Paddlers with enough miles under their yokes appreciate any means to shave a few pounds off their canoe. Lower weight isn’t just a nicety; it means less fatigue on long carries, easier car-topping, and a more accessible paddling experience for many. The good news is that, driven by a demographic shift as Baby Boomers get older and seek solutions to keep paddling, there have never been more lightweight canoes on the market. With tandem 16-foot tripping canoes weighing as little as 30 pounds, we are living in a golden age.
How much does a lightweight canoe weigh? For the purposes of compiling this guide, I’ve considered canoes less than 50 pounds. Generally, light hulls tend to be most appropriate for lakewater conditions and prioritize weight savings over impact resistance, but there are exceptions. Another tradeoff of ultra-lightweight lay-ups is price. Generally, the lighter the canoe, the more you can expect to pay. Aramid canoes with aluminum gunwales and no upgrades start around $2,500 USD ($3,500 CAD). Expect costs to go up as the pounds come down. You’ll feel the pain once at checkout instead of on every portage like your buddies.
Lightweight canoe options now come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and prices. If a truly lightweight boat is what you’re looking for, read on.
Best lightweight canoes: Our top picks
- Best value: Souris River Quetico 17
- Favorite lightweight canoe: Swift Keewaydin 16
- Best for river running: Esquif Pocket Canyon Lite
- Best for making miles: Wenonah Minnesota II
- Favorite solo wilderness tripper: Nova Craft Prospector 14
Best value
Souris River Quetico 17
Souris River Quetico 17 Specs
Length: 17’3”
Width: 35″
Depth: 13.5″
Weight: 44 lbs
Price: Starting at $3,495 CAD
sourisriver.com
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Why I love it
The voluminous Souris River Quetico 17 has been my go-to tripping canoe for the last decade, and for good reason. Its long waterline tracks beautifully and carries speed, yet two inches of rocker lift the bow and stern to give it decent agility in tight, meandering creeks. At 44 pounds, only truly long or steep portages feel arduous. Designer and co-owner of Souris River, Keith Robinson modeled the 16-, 17- and 18.5-foot Quetico series on the classic Prospector, borrowing its clean entry lines but adding more tumblehome to bring the gunwales in closer to the paddler for easier efficiency and feel.
Made out of Atikokan, Ontario, outfitters account for a large portion of Souris River’s sales, and their used Queticos are legendary for looking reasonably good after a season of hard rental miles, which can be equivalent to a lifetime of normal wear and tear for most canoeists. Mine is no exception. Built with aircraft-grade epoxy resin, aluminum gunwales and four layers of Kevlar across the hull, it has withstood hard use, and I expect to enjoy many, many more years together. Expedition paddler Mike Ranta chose a Souris Wilderness 18 in Kevlar layup for his three cross-Canada journeys. If that doesn’t speak to the layup’s durability, I don’t know what does.
The price tag on the Souris River Quetico 17 is on the low end of what a high-quality, lightweight Kevlar canoe will cost, making this an easy recommendation for excellent value. Woven-Color Kevlar models, like my red canoe above or the popular Le Tigre look, go for a few hundred dollars more.
Reasons to buy
- Proven layup trusted by outfitters and expedition paddlers
- Competitive pricing for a lightweight Kevlar canoe
Consider another if
- You value ultralight weight above all else; there are lighter tandem tripping canoes on the market
Bottomline
Lightweight and tough at a budget price, the Souris River Quetico 17 is my go-to tripping canoe.
Favorite lightweight canoe
Swift Keewaydin 16
Swift Keewaydin 16 Specs
Length: 16’
Width: 35”
Depth: 13”
Weight: 41 lbs
Price: Starting at $3,995 CAD
swiftcanoe.com
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Why I love it
With gleaming two-tone gelcoats, crisp color pairings and ever-expanding trim options, there’s no denying it, Swift’s canoes are something to behold. Even better, they look just as good as they paddle.
The Keewaydin 16 is a sleek, performance-oriented tandem touring canoe that glides effortlessly, tracks straight and still feels responsive when loaded. This asymmetrical hull is also available in an array of lightweight composites, such as the Kevlar Fusion, which brings the weight down to 35 pounds, or the Carbon Fusion tipping the scale as low as 33 pounds. Unless you’re upgrading to the carbon tech package, gorgeous cherry contoured seats and yoke come standard. The Keeywaydin is also available in a “Combi” configuration, with a center seat and removable yoke for the option to paddle solo or tandem.
Take the Keewaydin deep into the backcountry or just show it off by paddling local bays around the cottage. It’s equally suited to both. When we first reviewed it back in 2014, we called it a joy to paddle and have stood by that on every paddle since.
Reasons to buy
- Sleek and efficient, with gorgeous finish and trim options
- Despite our inclination to baby this canoe, it’s stocked by outfitters and the layup does withstand abuse
- Equally at home wilderness tripping or on casual day paddles
Consider another if
- For more gear hauling capacity, see the Keewaydin 17
Bottom line
For gorgeous aesthetics and solid performance in a lightweight canoe, you can’t go wrong with the Swift Keewaydin.
