Podcasts have the power to take you where you just can’t physically go. An epic kayak run on the Indus in Pakistan. A wintry day trip on Wilson Creek in North Carolina. Best of all, you can take in these vistas without more screen time. Just sit back (or get outside) and listen. Here’s a quick rundown of paddling podcasts and YouTube shows that will put you in a river state of mind.
Some of these podcasts have been going for years, and some are new on the scene. All have different perspectives, different vibes, and different stories to tell about people in the paddling community. Some have gone dark since I first wrote this post in 2021, but I’ve included those who still have their old episodes available.
Paddling Adventures Radio
Launched in 2017, Paddling Adventures Radio is a weekly podcast and one of the most consistent in the paddling community with hundreds of episodes covering canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddling, and rafting on the waterways of Canada.
Hosted by Sean Rowley and Derek Specht, the discussion is wide-ranging. They cover epic paddling missions, paddling gear, safety reminders—anything and everything related to paddling. Their episode descriptions capture the typical scope of conversation, such as: “7 best water shoes and how to choose; Al Faussett waterfall paddler in 1926; Australia’s Paddle Forward 32.”
Though the Paddling Adventures Radio team does touch on all sorts of paddling—and they collectively have varied outdoor experience with hiking, skiing, and other pursuits—canoe tripping seems to be their main jam. Given that canoeing doesn’t get much focus in the U.S. paddling world, if you are keen on canoeing, give this one a listen.
River Radius
River Radius is superbly produced: Focused theme for each episode, different perspectives, woven together in a cohesive presentation with tight editing. Host Sam Carter had a river-related talk show on public radio station KSJD. His mission is to “capture the culture of those running rivers, working on and with rivers, using water from rivers, and preserving the quality of rivers.”
Carter has been a river guide, BLM ranger, backcountry guide, teacher, and professional development trainer. His breadth of experience contributes to the journalistic feel of the River Radius podcasts: He tracks down people who can help answer our big questions about river running and sheds some light.
One of my favorite podcast episodes of all time, in any category boat-related or not, is his spell-binding tale “Kanawha Falls Rescue 2020” about a midnight rescue of a kayaker who got trapped in the cave behind the falls. Weaving together interviews with the kayaker and the rescue crew, Carter conveys how chance and humanity came together in a glorious way that makes you proud to be a part of the boating community.
Other can’t-miss episodes are the two-part series “No Boat No Paddle on the Big Susitna River” that tells of a 1995 river rescue that is unlike anything I’ve heard. Cue this one up for next drive to the river.
In addition to harrowing river rescue tales, Carter often dives into river conservation topics, river access issues, and river culture. Hats off to Carter for his informative, deep-dive podcast sessions.
Gear Garage
Hosted by Zach Collier (owner of Northwest Rafting Co.), Gear Garage is both a weekly Tuesday live show—where Collier covers timely topics, then answers questions submitted by listeners—and a YouTube channel where all sorts of topics are covered, including safety, gear, river trip planning tips, and more.
Collier, a certified instructor with the International Rafting Federation (IRF), covers safety scenarios extensively on the YouTube channel, often using a whiteboard to illustrate his points. He’s also got plenty of on-river footage to demonstrate rowing techniques.
Northwest Rafting offers several Class III and Class IV rafting clinics as well as swiftwater rescue courses, and Collier is keenly focused on high-quality instruction. (See our post on rafting clinics for private boaters for more details about rafting instruction offered throughout the West.) Regularly watching his tutorials is a good way to brush up on your skills even when you’re not on the water.
The following podcasts are no longer posting content but still worth perusing the back catalog.
Safety First with Danger Tate
Part of the Gear Garage TV channel, Safety First with Danger Tate is a interview-style podcast hosted by Northwest Rafting Co. guide and instructor Tate Tomlinson. She focuses on conversations with industry insiders such as Joe Daly, co-founder of ECHO River Trips, about what it’s like to run a rafting business; Mark Singleton, executive director of American Whitewater from 2004 to 2018, who told stories from Gauley Fests of yore; and Charlie Walbridge, who maintains American Whitewater’s accident database.
Although I’m not exactly an industry insider, I was happy to be the guest on Tomlinson’s show in spring 2025: We had a fun, free-ranging discussion about tips for private boaters organizing multi-day river trips. Plus, I had some follow-up comments from a listener about vacuum-sealing food that has become part of my routine now. Win!
Waterbound
Kicking off each episode with one of my favorite Old Time tunes and the sound of a beer cracking open, Waterbound is a comfortable, rambling discussion between paddling friends Linc Stallings (a raft guide) and Ted Whisenhunt (weekend paddler) in the Southeast. Alas, they haven’t published a new episode since July 2022.
But check out the old episodes, which are still available wherever you listen to podcasts, for some intel about boating in the Southeast. The conversations can be meandering: A recent episode that was sort of about buying the right shuttle vehicle started way back in time with a discussion of the relative merits of the Dodge Colt and extensive laments about the demise of the standard transmission.
For me, their trip reports are clutch: I spent a few years paddling in the Southeast back in the day, so their tales of weekend escapades on the Chattooga, Nantahala, Tellico, and other gems take me right back to those laurel-covered banks and mist hovering over the water.
Eddy Out
Eddy Out was launched in late 2020 by Natali Zollinger and Brittany Parker, co-founders of RVR 2 RVR, which offers instruction in whitewater stand-up paddling as well as immersive retreats in Costa Rica. The most recent episode dates back to October 2023, but the library is worth checking out as it features conversations with people across the river running community. Guests have included Grand Canyon commercial dory boatwoman Ote Dale, Badfish co-owner and whitewater park engineer Mike Harvey, and American Rivers Southwest River Protection Director Mike Fiebig.
Zollinger and Parker also interviewed Antoinette Lee Toscano and Lily Durkee, co-founders of Diversify Whitewater (here’s our post on Diversify Whitewater).
Zollinger takes a 360 approach to her interviews, diving with her guests into discussions of relationships, spirituality, Mercury in retrograde—in addition to straight-up paddling talk. Just like any good late-night session with friends on the river.
Hammer Factor
Hammer Factor episodes have been sporadic since 2022 with just one entry in 2023 and one in 2024. Launched in 2017, Hammer Factor is hosted by John Grace (Green Race Director), Louis Geltman (policy director at Outdoor Alliance), and John Weld (co-owner of Immersion Research).
The most recent episode features Charlie Walbridge discussing the path to protection for the Cheat River in West Virginia. Other topics the crew has covered include fixing river hazards to make them less dangerous, interviews with pro boating champs, and discussions with boat manufacturers.
The crew always ends with some rants and raves.
If you’re not actually paddling, listening to paddling podcasts can help bridge the gap until the next time you hit the water.
