Joe Matuska received his first kayak paddle and boat in 1973 as a graduation gift. After swimming several times during his first outing with them, he came home with a broken paddle and a broken boat. Figuring that someone with a degree in Medical Microbiology should be able to fix a broken paddle and boat, he went to work on them. The next thing he knew, he had a new hobby which lead to a lengthy career in the paddle sport industry. In 1991, Joe started Aqua-Bound in Surrey, British, Columbia.

The company manufactured paddles for whitewater, touring and recreational kayaking as well as canoeing, and quickly became the number one producer of plastic-bladed kayak paddles. Aqua-Bound was also the first to introduce gas-assist molded paddle blades. Joe spent a large amount of his time working the phones and growing his business by providing excellent customer service. In late 2008, Branches, LLC purchased Aqua-Bond Technologies from Joe and his partners. Branches is committed to continuing the Aqua-Bound tradition of extraordinary quality and service. Get your hands on an Aqua-Bound paddle and prepare to elevate your experience. Made in the United States.