Darren -- I just want to add an explanation point to what Marten and Jimbo wrote about kayakopia (sorry, couldn't help myself).

I didn't go this year for a number of reasons.  But the 2011 copia was a disappointment to me in that the  focus seemed to have shifted to kayaks.  Like Jimbo said, you know where you make your money, and I don't begrudge you that.  It's just that the show isn't meeting my needs.  I do plan to attend Midwest Mountaineering's Spring Expo: 1. it's free, 2. the staff is heavily involved and the focus seems to be more on the kind of serious, far north kind of canoeing that I enjoy. 

Best of luck, and thanks for asking for feedback.

prouboy