Our Readers’ Favorite Content of 2025
6-minute read
94,000 active users visited our website in 2025, according to Google Analytics. That’s a lot of paddling fans! Thank you for being one of them. In honor of this year closing out, here’s our Top 10 List of favorite reader content for 2025…
(Photo: Facing Waves)
10. Sea Kayak vs Rec Kayak: What’s the Difference?
#10 in our list highlights one of our Ambassador team members, Ken Whiting, and his helpful video that describes the difference between sea kayaks and recreational kayaks.
Each of these different types serves a specific type of kayaker and is best in specific water environments. Be sure to understand which is best for you when it comes time to choose your own boat.
Read: Sea Kayak vs Rec Kayak: What’s the Difference?
9. All You Need to Know to Choose a Kayak Paddle
Once you have your boat, you need to choose the right kayak paddle. A paddle isn’t just a paddle—it’s an extension of you, and it’s your all-important connection with the water.
You need to understand how paddles are made differently for different applications: whitewater, touring on big water, or recreational paddling. You’ll want to know about blade shape and materials, and shafts and ferrule systems.
How much will yours weigh? How portable do you want it? What about feathering angles? You’ll learn all this and more here…
Read: All You Need to Know to Choose a Kayak Paddle
8. Kayaking Glacier National Park
Two destination blog posts made our Top 10 List, including this one at #8. Glacier National Park is one of America’s most popular destinations, and for good reason. It’s known for its stunning mountains and many crystal-clear alpine lakes.
Kayaking and canoeing in Glacier is a wonderful way to see the park and get views you won’t see any other way. This content goes over the best places to launch your own kayak, or where you can rent a boat. It also discusses some hike-in backcountry lakes if you don’t mind packing an inflatable with you.
Read: Kayaking Glacier National Park
(Photo: Avery Rosenthal-Murray)
7. How to Choose: Sit-on-Top vs Sit-In Kayaks
Coming in at #7 is another common question: “Should I get a sit-on or sit-in kayak?” As so often is the case with paddling, it depends on how you want to use your kayak and what kinds of water you want to paddle.
Another important consideration is whether you value stability or performance more. What features do you want? How about portability? This blog post answers all these questions, plus some.
Read: How to Choose: Sit-on-Top vs Sit-In Kayaks
6. Kayak Paddle Feathering: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Speaking of common questions, here’s another one we get a lot: “What is paddle feathering?” In a nutshell, feathering is the ability to offset your paddle’s blades from one another. Kayakers like to do this for various reasons, which we cover in this post.
The type of ferrule your paddle has (the mechanism that connects the two halves of the paddle) determines your feathering options. We cover that in this post, too.
Read: Kayak Paddle Feathering: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
5. 23 Top Tips to Get You Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Quickly
Paddle boarding is such a fun way to get on the water and get a great full-body workout at the same time. But it can be intimidating for first timers—whether you’re an experienced paddler, but new to a board…or if you’re new to paddling altogether.
In this blog post, we offer 23 tips to get you started and on your way quickly. They cover tips before you even get on the water, your first few times out, and several safety tips you’ll want to know as well.
Read: 23 Top Tips to Get You Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Quickly
(Photo: Emily Hendricks)
4. Kayak Paddles: High-Angle vs. Low-Angle
When you start looking at kayak paddles, you’ll notice they have different blade shapes. Some are longer and more narrow—these are called low-angle blades. Others are shorter and wider—these are high-angle blades.
Each type works best for the type of paddling style you prefer, or will do most of the time. In this blog post, we go over the scenarios each blade style is designed for, to make sure you choose the one that will fit your paddling life the best.
Read: Kayak Paddles: High-Angle vs. Low-Angle
3. How to Choose the Best Kayak for Your Family
We’re getting down to the top three, and here’s #3 on our list. As per usual, the best kayak option for your family depends on a few factors. Of course, the type of kayaking you want to do and the type of water environment you want to paddle are two biggies.
A third consideration is the makeup of your family. Are you empty nesters? Do you have young kids (or grandkids)? Do you have kids old enough to paddle alone? We give you a ton of great tips in this popular blog post.
Read: How to Choose the Best Kayak for Your Family
2. Paddling Grand Teton National Park
Our second destination post of our list is #2 on our list: all about paddling in glorious Grand Teton National Park. Located in western Wyoming, the Tetons are known for their majestic peaks and the beautiful lakes that lie at their feet. The Snake River is also very floatable for paddlers of all skill levels.
This blog post tells you which of the park’s 100 lakes are open to boating (including three that are hike-in only), where you can launch, and where you can rent a boat if you need to. We also list requirements for bringing your own boat and options for rentals in the area.
Read: Paddling Grand Teton National Park
(Photo: Kate Wright)
1. 25 Top Paddle Board Accessories: Needs & Fun-to-Haves
Finally, in the #1 spot, is our list of SUP accessories you’ll want for safety, convenience and just plain fun for all your paddle boarding adventures. PFD? Check. Dry bags? Check. Phone case? Water shoes? Fishing? Check, check and check.
Of course, you won’t need all of them, and you won’t need all of them right away (except for the safety items—you’ll want those). But this list is a great resource to bookmark—for now and for the future.
Not a paddle boarder yet? You should be! And here’s your list to get you going.
Read: 25 Top Paddle Board Accessories: Needs & Fun-to-Haves
There you have it—our Top 10 List of favorite reader content for the year. We look forward to connecting with you again in 2026!
Happy paddling!
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or sales@aquabound.com.
Even more for you...