In Brief: News The Paddlesports Industry Is Talking About
To date, 2025 has seen what could be called a dramatic divergence from the status quo for the paddling industry, and with it, stark...
12 Kayakers Rescued In The San Juan Islands
On Thursday, August 14, 2025 the US Coast Guard (USCG) issued an urgent marine broadcast after being notified via VHF channel 16 that 12...
Kayakers’ Camp Washed Out By Tsunami In Alaska
On day 78 of kayaking the Inside Passage, a trio of sea kayak guides and instructors woke at 5:45 in the morning to a...
New Champion Crowned And World Record Set In Men’s Kayak Squirt Final (Video)
The 2025 International Canoe Federation Canoe Freestyle World Championships concluded in Plattling, Germany in June 2025, and Sam Wilson of the United Kingdom took...
Alarming Trend Shows Increase In Paddleboarding Deaths In Latest Coast Guard Report
The U.S. Coast Guard recently released the 2024 Recreational Boating Statistics, and while overall boating deaths are at a 50-year all-time low, paddlesports are...
Paddling Magazine Launches Paddling Kids Story Contest
Paddling Magazine is inviting the next generation of adventurers to grab a paddle, hit the water and tell their stories. The newly launched Paddling...
Indigenous Youth Kayakers Complete Historic First Descent Of Klamath River (Video)
On July 11, 2025, a team of Indigenous teenagers from the tribes of the Klamath Basin completed a historic first descent of the undammed...
“Don’t Leave Me, Kid”: 14-Year-Old Saves Paddleboarder After Freak Accident
Decades before standup paddleboarding became a thing, Gavin Bowden was chasing waves all over the globe, from his childhood in Australia on to Indonesia,...
An Outdoor Retail Icon Closes, Causing A Tectonic Shift In The Region’s Paddlesport Landscape
Deek Heykamp still remembers his first whitewater kayak, one he brought home from the annual Outdoor Retailer trade show to his new outdoor store...
Jon Turk’s Life Lessons For Digging Deep
An errant hydraulic grabbed the stern of my kayak, stood me into a tail stand, and then pulled me down, down, down. The boat...
Inside The World’s Toughest Paddling Race—On SUPs
July 21, 14:30, somewhere just south of the Arctic Circle. Dehydrated, sunburnt, nursing blisters and suffering from nerve damage in our feet from standing for...
Navigation Apps Are Making Us Dumber
Nowadays, it’s rare to hit the trail or water without finding someone’s nose glued to a phone or navigating by hand-held GPS device. Smartphone...
Pushing SUP To New Heights
When Andrew Hughes arrived at the crater lake on Tres Cruces Norte, he was on the verge of heartbreak. Along the edges of the...
Sea Kayakers Deserve Their Own Triple Crown
For years, backpackers have challenged themselves on North America’s Triple Crown of long-distance trails. Meanwhile, sea kayakers—whose adventures often demand greater skill—have watched from...
Column Spotlight
Is Mandatory Backcountry Education Coming To A Park Near You?
What the heck is going on out there?
On my latest canoe trip to Ontario’s Algonquin Park, my group spotted bags of garbage left at...
The Bear Canoe: A Risky Way To Store Food Overnight
Canoeists love to debate camping techniques. Single blade or double. Stuffing your tent or rolling it. Ground cloth inside or outside. One of the...
Expert Tips To Deal With The Great Tick Invasion
I discovered a tick embedded in my crotch. Where? I was on day five of a 10-day canoe trip across Quetico Provincial Park. Ticks...
Contentious Backcountry Spare Paddle Guideline Divides Canoeist Community
Recently, a newbie canoeist asked a simple question on a social media page dedicated to backcountry travel. “Do I need to bring a spare...
Kevin Callan’s Real-Life Superheroes
The Oxford Dictionary defines a superhero as someone with abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and who uses his or her powers to help...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
How To Line Rapids In A Canoe
After you line a canoe the first time around that usual portage, your watch and back will thank you for the discovery. Using guide...
A Paddler’s Guide To Predicting The Weather
As dozens of folksy sayings attest, you can make your own weather forecast from easy atmospheric and environmental observations. You don’t need a weatherman...
A Kayaker’s Guide To Saving Your Marriage
Paddling used to be as primal a need as food or sleep. Now it fits into my life about as conveniently as polo or skydiving.
I...
Kayaker Engages Dad-mode to Save Young Boy From Drowning
Kayak angler David “D.J.” Jones Jr. nearly broke the internet when he posted this video of himself rescuing a young boy from the St....
How To Carry Your SUP
When folks think about transporting their paddleboard, they often picture a car and roof racks. But not everyone considers the next step: how to...
Best Rivers To Kayak In Michigan
Michigan is home to crystal-clear blue waters, sandy beaches and wild rivers making it the perfect place to kayak for everything from a casual...
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...
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...
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...
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...
