Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view
I am a huge fan of Sweet Protection and have tested the Bushwhacker MTB helmet to destruction! In this edit Tracy Moseley outlines the key features that she likes in the Bushwhacker. As this is the new 2015 version the adjustment system relies an Occigrip dial rather than the adjustment system seen previously. Will this be seen in future whitewater helmet line ups?
If it is, you heard it here first right here on Unsponsored.
I have been using the Astral Green Jacket as my main PFD for well over a year now and I love it. The features and its low profile make it ideal for a range of water based activities.
I am a huge GoPro user, I have owned most types and always have a couple with my kayaking kit. Being able to bring tech into my paddling offers me the perfect combination of the kind of things I am into. I also spend a great deal of time watching home grown kayak movies on Vimeo and Youtube, many of which appear here on the site so I have a pretty good feel of what is possible and the impact that POV cameras have had on the sport.
Society is probably more media driven than it ever has been before and even the small section of society who kayak have been part of and are impacted upon by the rise of social media. Being able to view user driven and user published media where the end viewer has ultimately also become the media maker/publisher has many merits and has helped bring the sport to more people than it ever has done in the past. Continue reading
Hot on the heals of the Yak Chinook dry pants is the new Hallertau PFD. The Hallertau is a top spec river running PFD with QR harness and all the storage options you could ever want. Yet it remains really low profile.
1. A good dry top/trouser combo or dry suit. Keeping dry inside makes keeping warm that much easier. Even some of the two piece systems (dry top and dry trousers) available are getting close to being as good as a dry suit. Price is some much better as is the flexibility of the system.
2. Solid footwear. Wet river banks and slippery rocks are not a great combination if you have dodgy footwear. A good pair of river shoes or boots are worth there weight in gold. Currently using Five Ten Water Tennies or the new Astral Rassler.
3. Good socks. Conventional socks only really work if you have a dry suit with built in dry socks. However various manufacturers make thin 3 and 4mm thick neoprene socks that can help keep your feet warm even when wet.
4. Base layers. I love merino kit – it’s warm when wet and doesn’t smell! But any good, thin base layer will do the job. Colder = more layers. Polartec fleece also works really wet in cold/wet conditions.
Bren Orton gives us opinion on the FXr PFD from Palm. Bren is a Palm paddler but I would have to say that I agree entirely with the review. It is an awesome bit of kit that is well worth checking out. Continue reading
Paul Robertson reveals the new Folding Knife from Palm Equipment at Paddle Expo 2014. Just the right size for your PFD knife pocket. Continue reading
An active paddle blade is a great way to help you stay upright. By having a blade in the water at all times you can quickly use it to brace or to turn, there is no need to have your paddle just sitting above the water, small pushes and braces will allow you to react to anything that you might encounter. So practice an active paddle blade in the water both on the flat water and whitewater. Continue reading
A great edit of some serious mistakes/carnage from Aeon Russo!
When your trying to charge as much Class V in three weeks as you can, shit happens. Heres to the next booty beer! Continue reading
For the last few years I have been using Adventure Medical as my main first aid kits. I stumbled upon them when I was trying to find an ultralight kit for mountain biking. Since then I have purchased several Adventure Medical First Aid Kits and they can be found in my rucksacks and now in my kayak as part of my “When it all goes wrong kit“.
In an emergency situation on a river it may not be possible to hear people shout clearly as the sound of the water can drown out the quality of the sound. However a good whistle can punch through that.
I have always used airbags in my boats as they prevent part of the boat filling with water during a capsize. After a recent forced swim I was interested in how heavy my boat was when it was filled with water.
I currently have a couple of liquid logic boats – a Stomper 90 and a Biscuit 65. The Stomper has a volume of 90 gallons or approximately 341 litres. The Biscuit has a volume of 65 gallons or approximately 246 litres.
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