Best Inflatable Kayaks: What to Look For
Six current inflatable kayaks worth a look — from a $200 starter to a drop-stitch performer — with honest limits for each, plus the specs that actually matter when you shop.
Trailhead
Kayaking
Buying Your First Kayak: Where to Shop and What to Pay
Where to actually find a kayak for sale — big-box, specialty shop, online, or used — with realistic price bands, a used-boat inspection checklist, and when renting beats buying.
The Complete Kayaking Guide: Plan, Pack, and Paddle
Everything a new paddler needs to start kayaking: which boat type fits, where to paddle first, the safety gear that matters, basic strokes, and how to plan a first summer trip.
Lake Kayaking Day Trips: Launch Basics, Wind Awareness, and Shore Etiquette
Plan a calm-lake kayaking outing from the ramp: gear checks, crossing open bays safely, respecting swimmers and anglers, and reading wind on the water before it ruins your return paddle.
Cold-Water Paddle Safety in Spring: PFDs, Hypothermia Risk, and Trip Planning
Paddle kayaks, canoes, or SUPs when air feels warm but water remains dangerously cold: wear life jackets correctly, plan for immersion, avoid solo shortcuts, and verify local boating education or permit rules.
Cold-Water Kayaking and SUP in Late Spring: Dress for the Swim You Hope Never Happens
Treat May air temps like a liar: water still winter-cold in many lakes and slow rivers. Match immersion protection to water temperature, learn wet-exit and remount before you need them, shorten swims with PFD discipline, and paddle conditions below your Instagram skill ceiling.
$830 Million in Government Waste: How a Contract Threatens Our National Parks
A look at the $830 million Interior Department contract that included a 10-question survey, what that money could have funded in Pacific Northwest parks like Olympic and Crater Lake, and how park lovers can push for accountability.
Train for a Multi-Day Kayaking Adventure
A training plan for multi-day kayak trips: cardio and strength work, stroke technique, balance and bracing drills, gear testing with loaded boats, overnight practice trips, and safety skills like self-rescue and navigation.
Extreme Kayaking Adventures: Conquer the World's Wildest Rivers
Ten of the world's toughest whitewater runs, from Idaho's North Fork Payette to Kyrgyzstan's remote Sary-Jaz, with what makes each one wild — plus the gear, training, scouting, and safety planning expert-level trips demand.