Searching for a new pair of oars for your rowboat, dinghy, raft, pontoon boat, or inflatable but don’t want to shell out a fortune? Our top list of the best value boat oars has tracked down the best options when it comes to balancing cost and quality so you can select a suitable pair for your boating needs without breaking the bank!
Shaft diameter at the grip and throat is 1 1/2 inches
Blade dimensions for the six foot length is 5 by 21 inches
Six foot length is impressively lightweight at just 40 ounces
Will sand and refinish nicely if and when you want to enhance or greater protect these oars
The Caviness BW Series Oar is hands down one of the top value options when it comes to choosing an affordable, but reliable wooden oar that’s furthermore conveniently available in multiple sizes.
This is a simple wooden oar with a varnish finish featuring a 1.5 inch diameter shaft, and a 5 by 21 inch inch blade (on the six foot model). It offers a nice weight for standard rowing applications and is easily sanded and refinished if and when you want to enhance the treatment protection.
These oars are sold individually, so be sure to purchase two if you need a complete set. Offered in a variety of sizing, there should be an option perfectly suited for your vessel available. Be sure to read up on how to properly select your oar length below if you’re at all unsure.
Wooden oar with a varnish finish and integrated Red Caviness Power Grip for improved handling
Shaft diameter at the grip and throat is 1.5 inches
Blade dimensions for the six foot length is 5 by 21 inches
Six foot length is impressively lightweight at just 40 ounces
Will sand and refinish nicely if and when you want to enhance or greater protect these oars
The Caviness Marine Oar with Power Grip is quite comparable to the brand’s BW Series oar, but further integrates a Red Caviness Power Grip for enhanced handling while actively rowing.
The shaft diameter at the grip and throat is 1.5 inches, and the blade measures 5 by 21 inches (for the six foot model). It’s a wonderfully ergonomic oar that’s further enhanced by the handgrips, ensuring both a great feel, and a longer lifespan where you handle the oars.
Like Caviness’s other wooden oars, this option will sand and refinish nicely if and when you want to apply another varnish or urethane treatment. Saltwater boaters in particular will appreciate this detail due to the seasonal oar maintenance corrosive saltwater conditions call for.
Don’t forget that these oars are sold individually, so you’ll need to purchase two for a complete set.
Unfinished wooden oar you can paint to match your boat and/or finish with any quality preservative or varnish
Shaft diameter at the grip and throat is 1.5 inches
Blade dimensions for the six foot length is 5 by 21 inches
Six foot length is impressively lightweight at just 40 ounces
Will sand and refinish nicely if and when you want to enhance or greater protect these oars
The Caviness Unfinished Oar is a ‘clean slate’ style oar that comes without any protection treatment allowing you to easier apply your personal favorite varnish or preservative, or to paint it in order to aesthetically match your vessel.
This option features all the same dimensions, weight, and craftsmanship of the previous Caviness oars listed, but is simply offered as an unfinished model to make treatment customization easier.
Want to match the appearance of your oars to that vintage baby blue color of your boat hull? This is the ideal option for sanding down and painting to your liking. Have a particular urethane or varnish in mind that you know is the bee’s knees when it comes to long lifespan? Sand these bad boys down and slap it on, Caviness has built these oars for those boaters that already know best!
Multi-ply laminated construction for enhanced strength features a polyurethane finish
Traditional shaft and grip
Brown epoxy blade tip for added durability against water hazards like rocks and hard bottom
The TRAC-Outdoor Products Natural Finish Wood Oar With Comfort Grip is a traditional style, particularly affordable wooden option that offers a multi-ply laminated construction and a brown epoxy blade tip for enhanced life span, resistance to the elements, and overall integrity.
This oar is individually sold in a wide selection of sizes, so boats of all beam sizes will find a fit here.
The epoxy blade tip in particular is a highly practical design addition that enhances durability against water hazards like rocks and hard bottom. Splitting or chipping your oar blades on unforgiving structure is a drag, the brand has made an effort to avoid frustrating nicks and splits here without sky-rocketing the price tag making this option a stellar value buy in our book.