Best for river running
Esquif Pocket Canyon Lite
Esquif Pocket Canyon Lite Specs
Length: 14’6”
Width: 34.5”
Depth: 16”
Weight: 49 lbs
Price: $2,199 USD
esquif.com
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FRONTENAC OUTFITTERS MINNESOTA CANOES
Why I love it
Sneaking in just under the weight cutoff at 49 pounds, I’m stoked to include the Esquif Pocket Canyon in T-Formex Lite on this list as one of the most capable lightweight canoes for river running.
We’ve spent plenty of time paddling the Pocket Canyon in T-Formex, but the new Lite version sheds 10 pounds by selectively thinning material in lower-impact areas while keeping full strength where it matters. The result? Easier loading and easier portaging when you need to, with almost all of the same reassuring impact resistance of T-Formex if you miss your line.
The compact Pocket Canyon is 14.5 feet long and best suited for short whitewater trips, in the realm of two to four days, that don’t require the mega capacity of a full-sized tripper. Think of the Pocket Canyon as the expedition-ready Canyon’s smaller, cooler, more playful sister. It excels at river play thanks to a flared hull that stays dry in big waves, rockered bow and stern, and a progressive chine that offers a stable carving edge for catching eddies. Ye-ow! (Read our in-depth beatdown of the new T-Formex Lite material in the Spring 2026 issue of Paddling Magazine.)
Reasons to buy
- Lots of fun for river play and river tripping
- Ideal for two- to four-day downriver trips for tandem pairs, or could be outfitted as a roomier solo river tripper
Consider another if
- You need more volume for expedition paddling, in which case check out the Esquif Canyon
- You’re looking for a do-it-all design; the Pocket Canyon isn’t at its best on flatwater
Bottom line
Sporty and confidence-inspiring, whitewater trippers are going to love the Pocket Canyon.
Best for making miles
Wenonah Minnesota II
Wenonah Minnesota II Specs
Length: 18’6”
Width: 35”
Depth: 13.5”
Weight: 42 lbs
Price: Starting at $3,829 USD / $5,179 CAD
wenonah.com
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Why I love it
The Wenonah Minnesota II is easily one of the fastest canoes I’ve paddled, and has to be one of the most efficient tandem tripping canoes Paddling Magazine has ever had the pleasure of reviewing. Long, low and built to track straight and glide forever, its near-effortless efficiency on open water makes the Minnesota II easy to fall in love with. Designed for sit-and-switch style paddling, it has very minimal rocker and a low profile, and slices cleanly even through moderate chop and shrugs off wind.
At 18.5 feet long, the Minnesota II is a big canoe, but in Ultralight layup it weighs just 42 pounds. Impressive for its size. Its cavernous hull packs room for loads of tripping gear, kids, dogs, or maybe all three. A staple in the Boundary Waters and beloved by outfitters for decades, it was also a fixture in the Paddling Mag gear garage and taken on many staff trips over a decade, before being permanently adopted by our publisher.
If the 42-pound aramid model is not light enough for you, Wenonah now offers the Minnesota II in a new SuperLite layup, which on average drops a canoe’s Ultralight weight by 15 percent, in this case, down to an incredible 34 pounds. Watch for Paddling Mag’s indepth field testing of the new Superlite layup in 2026.
Reasons to buy
- Exceptionally fast and efficient makes it perfect for cover lakewater miles
- Excellent weight for its size at 42 pounds, with even lighter options available
- Massive capacity for gear, kids or dogs
Consider another if
- You want more versatility across water conditions, like tight, meandering creeks, or don’t need quite so much cargo capacity
- Weight isn’t a primary concern, the Clipper Canoes’ Jensen 18 (51 pounds) is another well-loved, miles-for-breakfast tripper
Bottomline
Whether tripping for a week or cruising with the family, this lightweight, high-volume, high-speed tripper makes for easy paddling.
Favorite solo wilderness tripper
Nova Craft Prospector 14
Nova Craft Prospector 14 Specs
Length: 14’
Width: 32”
Depth: 13.5”
Weight: 48 lbs / 35 lbs
Price: Starting at $4,699 CAD
novacraft.com
Buy from:
NOVA CRAFT COMPLETE PADDLER KENCO
Why I love it
When we reviewed the Prospector 14 from Nova Craft Canoe, we declared this scrappy little boat a stalwart companion for solo trippers and one of our favorites for overall best canoes for solo paddlers. This 14-footer is a scaled-down Prospector, inheriting the series’ legendary do-it-all design with a shallow-arch hull and moderate rocker for responsive handling and gear hauling. It packs much of the same reassuring seaworthy feel, just in a smaller package.
Nova Craft designed the Prospector 14 to fill a gap in their lineup; they had solos, but none built specifically for tripping bigger lakes and mild rapids. Our first test boat came in Nova Craft’s TuffStuff Expedition layup, a tough composite layup made of basalt and Innegra fibers. This heavier-duty layup brings the weight to 48 pounds, but gives canoeists the confidence to paddle the P14 into rocky shallows and swifts without needing to worry about babying the boat.
