Paddling Education

Should You Get a Packraft?

Packrafts are still fairly new on the scene compared to other types of boats, but their popularity is growing. Should you get one? We’ll help you answer that question here.

Aqua Bound’s Most Packable Paddles
Do you need your paddle to fit in your backpack? In your luggage on the plane? On your bike rack? You got it! Here are our most packable paddles…
PaddleWays App: Your Pocket Guide to Paddling
The PaddleWays app is a feature-packed digital tool for those in the paddling world.  NRS partnered with onWater (a water recreation app) to develop it and launched PaddleWays in mid-2023.
Add These 26 Kayaking Books to Your Reading List
You wouldn’t believe the kayaking adventures people have had over the years! Here’s our list of suggested books for those of you who love to enter into the stories of those who’ve challenged themselves in ways few others have.
How Does Kayaking Affect the Environment?
Kayaking, paddleboarding, canoeing, packrafting—these paddlesports are amazing ways to enjoy nature, get some exercise and have fun with others. But how do they affect the environment, both positively and negatively?
Delicious Kayak Camping Recipes
When you kayak camp, you have some flexibility with food freshness and weight that you don’t in other outdoor adventures like backpacking and canoe camping with multiple portages.
Paddlesports Trade Coalition: Supporting Paddling in North America
Aqua Bound is one of the founding members of the Paddlesports Trade Coalition, an organization initiated in 2023 and dedicated to becoming the “voice and soul of paddlesports” for the US and Canada.
Kayaking Injury Prevention and Recovery
Alexander “Jalle” Stjernberg is a member of Aqua Bound’s Ambassador team and is uniquely qualified to talk to us about common kayaking injuries and how to prevent them.
Custom-Crafted Ultralite Packrafting Gear
Aqua Bound Ambassador Dan Ransom was looking for better ultralight packrafting gear for his own expeditions. So he did what many outdoors folks have done before—he started to make them himself.
Bikerafting Trip to New Zealand’s Dillon Cone
Bikerafter and filmmaker Deane Parker and a few mates headed into the mountains surrounding New Zealand’s Dillon Cone by way of the Clarence River. The goal of their trip was the tackle the summit and descent by bike, after an unsuccessful 2017 attempt.
Why Do YOU Love to Paddle?
There are so many reasons we choose to kayak, canoe, paddleboard or packraft. Here are some of the main reasons we love to paddle. Which are YOUR reasons to love it?
How to Choose the Best Life Jacket for You
Aqua Bound Ambassador Ken Whiting covers the essentials of how to choose the best life jacket for you, no matter what type of paddling you do:
Our Top Paddling Safety Tips
Safety should always be a top priority when you kayak, canoe, packraft or paddle board. Here are some essential safety guidelines, including tips from a couple of our Ambassadors.
Backyard Adventures: The Red Deer River in Drumheller, Alberta
The Red Deer River starts its journey in the Rocky Mountains. It winds across the province, north of Calgary, where it drops through class II to class IV rapids, and eventually widens and calms north of Drumheller in the Badlands.
Packrafting How-To: What’s In Your Bikeraft Kit?
New and experienced bikerafters alike can glean loads of wisdom from Lizzy Scully and Steve Fassbinder, the duo that runs Four Corners Guides and brought us The Bikeraft Guide, published in 2021. Here, they give us a look into what you should include in your bikeraft kit.
5 Need-To-Know International River Signals
With the roar of the rapids, communication on the river with your paddling party and others can be challenging. Fortunately, there are international river signals that most people know around the world. Here are 5 need-to-know paddle signals for your next trip.
The Nittälven River Restoration Project
Ahead stretches a meandering ribbon of cold, slow-moving water. For the last 6 hours my wife and I have lugged our packrafts over dozens of trees that lie across the banks of the river.
Dry Bags for Kayaking: What You Need to Know
Dry bags are one of the kayaker’s most convenient and useful gear items whether you’re on the water for a couple of hours, a full day or a multi-day trip.
Use GoPro to Film Your Own Kayaking Adventures
Expert kayaker and Aqua Abound ProStaffer, Ken Whiting, shares his tips and strategies for filming your own kayaking adventures with a GoPro action camera in this video.
What to Wear Kayaking: Dress for Immersion
When you’re considering what to wear kayaking, one of the most important safety tips to keep in mind is: dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. Dress as if you’ll be in the water…just in case you end up in the water.
Paddle Logger App: Track Your Paddling Adventures
Paddle Logger is an iOS app designed by paddlers for paddlers to track your water routes and miles, give you safety features and more. This app helps add even more value to all your paddling adventures.