Kayak Session Magazine

Think back to your first time on whitewater. Chances are, it was cold, or scary, or both. Learning to whitewater kayaking is the worst. Even for those comfortable being in the water, the sensation of being inside a boat, upside down, in fast-moving c

Once again, the month of October brought the industry’s finest together in Nuremberg, Germany, for what has become the leading paddlesports tradeshow. PaddleExpo 2019 continued to build on its legacy of showcasing new and innovative products, and fac

Ladakh is already known as a haven for kayakers. It offers world-renowned classic runs as well as a thriving rafting industry on the Zanskar and Indus rivers. Nevertheless, even in this whitewater paradise, some rivers stand out. One of the very last

The Piatua River’s pristine waters form one of Ecuador’s whitewater gems, are home to many Kichwa people, and habitat to hundreds of species of birds, animals, amphibians, and fish. A company called Genefran S.A is currently building a trans-basin di

The 7th edition of the Malabar River Festival was held in the Calicut district of Kerala, from the 26th - 28th of July 2019. This year’s festival focused on the development of the Indian paddling community, and therefore saw the largest participation

We have been hiking all day. We will keep hiking all day tomorrow and probably most of the next. My back hurts. My legs hurt. Everything hurts. I’ve lost track of how many falls I had today. Every time I crash, I end up stuck in my carrying system, l

Every year, as the end of summer approaches, kayakers flood the Czech village of Loucovice. The region, located only a two-hour drive from Prague and Salzburg and three hours from Munich and Vienna, is a famous holiday destination popular for swimmin

As creatures of habit, we often find ourselves trying to branch out and try new things. Yet, if there is one place kayakers are constantly drawn back to, it’s California. From north to south, the Golden State has the whitewater goods- especially when

Anywhere there is whitewater, you will find someone with a connection to the DC area. What is it about the DC area that creates such a strong whitewater community? How is it that this large metropolitan area consistently produces such top-level kayak

Gauley Festival is an example of an event where the river gets more crowded during the event than just about any other time or any other river in the world. So, why come? Why not wait until the crowds go away? What is the upside of going to such an e

KS: How were you first introduced to whitewater? AM: My father always liked water, so I was in an inflatable canoe pretty early on. We bought my first (very broken) glass kayak off eBay when I was around 7 or 8 years old, which I used a couple times

I messed up. I messed up bad. I was alone in the Himalayas, stuck in a pocket eddy, which feeds into a siphon. No one could help me. No one but myself. I managed to stabilize myself, jam my paddle, and throw my Watershed onshore. If I jumped out of m

Undoubtedly, over-exposure to the sun can harm your skin, but the same applies to your eyes too! Ultra-violet radiation from the sun’s rays over time can cause adaptations by your body. These can be thought of as a protective reaction by the body ini

For many, paddling is one recreational activity that contributes to a healthy and happy life. For some, paddling is a defining and essential component of our identity - and something that we hope to continue doing forever, regardless of injury, age,

Boulders and mud blocked the road, forcing a traffic jam that delayed Anup Gurung and his friends on their way to a multiday kayaking trip on the Kali Gandaki River. Born and raised in Nepal, the power of nature had always been tangible, visible, and

Starting the hike down to the river at 2 pm was not the plan. Neither was spending a dangerously cold and sleepless night huddled around a campfire in a drysuit. Fortunately, I was cozied up in my sleeping bag, resting up for another full day of soli