We are often asked the question, “What do you wear for cold-weather paddling?” So we thought we’d give you a brief top line of recommendations that work for us. The short of it: Layer up – that’s the key. A…
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Gear
There’s certain gear that will live you for life, the kind you can depend on and trust. In the years since starting gear reviews, there have been some that have risen to the top as tried and true and…
A paddle is one of the simpler things to choose amongst all the necessary paddling gear, but it does seem kind of overwhelming at the point-of-sale when looking at all the options. They basically all look like the same…
It’s late autumn in the Upper Midwest, which is to say still the beginning of the 5-months-long reign of cold, dark austerity that is November through March. Even the cheeriest of personalities may be forgiven for feeling forlorn by…
Like a lot of crushes, my Katana happened by chance. And not unlike a certain kind of liaison, I wasn’t looking for another at the time. It just happened; life’s like that sometimes. Honestly, when I think about it…
I’ll admit, this may be an odd choice of gear to review, but then again, not really if you know me. (And really, this is no more odd than a food dehydrator – which had served us well, at…
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with my pfd (personal floatation device) since the day I bought it. It was the same day I bought my first boat, a paddle, a roof rack, and a bunch of other things like…
For years, paddlers have had to choose between one of two manufacturers when it comes to roof racks and requisite components: Thule and Yakima, though there is a dark horse candidate, Malone, which came on the market not too…
Earlier this year, with a keen eye cast on the coming season, Aqua-Bound Technology released two brand new paddles available in three stunning colors: the high-angle blade Whiskey and the low-angle blade Tango. Both blades are made from compression-molded fiberglass…
Three years ago I got together with an old friend over a few beers to catch up on a Saturday night. Not just any Saturday night, however; it was Canoecopia weekend, 2015. This friend of mine – let’s just…
Sure there’s a newer version of GoPro’s Hero camera – the HERO6, but the HERO5 was brand-spankin’ new to us before the newer version was released last fall (GoPro does follow an annual Apple-product-release-like schedule, therefore reviews like this are less…
Recently, we were invited to review a new book by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, just published in 2017, The Chippewa: Biography of a Wisconsin Waterway, by Richard D. Cornell. As lovers of Wisconsin rivers in general and authors of our…
The upside of getting a new car is, well, getting a new car. The downside of getting a new car is the possibility that your old kayak roof rack may not plug-and-play nicely with it. Having said goodbye to my…
Before making my third boat purchase at Canoecopia 2015, I knew I wanted a crossover because I needed a smaller boat for the variety of paddling we do – from small creeks to narrow rivers, whitewater to flatwater. And…
Following in the footsteps of notable paddling guides and authors, Timothy Bauer, co-author of milespaddled.com, has added to the paddling landscape by highlighting less-traveled opportunities in the Southern Wisconsin area. Much like Michael Duncanson, or the derivative paddling bible,…
Finally, an affordably-priced, packable camp chair that keeps you off the ground and is lightweight and small enough to stow in a kayak hatch...…
More of a luxury than a necessity, the ENO DoubleNest (or SingleNest) Hammock is a relaxing alternative to camp chairs and picnic tables and nothing will make you feel more like a hippie than swinging in a hammock in…
River Trails of Northern Wisconsin is the third dvd from Morrall River Films. Although it's a bit of departure in presentation from their first two videos, it provides an invaluable amount of great information and a broad view of…
Joby makes a unique tripod they call the Gorillapod. It's essentially a tripod with flexible legs allowing you to wrap it around objects and secure it in unique places ensuring a different point-of-view...…
There isn't a whole lot more to say about the GoPro HD Hero2 that hasn't already been said. Specific to what we do, (documenting rivers and creeks) it's the best camera we've used (a ridiculous improvement over the Flip,…
Another must-have map to guide you through our great state is the Wisconsin All-Outdoors Atlas & Map...…
Be sure to take advantage of the great promotion PlanetShoes and Teva have teamed up for which benefits the Waterkeeper Alliance, a cause near and dear to us.…
The Best In Tent Camping, Wisconsin edition, is a well-researched and handy little guide to reference some of the most beautiful campsites on the quieter-side of nature...…
Since we document all our paddles, one of our most important pieces of gear is a quality map case. SealLine map cases are our new map case of choice...…
Headlamps are an essential piece of gear that offer the benefit of safety and convenience. While you may not use these while actively kayaking or canoeing, they're perfect for lightweight camping...…
BPA-Free, extremely durable and available in various sizes and practically any color you desire, Camelbak water bottles are the go-to water bottle for your outdoor adventures (or indoor, even)...…
Doc Fletcher has his own unique take on paddling adventures. It's based on the idea that a complete canoe or kayak trip is about three things; the River, the Town and the Tavern. And we very much agree with…
River Trails of Northern Illinois is another great resource to help guide your way along new water in Illinois...…
Tried and true, it should come as no surprise that we love Chacos...…
Let's talk about pants. When it comes to packing light, every bit of space counts...…