http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ An online community for paddlers when they get off the water en Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:49:31 +0000 http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=13#post-37 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:03:17 +0000 spicedoubt 37@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>The canoe season is just about to begin in Upstate NY.</p> <p>Even after our recent snowfall of 5 feet, our frozen rivers and creeks are beginning to break. Soon enough we'll "surrender to the flow". </p> <p>Of course we still have plenty of time before we see our lakes and ponds again.</p> <p>So bring on the gear! </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=12#post-36 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:48:18 +0000 spicedoubt 36@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Wow! So much great stuff for us to test. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=12#post-35 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:19:34 +0000 kathryn 35@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Hi Everyone,</p> <p>I really hope some of you lurkers read this email as we have signed up some really good gear for testing this upcoming season. This email is meant to goad you into getting your reviews in and becoming a fully fledged tester with us. Below I have listed some of what we signed up at the show. There is NO GUARANTEE that we can test any of these items. Companies run out of stock, have changes in company polices, chance PR firms, change their minds, as well as other circumstances beyond our control. But, before I go about soliciting the companies for these items, I need to know if there is interest in testing any of it. Please take the time to go through the list and organize the items into three groups; items you really want to test, items you can test, and items you can't possibly test.</p> <p>I really want to see people testing both big and small items. This shows commitment to the site and what we are trying to do. If you have questions on how to get your reviews going please refer to the survival guide and feel free to ask questions here or on the forums. (http://kayakgearreviews.org/survival-guide/ and <a href="http://kayakgearreviews.org/how-to-test-gear-with-us/" rel="nofollow">http://kayakgearreviews.org/how-to-test-gear-with-us/</a>)</p> <p>cheers</p> <p>kathryn</p> <p>--<br /> orthotic neoprene shirt<br /> Beyond Coastal Natural sunscreen spf 30<br /> Chums choice of float or retainer<br /> Julbo sunglasses<br /> UV Buff<br /> Tilley hat<br /> Sealline electronic case<br /> Princeton Tec aqua strobe<br /> Chaco sandals<br /> Chaco shoe/sandals<br /> Dakine roll up pack or waterproof duffle<br /> Teva sandals<br /> Dakine neoprene shirt<br /> POE dry bag or zip sack<br /> AMK Medical kit<br /> TOTN elements guard shirt<br /> Pelican iPhone or iPod case<br /> Seattle sports document holder<br /> Columbia water short, M only<br /> Columbia paddle Jacket, M only<br /> Columbia crew shirt, M only<br /> Golite water shoes<br /> Merrell sandals<br /> Aquapack wet/dry backpack<br /> OR dry bag<br /> Merrell water shorts, M only<br /> Seattle sports paddle float or bilge pump<br /> Exped dry bag<br /> Kokatat PFD?<br /> Keen neoprene booties<br /> Keen sandals<br /> Sea to Summit dry bag (tapered or regular)<br /> Sea to Summit lockable tie downs<br /> Sea to Summit boat storage rack<br /> Sea to Summit and/or map case </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=11#post-34 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:18:27 +0000 kathryn 34@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>The new toys were lots of fun, so was trying some new foods. We were quite busy at the show and actually quite productive. We are being well received and getting more items thrown our way. Check out the post about the gear possibilities we have potentially coming our way. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=11#post-33 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:04:52 +0000 spicedoubt 33@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Good luck Kathryn and have fun playing with all those new toys. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=10#post-32 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:21:14 +0000 kathryn 32@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>I never participated in a belly flop contest before. The only official rule they had was you had to wear a Shred Ready helmet. I was red in spite of the wet suit too. It was still fun, except for the impacts. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=10#post-31 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:05:13 +0000 spicedoubt 31@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>No fair wearing a wetsuit...</p> <p>How do you expect to get the red belly? Rules are; the reddest belly wins, wetsuit disqualifies. Cheater!</p> <p>Looks like you guys had a blast… </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=10#post-30 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:34:12 +0000 kathryn 30@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>This didn't really fit in any category but since it was with the whitewater school I thought here would be best. Went for a little instructor development on Thursday with Eric Jackson and Valley Mill. Need to work on my hand roll, my paddle roll was off as well so I have to work on that in current. On the Sunday we had a BBQ at the shop with more people and a Flopentahg competition, we belly flopped into a very cold swimming pool. Air temps were 55 F according to the thermometer beside the pool, brr. Yes I was talked into participating, and yes the water was very cold. Doing a belly flop hurts no matter how numbing the water is. Here are some pics of the event: <a href="http://bit.ly/IqY0I" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/IqY0I</a> Fun times were had by all. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=8#post-29 Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:50:42 +0000 spicedoubt 29@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Niiice! </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=9#post-28 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:09:22 +0000 kathryn 28@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Just got back from 5 days of kayaking, 2 of which were at Assateague in Maryland. Assateague is the island known for the wild ponies. While we didn't see any while we were paddling, there was evidence of horses (prints and patties) and a couple of ponies walked through the camp site in the morning.