Paddling Education

If you’re making a list and checking it twice, we’re here to give you some holiday gift ideas. We have lots of friends in the paddle industry we’re happy to recommend, as well as some gear of our own that your family and friends will love.

Active kayak anglers know there’s a chance, however slight, they may end up in the water for one reason or another. The best way to prepare for that is to practice flipping your kayak back over from the water and getting back on.

The Explorer Plus wood canoe paddle is one of Bending Branches’ most popular paddles due to its reliability and ease of use in any flatwater paddling environment.

Paddle Planner is a unique online toolkit that makes planning your canoe and kayak trips easy and fun. “It’s Google directions for the Boundary Waters,” says founder Ben Strege.

Fall fishing is absolutely my favorite. Out of all the seasons, there is something so incredibly peaceful about launching a kayak on a chilly fall morning. The bite had been surprisingly slow for me that morning, and after unsuccessfully throwing a square bill crankbait, I decided to pull out what I jokingly referred to as my “secret weapon.”

Canoe camping trips on rivers are somewhat different than in flatwater environments like the Boundary Waters or Quetico. Bending Branches’ long-time President and owner, Ed Vater, takes us through his gear list for river canoe camping.

How do you deal with the unplanned things that can arise during a paddle? My solution is to always carry what I call “contingency supplies.” Find out what's in my dry bag!

Growing up, CJ Bennett developed pneumonia three times in one year. Fortunately as she got older, she didn’t get sick as much as she did as a child, but CJ was left with lifelong Asthma. Asthma can strike at any time. Here is how she stays prepared when enjoying time out on the water.

As a kayak angler, your paddle is an indispensable tool that provides both the motor and the ability to position yourself precisely where you want to be to catch and land fish.

A kayak paddle’s ferrule system is one of its most important components. We offer two ferrule systems for our paddles here at Bending Branches: the snap-button and our (new for 2023) Versa-Lok.

Pack canoeing is one of the hottest and fastest growing sports in paddling today. People are investing in these boats because of their light weight, comfortable seating, storage capacity, and unique maneuverability. 

Many canoeists enjoy the benefits and challenge of solo canoeing over tandem canoeing. Or they solo canoe in addition to tandem canoeing, especially when a canoeing partner isn’t available all the time.

While canoeing in Minnesota and Maine are very similar in many ways—both have plenty of forests, lakes and rivers—the wilderness canoe cultures in these two US states are quite distinct from one another.

It’s important you learn how to transport a canoe properly to avoid damaging either your canoe or your vehicle…or risk damaging other vehicles while you’re on the road.

Dan Arbuckle, our friend from Headwaters Kayak, takes us through three kayak rescues in case you or someone else ends up in the water unintentionally. Joining him is his mom, who’s a Level 3 kayak instructor herself.

Starting a family doesn’t mean you have to stop canoe camping. And it doesn’t mean you can’t start canoe camping if you haven’t done it yet. But there are some different ways of thinking that will make canoe camping more successful with kids—especially very young kids.

Bending Branches Regional Ambassador, Bill Sikora—aka The Florida Bass Paddler—reviews his Old Town Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman hybrid canoe for anglers.

It’s not uncommon for kayak anglers to dismiss the need to learn proper paddling technique. But kayak fishing veteran and Bending Branches ProStaffer, Chad Hoover, learned that learning paddling skills makes you a better angler.

From tough beginnings with the technical canoeing J-Stroke, Mike found rowing to be his shining glory. In this article Mike talks about his journey to find the perfect pairing of boat and propulsion aids.

Do you have a beloved canoe or kayak paddle that’s served its years faithfully, but you just can’t see it go? Repurpose it!

Whether your definition of a “long canoe trip” is a weekend, a week, a month or six months, you want to stay healthy throughout your trip. The longer the trip, the more important it is that you’re aware of and practice those things that will keep you healthy.