Paddling Education

No matter how clear and clean backcountry water looks, there’s no guarantee it’s safe for people to drink. Microorganisms in wilderness waters can cause an array of nasty consequences, from mild to severe.

Backcountry canoe camping is a pretty amazing way to spend a few days. You always have a lakeside campsite. You can fish, swim, relax. You can paddle from site to site or stay in one spot.

Let’s look at some of the weather hazards canoeists and kayakers may encounter, especially if you’re in remote or wilderness areas with no chance of getting to shelter.

Let us introduce you to some of the women on Bending Branches’ ProStaff team, in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022.

In this second part of filmmaker Jason Eke’s 2-part series “Master the Canoe” for beginning paddlers, he discusses the topics of loading your gear, canoe safety, how to choose a paddle and the most important paddle strokes.

Here at Bending Branches we’re passionate about getting people out on the water. All people—no matter their age, ethnicity, size or shape.

Filmmaker Jason Eke has canoed most of his life. With this video he begins a 2-part series for beginners on how to canoe. Since he records the video while he’s in the boat, viewers get to see some beautiful Canadian wilderness along with the instruction.

Ensuring that our canoe, kayak and kayak fishing paddles are of the highest quality is our top priority here at Bending Branches. Our definition of “quality” includes durability, light weight and cosmetic appeal.

Canoeists, kayakers and kayak anglers like you are why we’re in business. We put out a lot of content each year to help you learn, get inspired and enjoy your time on the water in whatever boat you love.

Few things go together as perfectly as Canada and canoeing. In this post, I’d like to introduce you to some of the best canoe trips in Canada. This isn’t an exhaustive list - with so many lakes and rivers, it would be impossible to include all of the amazing places to canoe. I hope you find inspiration for your next trip!

The American Canoe Association (ACA) has supported people involved in paddlesports since 1880—more than 140 years. ACA began in the United States and now has 15,000 members from around the world.

Martin Trahan has canoed across vast portions of North America, both in his native Canada and in the US. We’re honored to have him share his story with the Bending Branches community.

Here at Bending Branches we were already 20 years into our history when we switched from our previous “build to inventory” manufacturing process to our current “build to order” process.

“Water is the most inclusive medium” says One-Arm Freedom canoe paddle inventor, Cindy Dillenschneider. A long-time believer in making the outdoors accessible to everyone, Cindy committed herself to developing an adaptive canoe paddle for those with upper limb impairments.

Here are 15 gift ideas for your paddling kids that won’t just fill up the toy box. These are gifts they’ll love to use on the water every time they’re out.

As my recent trips have shown me, there is a ton to be learned when you switch up your usual spot in either the bow or the stern. Next time you’re paddling with your usual partner, I encourage you to ask yourselves why you’re sitting where you are sitting.

Want to go on a wilderness canoe trip but don’t want to sacrifice your good coffee each morning? You can learn how to make perfect canoe trip coffee for all your expeditions—the old-fashioned way.

Paddle Like a Girl is a woman-owned business that teaches women the skills they need to plan a backcountry canoe trip.

Paddling safety includes what you wear. The paddling rule of thumb is: dress for immersion, or: dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. Why? Because there’s always a chance of capsize when you’re on the water.

A canoe trip on your wedding day? Why not! Bailey and Eric saw no reason why paddling a canoe to their wedding wasn’t the perfect mode of transportation.

After seeing an outdoor show about Quetico, this wonderfully wild spot, I did some research to try to put a trip together for the summer. This was the early eighties so I picked up my landline and started calling a few Canadian outfitters to get more details.