Canoe Buying Guide

A good canoe lasts decades — so it's worth choosing carefully. Here's the same advice we give in our showrooms, where we stock one of the largest canoe selections on the East Coast.

What Kind of Canoeing?

• Family & cottage water: a stable 15–17 ft recreational canoe hauls kids, coolers, and dogs.
• Fishing & hunting: wide, high-capacity fishing canoes — or a square stern that takes a small motor.
• Long trips & portages: lightweight Kevlar touring and tripping canoes from Wenonah, Northstar, and Nova Craft.
• Moving water: tough T-Formex whitewater canoes from Esquif.
• Going alone: a dedicated solo canoe beats paddling a tandem backwards.

Hull Material Matters Most

Polyethylene & T-Formex shrug off rocks and ramps — heavier, nearly indestructible, great value. Composite (Kevlar/carbon) hulls drop 20–30 lbs, transforming portages and solo car-topping — the upgrade serious trippers never regret. Aluminum (Grumman) survives generations of hard use with zero maintenance.

Reading the Hull Shape

Flat bottoms feel stable at rest; shallow-arch hulls feel better in waves and paddle faster. Rocker (the banana curve) adds maneuverability for rivers but costs straight-line tracking on lakes. More depth = drier and more capacity; more freeboard catches more wind.

Complete the Setup

Pair your boat with canoe paddles (one spare per boat, always), PFDs for every seat, and racks or a trailer to get it there.

Not sure between two hulls? Call 800.442.4837 — canoe questions are our favorite kind. Or shop all canoes.