A good fit is important

We say that some of our models are well suited to smaller people or larger ones. We've been asked to clarify these terms, but we don't think it's useful to publish specific values to express size.

A person's "size" includes height and weight, which may not be directly related: Some tall people are light, yet some short people aren't.

Your agility, too, may play a role that is independent of your height or weight.

As with gear such as bicycles and golf clubs, it is favorable for your canoe to fit you well. The best way to learn this, though, isn't by referring to an oversimplified, numerical value but by trying a canoe on to see how it feels.

Your canoe must have the buoyancy to haul you and the gear safely, of course. But it also must not be too wide at the seats or it will hinder your paddle stroke. If you often bang the gunwales or hull, you likely would benefit from a narrower canoe.

"But," you may reply, "I need lots of buoyancy." Fine, but width at the seats has little impact upon that. Greater width in the center adds some buoyancy, it's true, but greater length adds much more.

We can't stress enough the value of selecting a canoe that is no wider than needed, but which then is long enough to carry its load well. This is the one that will give you the best "fit" no matter where you might fall on a published chart of size.