2026 Paddling Film Festival Winners Announced At Premiere

The 21st annual Paddling Film Festival World Tour kicked off at the Toronto International Boat Show on Thursday, January 22, 2026. Hosted by The...
Image of a foggy lake in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

BREAKING: Bill Overturning 20-Year Mining Ban Protecting Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Passes US House

On January 21, 2026, The U.S. House of Representatives voted to overturn federal protections that prevent copper-nickel sulfide mining upstream of the BWCAW, following...
Kokatat PDF in water

Iconic Brand Kokatat Acquired By The Wing Group

The Wing Group has acquired Kokatat, the Arcata, California–based manufacturer of paddlesports apparel. Kokatat joins the Wing Group’s portfolio of marine and outdoor brands,...
Students prepare a concrete canoe for voyage on the Tenneessee River. The Canoe weighed around 1000 pounds.

Tennessee Engineering Students Race Concrete Canoes

Engineering students at University of Tennessee Chattanooga face an unusual challenge as part of their curriculum: make a maneuverable and stable canoe out of...
Nikki Bettis and daughter "Not Oatmeal" paddle the Mississippi River

Single Mother And Seven Kids Finish Paddling Mississippi River

On November 22, 2025 single mother Nikki Bettis and her seven youngest children finished paddling the Mississippi River, reaching the Gulf of Mexico after...

2026 Paddling Magazine Industry Awards: Winners Announced

Rapid Media is pleased to announce the winners of the seventh annual Paddling Magazine Industry Awards. These awards recognize significant and innovative achievements in...
Outdoor Media Awards Best Print Publication

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

Paddling Magazine has been named Print Publication of the Year in the People’s Choice category for the second year in a row at this...
Sam Shoemaker in his mushroom boat entering the Port of Los Angeles on August 5, 2025. | Image: Jordan Freeman / Courtesy Fulcrum Arts

Artist Creates Mushroom Kayak And Crosses The Catalina Channel

On a recent summer morning, sculptor Sam Shoemaker was paddling a mushroom kayak 20 miles off the coast of Los Angeles when the hallucinations...
Rutabaga Paddlesports

Iconic Midwest Paddling Shop Rutabaga To Be Sold, Will Remain Open

UPDATE: After announcing the closure of Rutabaga Paddlesports, owner Darren Bush is now pursuing the sale of the business and in discussions with prospective...
Image of a kayaker setting up camp.

Why Kayak Camping Is Better Exercise Than Backpacking

Wind sent waves shivering down the surface of Lake Superior on the last day of my overnight sea kayaking trip as I coached friends...
overhead view of a group of packed tripping canoes paddling through luxuriant water plants

Behind Paddling’s Participation Boom

As you dive into this issue of Paddling Business and tales of a tumultuous year for the industry, here’s something worth remembering. Behind paddling’s participation...
black and white photo of two kayakers in the water swinging paddles at a ball while they play kayak polo

Inside The Weird World Of Kayak Polo

I hear the splash before I see it. I turn and sprint toward the floating yellow object of my desire. I have a clear...
illustration of a person kneeling on a paddleboard with a large wave breaking over top of them

Humbled On The Great Lakes

Within a couple of hours, the wind picks up and shifts to my right side. The waves, which have nearly all of Lake Ontario’s...
Tupac Andi whitewater kayaking

Top Five Up-And-Coming Whitewater Athletes You Should Be Watching

The pace of progression for young kayakers is skyrocketing. Thanks to programs like Keeners, Yaku Churi, World Class Kayak Academy and Paddle Tribal Waters,...

Reader Favorites

Author Spotlight

Conor Mihell
Conor Mihell is a kayak instructor and guide who is living in Wawa until his Finnish citizenship comes through. Conor Mihell is a freelance writer and long-time Paddling Magazine contributor based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Conor favors sea kayaking on Lake Superior and paddling wild rivers in wood-canvas canoes on his own expeditions. His award-winning environmental and adventure travel writing has been published in magazines across North America.
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...
Woman in Mustang Helix drysuit.

