Birchbark makes for one sturdy, beautiful canoe. Don't believe us? Well, look no further than the Chippewa Indians. They've been relying on the strength and maneuverability of birchbark canoes for more than 500 years. Hafeman Boat Works has been at it for only 85 years, but something tells us that the Chippewa would still approve. The craftsmen at Hafeman gather their natural materials the old-fashioned way: walking through the woods and picking them up by hand. Now that's some sweaty, backbreaking de... FULL REVIEW

For many of us, canoeing is a means to an end: fishing or wildlife photography, for instance. Thing is, many canoes don't feel so stable, especially when you're lugging a few extra pounds. Casting becomes a balancing act worthy of the circus. And turning yourself around quickly to photograph, say, a bird in flight means you risk putting yourself (and your camera) in the drink. No fun! Evidently, you can leave such worries on shore when you step into a Kingfisher Canoe, a deserving "Best Of" pick. Its wide b... FULL REVIEW

If you're going to canoe, you need a canoe, a paddle, and, of course, water. But there's something else you're going to need that often gets overlooked: room. At 15 feet, sometimes longer, canoes, of course, aren't the kind of thing you can fit into your trunk. Or stuff into a closet. Believe it, we've tried! The space-constrained need not despair; you just need the Bergans' Ally 811 Folding Canoe. All of a sudden, storing your canoe and getting it to the water's edge is no longer quite the hassle. An... FULL REVIEW