Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view
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.
Being able to effectively use both rope and tape is an essential skill for any paddler. The best way to gain these skills quickly is to get signed up on a course with an approved provider. The guys at Boreal River Rescue have shared some really useful information that is well worth checking out. This one relates to knots used on both rope and tape used in rescue situations including the figure 8 family as well as alpine butterfly and water knot.
They key to all things like this is to get practice so when/if they have to be used in anger they can be set up quickly and correctly.
I was hooked up with a pre-production prototype of the new large Pyranha 9R a few months ago. The boat is essentially the same as the production model with the exception of some of the Connect outfitting. The boat has been paddled extensively since that time so it is now time for a full Unsponsored review.
Now if you were to sit this 9R large (9R L) next to the already released model it would be very clear that the 9R L isn’t simply a scaled up version of its little brother. Almost every area of the hull has been changed in some way yet they still have stayed true to the purpose of the boat, i.e. a fast fun boat that sits under the magic 9ft length.
Pyranha have spent a fair bit of time looking at the performance of the smaller model and have significantly changed the profile of the kayak in a number of key areas to produce this version.
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.
I receive a couple of emails each day asking about the GoPro setup that I currently have running, so here is an update.
I use both a GoPro Hero 4 Black edition and Hero 4 Session. Both have there firmware updated every time there is a new release.
It is never a good thing when someone gets pinned. However if it works out well and others can learn from the experience then all is good.
This GoPro edit by Josh Arntzen from the Green River Narrows shows how powerful water can be and how quickly you can get pinned.
What would you do in this situation? Leave a comment below.
You may be wondering why we have a Bluetooth speaker here on Unsponsored, but please read on. You may have seen the UE Roll speaker system in various eddies throughout the summer pumping out tunes at a number of high profile playspots and competitions.
The speaker is IPX7-rated waterproof so it is quite happy being near or even in water. Ultimate Ears even make a small inflatable rubber ring for the Roll to sit in, allowing you to park the Roll in an eddy or use the inbuilt bungee cord to tether it to a rock or tree.
Many people are oblivious as to when their Personal Flotation Device (PFD) has reached the end of its functional life. An easy indication of when you ought to get a new Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is when you can’t read the label on the inside. When the label starts to deteriorate to the point you can’t read it, the flotation has probably started to deteriorate as well.
To say I’m picky about my PFD, how it fits, and what I carry in it, would be a massive understatement. If you spend the number of years having fun on the water that I have, you will encounter your share of rescue situations. What you have on your chest will be the tools at your disposal to fix those situations.
Corran has released details of the new Booty Call kayak.
It looks like a nice clean design. I spoke to Corran for some time at Paddle Expo about how he creates his designs. I’m saving the detail for its own post, however it seems to be working.
Yak are part of the Survitec Group, who provide high quality rescue and safety gear for the marine, offshore, defence and aviation sectors. As a result they have a huge wealth of knowledge on how to design and create highly effective gear.
I spent a fair bit of time with the guys from Yak at Paddle Expo this year. The number of well executed designs blew me away. If you still associate Yak with the lower end of the market or canoe clubs then you need to take another look.
The HF stand at Paddle Expo had a range of really cool gear on display from both HF and Astral.
The cowtail shown here stood out as the tape/bungee used did not have a flat profile when stretched but was actually cylindrical as a bungee cord has been used. Simple idea but looks really well executed.
Double Dutch are a paddle company who are mainly known here in the UK for their superb slalom paddles. After spending some time checking out the rest of the whitewater range at Paddle Expo 2015 I’m wondering why we don’t see more of these paddles over here.
The whole range looks superb, a range of blade shapes made with different materials that are available on a range of shafts.
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