Ice Cold Innovation: How The World’s Leading Cold Water Safety Gear Reaches The Water

Created In Partnership With Mustang Survival Mustang Survival had no intentions of reinventing the wheel last year when it took on the challenge of updating...
man immersed in water beside his paddleboard while wearing a Mustang Khimera inflatable PFD

The Mustang Life Jacket Reinventing The Inflatable PFD

For decades, Mustang Survival was the brand of life jacket you’d expect to find hanging in the boathouse at the cottage, stowed on a...
kayaker paddles through heavy seas on a rainy day

Navigating The Rising Costs Of Wilderness Rescue

Nearly a quarter of a century has passed since I first apprenticed as a sea kayak instructor with Bruce Lash, a spunky firefighter who...
a whitewater kayaker drops off a rushing waterfall in a cavern

How To Win Adventure Photography’s Most Prestigious Prize

Gonzalo Robert Parraguez's image of paddler Kilian Ivelic sending a waterfall in the Cajon del Maipo, on Chile’s Maipo River, is dreamy for more...

Editor’s Choice

woman paddles the Eddyline Caribbean 10 kayak under rosy skies

Best Kayaks For 2025

The number of kayaks available today is astonishing. The kayak is at least 4,000 years old and was invented as a productive means to...
Brenna Kelly paddles the NRS Jukdo inflatable paddleboard

Best Inflatable Paddleboards

Inflatable standup paddleboards have revolutionized the sport of SUP. They store in oversized luggage bags to transport, often include a pump and breakdown paddle,...
Paddling Magazine editor Joe Potoczak holding up an assortment of the best kayak paddles on the market.

Best Kayak Paddles For 2026

Only once in nearly 30 years of paddling have I found myself facing a familiar adage in real life. I couldn’t help but chuckle...
man paddles his paddleboard

Best SUP Paddles For 2026

Just like paddleboards themselves, paddle technology continues to evolve to the point that it’s nearly impossible to only have one paddle in your arsenal....
a perosn sits on a tailgate wearing Astral Loyak water shoes

Best Water Shoes For 2026

Among the checklist of what to wear paddling, solid footwear is not to be overlooked. The best pair of water shoes will keep you...
bow shot of a sea kayak paddling in a straight line across open water to the dramatic Sleeping Giant

How To Paddle In A Straight Line In Wind And Current

When paddling in crosswinds or crossing currents, it can be difficult to stay on a straight-line course from the point of departure to the...

5 Expert Tips To Improve Your River Running

Too often, no matter whether on a big play wave in a spring creek, beginner and even quite seasoned paddlers run straight-ahead-Fred green runs...
photograph of a wolf howling on tundra

How To Photograph A Tundra Wolf

Dream of capturing the photo of a lifetime? Use the recipe below to photograph a tundra wolf, barren-ground grizzly, caribou or muskox. Though not...
person fillets fish on a wooden board at a camp site

How To Fillet A Fish

If you’re not fond of bones or skin, you’ll want to fillet your fish to prepare it for cooking. Follow these five simple steps...
woman paddling away from the camera along a rocky, wild shore

A Paddler’s Guide To Finding Yourself

Long trips, short trips, any trips out on the water are money in the Bank of the Soul. We can catch a sunset paddle, make...
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a manatee swims underwater at Three Sisters Springs in Florida

6 Best Places To Kayak With Manatees

Imagine this: You're paddling a clear and calm river, when suddenly, you see a large, gray shape ahead of you. As you get closer,...
A paddleboarder stands next to a waterfall

5 Must-Do Paddling Adventures In Revelstoke This Summer

Created In Partnership With Revelstoke Tourism Revelstoke is known for its big mountain adventures—steep ski lines, bike trails and alpine hikes—but long before resort maps...
Glowing blue waters

5 Of The Best Places In The World To Go Bioluminescent Kayaking

Bioluminescence is a unique wonder that thrills almost everyone. Whether it’s created by a land-based creature like a firefly, or marine life like jellyfish...
A kayaker on a river with green vegetation on either side

The Best Places To Paddle Near You

Whether you're an expert or a beginner, there's almost always somewhere to go kayaking, canoeing, rafting or paddleboarding near you. Finding that perfect location...
La Vérendrye Canoe Camping

Canada’s Largest Canoe Camping Reserve Is Hidden in Plain Sight—And It’s Not Algonquin

Created In Partnership With Abitibi-Témiscamingue Boasting more than 800 kilometers of maintained routes traversing rivers, reservoirs and some 4,000 scenic lakes, Réserve faunique La Vérendrye...