Depending on the intended use of a canoe, the various kinds have different advantages. For example, a wood-and-canvas canoe is more fragile than an aluminum canoe, and thus less suitable for use in rough water; but it is much quieter — thus better for observing wildlife. However, canoes made of natural materials require regular maintenance without which they lack durability. A Kevlar canoe is tough and also light, good for wilderness tripping. Modern hybrids can combine the elegance and style of traditional wooden canoes with such benefits as modern materials can provide.

Canoe Materials

When you shop for a canoe, you will limit your choices based on Types, Design, and Materials. Not only will you find that manufacturers offer the same canoe designs in different materials, but they also use a wide variety of proprietary names and technical terms.

Many canoe models come in a variety of materials, and each is best suited for a particular set of circumstances. It can be difficult to decide which is best for you, so use this guide to help you understand your needs and how each material might help address them. To help you understand your needs, consider the following attributes: Toughness, Cost, Weight, and Performance. Sort them into three categories, labeled "important", "somewhat important", and "not important". Keep your list handy as you read through the descriptions in this list.

Wood Canoes (high cost, high maintenance, heavy)

Elegant, Traditional, Sturdy

Canoes made solely of wood are readily available in today's market. They are perhaps the most aesthetically appealing of all canoes, but, with looks, usually comes price. Lapstrake canoes built along the lines perfected by classic canoe craftsman J. Henry Rushton are still available, but the time and expertise necessary to fashion wooden planks into a wooden hull is such that these boats are prohibitively expensive, not to mention fragile. Wood canoe building kits are available for ambitious home handy persons to build "stripper" canoes which are similar to the all-wood canoes of the past, except that the thin planks of cedar are covered with transparent layers of fiberglass. Though homemade strippers are cheaper than commercial ones, they are still fragile and suitable only for careful paddling in quiet water.

Wood canoes are surprisingly versatile–from lake to river, wilderness to expedition tripping–paddlers in almost every discipline treasure these crafts. The manufactured weight will vary with selection of wood, the exterior skin, paint and varnish. Wood canoes are easy to repair and live a hundred years or longer when properly cared for and stored in the off-season. Hand-built canoes will be on the higher end of the price scale, but their fans say that if you paddle a well-designed wooden canoe, you never look back.

Wood-And-Canvas Canoes (high cost, high maintenance, heavy)

Elegant, Traditional, Sturdy

A fine wood canoe can be both a work of art and a joy to paddle. Most are handcrafted, using traditional canoe forms and construction techniques. All are laborious to build, and a bit fragile, but wood construction also yields high performance.

These are made by fastening an external waterproofed canvas shell to a wooden hull formed with white cedar planks and ribs. These canoes evolved directly from birch bark construction. Wood-and-canvas canoes have undergone a resurgence in recent years, spurred in part by the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association. For many  a beautiful wood canvas or cedar strip canoe is not only a cherished memory; but part of our Canadian heritage. Recent innovations such as watertight epoxy coatings, improved varnishes and modern production methods have made these canoes lighter, faster, and most importantly more durable than ever before. Paddlers who value aesthetics but will not compromise care, often choose wood canoes.

Wood canoes are surprisingly versatile–from lake to river, wilderness to expedition tripping–paddlers in almost every discipline treasure these crafts. The manufactured weight will vary with selection of wood, the exterior skin, paint and varnish. Wood canoes are easy to repair and live a hundred years or longer when properly cared for and stored in the off-season. Hand-built canoes will be on the higher end of the price scale, but their fans say that if you paddle a well-designed wooden canoe, you never look back.

Wood/Canvas Summary

Toughness: Moderate to low. Impact and abrasion can be damaging, but complete repair or restoration is possible in nearly all cases except total destruction.

Cost: Very high. Hand built from select materials by master craftspeople.

Weight: Moderate to heavy. A 16 foot model will normally weigh in the 65-75 lb. range.

Performance: Very good. Wood canoes are stiff and the material can be adapted to a wide variety of designs.