</p> <p>This is an amazing place. The conditions were quite gnarly the first day, just out of my comfort range, but when I think back on them, they were quite fun and I can't wait to go experience conditions like that again. We launched from the public launch at the corner of Golf Course rd. and Wharf Rd. in Ocean City Maryland. The paddle down the harbor to the inlet is pretty easy but watch out for the boat traffic on weekends. At the inlet it is best to time things with the tide as the amount of water rushing through the inlet during max ebb or flood is pretty phenomenal. We timed it nicely and ran out with the low tide. The water was at about 6-8 foot swells with about 4-6 foot breaking waves and about 18 Kt winds. There are some shoals just off the island that made for even more gnarly conditions that we were trying to cross. We had a few rescues to contend with before most of us made it across.</p> <p>The next day the conditions were almost placid by comparison. We ended up surfing a little near the sea wall as that was the only place to catch waves. The current was starting to really move near the inlet as we portaged our way back in. The portage around the sea wall is pretty short as a two person carry. </p> <p>Pictures can be found here: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/canadianloonie/Certification#" rel="nofollow">http://picasaweb.google.com/canadianloonie/Certification#</a> </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=8#post-27 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:55:03 +0000 kathryn 27@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Awesome awesome kayak p0rn, love how well this was cut together such that the kayaks bumping on the waves matches in time with the music. I love Jackson stuff (ok, I have only paddled Jackson stuff). Check it out: <a href="http://www.jacksonkayak.com/articles/article.cfm?directory=articles09&amp;article=200910011" rel="nofollow">http://www.jacksonkayak.com/articles/article.cfm?directory=articles09&amp;article=200910011</a> </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-26 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:10 +0000 spicedoubt 26@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Better you than me :)</p> <p>They say we are to have a lot of snow here this year because of all the precip we are experiencing. I think it will be just the opposite. I think because it rained just about every damn week this summer, it'll be a dry winter. Who knows? I wouldn’t mind it though, I love the snow. I love when the streets and roads are shut down and everyone is skiing, snowshoeing or riding their snow machines to work. I love it, we actually all become a little green (conserving) when we have lots of snow. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-25 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:40:05 +0000 ken 25@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Well the snow came most of the day and while it didn't stick much at my elevation, the mountains got more than a dusting. I could have waited another month or two for winter so hopefully we;ll get a warm spell here before it REALLY starts snowing </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=7#post-24 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:58:31 +0000 spicedoubt 24@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>I'm trying Kathryn, its hard to make people understand that writing the reports is a not a daunting task. I think people these days really don't have the time like some of us do. Most people I know, especially family members, spend their lives catering to their jobs and kids. My brother in-law for example, bought a sweet new sea kayak (spent thousand$) that never, I mean never touched the water. Ended up selling it on ebay for way less than the purchased price. I was pretty ticked bout that. His excuse was "I'm a family man now". WHAAT!</p> <p>I live out in the country of NYS and see many people with nice canoes, kayaks, campers, snowshoes, skis or whatever that never receive any use. Maybe it’s the economy, maybe people are lazy, who knows. It’s a shame. The outdoor sports are simply fading away while earth impacting luxury resorts are on the rise. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=7#post-23 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:20:00 +0000 kathryn 23@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Maybe I can get some for testing if you can get me more people to test canoeing items. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=7#post-22 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:39:21 +0000 spicedoubt 22@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Thats an adrenaline pumper. Makes me wannna buy float bags for my canoe. lol </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-21 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:53:30 +0000 spicedoubt 21@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Well hopefully it’ll just be a dusting for ya. Don’t wanta be breaking out the shovels or snowshoes just yet....maybe snowshoes. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-20 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:41:03 +0000 ken 20@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>That's what I was hoping for too, but they are calling for it this week. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-19 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:15:54 +0000 spicedoubt 19@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>SNOW! I hope I don't see snow for at for another month or so. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-18 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:49:26 +0000 kathryn 18@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>We had rain last night, good thing I remember to put the cockpit cover on or the boat would have filled up. It was really dark and overcast at 7:30 this morning but started to clear out. Great day to get out on the water though. Had a great run down the Potomac. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-17 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:49:22 +0000 ken 17@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Rain I can handle...they are predicting snow here on Wed morning...I am not ready for winter just yet </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=7#post-16 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:46:35 +0000 ken 16@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF3l8EPBClc&amp;feature=fvw" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF3l8EPBClc&amp;feature=fvw</a> </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=6#post-15 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:57:10 +0000 spicedoubt 15@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>She has graced us once again with her showing love.