River running[edit]
Touring canoe on the Kesagami River, Ontario, Canada
River running can be thought of as a tour down a river, to enjoy the scenery as well as experiencing challenging whitewater. River running includes short day trips as well as longer multi-day trips. Multi-day canoe trips often entail the use of gear-toting rafts to allow a more comfortable experience without a heavily-laden canoe although many people also carry their own gear in their canoes, especially on remote Canadian rivers. Canoes with gear typically are limited to class III whitewater. Sometimes, open touring canoes with gear used on multi-day trips are fitted with fabric spraycovers. Whitewater racing is the competitive aspect of this sub-category, racing canoes down a river as fast as possible.