Choose Wood If:  You are willing to pay top dollar for a canoe that is not very light but is stunningly beautiful and offers very good performance. Note that Wood/Epoxy (also called Wood/Glass) canoes are more similar to Fiberglass.

Cedar-Strip: Light in weight and quite strong. Beautiful designs and excellent performance on the water. These canoes need care and proper storage out of the sun. Often custom made, they can be quite expensive.

Plywood Canoes are "stitched" together using cable-ties or copper wire, sealed with epoxy resin, or the inferior but cheaper polyester resin, and reinforced with glass fiber tape or cloth.

Aluminum Canoes (moderate cost, no care)

Stiff, Durable, Economical

Aluminum canoes were the standard for decades, and new models are still made, but they are less popular in today’s market. The complex curves needed to create a sleek-yet-stable hull are difficult to form with aluminum, so you will not see sophisticated designs in aluminum. They were first made by the Grumman company in 1944, when demand for airplanes for World War II began to drop off. Aluminum allowed a lighter and much stronger construction than contemporary wood technology. However, a capsized aluminum canoe will sink unless the ends are filled with flotation blocks.

Aluminum canoes are corrosion-proof, sturdy, require little maintenance, and do not deteriorate when exposed to sunlight. They are the only canoes that can be left outside and ignored all winter. The disadvantages as well as being heavy, aluminum canoes heat up quickly in the sun and cool off in the cold. They are noisy and glare can be a problem. Being extremely noisy, render them unsuitable for viewing wildlife. However, the most serious disadvantage of aluminum is the tendency of the soft metal to stick to submerged rocks. Paddlers looking for a tough, maintenance free choice, may choose aluminum.

While lighter than wood canoes, they are heavy compared to newer materials, and therefore best for recreational use rather than wilderness trips. The primary benefit of aluminum is durability–they are slow in the water, but a great choice if the kids are prone to hitting rocks. Aluminum canoes can be repaired by welding which can leave noticeable scares and abrasive ridges.

Aluminum Summary

Toughness: Tough, maintenance free.

Cost: Moderate cost.

Weight: Moderate to heavy. A 16 foot model will normally weigh in the 65-75 lb. range.

Performance: Very good

Choose Aluminum If: You want something lighter than wood canoes

Composites of Fiberglass, Kevlar and Carbon Fiber

Stiff, Ultralight, Efficient

Are used in synthetic canoe construction. Composites. In the world of canoes, “Composites” means fibers formed in a mold and bonded with resins to make a hull. Any marriage of fibers and resin is a composite. Developed over 50 years ago, these materials are light, strong, and maneuverable. Easily portaged, these canoes allow experienced paddlers access to remote wilderness areas. While Kevlar and Carbon Fiber are generally very expensive, they are usually more durable than other materials. Fiberglass retains the lightweight, but cracks easily with impact. Fiberglass is, however, very easily repaired, unlike almost all other materials.

Fiberglass Canoes: (low to moderate cost, minor care)

Fiberglass is the most common material used in manufacturing canoes. The quality of fiberglass canoes can vary widely from excellent too poor.

The term “fiberglass composites” is often incorrectly applied to all composite hulls; true fiberglass composites are many layers of strategically cut, woven fabrics with fiberglass and resin, carefully crafted by hand. The major difference is; good quality fiberglass canoes are made by laying strips of fiberglass cloth into a mold saturated with resin. Poor quality fiberglass canoes are made using small independent pieces of fiberglass called "chopped fiber" in place of the stronger, more expensive fiberglass cloth. A quality Fiberglass canoe provides great value to day paddlers, cottagers, fisherman, where moderate carry weight is a minimal concern.

Be wary of canoes that use fiberglass alone, as the end product may be brittle. Fiberglass Composite canoes are light, rigid and strong. When compared to other materials, they can be shaped more finitely making cleaner entry lines, resulting in an efficient and quiet ride. Canoes made of fiberglass are easy to repair; a properly applied patch is hardly noticeable.

Fiberglass Summary

Toughness: Moderate. Able to stand up to some impact and abrasion. Repairs are possible and may be cosmetically perfect.

Cost: Moderate. Comparable in cost to Royalex.