</p> <p>Well in Upstate NY she did ;) </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=3#post-14 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:49:18 +0000 spicedoubt 14@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>She sure does have her technique down. It's always fun to play with it when in flat water, but she is well beyond playin around...wow. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=5#post-13 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:42:28 +0000 spicedoubt 13@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Way to go, congrats. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=1#post-12 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:23:28 +0000 spicedoubt 12@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Too funny man.</p> <p>Love the singing ascii art. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=4#post-11 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:29:37 +0000 coyboy 11@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>I know!! And what is safe for cold water is usually too hot for comfort in anything but sub-freezing air temps. Even the breathable dry suits are pretty warm. Forget wet suits when it is hot, well I guess they are OK for whitewater since you get wet by cold water a lot. I mentioned in my report getting a set of waders. I found a pair of neoprene waders on sale and they are great when it around 40 and colder but let it get above 50 F and they will melt you down. And they are not really designed for kayaking but I had read of several folks using them and even a few videos showing how they worked when you fell in. The key was to have on a life jacket so the waders would not take on much water. If you managed this they were safe in cold water. I used them a couple of times and made it a point to keep close to the shore and kept my life jacket on. I weear it all the time in cold weather but sometimes just keep it handy in hot weather. </p> <p>Coy Boy </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=5#post-10 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:46:26 +0000 kathryn 10@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>I was out in Maine for a 3 star sea kayak training and assessment. I hadn't had much chance to get out on the open water this year. In fact I had been doing about 3 days a week of whitewater and 2 days a week of flatwater. Were talking really flat here, it is a glorified lake. I was helping instruct and that was about all the on water practice I was getting before taking this training and assessment. Needless to say the conditions were not nearly as bad as I was making them out to be in my head. The training went very well and I feel I learned a lot. I have a few areas for improvement but who doesn't. </p> <p>The big story was the assessment. Everyone was a little nervous but we quickly relaxed and started joking around. Near the end as we were heading back I decided to go in between a few rocks with the large ocean swell. No problems. The problem was when I turned around to go back through the swell picked me up, turned my boat and dropped me bow and stern up on the rocks leaving me suspended upside down head in the water. After a wet exit, I came up laughing. I had just been the "victim" in a rescue about 10 minutes ago and had just warmed up. Here I was back in the water and could barely get my boat up off the rocks. I really wish I had a picture of the whole thing. Good news was I passed the assessment and was praised for having a good sense of humor and good attitude. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=1#post-9 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:35:48 +0000 kathryn 9@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>I thought about deleting the first post as it is a computer generated one. Looks a bit funny especially after watching this: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QyYaPWasos" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QyYaPWasos</a> (NSFW) </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=4#post-8 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:32:13 +0000 kathryn 8@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Its hard to dress for the water temperatures. I was up in Maine and the water was cold while the air was sometimes warm and the exertion makes it even warmer. Rolling is a definite bonus for cooling off. I do remember kayaking at a lake in April where the water was warm from being used to cool the reactor and the air was down right cold at times. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=3#post-7 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:28:08 +0000 kathryn 7@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Invite some friends and have a little canoe party. I was thinking of trying canoeing at ECCKF next year as Karen Knight is supposed to be amazing. Here is a video I took of her freestyling it up: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt3Rsz7MlIs" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt3Rsz7MlIs</a> Bit dark out but still awesome. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=4#post-6 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:44:14 +0000 coyboy 6@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Reguarding the Edgewater Boots I just reviewed. I had several shots that barely showed the boots in my SOT kayak or the Pongo. This one shows the boots pretty good but I wasnt sure the audience could stomach those white legs. </p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/coyboy/3336514693/sizes/l/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/coyboy/3336514693/sizes/l/</a></p> <p> This was taken back in Feburary IIRC. It was one of those rare warm days but the water is still ice cold. thus the shorts (and white legs). One guy had a on wet suit and one had on a complete dry suit. they were really hot by the time we finished the paddle. </p> <p>and here is the group. </p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/coyboy/3337381456/sizes/l/in/photostream/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/coyboy/3337381456/sizes/l/in/photostream/</a></p> <p>this was taken just past where we had to stop because the creek got too small. </p> <p>Coy Boy </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=3#post-4 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:45:25 +0000 spicedoubt 4@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>Though I maybe the only one posting here...for now. </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=1#post-3 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:41:28 +0000 spicedoubt 3@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>second post...</p> <p>looks good </p> http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/topic.php?id=1#post-1 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:56:56 +0000 keymaster 1@http://forums.kayakgearreviews.org/ <p>First Post! w00t. </p>