man paddles Pelican kayak constructed of Ram-X material

Pelican Bought After Boom And Bust

Pelican International Inc, one of the world’s largest kayak manufacturers, is in the process of being bought out by former executives in partnership with...
A kid in the front of a tandem kayak at the 3 Rivers Rendezvous

How This Alberta Whitewater Festival Became Kid-Friendly

When Chuck Lee’s ten-year-old son told him whitewater kayaking is for old people, Lee set out to find small boats and equipment to bring...
Kyle Parker in front of a canoe

24-Year-Old To Canoe Across America

On September 11, 2024 Kyle Parker set a speed record in solo canoeing the Wisconsin River, paddling the 430-mile river in just five days,...
Outdoor Media Awards Best Print Publication

Paddling Mag Wins People’s Choice Award for Best Print Publication

Paddling Magazine has been named Best Print Publication in the People’s Choice category for the second year in a row at this year’s Outdoor...
Hudson Bay Girls to canoe from Lake Superior to York Factory on the Hudson Bay in summer 2025

Student Team To Canoe 1,200 Miles To Inspire Girls In Paddlesports

The historic route from Minnesota to the Hudson Bay has long captured the attention of canoeists. In summer 2025, four student paddlers and Girl...
Feature Image: Rakonczay arrives in Antigua after crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Gabor Rakonczay | Facebook.

Gabor Rakonczay Canoes Across Atlantic

After 75 days and 10 hours at sea, Gabor Rakonczay completed a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from La Palma, The Canary Islands to...
Pelican kayak on the water.

Pelican Seeks Insolvency Protection

On February 28, 2025, Pelican International Inc filed a Notice of Intention to Make Proposal (NOI) under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) in...
MSR Switch Stove at Canoecopia 2025. Feature Image: Joe Potoczak.

Best Camping Gear For Paddlers In Summer 2025

It’s time to dust off your paddles, dig out your maps and charts and start planning your summer 2025 paddling adventures! In the spirit...
The Wenonah Minnesota II in superlight at Canoecopia 2025. Feature Image: Joe Potoczak.

9 Ideas to Make Paddling Easier in 2025

Paddlesports are for people who understand that hard work equals big reward. On the other side of the brutal, ankle-twister portage is a campsite...
person stands at dawn or dusk holding a canoe paddle beside a canoe parked at the shore of a calm waterway with hills behind

When To Trust Your Fear In The Backcountry

“Trust your gut,” they say. It’s the most common advice when faced with the unknown. But at the start of a four-day backcountry trip...
bow shot of a sea kayaker with map paddling after another kayaker over an ocean swell while they are on an expedition

When A Paddler Dies, We Are Too Quick To Judge

The paddling community judges accidents harshly. We are so determined to figure it out and ascribe a cause to the incident we often rush...
two people paddleboarding while silhouetted by the sunset at Loch Lomond, Scotland

From Ireland To India: One Family’s 51,000KM SUP And Moto Odyssey

Respite from the searing summer heatwave was a mere 12 kilometers away—a small lake we could reach in only 33 minutes, according to Guida,...
a herd of caribou venture into the water in a landscape of northern tundra

If You Gotta Go, Go Now

It was our third consecutive lunch of pitas and cheese and we were ready for a distraction. We had pulled up at a narrows...
close-up photo of a gosling

Kayakers Beware: Geese Gone Wild

In three decades of kayaking, the only injury I’ve suffered wasn’t from a pounding surf landing, a strainer or an angry grizzly bear. It...

Reader Favorites

Column Spotlight

James Raffan
James Raffan is an explorer, recovering academic and former executive director of the Canadian Canoe Museum. His book about Bill Mason and Canadian canoe culture, Fire In The Bones, was first published in 1996. Writer, adventurer, part-time Zodiac driver and Director of External Relations for the Canadian Canoe Museum. James is the author of Tumblehome, a regular column in Canoeroots and Paddling Magazine, where he celebrates the single blade’s rich heritage.
man stands at lake's edge holding a paddle beside a tripping canoe at dawn

The Good Fairy: Features On Our Tripping Canoe Wishlist

There’s an ancient green 17-foot Old Town Tripper on the rack out back that, after countless river miles and more than a half-century of...
a famous blue canoe from the Canadian Canoe Museum’s collection called the Père Lallemant

