The Reader’s Ride series is back for 2020. This series showcases the kit that boaters just like you are using. It is dead simple. Gather your gear and take some photos, then let us know what you are using, what your oldest piece of gear is, your newest item and what you couldn’t live without.

Reader's Rides - Sam Elliott
Reader’s Rides – Sam Elliott

This one is from Same Elliott.

Anyway this is what’s in my gear bag/cupboard/garage:

Paddle:

Werner Shogun w/ Some sick decals to see it better/stand out.

Gear:

Aquapac Upano 40L Waterproof Duffle
Immersion Research 7Figure Drysuit
Immersion Research Nano Shorty
Immersion Research Guide Shorts
Sweet Protection Rocker
Sweet Protection Bearsuit Elbow Pads
NRS Zen Mk1 USA spec (Nothing different other than colour.)
Seals Pro Rand 1.7
Seals Pro Shocker 1.4
2/3 Pairs of FiveTen Eddy Shoes
EDZ 200g Merino Baselayers
Mountain Warehouse Talus Baselayers
Safequip Thermaskin Midlayers
Under Armour Heat Gear Compression Top
Custom Changing Robe (Benefits of a seamstress mother 🤙,
Nookie Foot Mat
Surfears 3.0
PFD Safety Gear (NRS CoPilot, Dmm Sling + ‘biners & Boat Spares)
Pelican 1150 Case w/ GoPro Hero 6Black + Accessories
Watershed Ocoee Duffle w/ Pin Kit, First Aid Supplies

General EDC Stuff and of course duct tape… If we’re going on more interesting trips the safety gear is thrown into another drybag and the Ocoee is turned into a camera bag for my Canon 750d, Canon 24-105 F4L & Samyang 14mm F2.8, but unfortunetly after about 6yrs of pretty hard use the Ocoee is starting to leak, hence the tape and the reason it’s not getting used for camera gear anymore.

Boat quiver:

Liquidlogic Party Braaap
Waka Stout
Perception Amp that I’m halfway from getting a Liquidlogic Badass seat installed into!

Longest Serving Item:

Probably the Watershed Ocoee. I got this about 5/6yrs ago and it’s done me proud! It’s been used on every single trip since getting it and it’s only just starting to show it’s age with a very slight leak if the seal is submerged for a decent amount of time like overnight in the Tees… We’ll not go there.

Newest Item:

Technically my LL Party Braaap but that was a replacement to my other Braaap I killed last year, literally picked it up the Saturday before lockdown, however, for the sake of this and since I’ve had a Braaap of some sorts for 4yrs we’ll go with my Immersion Research 7Figure. It’s a sick drysuit with a cool story behind it.

Last year I turned 21 and my ‘rents got me an IR 7Figure which was sick! but after the first use I noticed I was a little bit damp, marked it off as sweat and moved on for the best part of the season. Turns out it wasn’t sweat so I got in touch with IR and they were a dream to work with, cannot thank them enough for their customer service and long story short I ended up with a 2020 7Figure which is looking after me perfectly, nice and dry and fits like a dream!

Couldn’t Live Without:

Might sound daft/cheap but early last year I went for a chilled out paddling/walking weekend to the Lakes and forgot one major key part of gear… Thermals.

After realising my mistake ran to pick up a set of cheap baselayers from Mountain Warehouse thinking they’ll just get me by, how wrong I was, they’re gold!

I honestly prefer Mountain Warehouse’s Talus thermal baselayers over my EDZ 200g Merino ones and for like £7-£10/per garment you just cannot go wrong, surprisingly hardwearing and really warm especially for how thin they are. Don’t get me wrong in peak winter I still throw my Midlayers over them but I had todo the same with my EDZs.

Words & Pictures: Sam Elliott