John Chase from Paddling the Blue Podcast near Power Island on Lake Michigan.

John Chase Knows Good Paddling Stories

When it comes to epic paddling stories, who doesn’t love to gather around the campfire and trade tales of swashbuckling adventures by kayak? No...
Group photo of the Paddle Tribal Waters team. Feature image courtesy Rios to Rivers.

Indigenous Youth Kayakers To Depart On Historic First Descent Of Klamath River

On June 12, 2025 a team of Indigenous teenagers from the tribes of the Klamath Basin will begin a historic first descent of the...
the all female time paddling the Inside Passage in 2025

Meet The Gen Z Paddlers Proving Expeditions Aren’t Dead

Big paddling expeditions have a reputation of being for the rich or retired, for the career adventurers and legacy paddlers, but a handful of...
US National Whitewater Center Aerial

Paddlesports Trade Coalition Colab Moves to Charlotte, NC

The Paddlesports Trade Coalition annual industry gathering is heading to Charlotte, North Carolina. The 2025 Colab event will take place October 15-19, in partnership...
man paddles Pelican kayak constructed of Ram-X material

Pelican Bought After Boom And Bust

Pelican Intl Inc, now a newly formed entity has acquired assets excluding GSI Outdoors, of Pelican International Inc and Confluence Outdoor Inc according to...
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...
freestyle kayaker is silhouetted by the rising sun during a sunrise kayaking photography session

Sunrise Sessions: The Story Behind The Iconic Shot

This sunrise session very nearly didn’t happen. Boise, Idaho-based photographer John Webster had been invited before. His friend and former freestyle world champion, Nick Troutman,...
A kayaker paddles on calm water at dusk

A Kayaker’s Guide To Solving Life’s Problems

There’s a highly successful and well-paid management consultant who, whenever he gets in a stressful pickle at work, solves his problems by sitting down...
a group guided by Lure of the North takes part in canoe sledding on a frozen lake

Reviving A Forgotten Style Of Travel At Spring Breakup

Late March isn’t typical timing for a Canadian canoe expedition, but for Lure of the North co-founders Kielyn and Dave Marrone, it was a...
an artistic LIDAR map of the Porcupine River by Daniel Coe

This Mapmaker Exposes The Secret Histories Of Rivers

Cartographers like Dan Coe battle the notion that everything on the planet has already been mapped. “The world is always changing and is full...
whitewater kayaker paddles through class IV rapid according the ISRD classification system

Difficulty Demystified: Understanding The Rapid Classification System

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or an all-time pro, we have all been there. When gearing up at the put-in or planning the next...

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

Choosing 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...
Man tying kayak to roof of car.

How To Tie Down A Kayak On Your Car’s Roof Rack

I could feel the rumble of rocks under the truck as I worked my way back up the dirt road in the dark. My...
Image of sea kayaks on a shoreline in Michigan; some are registered and others are not

How To Register Your Kayak In Your State

Registering your kayak can feel like an intimidating task, but we’re here to demystify kayak registration. From which states do and don’t require paddlecraft...
Shark swimming

Do Sharks Attack Kayaks? Here Are The Facts & Precautions You Can Take

A handful of well-publicized shark encounters in the waters off some of our favorite coasts have left sea kayakers watching their dorsals. Headline stories...
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...
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two people paddle out of a mangrove tunnel in Southwest Florida

This 190-Mile Water Trail In Florida Passes Through Mangrove Tunnels, Pristine Beaches, And Historic...

Whether you're seeking solitude in Southwest Florida's wild landscapes or craving a lively day on the water, the Great Calusa Blueway paddling trail offers...
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....