Whitewater Kayaks

All the latest news and product reviews for whitewater kayaks. From play boats, creek boats, squirt boats, and more, Paddling Life keeps you informed on what’s new in whitewater kayaking, kayak companies, and whitewater trends.

Standup Paddleboards

Paddling Life Kayak (and SUP) Sampler Roundup

Yep, there are more boats out there than you can shake a paddle at. So we took the liberty of getting our mitts on...

Eugene Buchanan - October 11, 2022

Whitewater Kayaking

Jackson Unveils, Wait For It…The Gnarvana!

Jackson Kayak has unveiled its latest whitewater kayak, the Gnarvana, its newest core creekboat design in over five years since its release of the...

Eugene Buchanan - September 10, 2022

Athlete Stories

Pyranha Ripper 2 Review Time (with Uber Sweet Vids!)

Want an inside peak at Pyranha’s Ripper 2 kayak? For that, we went straight to the source: North American Operations head Mike Patterson, to...

Eugene Buchanan - August 15, 2022

Accessories

Staying Tight: Paddling Life Spray Skirt Review (Level6 & Seals)

Sure, boats, paddles, apparel and PFDs are important and all, but the one piece of gear holding it all together, and keeping you part...

Eugene Buchanan - July 25, 2022

Paddling Gear

Jackson Kayaks Antix 2.0 vs. Antix 1.0 with video

How does the Antis 2.0 compare to the Antix 1 from Jackson Kayaks? Miles De Feyter: "It's Miles De Feyter here with PaddlingLife.com. Today we're...

Miles De Feyter - July 5, 2022

Paddling Gear

Exclusive PL Interview with Clay Wright about the Jackson Rockstar V

Paddling Life caught a few minutes with Clay Wright, of Jackson Kayaks, while he was in Steamboat Springs CO. for the 2022 Yampa River...

Miles De Feyter - June 5, 2022

Accessories

NRS Movin’ and Shakin’

Moscow, Idaho’s Northwest River Supplies (NRS) is making moves with big internal developments including promotions in senior leadership, expansion of the product development team...

Eugene Buchanan - February 16, 2022

Paddling Life Exclusives

Breaking Down The Code: Inside Dagger’s New Creeker

Call it Mission Possible. Or the Mamba Phantom, which has the same initials. Credit Snowy Robertson and his design team at Dagger for breaking the...

Eugene Buchanan - December 13, 2021

Paddles

Hasta Luego, PADDLEexpo

It was great while it lasted. But, like a river, all great things have to come to an end. Europe’s PADDLEexpo tradeshow series, also...

Eugene Buchanan - July 8, 2021

Paddling Gear

Special Pre-release Pyranha Scorch Review (with Sweet Video)!

Special Pre-release 2021 Pyranha Scorch Video Review (by Nick Hinds) Check out more of Nick's detailed Scorch review for more texture... I can’t fit in a Waka...

Nick Hinds - March 7, 2021

Paddling Gear

Getting Silly with Fusilli: Pyranha Paddler Dave Fusilli Talks Scorch Kayak Design(Special Video and Q&A)!

Paddling Life sits down for a question and answer session with longtime Pyranha and White Salmon, Wash., paddler Dave Fusilli, an ageless wonder still...

Eugene Buchanan - February 24, 2021

Kayak Fishing

Jackson Releases “We Are Family” Video

Everyone knows that Jackson Kayak has always been all about family, with founder, world champion and Olympian Eric Jackson employing his kids Emily and...

Eugene Buchanan - February 16, 2021

Whitewater Kayaking

From Our Boat Experts at CKS: History of the Longboat and Green Race

According to our friends and partners over at Colorado Kayak Supply, longboats are having their moment. Especially given that it's fall and some of...

Staff Post - November 6, 2020

Whitewater Kayaking

An Inside Look at Soul Waterman’s Terrible Two Tandem Kayak

When the water warms up and our local Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers are low, I switch gears to my son’s interest in kayaking. Yes,...

Nick Hinds - October 11, 2020

Paddling Industry News

Inside the Jackson Antix 2.0: An On-water Report from Demshitz’s Jesse Shimrock

What’s the latest antics with the new Jackson Antix 2.0? Plenty, especially when you get the lowdown from freestyle kayaker and Demshitz crew member Jesse Shimrock,...

Eugene Buchanan - October 7, 2020

Paddling Life Exclusives

No Matter How You Slice It: A Big Paddler’s Review of the Pyranha Ozone

(By Adam Goshorn) At 6’1” and 265 lbs. I am right at the top of the recommended weight range for Pyranha’s Large Ozone. It’s a...

Eugene Buchanan - September 15, 2020

Inflatables

Paddlesport Sales Skyrocket 56 Percent in June

While paddlesports sales were treading water at best prior to COVID-19, the pandemic has put them back on the path to prosperity, with sales...

Eugene Buchanan - September 9, 2020

Paddling Gear

Whitewater Kayak Review: Chalka One Up for the Waka Steeze (If You Please)

My name is Alex Dodge, and I'm here to write a review of the Waka Steeze. But first a little bit about me, for a...

Staff Post - August 31, 2020

Camping

Self-support on the South Fork Main Salmon (Bonus: Gear I Used and Video!)

“Damn, if this is another un-named rapid, we’re in for a doozey,” I think to myself, the last of us bobbing in a pulsing,...

Eugene Buchanan - August 23, 2020

Kayak Fishing

EJ Launches New Kayak Co.

Less than two months after his retirement as president of Jackson Kayak, Eric “EJ” Jackson announced he is launching a new kayak company called...

Eugene Buchanan - January 28, 2020

Accessories

Extra, Extra! Pelican International Acquires Confluence

Calling it “more strength, capabilities and opportunities for the world leader in paddlesports equipment,” Laval, Quebec’s Pelican International Inc. has acquired the assets of...

Eugene Buchanan - December 16, 2019

Destinations

Boise Gets Rockin’ Whitewater Park Expansion

Already close to some of the best whitewater in the country, Boise, Idaho, is now giving paddlers (and surfers) another reason to visit the...

Eugene Buchanan - August 1, 2019

Paddling Gear

Corran Addison Debuts New Dancer

Move over Dominatrix…there’s a new Dancer taking the stage. That’s the tune being sung by longtime kayak designer Corran Addison, who, as the designer of...

Eugene Buchanan - June 30, 2019

Inflatables