When it comes to sex appeal, the canoe always seems to lose out to its sexier stepsister, the kayak. Be it the boat's relative clunkiness next to the kayak's sleek lines, or just a quirky, passing trend, canoes have somehow come up less cool. Yet the underdog status just seems to add to the canoe's appeal, especially among advanced paddlers, who argue that paddling a canoe takes more finesse. Besides, what other mode of wilderness transportation allows room for a stash of clean clothes, a down pillow, and a salmon-and-Chardonnay-packed cooler? When it comes to camping in style, nothing can touch a canoe.

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