Paddling Education

2020 isn’t the best summer to travel to faraway national parks because of social distancing and limited services. But it doesn’t hurt to dream a little!

A common question we get as we’re helping people find the right paddle for them is: What’s the difference between straight shaft and bent shaft kayak paddles? Why should you choose one over the other? We’re going to help solve this dilemma for you…

If you’ve not paddled much before—or even if you have, but haven’t fully explored the waterways around you—how do find the best places to kayak (or canoe, stand-up paddle board or packraft) near you?

Watersports are generally very safe, but we still need to know what to do in case of an emergency. For kayakers, that includes knowing self-rescue skills. Watch this video from expert kayaker, Ken Whiting, and the ACA…

Our Sting Ray and Tango kayak paddles are both designed for low-angle paddling, making it easy for you to spend long days on the water without fatigue or soreness.

Here we explore how they’re similar and, especially, how they’re different, so you can make your best paddle purchase decision…

Entomologist and packrafter, Dr. Isaí Madriz, recently covered remote areas of Patagonia by packraft, bamboo bicycle and on-foot in search of some of the rarest groups of insects on the planet.

Chris Whittaker and Nuka de Jocas had planned that 2020 was the year for an epic kayak expedition in Alaska. Then along came COVID-19…

We think paddling is one of the best things your family can do together! Here’s why...

When you can go into a paddle sports retailer and size a paddle, that’s great. But if you don’t live near one or they’re not open when you want to buy a paddle, it’s easy to size yourself from home, too.

Aqua-Bound’s Ray series of kayak paddles has been our best-selling line for many years now. There are several options within this series, so here we compare the Sting Ray to the Manta Ray so you know which is right for you.

There’s something adventurous and exotic about planning kayak, packraft, canoe or SUP trips in faraway places. Somehow we imagine a road trip or overseas destination will be better.

But paddling locally can be just as fun…and in our current situation, the best choice!

Are you hungry for good news? We are, too. Kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding, packrafting…these are fun and relaxing. But while we’re on the water, let’s clean up our lakes and rivers and add some good news to this hard season we’re in!

At Aqua-Bound we use three different ferrule systems for our Sting Ray and Manta Ray kayak paddles: the snap-button ferrule for our fiberglass shafts, and the Posi-Lok and Versa-Lok ferrules for our carbon shafts. Here, we’ll focus on comparing the Posi-Lok with the snap-button ferrule.

Many customers have asked us the difference between the Hybrid and Carbon models in our Ray series of kayak paddles. Here’s the low-down…

We think kayaking, packrafting and stand-up paddling are three of the best activities you can do in our new social distancing world. Here’s why… It’s Easy to Socially Distance in a Kayak, a Packraft or on a SUP Board That...

We’re all longing to get out of the house and on the water in a kayak, packraft or SUP board. Not just because of two months+ of quarantine, but because the weather’s beautiful and summer is upon us! How do we do that in a safe, socially-distanced way?

Just Me, Nature is the short film by Jacob Kastrup Haagensen about his solo packraft trip through Tresticklan National Park in Sweden. The Copenhagen native who founded UrbanPackrafter.com now lives in Sweden. Busy with work and family life, he managed...

If you love the convenience of podcasts, here’s our not-to-miss list of podcasts geared to packrafting…

“I’m never packrafting the Grand Canyon.” That’s what I told my partner, “Doom,” not even a year after I moved to Mancos from the Front Range to be with him.

Jonas Alexandersson, from Mellerud, Sweden, is our ProStaffer of the Month for March 2020. Let’s meet Jonas…

The American Canoe Association (ACA) makes it easy for you to take their Paddlesports Safety Course—you can take it online from anywhere…