Some of the most obvious visual signs that it’s time to purchase a new PFD include rips and tears in your life jacket, mold or mildew stains, and a sun-damaged and brittle exterior. If your life vest feels heavy or waterlogged, or is lumpy, then buy a new one. If it no longer fits or the hardware is broken or rusted, you should get a replacement promptly.

Northern Ontario is where paddling lore feels close enough to touch. Granite shelves warm in the sun, jack pines bend with the wind and every campsite comes with loon calls and a view. These five routes are the ones we keep returning to, not because they are easy, but because they deliver the right mix of challenge, beauty and simple logistics. You can ride a train into quiet country, chase tides to the edge of the salt or loop through Tom Thomson water with a weekend to spare. Below you’ll find the essentials for each trip so you can pick a line, book the permits and go.

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