While the multi-ply laminated construction already features a polyurethane finish, these oars will sand and refinish easy enough when it’s time to breath new life into them.
Featuring an attractive aesthetic, practical integrity features, and an already reliable polyurethane finish, it’s tough to beat the value of this highly customizable wooden oar option.
6.5 Foot length features a two-piece design for more convenient storage
Sold as a pair with included oarlocks
Aluminum oars with engineer grade glass filled Polypropylene blades, UV protected Polypropylene grip handles and oar stops
1 3/8 Inch diameter bright dipped aluminum shaft
Blade dimensions measure 6.5 by 21.2 inches
The Oceansouth Aluminum Oar Set is a two-piece oar design that offers impressive row strength and ergonomics despite its lightweight aluminum build, that’s furthermore sold as a pair rather than individually.
Including oar locks, integrated grip handles and oar stops, this would be a decent value buy even if the brand was selling these oars individually. The fact that Oceansouth sets you up with essentially everything you need to get rowing makes it safe to say this is an excellent bang for your buck.
Featuring a 1 3/8 inch diameter bright dipped aluminum shaft and a 6.5 by 21.2 blade, these oars offer impressive strength and hydrodynamics considering their ultralight build. The two-piece design is furthermore well executed so you don’t feel any loss of energy transfer between the oar joints.
The two-piece construction of these oars allows you to effectively store them out of the way when you want to drop anchor and hang out for a bit or to store them for emergency, or back-up use.
Featuring a 6.5 foot length, these oars are suitable for any vessel with a roughly 4 foot beam at the oarlocks.
The Oceansouth Heavy Duty Aluminum Oar Set is a slightly more robust, and longer length option compared to the brands standard aluminum oars previously listed that’s perfect for slightly larger vessels, and for boaters seeking a nearly indestructible option when it comes to integrity.
Featuring a slightly thicker diameter shaft at 1 5/8 inches, and a 7.5 foot total length, these oars are ideal for boats with roughly 4 foot, 8 inch beams at the oarlocks. The heavy-duty UV protected polypropylene scull blade dimensions measure 6.5 by 21.2 inches, providing plenty of surface area for really pulling into your row stroke.
Featuring UV protected Polypropylene rubberized grip handles and oar stops for added convenience rowing, these are impressively ergonomic oars for the price point, especially considering their conveniently storable two-piece design.
With oarlocks included, it’s tough to beat the value of this oar set if you’re seeking a truly heavy-duty aluminum option that’s built for better than adequate performance and long lifespan.
Foam rubberized grips for added convenience handling
1 1/4 inch diameter shaft will fit into most oarlocks, just be mindful you may need to purchase a properly sized oar stop for universal compatibility
Precision molded blade for greater energy transfer
The Shoreline 6 Foot Aluminum Marine Oar is one of the top budget options for those seeking a quality aluminum oar that offers a particularly low overall weight and price tag.
Sold individually, this oar features rubberized grips for enhanced handling and a precision-molded blade for more efficient energy transfer. These are simple features yes, but underrated when it comes to actual oar performance – especially at this price point.
The 1 1/4 inch diameter shaft is reasonably robust, offering more strength and rigidity than 1 inch options, but not quite as much torque as 1.5 inch options. Considering the oar length is 6 feet, you won’t really be able to over-stress these oars if you have them properly sized to your boat (unless of course you overweight your vessel!).
All things considered, this is a wonderful budget choice for those seeking a simple solution to powering their medium to smaller sized row boat, dinghy, or inflatable.
Shorter 59 inch, or 4.91 foot oar length is designed for boats 8 to 12 feet in length
Sold as a pair
Aluminum construction is exceptionally lightweight
Tension collars near the blades allow for more aggressive rowing without overstraining them
Drip rings for a dry, firm grip
Great emergency oar, or spare oar option due to price point, weight, and particularly storable size
Those looking to purchase a complete oar set (minus the oar locks) at a staggeringly low price point for a smaller sized vessel will find a friend in the Sevylor Aluminum Oars.
