I have spent the last three summers logging over 400 miles across northern lakes and rivers, hauling canoes through portage trails, and testing them in everything from glassy dawn water to Class III whitewater. When readers ask me which are the best canoes for , I take the question seriously because the wrong hull turns … Read more
I spent the last three weekends on three different lakes with eight different pedal boats strapped to my truck. My neighbor thought I was nuts. By the end, I had a sunburn, a notebook full of observations, and a very clear picture of which pedal boats deserve your money in . The best pedal boats … Read more
I have spent the last three summers testing inflatable boats on lakes, rivers, and coastal bays with our team of two boating enthusiasts. We pumped them up, dragged them over gravel ramps, ran small outboards at wide-open throttle, and even let a curious golden retriever climb aboard. What I learned is that the best inflatable … Read more
I spent the last two summers hauling, inflating, and rowing every inflatable dinghy I could get my hands on. From $150 lake boats to nearly $2,000 yacht tenders, I wanted to find out which ones actually hold up after a season of saltwater spray, rocky beach landings, and motor mounting headaches. What follows is my … Read more
Carrying a 100-pound fishing kayak from your truck to the water used to wreck my back. After one too many sore-morning launches, I bought my first kayak cart, and that single purchase changed how I paddle. The right kayak trolley takes the strain off your shoulders, protects your hull from dragging damage, and makes remote … Read more
I spent the last three months on lakes, rivers, and bays testing motorized fishing kayaks to find the ones that actually deliver. Hands-free propulsion changed how I fish, and the right kayak can put you on fish that other anglers can’t reach. The best motorized kayaks pair a reliable electric trolling motor with a stable, … Read more
I dragged eight inflatable fishing kayaks through muddy banks, oyster beds, and rough shorelines over the past four months to find out which ones actually hold up to serious angling. The best inflatable fishing kayaks today are not the floppy pool toys from a decade ago. They are rigid, drop-stitch reinforced fishing platforms that fold … Read more
Choosing the best sea kayaks in is more confusing than it should be. I have spent the last three summers testing kayaks on the Pacific Northwest coast and the Gulf of Maine, and I can tell you that the difference between a frustrating day on the water and a great one almost always comes down … Read more
I live in a third-floor apartment with no garage, and I paddle every weekend. That contradiction is exactly why I started hunting for the best folding kayaks two summers ago. After hauling a 12-foot hard-shell on a roof rack through city traffic, I needed something that fit in my closet. Our team spent three months … Read more
I spent 6 weekends at three different lakes with my two kids (ages 6 and 10) and a stack of youth kayaks to find the best kids kayaks that actually hold up to real use. We paddled through chop, dragged them up muddy boat ramps, and let the kids flip them on purpose to test … Read more