Weight: Moderate. Comparable in weight to Royalex.

Performance: Very good. Similar in performance to Kevlar.

Choose Fiberglass if cost and performance are top considerations.

Kevlar Canoes: (High cost, moderate care)

Kevlar canoes are rapidly becoming more popular each year for due to Kevlar great strength to light weight ratio. Kevlar is a woven composite fabric that is 5-10 times stronger than an equal weight of steel. Kevlar a Dupont (TM) product produces a lightweight canoe with minimal compromise to strength and durability. With a strength per weight ratio marketed as being "stronger than steel" making boats of this material very impact resistant. "But don't take these beautiful boats down that whitewater river, they should be for flatwater only!" Paddlers looking for a strong boat, which is light often choose Kevlar. The very best Kevlar and/ or carbon canoes are made using a funny term called "Vacuum Bagging" or an "infusion" process, ask us to explain this high-tech process to you!

Canoes made with Kevlar are generally 20% lighter than canoes made with fiberglass. Kevlar is sometimes used alone, but it is frequently combined with other fabrics such as fiberglass or graphite. Kevlar is the material of choice for trimming weight off of a canoe, a feature you’ll appreciate on a trip with frequent portages. Like fiberglass, Kevlar is easy to repair and kits are available from dealers and manufacturers. Good Kevlar composite canoes may be expensive, but their light weight, durability, and performance can make them a long-term value.

Kevlar (Ultralight) Summary

Toughness: Low. While they can take some impact and abrasion, they are best for deep-water use. Severe blunt impact can crack the foam core. Repairs are possible, but will often be visible due to the clear finish.

Cost: Very high. These canoes employ the most expensive materials and are assembled by hand.

Weight: Very light. 18 foot models in the 40-45 lb. range are possible. Easy to portage, easy to load on the car.

Performance: Excellent. These canoes are stiff and responsive, and the composite materials can take on any shape the designer wishes.

Choose Kevlar Ultralight : if weight is more important than anything else.

Kevlar (Flex-Core or Expedition) Summary:

Toughness: Very good. Extra Kevlar and moderately flexible construction create canoes with good impact resistance. Repairs can be structurally and cosmetically perfect.

Cost: High to very high. More Kevlar means more cost, and all are assembled by hand.

Weight: Light to moderate. Weights vary depending on specifics of construction, but 16-foot models will generally weight in the 45-55 lb. range.

Performance: Very good. Nearly as stiff and responsive as Ultralight Kevlar. Composite material can take on any shape the designer wishes.

Choose Kevlar if toughness, weight, and performance are all important. If these canoes were less expensive, almost everyone would buy them.

Carbon & Carbon/Kevlar Canoes: (highest cost, high care)

Carbon is the latest advancement in canoe building technology. Carbon is slightly lighter, stiffer, and is less flexible than Kevlar. When bonded with Kevlar, carbon tends to hold its shape better than other materials - keeping lightweight boats from flexing out of shape. Its primary use is in building the lightest possible performance oriented performance and racing boats. Carbon canoes are lighter but are not as strong as kevlar canoes... so buyer beware as they're often NOT worth the additional cost... Those requiring the lightest boats possible for carrying, portaging and paddling often choose Carbon.

Carbon Summary

Toughness: Low. Structure has been sacrificed to conserve weight.

Cost: Very high. Even more costly than Kevlar.

Weight: Very light. Slightly lighter than Kevlar.

Performance: Excellent. Carbon fiber is light and stiff, producing performance even better than Kevlar.

Choose Carbon if light weight is all that matters, or if your buddy has a Kevlar and you want something even cooler.

