Paddling Education

Aqua Bound Ambassador Katja Koskinen is an avid sea kayaker and packrafter in her native Finland and neighboring Sweden. Here, she tells her story of a multi-day packraft trip she took with friends in Muddus National Park.

Brothers Adam Andersson and Arvid Bååth grew up canoeing with their parents. In this film, the brothers talk about their paddling lives with the turquoise waters of Sweden’s Vistas River as their backdrop.

Paddling on rivers—whether with a kayak, canoe, packraft or paddle board—requires a knowledge of how rivers flow and a solid foundation of paddling skills. The faster the river and bigger the rapids, the more knowledge and skills you need.

Aqua Bound Ambassador Caj Koskinen and his wife Katja are avid packrafters in the Scandinavian wilderness areas of Sweden, Norway and their home country of Finland. Here Caj shares his favorite packraft destinations in Sweden.

We’re excited to announce that Aqua Bound’s Sting Ray Carbon kayak paddle has won Paddling Magazine’s award for 2023 Best Paddle!

When Canadian wildfire fighter, Ben Kwiatkowski, contacted us about a partnership with his adventure racing team we were excited to jump on board with them. We knew our paddles are tough enough to help them compete with the world’s best.

Modern packrafting was born out of innovation by packrafters, and continues to be driven by that same innovation. You can be sure the products made will live up to the rigors and demands of this paddlesport.

It’s that time of year when gift giving is on our mind. We want to help you out by suggesting some of our favorite kayak, SUP and packraft brands for all your paddling friends and family.

The Red Deer River starts its journey in the Rocky Mountains. It winds across the province, north of Calgary, where it drops through class II to class IV rapids, and eventually widens and calms north of Drumheller in the Badlands.

Paddle TV’s Ken Whiting has been using Aqua Bound kayak paddles for 25 years. Here he shares his thoughts on the updates we’ve made to our best-selling Sting Ray and Manta Ray paddles.

New and experienced bikerafters alike can glean loads of wisdom from Lizzy Scully and Steve Fassbinder, the duo that runs Four Corners Guides and brought us The Bikeraft Guide, published in 2021. Here, they give us a look into what you should include in your bikeraft kit.

Kairacross is a unique packrafting and backpacking adventure event based in northern Finland during its “nightless night” season—midsummer. We had a chance to connect with Mikko Nenonen, co-owner of a Finnish paddlesports shop and participant in Kairacross.

Unless you’re pretty immersed in the paddling world, you’ve probably never heard of a packraft. It’s one of the coolest little boats available—and ideal for backpackers!

Alpacka Raft makes several different types of packrafts. How do you know which one is right for you? Aqua Bound Ambassador Caj Koskinen takes us through a few packrafts from their fleet to help you decide.

How much do you really need to know about choosing a kayak paddle? More than you think at first glance!

Backyard Adventures is all about maximizing days on the water. Look locally to have quick easy adventures planned for that last minute day off or change of schedule. 

With the development of smart phone photography in the last decade or so, it’s easy for anyone to learn to take great photos while you’re kayaking, packrafting, canoeing or paddle boarding.

Are there challenges women face in the kayaking world that men don’t? That’s what we’ll explore here, with direct input from some kayaking women.

With the roar of the rapids, communication on the river with your paddling party and others can be challenging. Fortunately, there are international river signals that most people know around the world. Here are 5 need-to-know paddle signals for your next trip.

Ahead stretches a meandering ribbon of cold, slow-moving water. For the last 6 hours my wife and I have lugged our packrafts over dozens of trees that lie across the banks of the river.

The hard work of Danish filmmaker, Jacob Kastrup Haagensen, earned him Best Danish Film of the Year for his packrafting adventure documentary “Earning a River” in 2020 at the Nordic Adventure Film Festival (NAFF).