There's no concrete answer to find here, just a list of pros and cons to sort through, while also incorporating your own personal preferences. But with that said, I think by breaking down the main distinctions, and sharing my own opinions, other paddlers can get a head start on the matter. 

For this gear comparison, I actually brought both types of paddles with me on a 4-day canoe trip through my favorite region: Killarney Provincial Park. For the first 2 days, I used the Bending Branches Catalyst (straight)  and the last 2 days I went with the Java (bent). 

Bent Shaft Canoe Paddle

The idea with a bent shaft canoe paddle is that it makes the forward stroke more efficient. If you've never used a paddle like this before, then your first instinct may be to scoop the water, but in actuality, the bend is meant to point away from you.

The reason for this is that the angle of the blade stays more vertical during the back half of the stroke, compared to the same motion with a straight shaft paddle. In the latter case, once the blade passes the knee, it starts to pull up (i.e. no longer just propelling the canoe forward). This, in turn, pulls your boat down; creating drag.

Bent shaft canoe paddles better?

In canoes and kayaks alike, bent shaft paddles lead to more powerful and efficient forward strokes, but this doesn't mean they are better across the board. Straight shaft paddles are an all-purpose tool.

They still effectively propel the boat forward, and for all other strokes, straight shaft paddles are more intuitive to use. Plus, it doesn't matter which side you catch the water with – it's the exact same. Whereas sometimes I'll catch paddlers getting a little twisted up with the orientation of a bent shaft. 

Straight shaft paddles are also the way to go in rougher conditions. While pounding through some whitewater, it's helpful to have a paddle that works the same from either side, since you'll be taking a lot of back strokes while also trying to charge ahead (as well as draw strokes, etc.). Conversely, if you expect long days of paddling across calm waters, that's where the argument in favor of a bent shaft really comes into play. 

After doing my extended side-by-side comparison, I realized that I prefer the straight shaft paddle (the Catalyst). Aside from it simply being more comfortable (for me anyway), I also appreciate having added dexterity.

Because of my background as a whitewater kayaker, I like to mix things up when I'm out there. I'm not solely concerned with finding the most-efficient path forward. I'm sure that over time I would become more intrigued with a bent shaft (the Java), but as it stands, I like a straight shaft canoe paddle better. 

Side note on length of canoe paddles

A straight shaft canoe paddle should be about 4-inches longer than a bent one. For example, I'm 6-foot-2 (and long in the arms), and I used a 58-inch straight paddle, but a 54-inch bent. 

Canoe and Canoe Paddle Rentals in Killarney Provincial Park

Killarney Outfitters has an abundance of canoes and canoe paddles on hand to rent (including the Swift Prospector that I used) and provide guided services to make the trip possible for paddlers of any skill level. For more information, contact Killarney Outfitters HERE.

That's my hot take on this canoeist's dilemma. I hope this helps steer you in the right direction. For more content on everything paddling-related, including my Paddle Tales episodes in Killarney (and beyond!), check out PaddleTV and subscribe to the Hazeadventure.com newsletter for regular updates. 

Canoe: Swift Prospector 17
Canoe paddles:   Bending Branches Catalyst (straight) & Bending Branches Java 11
PFD:  NRS Zen PFD
Paddling Top:  NRS Silkweight shirt
Paddling Shorts:  NRS Lolo Pants

The post Canoe Paddle: Bent Shaft Canoe Paddle vs Straight Shaft appeared first on Hazeadventure.

So today I want to give you a sample meal plan for a 5-day canoe camping trip with multiple portages. My advice for planning meals on a canoe trip could be something that you can use as a baseline reference. Adjust it and personalize it to make your canoe trip a success. 

Packing food for an extended canoe camping trip

Before you get underway, there are a few environmental factors that will dictate how you should pack for a canoe camping trip. For example, does your route entail a lot of portages or is it mostly long paddles between campsites?

One of the benefits of a canoe trip over a kayak or a backpacking adventure is that you can chuck in a lot of bulky and bonus items. However, if you need to repeatedly lug all of that overland, then that prior advantage becomes more of a nuisance.

Multiple portages means lighter foods

So if your trip does involve multiple portages, I recommend sticking with lighter, more packable foods. If you're set up to predominantly paddle, then go nuts with those luxury foods and bonus treats. 

