Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view

Tag: Review (Page 1 of 19)

Yakima Highroad Bike Rack – Review

Owning a carbon frame bike does have its issues. The main one after cost is how do you carry the bike on a car without clamping onto the frame. In the UK the choice is fairly limited and centres around two main roof mounted solutions. The first is the Yakima Highroad that we are looking at here and the second is the Thule UpRide.

Yakima Highroad Bike Rack – Review

Both of these systems clamp onto the front wheel/tyre and have no contact with the frame . As frame designs have progressed, some MTB frames have a lower shock position, being able to clamp a bike securely (carbon or not) has become more difficult.

Yakima Highroad Bike Rack - Review
Yakima Highroad Bike Rack – Review
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GoPro Hero11 – Review

The GoPro Hero11 is a high-quality, versatile action camera that is perfect for capturing all of your adventures. Although the GoPro Hero11 at time of writing is not the latest action camera from GoPro but it is still available. It is also available at a pretty good £299.99. The GoPro Hero11 features a sleek, compact design just like the 10 and the 12 that is easy to carry with you wherever you go, and it is capable of capturing stunning 4K video and 12 megapixel photos.

GoPro Hero11 - Review
GoPro Hero11 – Review

The GoPro Hero11 is an upgraded version of the Hero10, with a number of new features and improvements.

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Social Media Saturday 25 November 2023

Welcome to Unsponsored and Social Media Saturday 25 November 2023.

Social Media Saturday 25 November 2023

Enjoy!

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Social Media Saturday 14 Oct 2023

Welcome to Unsponsored and Social Media 14 October 2023.

Social Media Saturday 14 Oct 2023

Enjoy!

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Palm Equipment Riff PFD – First Look

We were lucky enough to get hold of a Palm Equipment Riff PFD for review at Unsponsored. The one we have here is in Palm’s signature Jet Grey colour way.

Palm Equipment Riff PFD - First Look

The Riff is of a slab design with a side entry system. The buckle side entry is a convenient feature that allows the user to easily put on and take off the Riff. It is designed to be simple and easy to use, ensuring that the user can quickly get in and out of the product as needed. This feature is particularly useful when you are trying to negotiate a drysuit zip when putting a PFD on.

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Social Media Saturday 1 April 2023

Welcome to Unsponsored and Social Media Saturday 1 April 2023.

Social Media Saturday 1 April 2023

Enjoy!

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Pyranha Firecracker – First Impression Review

Recently I got to tryout Pyranha’s latest river-play half slice, the Firecracker.

Pyranha Firecracker - First Impression Review
Pyranha Firecracker – First Impression Review

The Firecracker has been hotly awaited since it was first announced at the Paddle Sports Show back in 2022. There were lots of questions about the boat and how it sat within Pyranha’s line up, not least how it stacked up against the Ripper and Ripper 2. It’s fair to say it split opinion between those who were struggling to see the point of it, and those who were really looking forward to it. I have to admit I was on the more sceptical end of things.

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Sweet Protection Bushwacker Helmet II – Review

We are big fans of Sweet Protection at Unsponsored and have been using their paddling and biking gear for years. We first got hold of a Sweet Protection Bushwacker mountain biking helmet way back in 2014.

Sweet Protection Bushwacker Helmet II - Review
Sweet Protection Bushwacker Helmet II – Review

Since then we have owned, used, crashed and written off several!

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Social Media Saturday 25 June 2022

Welcome to Unsponsored and Social Media Saturday 25 June 2022.

Social Media Saturday 25 June 2022

Enjoy!

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Immersion Research K2 Union Suit – Review

Way back in 2013 Mark Mulrain kindly sent one of the new IR K2 Union Suits to try out along with the Royale spraydeck. As I get ready for some cold weather paddling tomorrow it is still the thermal I go to first if I am planning on wearing a drysuit.

Immersion Research K2 Union Suit - Review
Immersion Research K2 Union Suit – Review

The K2 Union suit is till part of the Immersion Research range. This is what I said about the K2 Union suit a few years back.

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Immersion Research 7Figure Drysuit – Review

The nights are drawing in. The temperature is dropping, and the rain is falling. I should be excited; the Scottish paddling season is kicking off. Months of blustery days, where the heavens open and you go paddling almost every weekend.

Immersion Research 7Figure Drysuit – Review

This year however my drysuit is stranded in Canada. Summer boating plans got kiboshed due to the pandemic and I’m back in Scotland without my trusted latex companion. The long john wetsuit drafted in as a reserve haunts my hallway. It was great in the summer. Warm weather days, and a laugh at the retro styling meant I was happy in it. Now it hangs in the hallway, dripping, like a form of psychological torture. Reminding me of what lies ahead. Cold. Wet. Miserable. 

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Astral Green Jacket Vs Kokatat Hustle R

From L to R:
Astral Green Jacket, Palm Nevis, Kokatat Hustle R, and Yak Taurus PFD

When I’m at paddling events or on a river when I meet other paddlers it is pretty much guaranteed that someone will be wearing an Astral Green Jacket. After all it is a stand out design that works really well. However I have recently picked up a Kokatat Hustle R and wanted to take the opportunity of comparing the two in a little more detail.

The Astral Green Jacket and Kokatat Hustle R I have here are EU versions. For the European market the Green Jacket has a side entry feature where as the US version does not. The Kokatat Hustle R has some additional reflective SOLAS tape on the shoulder straps to meet newer ISO requirements in the EU.

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