Nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Bow Valley SUP has become a cornerstone of Alberta’s growing paddle boarding community. What began in 2013 out of the back of a VW Jetta has evolved into a thriving adventure company offering lessons, rentals, and guided tours across Canmore, Banff, and the Bow River. Driven by a passion for sharing the magic of paddle sports in breathtaking mountain settings, Bow Valley SUP continues to inspire locals and visitors alike. Partnering with Red Equipment, they deliver quality experiences on some of Canada’s most stunning waterways—one unforgettable paddle at a time. We had the opportunity to speak with Ryan Hamilton, one of the founders of Bow Valley SUP to learn more about what its like to paddle in the mountains!
Bow valley Sup&Surf started as Bow valley SUP on 2013 by my partner Brandon Olsthoorn. He operated out of the back of a VW Jetta (which he still drives to this day), offering lessons and tours in Canmore at the Canmore reservoir. Over the years, river surf lessons and inflatable sup rentals and kayaks has been added to our offerings. We have also grown our tenure and offer guided trips and lessons in Banff National Park and along the beautiful Bow river.
Bow Valley SUP began out of a love for paddle sports and wanting to share that sport in our beautiful area. At the time SUP was fairly new and no one was paddling here, it only made sense- not to mention, we have some pretty magical places to paddle here and it’s nice to be able to share them with our guests, especially on RED boards!
It’s like a night and day difference! In 2013 there was maybe a handful of us paddling, and even less river surfers. The community in the last decade has sky rocketed in every discipline of the sport. We have world class racers competing on international levels, paddlers who are pushing what is possible on a white water boards, and river surfers by the dozen who are extremely talented. Our first community race we hosted had maybe 15 paddlers, all our friends. 9 years later and we sell out to over 60 racers in less than a day.
13 years later and we are still going strong! We’ve moved from the back of a VW, to various different locations in Canmore and Banff and our offerings continue to evolve every season. I’d say the biggest changes have definitely been the amount of different SUP brands that have recently flooded the market. This is good and bad- lots of not so great boards out there, but this makes the brands that are doing things well shine and we have definitely seen a huge increase in quality construction and design from these quality brands over the past few years. We deal only with inflatable boards and brands like RED have definitely proven to be superior to anything else on the market.
There is a lot that sets up apart from our competitors in the area. We are the only paddle sport company that offers community events such as the annual down river log jam race. We are also the only company offering river surf lessons on the Kananaskis River. We also are likely the only ten core paddle sports company in the valley. There are a couple other companies who rent boards out as a business as they realize they can make some money, we do it and have been doing it because we truly love the sport. Also, we are the only company that carries RED in the valley. Not to mention the only company with a 5 star google and trip advisor review.
Red is a no-brainer for us. We rent thousands of boards every summer, so we need equipment that’s not only durable and dependable, but also high-performing and visually appealing. Red boards consistently deliver on all fronts — they’re built to withstand the rigors of daily rentals, maintain their shape and performance season after season, and still look fantastic on the water. Their innovative design, attention to detail, and commitment to quality make them stand out from the competition. On top of that, their customer service is outstanding, always responsive, supportive, and genuinely invested in helping our business succeed.
Our most popular tour or lesson is offered at Johnson Lake in Banff. People love the sheer beauty of the place, and what better way to experience it that from a Stand up paddle board. We’ve also seen a huge increase in our river surfing lessons on the Kananaskis river as well as our multi day river SUP trip down the Kananaskis river.
The future of this sport will only continue to grow, with a plethora of boards on the market, people have a huge amount of options. They typically start with a cheaper option until they realize how much you love it, then upgrade to a quality board like RED.
The weather is likely our biggest challenge living in the mountains. Some days storms roll in and the water is not always the place you want to be, I’d also say this is one of biggest attractions as when the weather is nice there is no better place to paddle! Thank goodness RED boards hold up in all of the crazy conditions that we have!
We love to offer our guests a wide range of options, from single day rentals to overnight white water river objectives. We will continue to offer our core offerings, but are constantly looking at new rivers; diffent surf waves and new gear options to offer our guests. In the last few years we have seen a huge boost in our overnight river offerings, stand by for some new and exciting river options in 2026 and beyond!
Thank you for taking the time to share with us all things Bow Valley SUP Ryan! We really appreciate it and wish you a great rest of the year!
27 Mar 2026
When covering long-distance races and endurance challenges, the goal is often to get to the core of why athletes choose the tougher, more extreme side of the sport. What stood out while working on the story with Ilze Ozolina was not just the physical challenge, but the meditative aspect of long-distance paddling. As she puts […]
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Red Equipment has long been known for its innovative outdoor gear, and their latest lightweight bags continue that tradition. Designed with active adventurers in mind, these backpacks and crossbody bags combine waterproof protection, durability, and comfort—all while remaining lightweight and packable. In a recent interview with Red, the team behind these new bags shared their […]
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Red Equipment has shared with us some exciting news! George Shillito, Red Equipment’s brand director recently completed the famous Salaca 100 race in Latvia! The 100km course starts at Lake Burtnieks and finishes downstream in the coastal city of Salacgriva. Today at TotalSUP we have the pleasure of sharing George’s incredible experience with you, and […]
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Red Equipment has done it again! With unwavering dedication to excellence, innovation, and cutting-edge design, this remarkable brand has consistently remained at the forefront of the industry since their early beginnings. Constantly striving to enhance their products and improve user experiences, Red Equipment is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated launch of their revolutionary new […]
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Today on TotalSUP we delve into the adventures and insights of professional photographer Jimmy Martinello who has seamlessly integrated Red Equipment into his outdoor pursuits. From navigating the rugged terrains of the Yukon and North West Territorities Canada to capturing stunning landscapes in Iceland, Jim’s experiences highlight the durability and innovation of Red Equipment products. […]
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Not only has 2025 been the remarkable year of launching Red Equipments’ innovative new FUTURE Range, but Red Equipment is equally just as excited to announce the highly anticipated launch of their brand-new paddle line-up! This exciting collection showcases an array of all-new artwork, a variety of blade sizes tailored for every skill level, premium […]
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Red Equipment, the British company that has set the world standard for inflatable stand-up paddleboards (SUP) since 2008, today announces a progression in its product line for the year ahead. 10 newly designed high-performance inflatable SUPs make up Red’s 2025 Future Series board range. Each is constructed from the brand’s groundbreaking new MSL®800 double-drop-stitch material offering […]
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Red Paddle Co, the pioneers of inflatable SUP technology, has been developing some of the most trusted gear on the market with laser-sharp focus on delivering quality that guarantees authentic experience authentic experiences on and off the water. To remain a leader in innovation, the UK brand underscores the need to push boundaries – going […]