If you are looking for a solo lightweight canoe strictly for flatwater touring, you’ll want to consider the P14 in Aramid Lite. This is Nova Craft’s lightest layup, incorporating Twaron fabrics to bring the weight down to about 35 pounds.
Reasons to buy
- You’re a solo backcountry paddler tackling a wide range of water conditions
- Five lightweight layup options (from 35 to 50 pounds), suit almost any style of tripping
Consider another if
- You paddle only flatwater and on smaller lakes
- Your solo tripping is focused on making miles
Bottomline
A versatile, do-it-all design for solo trippers.
The most lightweight tandem canoe
At the time of writing, the Northstar Canoe Pearl in Stealth construction was the lightest tandem canoe on the market that we know of. (Know of a lighter tandem tripping canoe? Email us.) Weighing in at an impressively light 29 pounds, it’s roughly equivalent to your average doe-eyed beagle. The Pearl is Northstar’s modern take on the beloved Chestnut Canoe Company Pal. Three inches shy of 16 feet, the Pearl is best suited for day tripping and flatwater weekend escapes.
The ultralight Stealth lamination blends carbon and Innegra in a weave backed with aramid, striking a careful balance of weight savings, impact resistance and stiffness.
“There’s not a lot of material in a Stealth lamination, but what’s there is the most sophisticated lamination we build,” notes Northstar. We’re sorry to report our editors haven’t laid their grubby hands on this svelte featherweight yet, but stay tuned for an in-depth, field-tested review in Paddling Magazine in 2026.
What to consider when buying a lightweight canoe
All other things being equal, the material and construction of a canoe have the biggest impact on its weight. In this list, I’ve included a lot of aramid- and carbon-infused models. Generally, lightweight hulls tend to be most appropriate for lakewater conditions, as lightweight layups prioritize weight savings over impact resistance.
There are other tradeoffs for space-age lightness, and cost is one of them. Generally, the lighter the canoe, the more you can expect to pay. The cost of a new aramid canoe with aluminum gunwales and no upgrades starts around $2,500 USD/$3,500 CAD. Expect costs to go up as the pounds come down. You’ll find this price tag worth it when you breeze past the other trippers on the next portage. If that’s out of your budget, consider the many high-quality canoe options out there—a midweight fiberglass canoe can easily save $1,000 or more off the purchase, though it will add 10 to 15 pounds.
The trick for buyers is to find the right combination where budget meets construction. Zero in on a material that fits your budget, feels comfortable to lift and portage, and can handle the kind of bumps and scrapes your paddling style might throw at it. In the end, you’re really just looking for the perfect compromise. You can read more about canoe hull materials and construction to find the best match for the type of paddling you like to do.
If you’re looking for a used lightweight canoe, you’ll find many outfitters sell off some of their fleet each fall. You may also find a good deal on Facebook Marketplace. Use our guide on buying a used canoe to watch out for signs of damage and avoid buying a lemon.
If you can, always take a canoe for a test paddle before purchasing. Try it empty and again with some gear loaded up, if you expect to take it on a trip, to get a sense of how it performs under load.
While lightweight canoes are most often built for flatwater tripping or day touring, there are many exceptions, including carbon river runners and expedition-ready composites.
Best lightweight canoe brands
- Clipper Canoes
- H2O Canoe Company
- Hornbeck Boats
- Northstar Canoe
- Nova Craft Canoe
- Stellar Kayaks
- Swift Canoe
- Wenonah Canoe
How we tested
The canoes in this article were chosen through years of accumulated experience with numerous tripping and recreational designs, as well as the input of our contributors and longtime editors through our extensive boat reviews.
I’ve paddled every canoe in this guide, and I’m sure some of these picks may spark debate. There are many excellent lightweight canoes on the market, and every canoeist brings different priorities to the water, from how and where they paddle to the gear and people they carry.
To choose the best lightweight canoes, I looked beyond specs to how each boat behaves on real trips. Every canoe on this list had to be paddled and field-tested before being considered. That means evaluating how it carries speed, how it handles under load, how it feels on portages, and how it behaves in wind and waves. Weight matters, but so does having a canoe that feels like a good tripmate. Build quality was also a factor. Many of these canoes are loved not just by the Paddling Magazine team, but by outfitters who see what a full season of hard use (or abuse) looks like.
Some canoeists will argue there are lighter, cheaper or better options, and they may be right for the paddling they do. These lightweight canoes earned their place on this list because they performed consistently across a wide range of conditions and trips.
Why trust us
At Paddling Magazine, we take gear testing seriously. Editor-in-Chief Kaydi Pyette has spent more than a decade leading the magazine’s product reviews, drawing on over 25 years of paddling experience and hands-on field testing. Her time on the water spans ultramarathon races and self-supported expeditions, including paddling across her home province of Ontario over 52 days and competing in the Yukon River Quest.
Feature Image: Joel Clifton
