About Us

Grey Owl Paddles was born in 1975, when Brian Dorfman — a stockbroker with a deep love for paddling — realized something was missing: high-quality, handcrafted paddles that were built to perform and built to last. At the time, most paddles on the market were either cheaply mass-produced or lovingly handmade by small cottage shops, with little in between.

So, Brian set out to build the kind of paddle he wanted to use — and share it with others. With a few prototypes and a lot of passion, Grey Owl took root in Cambridge, Ontario. From the beginning, the goal was simple: combine traditional craftsmanship with smarter production methods to make better paddles more accessible to more people.

Working with local engineers and machinists, Brian developed custom tools and machines to bring his designs to life. He partnered with nearby colleges, bringing in students to help scale production, and soon, Grey Owl paddles were gaining traction across Canada. As the seasons shifted and demand grew, Brian expanded the line to include paddles for recreational paddlers, competitive racers, and eventually, international markets.

As paddling evolved, so did we — adding kayak paddles, expanding into new countries and investing in a purpose-built facility that spanned 12,000 square feet in Cambridge. Today, Grey Owl ships over 50,000 units annually to paddlers across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Throughout it all, Brian remained at the heart of the brand — testing paddles, tweaking designs, and staying close to the water he’s always loved. His first canoe trip was over six decades ago, and he’s never looked back.

In May 2025, Roustan Sports Ltd. acquired Grey Owl Paddles, launching a new chapter for this iconic Canadian brand. Roustan Sports are experts in wood-produced products including various Roustan Hockey stick brands (available at STIX.com) and Grey Owl’s custom machinery and manufacturing equipment has been relocated to Roustan Sports’ 130,000-square-foot mega-factory in Brantford, Ontario.

For Grey Owl’s established dealer network, its business as usual. For Grey Owl direct customers, some existing non-dealer inventory can be found within this new Shopify-powered website.