I watch Craig’s List quite a bit and it seems that really good deals on used paddles don’t show up often. I lucked out and found my all carbon Werner Camano for $125, but that was a word of mouth sale through a group I paddle with. And when I bought my used Trailex trailer, the seller asked “do you need a paddle?” and sold me an all carbon Werner Little Dipper for $100. I’d watch for listings of high end kayaks that come with a good paddle, and contact the seller and see if they’d make a deal on just the paddle.
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Werner not producing it’s a real tight market. Dealers may have something.
Some paddles at dealers. I just looked.
To get over sticker shock think longer term. X dollars 
years of use. Then deduct value if you sold it used. That’s your true cost. I could easily get 60% of what present day value for my Werner paddles ten years old are conservatively.
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Your elbows will sing your praises for years. Too long of a paddle is the road to paddler’s elbow, a cousin of Tennis elbow.
See if you can find an adjustable paddle. That way you can dial it in to your stroke.
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Werner makes adjustable lengths like say 205 to 220.
I do wish I could try out some paddles before purchasing. I am particularly curious to know if the smaller shaft option is something I would like. I also know that my current 230 is too long for me, but the chart on the Aqua Bound site puts me right on the edge of 210 and 220. (I am mostly a low angle paddler). The Tango comes in 215…
Low angle 210 I wouldn’t consider 220 at all 215 MAX. JMHO
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Susan - where are you? Maybe one of us is close by and would let you try a paddle.
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Paddle length is determined by if you have a long torso, if you have long or short arms… how high you sit from the water when in your chosen kayak and it’s chosen seat and the width of your kayak. If those factors are not listed in the paddle chart for sizing …then the chart will probably not be correct. Trying paddles is the real solution.
What you really want is a greenland paddle!
Yeah. Where are you at?
Among the factors you mention, this seems the least important. I see tall people and short using the same sort of paddle length (e.g. 205 cm.) for a high angle stroke. And thinking about it, I realize that tall or short people can sit in their kayak and find their knuckles in the water i.e. the arm length ‘cancels out’ the torso length.
That would be awesome if it worked out with combination of location and someone with a shorter/lighter paddle I could try. I’m in the MD suburbs of DC, near College Park. Generally willing to drive 90 minutes or so for a day-paddle.
Long torso, narrow boat, etc…
How can you tell if you are using an incorrectly sized paddle? I use a Greenland but the question is valid for Euro also.
A rough answer on sizing is that you should be able to get a decent bite of the blade in the right spot in the water within your proper torso rotation. The blade should bury fully without having much shaft in there with it.
So a wider boat, different body proportions or limitations in mobility can all affect this.
The other answer is to spend money with a coach to get their advice…
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Another options is to see if your local outfitter(s) will let you demo a few different paddles, or an adjustable paddle. That’s how I chose the right size for me. One of the shops charged a rental fee that went toward purchase, the other just let me take them. I think the former is probably more typical.
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If you’re burying the blade past the surface of the water I’d say it’s to long. High angle if you have to reach up to much to keep blade near surface it makes you strain or be uncomfortable.
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Paddle companies give general ranges. Seat height, torso length, arm length, all play a part if you’re looking for perfection. I have a 205 Ikelos want to go to 200 for maximum pace paddling. I think low angle is a bit less critical.
Werner also has a chart for paddle length based on boat width and paddler height. Perhaps you could look at how much shaft on your 230 cm paddle is going in the water. That is all extra length you don’t need. I am 5’2" and went from a 230 cm that I was sold years ago as correct for me, to a 205 cm which is a huge improvement. Carbon shaft with fibregass blades, 770 g, 27 oz.
Don’t skimp on your new paddle. If you are going to be using it for many years to come you won’t regret it.
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Agreed. I was using a super long paddle “leftover” from my first wide “barge boat”. It was way, way too long for for the current boat, beam is 22.5 and I’m just shy of 5’4". The 205 is just about right for me. I have a Lendal which can telescope it if I need to (can’t see why but options are nice). It’s light as a feather at 650g w/a decent size blade area for bite and “get up and go”. I love the triangular shaft, it fits in my small hands very well.
Consider getting the lightest paddle that you can afford. Then spend more. You won’t regret it. You will regret the “step up” method of acquiring hobby gear. This goes for any hobby. That route is always more expensive.