paddlers is 200-212cm. We often paddle wing-like, with one leading edge for power and efficiency: the leading edge "bites" and holds the water better. The extremely thin profile slices easily through the water. This maximizes the catch of each stroke, translating into more pulling power per stroke.

Celtic Kinetik Touring blades are available in the following lengths:

The Kinetik 600 has the smallest surface area of the Kinetik range. The blade enables the paddler to increase their stroke rate while maintaining efficiency. This blade is ideally suited to the smaller paddler.
The Kinetik 650 is the mid-range blade that suits medium size paddlers. It is extremely efficient and delivers much more power than its modest size would suggest.
The Kinetik 700 is the original Kinetik sized blade, ideally suited to experienced sea kayakers. It produces great initial power, which aids maneuvering in rock gardens. A blade with outstanding acceleration, it excels in the surf and strong currents.
The Kinetik 750 is the largest Kinetik blade, best for strong paddlers. A versatile blade, the 750 is suitable for touring, surfing and marathon racing, and offers maximum power and efficiency.

For tips and exercises on improving your paddling technique, see Tom's articles: Paddle Power and The Glide and Boat Speed.

The Celtic Reef blade is a large, beefy 750 cm blade designed for the more powerful paddler for lumpy water, play and surf conditions. Formerly called the Lendal Mystik, it was originally designed for competition surfing by six-time World Medalist and Masters World Surf Champion, Neil Baxter. The thin profile slices through the water with minimal drag, while the full-sized face provides the power needed for breaking out through the surf and for accelerating a boat onto a wave. The bottom edge features a rounded outside corner, for a smooth transition between rudder and brace for unprecedented control on the face of bigger waves.

Comparing Celtic Kinetik Touring & Omega Blades

The Kinetik Touring blade is a precise, spoon shaped blade. It slices cleanly into the water and has a strong catch. Because of its powerful grasp, it excels in maneuvering. We especially like the Kinetic Touring blade for its quick, precise turning, solid bracing and excellent control in surfing.

The Omega blade, introduced in 2022, has less of a spoon than the Kinetik Touring. Omega’s flatter shape makes it a little more forgiving about the angle it enters the water, because it has a less aggressive catch. The shape of the blade is closer to the shape of other lower angle paddles. Some paddlers have described it as being slightly more flexible than the Kinetik Touring.

The Omega was designed with input from Dale Williams from Tybee Island, Georgia. Dale is a strong sea kayak surfer; his venue has ocean swell, tidal current and sandy beaches. Dale says that the Omega blades paddle “larger” than the size suggests; i.e. a 650 Omega feels on par with a 700 Kinetik Touring. Other SKUK-Celtic dealers have agreed with Dale’s assessment.