Paddle Ways - Lets Go Paddling 4+

Very cool concept. I think it has the potential to be the all in app for everything needed for whitewater paddling if a few things were improved. Continue to look for contributors to add data on rivers since the current data is very lacking. I’d say look to at least have what American Whitewater has in terms of data covered and then continue to add to that with local experts. Next, I find adding data is a bit difficult to be able to scroll down and hit submit. Lastly, in order to be in the premium category, I’d maybe consider teaming up with rain pursuit to get map overlays showing accumulated rainfall. This can help for those runs that don’t have a corresponding USGS gage. I think if the goal is to have this be one stop for paddlers this stuff is a must to get them to spend the money on the app. The ability for users to update will be helpful as well.

Thanks for your insightful review! We're thrilled to continue building PaddleWays and are actively addressing your suggestions. Enhancing river data with contributions from local experts is a priority. We're greatly expanding our coverage which will provide a comprehensive nationwide experience. Your feedback on the data submission process is noted; we're streamlining it for ease. Updates are also in the pipeline for improved accuracy and flow data. We're dedicated to offering essential features for paddlers' convenience. Your support and feedback drive us - thank you again!

Hopping into the beta test for this - so if you’re reading this review in the future and I haven’t updated it yet, keep that in mind.

I have high hopes for this app! Maybe it’ll be like alltrails for paddling.

Things I think need some work currently:
Needs more content. Only one route near me, but I know of so many more.

The boat launch drop in/out locations should have addresses and an info page for parking, restroom access (if any), fees, photos.

I’d love to see the ability for users to create their own routes.

Lakes should be listed too, with boat ramp info. I SUP a lot on local lakes.

It’s strange to me that there isn’t much of a navigation bar - I haven’t paddled yet but I would hope that the app will be able to record my route, and save that in a log. It would be awesome if it had some functionality similar to Strava for cyclists where you have your own profile and can follow others, share your routes etc.

Another neat feature would be something similar to Waze where users could mark hazards on the route or create comments for others like “if the water is low stay left here”

Pros so far:
The app is smooth. No ads are a big plus.
The map is beautifully done.
I like the list view option (but it should tell me how far the route is from my current location too)
This is an awesome concept that paddlers have needed for far too long!

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on PaddleWays. Your enthusiasm for the concept of the app and your input are motivating for our team. We're committed to making this app a go-to resource for paddlers, and your insights are guiding us in the right direction! Our team is working each day on adding new routes, informative content, and innovative features. We are excited to share our progress in product updates in the near future.

The maps look good and points of interest appear accurate (MapBox) but the trips database is weak. For example the Lower Deschutes is described as one trip of 110 miles. It is actually a day trip and two overnights with a mandatory exit at Sheers Fall. I noticed several other similar issues in other rivers. Some of the data appears to be from the AWA. They should get more data from similar sources.

The free trial may be crippled too much to properly review but not enough there to justify going for a year subscription even with the 50% discount at this point.

Hi Jim - Thank you for your helpful feedback. Your thoughts echo much of what we've heard from our other early PaddleWays users and we will keep them in mind as we adjust trip sections. We are also greatly expanding our coverage and content database in updates over the next few weeks - please stay tuned!