Paddling Education

Here at Aqua Bound our top priority is to be sure every kayak, stand-up or canoe paddle we sell is of the highest quality. That includes three main factors: cosmetic appeal, light weight and durability.

Bikerafter and filmmaker, Deane Parker, co-led a crew of mostly first-timers for a bike and packraft trip down New Zealand’s Hurunui River.

At Aqua Bound, we love a good adventure and enjoy providing content that prepares people to enjoy more time on the water. We rounded up our top posts full of product details, safety tips, trip recommendations, and more.

The conservative line? The gnarliest line? Looking at a section of whitewater can be overwhelming at first, but breaking down what you see into W.O.R.M.S. can help simplify scouting. From class one to class five, this tried and true mnemonic provides a straightforward method of thinking and talking through reading a river to safely pick your line.

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.

Deane Parker, filmmaker and outdoor adventurer, joined a few of his mates for a hike-in packrafting trip down the Waingaro River in his native New Zealand.

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.

Do you have kids on your gift list who love to kayak, canoe or paddle board? Here are 13 fun gift ideas for them to enjoy on all their paddling adventures.

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.

Getting bored of the same whitewater runs and want to improve your skills? Head to your local river for a skills session! You’ll fine tune techniques like boat angles, body positioning, and balance points to work them into muscle memory. Here are a few skills to get you started.

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.

Winning a follow-up permit lottery from Grand Canyon National Park allowed Johnathan and Hannah Shininger an opportunity of a lifetime: to packraft 90 miles of the Colorado River through the Canyon.

Inflatable kayaks have been increasing in popularity in the past couple of years. What should you know about them so you can make a good buying decision? Let’s take a look at a few of the main factors.

Healthy relationships take trust, commitment, and dedication. This packrafting power couple takes the importance of these elements to a whole new level.

Filmmaker Hank Leukart wanted to backpack Ansel Adams Wilderness, and he wanted to be able to paddle the many lakes they’d encounter on their trek. So he convinced his two friends to bring packrafts for this adventure into the High Sierras.

The Bikeraft Guide is the “ultimate how-to guide, history of and wild adventures stories about bikerafting.” Written by our friends Lizzy Scully and Steve “Doom” Fassbinder, and with a foreward by bikerafting icon, Roman Dial, this new book is a must-have for all aspiring, and even experienced, bikerafters.

Aqua Bound ProStaffer and filmmaker Jacob Kastrup Haagensen documented a packraft trip in northern Sweden with a group of friends. Their demanding route hiking to and packrafting the Kaitum River became the film Earning a River.

There are seven members of our Shred family of whitewater paddles, each ready for your next epic paddling adventure.

Filmmaker and outdoor adventurer, Hank Leukart and his buddy, Jake Jenkins, take a packrafting trip down the Colorado River through Horsethief, Ruby and Westwater Canyons. They tackled up to Class IV rapids on their epic packraft adventure.

As a kayaker, you’re one of the smallest boats on the water, especially in big water. One of the best ways to be seen by other boaters is to use a kayak paddle with high-visibility blades along with bright-colored clothing and gear.

As with all paddling sports, safety needs to always be top-of-mind for packrafters, whether they’re beginners or experienced paddlers.