Paddling Education

Ozark Mountain Trading Company (OMTC) is a family-owned paddlesports retailer based in northern Arkansas that’s celebrating its 20th year in business in 2024.

Bending Branches’ mission is to inspire meaningful outdoor experiences by offering premium products worth bragging about. Having an innovation mindset plays a vital role in carrying out that mission.

The Complete Paddler (TCP) has been North America’s largest paddlesports shop since 2005. Its Toronto headquarters is just minutes from Lake Ontario and just a couple of hours from some of Canada’s best canoeing destinations.

La Maison du Canoë is a canoe and kayak shop that serves paddling enthusiasts of all skill levels in beautiful southeast France.

Whitewater the Canoe Centre (WWTCC) is a paddlesports specialty shop near London, England, located on the banks of the River Thames. It’s been serving canoeists and kayakers in their region since 1954.

Ever wonder what to bring along for a kayak fishing and camping trip? Bending Branches Regional Ambassador Moo Lee shares his gear list with us from a recent trip of his.

Kayaking and kayak fishing are ideal activities for older adults. Bending Branches ProStaff team member Bill Schultz is himself a senior and an avid kayak angler. He offers his best tips and tricks below.

You might think our underlying purpose at Bending Branches is to craft world-class canoe and kayak fishing paddles. But our Why goes deeper than that—it’s to inspire YOU to have memorable outdoor experiences on the water!

Today’s paddlers and anglers have technology at our fingertips we could only dream about a few years ago—thanks to our handheld GPS and computer systems (commonly known as smartphones).

Do you have a furry best friend you want to bring kayaking or canoeing with you? Some of our readers graciously gave us their best tips for how they trained their dog(s) as paddle partners.

Bending Branches Regional Ambassador Steve Hrynewycz is a huge believer and action-taker in getting kids in kayaks, whether for recreation or fishing.

Lets jam out together! We created the ultimate summer playlist with songs suggested by Bending Branches team members, employees, and you. Listen now and suggest your favorite songs below.  

Chris Whittaker and Nuka de Jocas are their own main characters in their ongoing story of For Fun’s Sake Expedition. Here we take a look at Episode 8 of their 1,600-km kayak journey: How to choose a campsite along the Alaskan coast.

Bending Branches Ambassador Josiah Pleasant (and many of his fellow Alaskans) lives a “subsistence” life most of us think disappeared 100+ years ago. Josiah shares with us why that is, and how kayaking plays a role.

Recreational paddlers might wonder whether they should invest in a kayak or canoe, at least as a first boat. Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to make the best choice for you…

So, you’re trying to decide between a kayak, canoe or paddleboard. How do you know which one is best for you? Recreational paddling on any of these watercraft is lots of fun, great exercise and an ideal way to enjoy the lakes, rivers or oceans around you. And they each have their own set of pros and cons.

Paddle4Tomorrow (P4T) is an Atlanta-based 501c3 that connects youth with each other and the outdoors, no matter their abilities or background. We’re proud to be a supporter of this wonderful organization.

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.

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.

One of the best things about paddle sports like canoeing and kayaking is that they’re low-impact, healthy activities we can continue to do well into our older years. Here are a few gear ideas that will make canoeing and kayaking easier as you get older.

If you’re a new paddler, the short answer is: yes, canoeing is harder than kayaking. In no way does that mean you shouldn’t give canoeing a try, though…and learn to kayak, too! But if you must choose between the two, most beginners find kayaking easier to learn.