Nimbus Paddles are designed and built in the heart of the Inside Passage on Quadra Island, British Columbia. Surrounded by rivers, lakes, open ocean, powerful tidal exchanges, and endless coastlines to explore, making it the perfect proving grounds for developing, testing, and enjoying the paddles we make.

 Currently owned and operated by two friends, Damon and Rob, who have been obsessed with kayaking most of their lives, and who have been working in the kayaking industry for nearly 2 decades. They have taken that obsession and directed it into their paddle making to produce a kayak paddle that is well tuned, balanced, and light weight.

 The goal of Nimbus Paddles as a brand is to produce high quality performance paddles for enthusiasts and newcomers alike, while maintaining a sustainable business within Canada. Nimbus has changed hands a few times since its inception but has always stayed close to its roots and the water. We have always been independently owned and operated in Canada and have always strived to produce as much as possible under our own roof to ensure quality is maintained and our supply chain less effected.
Nimbus Paddles are proudly 100% HANDMADE IN CANADA.

 We want our paddle designs to be simple, balanced, and practical in all aspects of their creation and use.

Started in the early 70s alongside Nimbus Kayaks by founder Steve Schleicher, Nimbus Paddles was simply born out of a need: they had kayaks, but nothing to paddle them. At first the paddles were made traditionally out of wood, but the modern composite materials used for their kayaks soon made its way into the paddles.

 Originally fiberglass was used as a reinforcing material which allowed them to be built using softer/lighter woods. Eventually the mold and layup techniques used for kayak building were employed in the making of a fully composite light weight paddle. With the rising popularity in kayaking, it eventually became too daunting for Nimbus to produce both kayaks and paddles under one roof, so they would divide into two separate but cooperative companies under the same name.

 Once Nimbus Paddles was on its own, they were free to put all their focus on paddle making alone. Over the years, they continued to experiment with, develop, and fine tune paddle shapes and designs, to create a line of kayak paddles that are balanced, light, quiet, and a joy to use.

 We continue what has become a tradition for the brand to stay rooted in Canada and continue to obsess over the details of what makes a good paddle.