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.

Canoeists everywhere—especially wilderness canoeists—will appreciate reading Gunflint Falling: Blowdown in the Boundary Waters by Cary J. Griffith. It'll hit home, whether we’ve been anywhere near that type of event or not.

Canoe camping is a marvelous way to enjoy wilderness areas, rivers and parks. How can we help protect these areas from negative human impact for future generations of canoeists?

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.

If you love canoeing but prefer to rent canoes, it’s still absolutely worthwhile to invest in buying your own canoe paddle. There are several reasons for that…

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.

Minnesotan Rob Bossen has his hands in several paddling-related ventures including Bending Branches, Greg Duck Outdoor and US paddling’s newest trade coalition. We were able to catch him for an interview recently. Here’s what we learned from Rob…

Thousands of you read our blog! We thought it’d be fun to highlight your favorite canoeing and kayak fishing content of 2023.

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).

Modern canoes are made of many different materials, with Kevlar and aluminum being two of the most popular. How do you know which to look for when shopping for a canoe?

Inflatable kayaks and paddle boards are everywhere—but an inflatable canoe? It’s worth considering if space is at a premium both for storage and transport but you love canoeing.

Our friends at Minnesota-based Midwest Mountaineering offer a helpful walk-through of the differences between river and flatwater canoes. Before buying a canoe, watch this video first so you buy the correct type for your paddling excursions.

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.  

The canoeing world is full of wonderful people who love nature, love the water and enjoy being around others. If you remember to be considerate and respectful, you’ll have conquered 90% of canoeing etiquette.

Do you have two or more canoes you need to transport? You can either buy a canoe trailer or build one yourself. Here are some ideas…

An all-carbon canoe paddle is your best option for many canoeing environments. But it’s not your top choice for others. How do you know if you should add an all-carbon paddle to your collection?

Portaging is part of canoe tripping in most wilderness destinations. Canada’s vast wilderness areas like the Quetico, America’s Boundary Waters and others like them offer many opportunities to carry your boat(s) and gear over land to the next body of water.

Here at Bending Branches even our most affordable canoe paddles are handcrafted with care and made to last for years. These five wood models are ideal for recreational canoeists who want a beautiful, well-made paddle that won’t break the bank.