Paddling Education

Solo Canoeing Yellowstone’s Backcountry
“The novelty of paddling within an active volcano on a high elevation lake made my trip into Shoshone a unique paddling experience.” ~ Jim Gallagher, wilderness canoeist
Bending Branches 101
Every canoe and kayak paddle we build is made to last. But durability isn’t our only concern. Bending Branches paddles are also beautiful, comfortable and efficient.
Rockgard®: Make Sure You’re Protected

If you want to buy a new paddle every year or two, that's fine. But if you want to get more bang for your buck and hold a paddle that you can trust for the long haul- your paddle needs to have Rockgard!

Choose the Right Canoe Paddle for Your Trip

Next to your canoe, your paddles are the most important gear for any canoe trip. But with so many to choose from, how do you know which one to use?

Boundary Waters is the World’s Largest Dark Sky Sanctuary
In September 2020, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) announced its newest International Dark Sky Sanctuary: the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
How to Size a Solo Canoe Paddle
Many canoeists enjoy the solitude and challenge of solo canoeing. If that’s you, and you want to know how to size a solo canoe paddle, you’re in the right place.
Should You Use a Straight or Bent Shaft Canoe Paddle? [Video]
Should you use a straight or a bent shaft canoe paddle? Paddle Tale’s Ken Whiting takes on this question in this video...
Canovélo: A Canoe & Bike Trip Through France
Paul Villecourt and Christian Barbier took a month for their le voyage en canoë + vélo—their canoe and bike trip—in May, 2021 in their native France. They dubbed their trip their Canovélo Tour.
Killarney Provincial Park Canoe Trip [Videos]
Ken Whiting of Paddle Tales takes us along with him and his buddy on a 5-day canoe trip deep into Canada’s gorgeous Killarney Provincial Park.
New to the Boundary Waters? Here’s What You Need to Know
If you’re new to canoe tripping in the Boundary Waters, here’s an overview of some important keys you need to know as you plan your trip.
Readers Stories: The Reward of Beauty
Many of the Story Contest submissions we received from our readers were sharing their paddling adventures. Here are a couple of them…
Young Women Need Adventure, Too
There are some pretty alarming statistics about the rise of mental and emotional health problems among teens and young people today, especially young women…One of the ways we can help these young women is to offer more positive influences in their lives—like outdoor adventure.
Why We Fiberglass Our Canoe Paddles
Here at Bending Branches we believe in crafting canoe paddles that will last for decades. Adding a fiberglass wrap to most of our wood paddles is one process we use to ensure you’ll get those years of great performance.
How Canoeing Can Help Fight Brain Cancer
In July of this year (2021) Jeff Kalil will embark on his Catawba Chain of Lakes endurance fundraiser “Paddle for Progress” to raise an ambitious goal of $10,000 for brain tumor research.
We Made the List of Best Canoe Paddles of 2021…Several Times!
Our friends at paddling.com recently published their list of Best Canoe Paddles of 2021. They sifted through thousands of their readers’ comments and reviews to narrow down their choices. 45% of the canoe paddles on the list are hand-crafted by Bending Branches! Let’s take a look…
How to Canoe in Wind & Waves
To paddle a canoe successfully in high wind and waves is tricky business. Some skilled paddlers love the challenge and even look for waves and river rapids to run. But wind and waves can quickly turn a recreational canoe trip into anything but fun. Here are some tips to handle these conditions…
Reader’s Stories: Paddling Mis-Adventures
Sometimes our day on the water canoeing or kayak fishing doesn’t turn out like we expect. When we asked readers for their stories for our 2020 Story Contest, a couple brave souls entered tales of their misadventures.
Canoe Paddle Bag: Buy or Make Your Own
Protect your canoe paddles with a paddle bag that protects them from scratches, dings and dust. They’re great for both storage and transporting. You can either buy a bag designed for canoe paddles, adapt a bag or make your own…
“Can I Use a Kayak?” and Other FAQs about the Boundary Waters
We’ve collected a few of the most common questions about canoe tripping in the Boundary Waters, along with some of the recommendations given by the others. We also added a few comments ourselves, as well as links you’ll find helpful…
Our Sunburst Canoe Paddle: The Best of Both Worlds
Bending Branches’ Sunburst ST and Sunburst 11 canoe paddles combine the best of two worlds—wood and carbon—to form one state-of-the-art canoe paddle with the elite canoeist in mind.
Canoeing Is a Way of Life for This Family
The best way to keep canoeing alive is to pass the love of canoeing on to the next generation. Jody and Bill Miles have been actively passing on this love to their own boys, Willow and Granite, and thousands of other school children since 1999.