Just got the latest issue, complete with 4 page survey. One question on the survey is what don’t you like about Paddler Magazine and I’d have to say the ACA stuff in the middle, I never read it. Their Buyer’s Guide is in tiny print, too. I never read it either.
Anybody else?
Guess I’m getting old
but the print is way too small to read easily.
The post card Inserts
Pet Peeve with the Paddler’s latest survey concerns my preference to receive and read a magazine void of the two to four post card mail inserts. Drives me nuts when they fall out and or infer with my reading. R/ Mark
I don’t read it
but the tatoo magazine down the shelf looks interesting.
Being an Old Fart
I could care less about celebrity paddlers, Whats Hot/Not, and other stuff aimed at the 18-30 demographic.
And they treated mike McCrea’s decked canoe story badly - it should have been 4x as long with multiple pics of every boat.
Jim
I think Paddler Magazine sucks.
All things to all types of paddlers and god at none of them.
Well
In fairness to Paddler Magazine, I don’t think they ever claimed to be “God” of anything. Just a decent paddling magazine…and with decent spelling…
Not Much
– Last Updated: Jan-27-07 7:48 AM EST –
Not Much -- I mean just about everything. The best I can hope for is one article that attracts my interest long enough to read it. Otherwise, it is worth only a quick skim through or a couple emission missions to the john (hey, quote me on that please, but don't interpret it in the Playboy-Penthouse/teenager kind of way, but in the morning coffee kind of way). And then it is in the recycle bag. Kind of a waste of resources. But good for the morning dump.
Here’s some good news, maybe
The former editor and former publisher of Canoe and Kayak magazine have just joined Paddler Magazine. Since C&K is my favorite paddling magazine I’m hoping they bring a breath of fresh air to Paddler.
Paddler wasn’t always such a wimpy magazine. Back in the 90’s it was full of stories about canoeing and kayaking here in North America, and featured real people doing real things instead of extreme destinations and extreme paddling, and in a type font I could read. There were a lot more pages in those days, too. Hopefully it will become that again.
Right now, Paddler Magazine is a reflection of the ACA website, and they both suck. If you’ve ever tried to find useful information on the ACA website you know what I mean. It’s like reading an IRS bulletin. You know less at the end than you did at the beginning. Sigh.
Probably not good news
Canoe and Kayak has long been the worst of the paddling magazines. That can only bode ill for Paddler magazine, which is not great but better than C and K.
Better paddling articles in Backpacker
I’ve found that Backpacker magazine has better paddling articles (usually one per issue) than either C&K or Paddler. The articles on camping skills and gear are generally very good and are of interest to those who include camping with their paddling. The articles don’t focus on extreme experiences either, which is a welcome relief.
Both of them…
I finally bailed out on subscriptions to Canoe & Kayak, and Paddler magazines this year.
Too much advertising.
Too few stories I’m interested in reading.
Too much focus on kayak playboating, steep creeking, waterfall running, kayaking hole playing contests, and exotic expeditions that 99% of the paddling population will never do.
Not enough boat testing/comparisons.
Not enough canoeing articles.
I’ll buy the yearly Price Guide at the bookstore.
BOB
Last “Paddling” Mag…
I bought was the one with TChuck’s article on Tahoe… Other than that, I’ve pretty much have found the articles redundant and/or boring. The only thing of potential interest would be looking at new equipment but since I’m not in the mode of boat or gear buying…
sing
I agree with thebob
I get Paddler Magazine since I belong to the ACA (for now) and I’ve subscribed to C&K since back in '90 when it was just called Canoe Magazine. I used to enjoy the destination articles and learned about some good canoe tripping rivers in the US over the years. Problem is I know about most of them now and the information can be found on the Web for free. I’m an open boat paddler and there are few articles in C&K any more that interest me. Paddler Magazine is even worse. I can understand their need to advertise since they probably have a somewhat limited readership, but lately my paddling magazines have been piling up in the corner unread. I think I’ll let my subscriptions lapse.
now that you mention it, C&K sucks too
I guess I’m yearning for the days of real magazines and now that you mention it, I’ve been turned off more and more by Canoe & Kayak’s articles about runs so scary you vomit before getting in your boat, or paddling in Vietnam. How many of us are actually going to ever go there? How many of us even read that article?.
I want to belong to a more gentler canoeing world, like we had back in the Canoe Magazine days, when a trip on the Allagash was high adventure and it still can be. How about a close up of America’s rivers like the Buffalo and Yellowstone and nevermind full length feature articles about an occasional tourist who paddles in Sweden, or Portugal, or Norway or Timbuctoo.
I just glaze over when I see yet another foreign spot I have no interest in paddling. On the other hand, if they did a nice article on paddling in Costa Rica or Belize I’d probably read it, especially if it came out in the winter issue. At least Costa Rica and Belize are closer than Vietnam. Come to think of it, Larry Rice did a nice article in C&K about paddling in Costa Rica, and another article about canoeing with Bob Foote in Honduras.
What other paddling magazines are there besides Paddler and C&K?
thanks for the tip on Backpacking, I’ll check it out.
Ah’ likes
– Last Updated: Jan-28-07 2:38 PM EST –
Kanawa. It be a Canadian paddlin' magazine - has a little more canooin' stuff than C&K or Paddler. CanoeRoots magazine is more ta me likin' since ah' be a canooist. Ah' still git Paddler wit me' ACA membership an' C&K but ah' also feel dat it doesn't offer us canooists much anymore. Besides, thaar ain't no more bikini babes in de ads like thaar waar years ago.
FE
Yes, but can they type?
Sea kayaking.
Since Paddler is an ACA mag, they should
have more articles about watertrail and river access projects, local clubs, ideas for local club activities, legislation that affects paddlers, campground info, etc. Like others have said: more stuff that most of us can relate to and less extreme destination stuff. It’s nice to see what’s going on around the world, but we need to keep up with the issues affecting paddling in America and Canada.
actually, now that I think about it
Pam140 has a point. I too get more enjoyment from Sea Kayaker than I do C&K and Paddler.
I’ll check out Kanawha, too. Tks