A Tale of Two Undergarments
Published September 23, 2011 | 
I read recently that one big advantage to having bloggers review gear is that they can look at a product over time, and not just talk about stuff when it’s still all bright and shiny. So with that in mind I wanted to talk about 2 old shirts.. or two old bit of paddling gear… whatever. One thing is sure, the fact that I can still wear this stuff after 5 to 10 years speaks a lot to the quality of both. Continue reading
Variations on a Contact Tow
Published September 22, 2011 | 
The other day a coach that I was paddling with showed me his fancy new quick release on his contact tow. This is certainly a heavy-duty bit of gear. Just what I was looking for to connect my Jeff Allen throw tow to my PFD. I’m sure there are probably lighter quick release clips out there, but these are available locally at the old Farm & Fleet store. Now what you also might find interesting is how this system was set up.. See the pic below; Continue reading
In Crease
Published September 22, 2011 | 
A few days back I wrote about how a simple crease in your drygear’s latex seal could cause your hands to go numb or even swell up. Today while paddling day 4 of my 100 miles around Devil’s Lake, that’s exactly what happened. As I was getting ready to go, one of the park rangers came up to chat with me. Of course I was spending more time paying attention to the conversation than paying attention to my gear. By the time I was half way around the lake, my right hand began to go numb. I rolled up the other bit of the sleeve and as you can see… my gasket was bunched up. Not much mind you, but enough. After I took the pic, I readjusted the laytex and within about 5 minutes my hand was back to normal. Amazing how just a little thing could make such a big difference!
Pesky Gaskets
Published September 19, 2011 | 
As the summer fades to autumn and both the air and water temperatures begin to drop, we’re once again faced with the prospect of dealing with those pesky latex gaskets. Now it’s my position that latex gaskets are not uncomfortable if worn properly. For the moment let’s take these pesky wrist gaskets for example. They were causing a bit of swelling in the back of my hands if I wore them for hours on end. I stretched them out AGAIN for 48 hours with little effect. I was thinking I may have to trim them. Tight gaskets can sure ruin your day on the water!
Well, before you get cutting, there is one last thing to check. Something so silly that it’s easy to overlook… Are the gaskets rolling or folding over on your wrists? Sometimes it happens when you first put them on, sometimes they will work roll back over time. (That’s what happened in my case). If so, simply rolling them back out and removing any folds, creases, or other pressure points may do the trick. The latex should be smooth against your skin. Also, make sure to pull them back on your wrists far enough that the movement of your hands does not start them rolling back down again. For me, that was the solution. Nothing like applying a little patience and observation before getting out the knife!! Anyway, if you’re having trouble with your new gaskets. . . even after you’ve tried stretching them. . . make sure they aren’t just getting rolled up or folded before you get out the knife. One thing about cutting your gaskets, if you get it wrong you can’t put it back…
Out To Dry
Published August 28, 2011 | 
Sea kayakers would love to pretend we’re all about wild abandon and reckless adventure, yet sometimes yard work and a bit of DIY just can’t be avoided. Yesterday instead of spending my day in high adventure, I finally buckled down and replaced our old clothes line. Of course that doesn’t mean I can’t find a way to make it about kayaking as well! Continue reading
Is that an orange bunny in your pocket?
Published August 16, 2011 | 
I’m sure you know by now that some of the quirkiest things catch my imagination sometimes. Take the Kokatat Bahia Tour PFD for instance. I was wandering around the shop at Rutabaga last Sunday when this caught my eye. It’s PFD with a bit of officious looking paper and big orange rabbit ears in the pocket. On closer inspection, I realized that what I was looking at was a demonstration of how the Bahia Tour allows you to keep your fishing licence quickly accessible for when the game warden shows up. I don’t fish, but if I did I could imagine it being a pretty nice feature. In fact, maybe having it displayed so prominently would save you from having to talk to the DNR guy at all. Of course, where’s the fun in that?? On the other hand, that still doesn’t explain the rabbit ears. Quite the conversation starter… “Is that an orange bunny in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? ” Continue reading
The Fantastical Sea Sock
Published August 12, 2011 | 
O.K. I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry, it’s been said before. Some folks do call them kayak condoms and worse, but on the other hand it’s always wise to practice safe sea kayaking, right? So if you’d like to try your hand at slightly off-color sea sock jokes, please feel free.. I’ll be in the other room reading, “The City in the Sea” by Poe….
…. There open fanes and gaping graves
Yawn level with the luminous waves;
But not the riches there that lie
In each idol’s diamond eye-
Not the gaily-jewelled dead
Tempt the waters from their bed;
For no ripples curl, alas!
Along that wilderness of glass-
No swellings tell that winds may be
Upon some far-off happier sea-
No heavings hint that winds have been
On seas less hideously serene….
Done yet?
Now, where was I? Oh, that’s right, Sea socks… Continue reading
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