Gear Review: Esquif Canyon Canoe
The Esquif Canyon Canoe is the river work horse that every canoeist dreams of filling to the brim with gear and heading down stream seeking adventure. The Canyon design has been around for years and has been tested in a multitude of environments. What they’ve found is the Canyon can handle them all. This canoe is the top choice of canoeists across the world who are looking for an expedition canoe that can handle difficult whitewater, has a large carrying capacity, and can take the abuse any river trip tries to dish out. I’ve had the opportunity to use the Canyon on a variety of rivers all across the western US and I’m going to give you my take on this canoe. (This is not the canoe to take out for a picnic on a lake so “buyer beware” if that’s what you’re looking for!)
One of the things that makes this canoe stand out is the amount of rocker the bow and stern has. There is 4 inches on both the bow and stern allowing this canoe to run high and dry over holes and waves. This keeps the bow paddler dry and prevents the frequent bailing of the canoe in whitewater environments. The extra rocker also shortens the waterline allowing this 16ft canoe to spin and turn with ease when you need it to. (This is also why the canyon is not a great choice for lake paddling.) The other design feature that makes this canoe great is the rounded hull. The shape of the hull provides a ton of secondary stability and keeps the canoe performing well even when loaded down with gear. The rounded hull also allows the Canyon to slip in and out of current and eddies with ease without grabbing the edge of the canoe. I’m impressed with the Canyon's ability to both punch through large river features when needed, yet also finesse our way down a tight and technical line to avoid holes or waves.
This canoe is made from T-Formex which is basically the new Royalex. What that means is that this canoe is quite lightweight for its size and has great durably. They are also easily repaired if the time comes. The Canyon can be outfitted for whitewater tripping quite easily by gluing the appropriate outfitting and attachment points inside the canoe. Remember that float bags are a must for any whitewater adventure.
Overall the Canyon is a great canoe for tandem river trips both long and short. The canyon has a weight capacity of 1000lbs and can be put to the test in the backcountry. The weight and durability is unmatched and the hull design will leave you grinning from ear to ear no matter what river features you may encounter. If the Canyon seems like too much canoe for your purposes, check out the Canyon’s little brother the Pocket Canyon.