Remembering The Storied Canoes That Changed The World

A canoe can change a life—imagine, for example, how many children have been affected by fleets at summer camps or grown folks by beat-up...
overhead photo of a person holding a mug of coffee over a campfire

The Worst Camping Invention Of The 21st Century

It’s confession time. Deep down, I’m a closet gadget junkie—a bit of a techno-weenie, if you will. When it comes to seductively cool camping...
a do not disturb sign is hung from a paddle over a canoe suggesting someone is planning to have sex in the canoe

The Very Incomplete Guide To Having Sex In A Canoe

For all you would-be and wannabe Canadians out there, I have some bad news. Sex in a canoe is not what you think it...
person in rain gear paddles a canoe across a choppy lake

The Joy Of (Self-Imposed) Suffering

There’s a story circulating about a guy who accidentally zapped his manly bits with bear spray. How these two items came into communion boggles...

Editor's Choice

on the left, two women paddle a blue tandem sit-inside kayak, while on the right a woman paddles a red solo sit-on-top

Sit-On-Top vs Sit-Inside Kayaks: Which Is Right For You?

It’s hard to say what the best kayaks for recreational paddlers are: sit-on-top or sit-inside. With more than 30 years of experience working in...
group of kayaks of different sizes lined up outside a building

Finding The Right Size Kayak For You

The size of a kayak plays a huge role in determining its performance characteristics, and whether it’s the right kayak for you. If you’re...
man stands and paddles a beginner paddleboard

Best Beginner Paddleboards For 2025

The best paddleboard for beginners depends a lot on personal preferences and what you hope to do with your paddleboard. Are you looking for...
Paddling Magazine digital editor Joe Potoczak paddles an inflatable tandem kayak with a friend

Best Inflatable Two-Person Kayaks For 2025

In all my years paddling, I've spent many days in kayaks and in rafts, but some of the most enjoyable times on the water...
a selection of water shoes, sneakers, sandals and booties on a purple background

Best Water Shoes For 2025

Among the checklist of what to wear paddling, solid footwear is not to be overlooked. The best pair of water shoes will keep you...
Preparing to transport a kayak without a roof rack.

How To Transport A Kayak Without A Roof Rack

A small obstacle like not having a roof rack is no reason to let the world get between you and going kayaking. Yes, roof...
Paddler demonstrates how to get in a kayak.

How To Get In And Out Of A Kayak In 6 Steps

As the owner of a specialty kayak retailer, AQ Outdoors, my team and I are often the first information source for many people who...
Persons using cam strap to show how to transport a paddleboard.

How To Transport A Paddleboard

There are few things as peaceful in life as standup paddling down a crystal-clear river that meanders through a quiet forest or floating out...
Two people paddling a canoe on a lake

Expert Canoeing Advice: How To Do The J-Stroke

Whether paddling your canoe tandem or solo, there is a universally necessary, yet elusive goal we all set out to accomplish: going in a...
three whitewater rafts sit on the banks of a western river that requires a lottery system permit to paddle

Why You’re Not Winning The River Permit Lottery

Permits for the United States’ most iconic river trips are difficult to secure, and it’s no surprise why. Data from the U.S. Forest Service...
Man paddling an inflatable kayak on river.

The South Coast Of Oregon Holds More Wild Rivers To Paddle Than Anywhere Else...

If you were to drop a pin in the center of Curry County, Oregon, along the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, you...
Orca breaching in B.C.

Experience British Columbia’s Wildlife Wonders By Water

Along with its coastal temperate rainforests and rugged Rockies, British Columbia is known for iconic wildlife such as bears, whales and eagles. The vast...
Group kayaking on the Chicago River

The Best Places To Go Kayaking In Chicago

Chicago is famous for many things—astonishing skyscrapers, Art Deco architecture, the blues, Al Capone, Michael Jordan and the Bulls, Navy Pier—but kayaking isn’t generally...
Man on paddleboard seen from water level.

The Best Places To Standup Paddleboard In San Diego, According To A Local

More than a decade ago, when I moved to San Diego, the bays and ocean afforded me the opportunity to access a paddling lifestyle....
a woman paddleboards in an idyllic tropical location in Indonesia

Our Favorite Paddling Trips You Can Do

In a world with endless options, how do you choose your next adventure? We trust the word-of-mouth recommendations from fellow paddlers. Our community of...