The Essential Whitewater Kayaker: A Complete Course

Fantastic learning tool.One of the few book you can read and put into action on your own,even though you should NOT paddle alone. The best book under $10 you can buy.

I'm new to kayaking and being a kind of do-it-yourself person, instead of taking a kayak class, I rather bought this book. Reading through the chapters and then trying the methods in the kayak, I quickly learned different strokes, rolls, manouvers, reading the whitewater, understanding where danger may come from, how to avoid it, ... I'm not saying I became an expert or something (afterall it's been only a couple of weeks I have it), but I did get the proper knowledge base to build from - and since it gave me the understanding of the concepts, I can easily extent my knowledge by watching (or asking) expert kayakers - you can learn so much more and faster if you know *what* to watch or ask! I was not comfortable even thinking of more demanding rapids or performing some tricks before, but now I feel that I want to try it. Now quite now, but eventually, when I get more experience and confidence. I give it five stars because it is easy to read/understand and at the same time very informative. If you are a begginer and are buying a whitewater kayak book, you can't miss with this one. You should also consider this book if you are familiar with whitewater, but want to extend your knowledge (performing tricks, playboating, ...). It sure boosted my whitewater experience.

A friend of mine let me borrow this book, seeing how I am new to the sport, and it was great. It took me from basic rolls to maneuvering in whitewater. This book is great from beginners to experienced paddlers. No matter your skill level this book is a must. I will definately get my own copy.