Canoes and Kayaks
Haabaa Outdoors
When choosing canoes and kayaks, it is important that the right craft is selected. One’s level of skill on the water will have to be well assessed long before canoes and kayaks can be considered. Further, in addition to considering one’s skill level, it will be important for one to decide precisely where they plan to use the craft they finally purchase. There are different crafts for different types of water riding. Finally, once one decides precisely where they will use a craft, they will need to purchase a watercraft of the highest quality. To make such a task easier, below is a guide to several manufacturers that specialize in making quality canoes and kayaks for any type of skill level and for any temperament of water.

Old Town Canoes are experts in the craftsmanship of both canoes and kayaks. Old Town Canoes create crafts ideal for family expeditions, canoes for multi-day trip expeditions and sporting canoes suitable for hunting excursions, fishing trips, and nature observation. Old Town Canoes understands the anatomy of a canoe and kayak and how its form directly affects the crafts functioning. In fact, the company has many years of experience behind it – first established in 1898, they make canoes that are made of wood, as well as sturdier materials like Hydrolite, PolyLink3™, and SuperLink3™ . From bow to stern, Old Town Canoes puts quality and pride into every watercraft they manufacture.

Another fantastic manufacture of watercrafts can be found in Perception Kayaks. More than a quarter of a century of experience goes into the craftsmanship offered by Perception Kayaks. Specializing in kayaks, Perception Kayaks, in business since 1974, manufactures general-purpose kayaks and competition kayaks. In addition, Perception Kayaks creates crafts for both the beginner and intermediate paddlers. Meanwhile, similar offerings can be had through Piranha Kayaks, a company that has been in business for the past 30 years. Started in 1976, Piranha Kayaks is a company that is operated by many kayaking fans. Thus, the creators of the watercrafts at Piranha know precisely what paddlers desires in a craft; the company mottos is “By Enthusiasts, for Enthusiasts,” and the company creates kayaks suitable for freestyle, free riding, and river running.

Wilderness Systems is another excellent company to count on when choosing a kayak. Whether looking to purchase an elite recreational kayak, a performance touring kayak, a sit-on-top craft, or a kayak for transitional touring, tandem touring, or fishing, Wilderness System aims to create professional kayaks with every boat they manufacture. In the kayak manufacturing business since 1986, Wilderness Systems currently offers several kayak models to choose from including the Pungo, the Pamlico, the Tarpon, the Tempest, the Kaos, the Ride, the Ripper, the Northstar and Northstar Pro, as well as the Tsunami.

Finally, when seeking out quality canoes paddlers simply cannot pass up on checking out the offerings made by Mad River Canoes. The canoe manufacturer Mad River Canoes has been in business since 1971 and they create crafts out of Kevlar, Royalex and polyurethane. Further, the crafts produced by Mad River Canoes are made to be versatile, or suitable for many water temperaments, or they are designed specifically for cruising, downriver, and white water conditions. Paddles, personal floatation devices, and other accessories are to be had at Mad River Canoes as well.