The Happy Camper Canoe Paddle

Happy Camper Canoe Paddle by Kevin Callan | Badger Paddles

The Happy Camper Canoe Paddle

The Happy Camper canoe paddle is a handcrafted wooden canoe paddle designed in collaboration with Kevin Callan.Built on our time-proven Tripper, a classic ottertail canoe paddle, and paired with a slightly modified version of Badger’s Woodland grip inspired by traditional Northwoods designs, this limited-edition paddle is made for lake tripping, offering more freedom in hand placement and years of real use on the water.

Limited Annual Run Happy Camper Canoe Paddle

A refined take on a proven favourite, built for real trips and made to be used.

“Consider this: you are likely to paddle well over 1,000 strokes an hour on an average canoe trip, which adds up to around 8,000 strokes per day or 56,000 strokes per week. I’m guessing a solid 20-day trip you’ll do at least 160,000 paddle strokes. It’s proof that the paddle you pick is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. My all time favourite is Badger’s traditionally shaped ottertail paddle called the Tripper.” ~ Kevin Callan, The Happy Camper

Kevin Callan, The Happy Camper, paddles a blue Nova Craft Prospector canoe on a misty blue lake. He is wearing a buffalo plaid coat and red PFD.

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The Backstory

Kevin Callan, The Happy Camper, has long been a fan of our Tripper canoe paddle. When it came time to design The Happy Camper canoe paddle, he didn’t want us to reinvent the wheel. He wanted us to refine it. Thus, The Happy Camper canoe paddle builds on our trusted Tripper design.

The result is a custom hybrid canoe paddle built with our trusted Tripper blade and paired with a slightly modified Woodland (Northwoods inspired) grip.

After some time on the water, the design settled into what it was always meant to be. The Happy Camper Canoe Paddle is a refined take on a proven favourite, built for the kind of trips Kevin has spent a lifetime paddling.

The Happy Camper Paddle Details

Note: We just updated the layout of the laser engravings.

New engraved design and layout may not be exactly as shown in some images.

The Happy Camper canoe paddle is a custom hybrid design with a Tripper blade and a hybrid Woodland grip. Each of The Happy Camper canoe paddles will be numbered and laser engraved with official The Happy Camper mark.

TRIPPER BLADE SHAPE

This traditionally shaped ottertail canoe paddle blade is extremely smooth and quiet for a paddle with such a substantial blade surface.

Popular among solo and tandem trippers, as well as day paddlers, the Tripper is a great do-everything paddle for lake country. For The Happy Camper paddle specs, scroll to bottom of page.

HYBRID WOODLAND GRIP

The custom grip is a hybrid between our traditional classic grip and our Woodland grip, inspired by Northwoods designs.

Thus, The Happy Camper Paddle grip is a little straighter and flared out with a larger surface allowing for changing hand positions, like our Woodland grip.

But it’s also a little more rounded on top like our traditional classic grip, so it is a little better suited for “palming the paddle” as Kevin likes to do.

WOOD

Available in Cherry or Walnut, each one of The Happy Camper canoe paddles is handcrafted and finished with oil to highlight the natural grain of the wood. Built to order, every paddle reflects the small-batch craftsmanship Badger Paddles is known for.

LIMITED RUN

Only a limited number of these canoe paddles are built each year. Every paddle will be individually numbered and marked with its build year in the format 001•KC•2026, discreetly placed on the shaft.

Each of these paddles will also feature a laser engraving of the official Happy Camper mark, along with an engraving of Kevin’s actual signature. Available exclusively through Badger Paddles and a small number of select retailers as a special order item.

PADDLING IT FORWARD

As many of you know, Kevin is every bit as kind and generous as he is entertaining. So it will probably come as no surprise that a portion of the proceeds from this special project will be going to a charity chosen by The Happy Camper.

BADGER PADDLE SOCK INCLUDED

One size fits most, Badger Paddle Sock. Compact, lightweight. Protect your paddle in transport or storage. Made in Canada.

As a limited run, The Happy Camper canoe paddles are built to order. Please allow a minimum 3-4 weeks lead time before shipping. Badger will make contact via email shortly after purchase if the estimated build time will be longer than customary.

Get in touch if you wish to arrange a Muskoka pick up instead of shipping – or to make a purchase by phone or email.