Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view
North East Kayaks and Paddles had a visit from Wavesport today and they showed them the updated outfitting for the Diesel and the D-series of kayaks. They also brought along the kids Fuse 35 which is also now available.
The Diesel is still available with the Core Whiteout outfitting but now comes in a cheaper version called Blackout which looks pretty cool, it has ratchets in already and can have hip pads put in if required too!
How about a Custom Wavesport Recon that has been put together to match your 1973 Jeep.
David Maughan, product designer over at Confluence has done exactly that. I personally think that this looks awesome.
We’ve been following the development of the whitewater line of Soul Waterman kayaks since Corran Addison first announced them.
The new boats are almost ready for full production. As we are getting close to the release we are starting to see examples of what the actual outfitting will be like. Corran has taken some recent images of the new Soul Waterman outfitting and we are pretty impressed at Unsponsored HQ.
Corran Addison has released several new images of the new Soul Waterman outfitting that will used in the new Soul Waterman whitewater kayak line up.
Corran is keeping things pretty simple with the setup. There are no ratchets, ropes, pulleys, straps, or water absorbing padding. But the system is designed to offer maximum adjustability and comfort.
The Contour outfitting system within Dagger kayaks is in my opinion the best system out there. However it does come with a weight penalty. The new Nomad for example no longer comes with the seat tray fitted for exactly this reason.
Some time ago we posted detail of a Contour outfitting modification that Pat Keller had carried out on a Dagger RPM. It looked pretty sweet. However Philip Middleton has gone one step further and not only has he fitted the seat and thigh braces but has also retrofitted the step out pillar and footrests. So this RPM Max now has a complete set of Contour outfitting installed.
Corran has recently updated the Soul Waterman outfitting page to give a complete breakdown of the new outfitting system that will be used within its kayaks.
Mat from Pyranha HQ talks you through how best to set up your new Pyranha C4S seat in this easy guide to make sure you get the most out of your boat.
Have you ever thought about taking the rear deck from one Dagger Axiom and using it to replace the front deck of another Dagger Axiom?
Spray skirts/decks have a pretty tough life but do an incredibly important job. I’d been on the look out for a spray skirt to rescue from an inevitable trip to the bin and found one close to home.
Unsponsored’s little brother River (Militia) has a Palm Kevlar RT rand deck that has seen better days. I had offered to repair it for this post without seeing the total extent of the damage.
In fairness the skirt should have been consigned to the bin years ago or at least set on fire and given a grand send off. However the skirt was in such a bad state that it made the perfect subject for this post as most types of repair were required to bring it back to life.
To put the repair into context most joints on the skirt were compromised and in other areas the skirt had separated from the rand. In two key places the kevlar/neoprene had worn out/through and large holes had appeared. Even the top part of the tunnel had separated from the skirt and was also torn in a couple of places. All in all it was in a sorry state.
Continue readingFrom the very first moment you sit in a boat you start to get “a feel for it”, how it fits and possibly even how it may perform. As beginners we start off in boats that may be used by many different size paddlers, which results in cockpits being kept clutter free. Loose, comfortable boats feel good on flat water, but they can make leaning and bracing difficult. Once the boat is padded to provide a close, body-hugging fit that still allows for quick and easy water exits, performance can dramatically improve. This same rule applies to all levels of kayakers, whether they’re paddling easy whitewater, big water runs or creeks. Customised outfitting helps transfer every trace in the river’s current through the kayak’s hull to your body, helping you sense your surroundings, make critical maneuvers and maintain your balance, thus staying upright!
Since paddlers press against their boat’s inner hull with the small of their backs, butts, hips, thighs, knees and feet, it is these key areas that should be customised to match the shape and size of the paddler. To make this as easy as possible I am going to break the cockpit into a handful of sections and tailor each one to help you get the best control possible from your boat. Many boat manufacturers have really stepped up their game and are providing some excellent outfitting as standard in their kayaks. However these systems still need adapting in some way to ensure that they fit YOU correctly.
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