Paddling Education

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!

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?

Bending Branches’ ProStaffer and kayak angler, Chad Hoover, takes us along river fishing for a trophy brown trout, and offers a few kayak safety tips along the way…

Many anglers buy their kayak before thinking about how they’ll get it to and from the water. In this video, Bending Branches’ Pro-Staffer and kayak angler, Chad Hoover, tells us how to transport your fishing kayak.

Should you use a straight or a bent shaft canoe paddle? Paddle Tale’s Ken Whiting takes on this question in this video...

How do you know which fishing kayak to choose when there are so many on the market? Kayak Bass Fishing’s Chad Hoover goes over five things to consider before you go out to shop for your first (or next) kayak.

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.

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…

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…

Bending Branches Regional Ambassador, Kyle Hines, took up kayak camping in 2017 and found it’s something he loves to do. We got him on the phone recently so we could pick his brain for suggestions and tips for others who want to get into this adventure sport, too:

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…

Winter time paddling in frigid water temperatures can be fun but it can also be very dangerous if you’re not wearing the correct gear that’s suitable for the conditions. In this blog post, I am going to go over the...

Are you brand new to kayak fishing? Maybe you just got your first fishing kayak.
Bending Branches’ ProStaffer Gene Jensen covers the gear you need to outfit your new kayak in this video.

Let’s take a look at what might make the difference for you in choosing a wood canoe paddle or a carbon canoe paddle.

Kayak Bass Fishing’s Chad Hoover covers how to load your fishing kayak on your vehicle in this video, with the help of his wife, Kristie.

Here at Bending Branches we take great pride in designing and crafting our wooden canoe and kayak paddles. Our passion and attention to detail result in paddles we believe lead the industry in both beauty and performance.

For those of us who are generally in good health, we tend to think of health on wilderness canoe trips as it relates to emergency situations. “What will we do if someone gets injured?” But for those who live with ongoing health issues like diabetes, wilderness canoe tripping is a whole different ballgame.

Bending Branches’ ProStaffer, Chris Funk, fills us in on one of the most important gear items you need to keep in your fishing kayak—a First Aid kit.

The most important skill any solo canoeist needs is to be able to control the canoe in all types of weather and water conditions.

As the weather cools down going into fall and then winter, the water temperatures drop, too. There are important safety considerations when you kayak fish in the winter.

Even the toughest paddles in the industry appreciate a little love. Here at Bending Branches, we know our paddles perform best when they receive the proper care. Here are a few tricks to keeping your paddle in tip-top condition for years of paddling adventures