Back in February Recreational Barrel Works announced this year’s collaboration with Kevin Callan for the 2025 special edition canoe pack. Tomorrow is the big day with the pack going on sale on March 20th at 9:00 a.m. E.S.T.. There are only 100, so act quickly. Sales go to support Camp Outlook (based in Kingston, Ontario). Features: Extra comfy padded shoulder straps and hip belt. Full length foam pad in the back panel means your gear is not digging into your back. 7 padded handles front, 2 on back & 2 on each side for easy handling. Yellow adjustment straps are easy to see on hip ..read more

We can’t believe the support from the canoeing community and sadly the in-person tickets to our Backcountry Canoe Symposium have sold out! We’re so sorry if you were unable to purchase one in time. We do however still offer tickets to the livestream of the event, which you can watch the day of (live) or at any point when it is convenient for you. For those of you who purchased in-person tickets already, we look forward to seeing you there ..read more

Royal Robbins has announced a brand new line of clothing that offers you a chemical free way of preventing mosquitos from biting you. Their Mosquito Protection Technology, known as MPT is a tight weave engineered fabric that acts as a robust barrier to mosquitoes. There are no toxic chemical repellents or biocide which also means there is nothing to wash away, diminishing its effectiveness over time. This innovative technology has already been included in Popular Science’s list of "50 Greatest Innovations" of 2024. “There are a few ways to prevent mosquito bites in the woods effectively. Almo ..read more

We only have ten tickets left to our 2025 Backcountry Canoe Symposium! Better hurry if you want to grab a seat. If you miss out, you can still grab a virtual ticket and get access to the livestream ..read more

Each year Garmin releases an inReach SOS report to highlight insights into the activities and locations of adventurers who find themselves in need of emergency help. Since 2011, inReach satellite technology1 has helped hikers, explorers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts stay in touch globally with two-way text messaging, location tracking and critical SOS emergency response services. That technology was expanded in 2024 with the release of inReach Messenger Plus, allowing users to exchange photo and voice messages while off the grid, which can provide essential information to em ..read more

Alberta’s Breathe Outdoors (formally Campers Village) will be winding down its business operations later this year (in 2025) after 62 years in business. It is clear that with the downturn in the economy, with the challenges faced by the retail industry and the outdoor industry specifically, it is unsustainable for Breathe Outdoors to continue operations. This decision is in no way a reflection of the dedication, talent, and hard work of the Breathe Outdoors team. We are incredibly proud of our employees, who have put their hearts into making this business what it is today. General Manager Do ..read more

Trangia has made their cooking system more versatile by adding two sizes of pot cozies. No need to dirty more dishes, simply pop your pot into a durable wool pot cozy and leave the bowls at home. This sure saves you from burning your hands or melting clothes as the wool will provide the perfect buffer while allowing your pot to retain its heat a little longer. Choose the pot cozy that fits either your 1.75 liter pot in series 25, or 1 liter pot in series 27. They are made from 2 mm think Woolpower recycled felted wool (min 50% wool and max 50% synthetic). Be sure to watch our video interview ..read more

Greg and Nicole Stevens are giving a presentation in Burnaby, BC about their 51 day canoe trip from Yellowknife, through the Barrens, to the Arctic Ocean.… Greg and I will be giving a presentation in Burnaby, at the Shadbolt Centre, about our big canoe trip last summer. Come join us for photos, videos, and a discussion of the trip and the area we travelled through. It will be held at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (Studio 103) at 7 p.m. on March 20th, 2025 ..read more

On March 4, 2025, U.S. tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian goods, and 10 per cent on energy exports from Canada imported into the U.S. from Canada, came into effect. Canada has responded to the U.S. imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods by introducing a first set of countermeasures designed to compel the U.S. to remove the tariffs as soon as possible. Sadly, camping gear is among the items listed which includes such items as tents and tarps (Tariff item #6306), camping stoves and fuel (Tariff item #7321) and more. While the counter-tariffs have only just been announced, it ..read more

Nova Scotia Provincial Parks begin opening for the 2025 season on April 1st… The first group of parks available for reservations (April 1st): Blomidon: trail upgrades and a new nature play space Ellenwood Lake: New nature play space Rissers Beach: While much of the park is reopened, Little Rissers is closed until further notice The Islands Thomas Raddall Valleyview Day 2 of Nova Scotia Parks booking (April 2nd): Amherst Shore Cape Chignecto Dollar Lake Five Islands Laurie Porters Lake Day 3 of Nova Scotia Parks booking (April 3rd): Battery Boylston Caribou ..read more