Polyethylene, Royalex, & ABS Canoes (low cost, low care)

Flexible, Tough, Light

"Plastic, Tupperware and Poly" are just some of the confusing terms used to describe Polyethylene canoes. Polyethylene is extremely tough, but as a soft material is not very rigid. Manufacturers have overcome the stiffness problem in different ways. Some companies brace their canoe interior with aluminum tubes and struts. This makes a heavy, clunky but acceptable cottage canoe. Other companies continue to produce canoes from single layer polyethylene by adding a keel in a largely unsuccessful attempt to stiffen. Single layer poly canoe hulls tend to "oil-can" and lose shape quickly when paddled. The most successful solution is a patented multi-layer "sandwich approach". A thick foam core is sandwiched between an outer and inner layer of polyethylene to provide stiffness at moderate cost. Polyethylene canoes slide off submerged rocks, and pop into shape better than aluminum canoes. Those requiring toughness or serious whitewater paddlers may choose a quality polyethylene canoe.

Polyethylene Canoes made of polyethylene are a durable, low-cost option. This is a cheaper and heavier material used for synthetic canoe construction with the benefit of superior abrasion resistance, primarily found in whitewater canoes. This material too can be difficult to repair if punctured.

Some poly canoes come with inner structure of aluminum, others with foam-sandwich construction. Heavier but less expensive than Royalex. Durable and abrasion-resistant.

Built by putting plastic pellets into a heated mold, these canoes are mass-produced and are best for recreational paddling. Polyethylene canoes are heavier than Royalex, less rigid, and more susceptible to being misshapen by the hot sun. Some polyethylene hulls will even change shape while you paddle, betraying their lack of rigidity. While you will not find high-performance designs in polyethylene, they are affordable and will take a beating–great for the cabin or the occasional paddler.

Polyethylene Summary

Toughness: Excellent. Far stronger than aluminum at a similar price.

Cost: Low. These canoes are machine-made. Cosmetic seconds are often available at additional savings.

Weight: Heavy. A 17-foot canoe will be approximately 80-85 lbs.

Performance: Acceptable to good. Blunt ends hamper paddling performance, but stiffness is good. In some cases, engineering considerations have outweighed design considerations.

Choose Polyethylene if cost is the most important consideration.

Royalex & Royalite Canoes: (moderately high cost, minimal care)

These canoes are manufactured in a similar fashion to a quality polyethylene canoe using the "sandwich method". Royalex is a plastic laminate with a core of expanded closed cell-foam. Canoes made of this material are great for shallow water and whitewater, and stand up to the most rugged conditions. A lighter form core is sandwiched first by thin multiple layers of ABS substrate for stiffness, then finished by adding a vinyl inner and outer skin. Royalex canoes weigh less, are more expensive, but are not as strong as a "sandwich" method polyethylene canoe. Royalex canoes with vinyl gunnels are very difficult to damage as they tend to "pop back into shape" better than other materials. Serious whitewater paddlers requiring a canoe, which is lighter than Polyethylene, often choose Royalex. Royalite is simply a thinner, lighter, but more fragile version of Royalex.

Compared to Fiberglass and Kevlar composites, these canoes are heavier, but far more resilient to impact and abrasion. Some Royalex hulls are designed for whitewater and dangerous rapids. Under almost any circumstances, these are greatly superior to hulls made of aluminum or polyethylene. Royalex will expand and contract with temperature–some seasonal maintenance may be required, especially if the canoe has wood trim. If damaged, a Royalex hull is difficult to repair. Best to consult a canoe shop for a professional repair. As always, review the manufacturer’s product information thoroughly. While not as rigid as wood or composites, Royalex canoes are efficient and handle well for their intended use.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene or ABS , trademarked as “ Royalex," is another synthetic composite material that makes an extremely flexible and durable hull. It is suitable, in particular, for whitewater canoes. ABS canoes have been known to pop back into their original shape with minimal creasing of the hull after having been wrapped around a rock in strong river currents. In the very unlikely event that they are punctured, they are however, very difficult to repair.

Royalex Summary

Toughness: Very tough. Still the material of choice for demanding whitewater applications. Repairs are possible but may be unsightly.

Cost: Moderate. Full-size tandems generally cost $900-$1300 depending on options.

Weight: Moderate. 16 foot models are generally in the 55-70 lb. range.

Performance: Good. Advancing technology has produced more streamlined designs with better flatwater performance. Some oil-canning may be present.

Choose Royalex if cost and toughness are both important.