Recreational Canoes

Recent Recreational Canoe Reviews

Coleman Expedition 146 dlx

This is your utility workhorse canoe... It's not going to win any races, and it certainly won't portage well, but you'd be hard-pressed to find another canoe that will tolerate as much abuse as this one. This review is for the Coleman Expedition 146 dlx, also branded as the Pelican Excursion 146 dlx. Pelican acquired Coleman's canoe division in 2000 and continued making RAM-X plastic hull canoes to Coleman's specifications. Some canoes were branded Coleman, and some were branded Pelican. They eventually… Full review

Old Town Saranac 146

I chose the Old Town Saranac 146 canoe because of its quality, features, size, and price. Not too small or too big (needed to fit on roof rack w kayak). It's fairly stable and can easily be paddled with a kayak paddle! The padded seats, rod holders and extra storage are nice for extra gear. Plenty of room for 2-3 passengers, poles, tackle, cooler, etc. A quality compact canoe (for the price) that seems very durable. You can't go wrong with legendary Old Town brand quality. My wife and I were looking… Full review

Nova Craft Trapper Solo

If you are looking for a nice, small boat to toss in the back of your truck or sling over your shoulder for small rivers and ponds, I highly recommend it. It is a unique little boat that I think I will keep for a long time. This boat is another Nova Craft offering originally built by Chestnut in wood and canvas. It is symmetrical and has a shallow arch bottom. Fit and finish is excellent, as most Nova Craft boats I've seen. The laced seats are the most comfortable on the market and I'm unsure why… Full review

Old Town Discovery 119

Great canoe! It's rugged, light, and easy to pull over log jams or sands bars. It feels tipsy at first, but is plenty stable for fishing or jump shooting duck. Have not been dumped yet, does require a good j-stroke or double paddle. This is a great little canoe! I have two other Old Town canoes for use with family and friends, but needed something lighter I could easily throw in the bed of the truck for fishing and duck hunting solo. The 119 has a shallow arched bottom so it does not have as much… Full review

Mad River Explorer 16

One of the great all around boats, especially for those who lean towards rivers over lakes. I have not had a chance to use this as much as I have the Old Town Tripper and the Old Town Pathfinder (Camper). It was purchased for river camping and as a boat that could handle larger rapids than my other boat the Old town Pathfinder. It has mainly been used in the rivers of North Carolina.  Although friends have been very happy with it paddling most years of their lives across Canada with or without… Full review

Old Town Pathfinder

Strong and long lasting canoe for two people to camp or a small family to cruise in. Very durable, but don't count on doing very well on any river that has more than class II rapids. This boat is great. It was a craiglist purchase in great condition. I think someone at Old Town actually told me it is the same boat as the Camper but just a different name from several years ago. I think they just started making two sizes of the Camper instead of keeping the Pathfinder name. Oh it is also less then… Full review

Old Town Discovery 169

Great canoe for day, weekend, and multi-day exploratory trips. Amazing way to fish, camp, and get away from the crowds. I am an avid backpacker and hiker, and at one time was extremely proud to be able to go for 10-14 days with only a 45-50 lb pack. One evening, after a few drinks at a bar/pub in Leadville, CO, a local outdoorsman mentioned he recently went out for 10 days and packed 4 thick-cut ribeyes, 6 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of champagne, 1 bottle of top-shelf tequila, cheese, bread, 18… Full review

Mad River Adventure 14

A GREAT canoe for not only mornings fishing, but for the more die-hard paddling adventurer looking to get away from the busy life of society and venturing into the land of mountain air, soaring eagles, and trout the size of small children! I have used this particular canoe on multiple occasions both fishing hidden coves in nearby lakes to extended river trips with friends. The first thing I noticed once I sat in the canoe was how comfortable and stable it felt as I situated myself for a 20-mile… Full review

Old Town Saranac 146

Great boat. We are a family of three that loves to kayak, but our little guy is now too large to fit in our boats with us so we opted to get a canoe for family trips. The center storage unit provides a good seat for the kid while also providing space to store lunch and drinks.   No issues for us in terms of stability as we are very used to being in canoes for fishing and lounging. I had no issues standing to cast in this boat even with others in it. The seats are comfortable, but I wish I could… Full review