Sold as a pair at a more than reasonable cost, you get a lot of bang for your buck here. The oar length is just under five feet, so these will not be suitable for effectively powering wider beam vessels or particularly heavy watercraft. That being said, these tough little aluminum oars will get you back to the landing easy enough in the case of a dead trolling motor battery, so they make a good back up, or emergency set of oars – just know their limitations before relying on them!
The overall build here is remarkably lightweight, yet reinforced with tension collars near the blades, so you can lay into your row-stroke fairly aggressively considering their daintiness. Smaller dinghies, inflatable pontoons and other personal watercraft will respond nicely to these tough little oars, and their shorter length makes for easier, onboard storage in any context.
The brand even includes drip rings for a drier rowing experience – a minor luxury that’s a nice touch for the price point.
All things considered, Sevylor has engineered a reliable little oar set here at a killer price point for those who don’t require a particularly robust option.
Shorter 59 inch, or 4.91 foot oar length is furthermore two-pieces for easy storage Sold as a pair Sturdy, lightweight aluminum shafts feature stainless steel connectors for added strength, but the 1-inch diameter is hardly “heavy duty” Ribbed hand grips for enhanced handling Drip rings for a dry, firm grip Great emergency oar, or spare oar option due to price point, weight, and particularly storable size
The Sevylor Heavy-Duty Aluminum Oars are a slightly improved version of the brand’s standard aluminum oars previously listed that offer higher overall integrity without a very significant price jump.
Sold as a pair, this is another particularly great value buy from the brand that offers integrated drip rings, ribbed hand grips and stainless steel connectors for enhanced ergonomics and row strength.
While Sevylor advertises these oars as being “heavy duty”, they only feature a 1-inch shaft diameter, so they are far from robust compared to thicker diameter options. That being said, if you’re matching the length of these oars appropriately to your vessel size, they should offer more than enough strength to power your boat.
The two-piece design makes these already compact oars that much more stowable onboard smaller watercraft, so stashing these bad boys out of the way when you drop anchor to start fishing or picnicking is a piece of cake!
Offering exceptional packability, an impressive strength to weight ratio, and highly ergonomic design, Sevylor has engineered a stellar oar option here for smaller personal watercraft, and for back-up applications.
7 foot length breaks down into three pieces for high portability and storage potential
Individually sold
Aluminum construction with internal cork for floatation
1 3/8 Inch shaft diameter
Includes foam grip, oar sleeve and oar stop
The Bucks Bags 3-Piece 7 Foot Breakdown Oar is a highly practical option for those already cluttered boaters seeking a longer length oar that can then be effectively stashed on board when not in use.
Built with an aluminum construction with an internal cork for floatation, this 3-piece option features a 1 3/8 inch diameter shaft and conveniently includes an oar stop and foam grips for enhanced handling. It paddles effectively despite the segmented build, so space-conscious boaters will absolutely find a friend here.
One thing to keep in mind is that although this is a three-piece oar, each segment is not of equal length, which can make storing the pieces a bit awkward. Despite this detail, if you’re seeking an oar around 7 feet that can be dramatically reduced in size in order to efficiently store it, this option will certainly fit the bill.
4.41 Foot length is designed for use with AIRHEAD and other smaller inflatable boats
Sold as a pair
Two section aluminum shaft is impressively lightweight and durable for the cost
15 Inch high impact plastic blades
Excellent as an emergency or backup set of oars due to the low price point, light weight, and compact stored size
The AIRHEAD Watersports 53 Inch Oar Set is a brilliant buy for smaller inflatable boats and play rafts, as well as for use as a backup or emergency set of oars.
Not even 4.5 feet in length, these are definitely on the smaller side and not really suitable for powering medium to large rowboats and rafts. That being said, they offer impressive integrity and are furthermore built with a two-piece design, so they could work wonderfully as a backup option that’s easily stored out of the way due to their compact nature.
Once broken down and tucked away, you’ll forget you’ve even got these oars on board! This makes them perfect as a safety measure in case of a trolling motor malfunction or dead battery.
Sold as a pair rather than as an individual oar, rest assured you’re getting more than you pay for with this option if your needs are modest when it comes to the vessel that needs rowing.
Our list of the best value boat oars has tracked down the top options when it comes to balancing cost, quality, and satisfying your specific rowing needs