Weather is important for food planning

Another environmental factor to consider when canoe camping (as best as you can in advance) is the weather. Namely, how hot will it be? This will determine the shelf-life of different foods. If it's a scorching hot summer trip, then maybe scale back on the packaged meats. But if it's a cooler area or time of year, then you can get away with a lot more.

As a general rule, I like to pack more fresh foods for the first 2 days, and then I'll switch over to pre-packaged and dehydrated stuff, just to be on the safe side. 

Calories you burn on a multi-day canoe trip

And a final thing to consider is how many calories you and your crew expect to burn. Is this a poke along and smell the roses kind of affair, or is it an ambitious, cover a lot of ground type deal?

In the case of my reference 5-day canoe trip, my buddy and I planned to do a lot of hard paddling, in cold and windy conditions, while also banging out several challenging portages.

4000 calories a day per person

Taking all of this into consideration, we determined that we would need about 4,000 calories per day per person. 

What should I eat on a canoe camping trip?

Now that we've covered some general considerations, let's dive into a 5-day sample meal plan. For this trip, our campsites all included firepits with those built-in grill grates, and so we planned to do a lot of our cooking over open flame (particularly in the evening). But we also packed lots of fuel for our classic camping stoves. 

Meal Plan for Canoe Camping Day 1

Breakfast: Consumed on shore before pushing off

Lunch: Pre-made sandwiches, chips, and a piece of fruit (classic school lunch)

Dinner: 4 frozen/wrapped steaks, baked potatoes, and mushrooms 

Meal Plan for Canoe Camping Day 2

Breakfast: Bacon (wrapped in vinegar-soaked cheesecloth for preservation purposes), eggs (see note below), and fresh bread

Lunch: “Trail lunch” for anticipated portages (i.e. trail mix, cheese/crackers, granola bars, beef jerky, peanut butter/jam).

Dinner: Frozen beef chili sealed in Ziploc bags and wrapped in newspaper

Meal Plan for Canoe Camping Day 3

Breakfast: Instant oatmeal w/ dried fruit (raisins, blueberries, banana chips, etc.)

Lunch: Salami and cheese tortilla wraps (meat and cheese also wrapped in vinegar-soaked cheesecloth) + celery/carrots

Dinner: Dehydrated mac and cheese

Note: Although many camping meals say they are good for 2 people, in reality, after a day of hard paddling or trekking, most people seem to like a full package to themselves. 

Meal Plan for Canoe Camping Day 4 

Breakfast: Instant oatmeal w/ dried fruit

Lunch:  Salami and cheese but this time on pita bread rather than tortillas + celery/carrots

Dinner: Dehydrated pad thai

Meal Plan for Canoe Camping Day 5 

Breakfast: Instant oatmeal w/ dried fruit 

Lunch: Same as day 4

Dinner: Dehydrated meal (whatever flavor is left after the group picks them over for 3 nights)

Extra Snacks throughout the trip: 

Trail mix, cookies, brownies, fresh fruit (for the first few days), pepperettes, popcorn, tea/coffee

Can you bring eggs on a canoe trip?

You may have noticed my inclusion of eggs in the meal plan and wondered if that's ok to do. Eggs are a great source of protein, and they're super easy to cook up, so I love bringing them along.

The trick is keeping them protected, which can be done by getting one of those hard plastic egg cartons that you can find in any home/kitchen section of a big box store.

Our friends at Killarney Outfitters also blanched our eggs in advance, meaning they briefly dropped them in boiling water in order to kill all the bacteria on the shells. This helps extend the shelflife out in the wild. 

Shout out to Killarney Outfitters! 

All of these tasty and strategically planned meals during our canoe camping trip were laid out for us by Killarney Outfitters. I love working with them anytime I'm in the area, and since Killarney Provincial Park is one of my favorite places to paddle, we've gotten to know each other rather well over the years. They are so well-stocked and familiar with the area that you can essentially just show up with a toothbrush and a change of underwear, and they'll fix you up with the rest. 

I hope all this talk of camping food has you chomping at the bit for your next canoe trip. Each person and each excursion is a little different, but this should give you some idea of what to pack, and what to skip over. For more paddling tips, gear reviews, and to share in the adventures, make sure to follow along with PaddleTV and subscribe to the Hazeadventure newsletter. 

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