We’ve been using a Palm Equipment Seti top here at Unsponsored HQ for over 12 months. It has been put to use both on and off the water.
Tag: Thermals
Although this buyers guide is directed at students in reality it will apply to anyone thinking about taking up the sport. Over the next few weeks many students will be starting Uni and will be looking at joining a club. In most cases the Kayak/Canoe club in a university will be the best club to join.
The last few days here in the North East (UK) have been pretty cold. A couple of mornings have even included getting rid of some pretty thick ice from the car windscreen.
Keeping dry and warm becomes really important as it gets colder. Part of this is making sure the gear I am using does its job well.
This includes making sure that by boat has no leaks and that my deck is up to the job.
My winter paddling gear is as follows – PFD, helmet, boots/shoes and spraydeck don’t real change through the seasons, although if it is really cold I might wear a Playboater Titanium Earwig. The Earwig helps take the edge off that sensation you get when your head hits cold water.
Continue readingAlthough this guide is directed at students in reality it will apply to anyone thinking about taking up the sport. Over the next few weeks many students will be starting Uni and will be looking at joining a club. In most cases the Kayak/Canoe club in a university will be the best club to join.
Since buying a couple of merino tops a few months back I am completely sold on the stuff. For years I had been using Helly Hanson Lifa or Sub Zero Factor 1 thermals. All of which developed that characteristic kayaking odor.
My current kayak thermal of choice is the Howies merino surf thermal. The merino is thin, the arms are nice and long and also include thumb loops. These are superb when your putting on your drycag or dry suit as they help prevent the sleeves rolling up. The neck is a turle neck so you get a bit of protection from latex dry cag seals. I managed to pick up two of these thermals before they stopped producing them, one of which was found new on ebay. They do come up now and again. The NBL or NBL Light are probably the closest match and are in the current range (I own a couple of these as well).
Sweet Protection kit is back on Sportpursuit. No helmets as yet but plenty of thermals.
The frosty mornings are definitely here and keeping warm whilst on the water is the key. Therefore I thought I’d do a quick run down of the kit I would typically wear to keep warm whilst on the river. The key to keeping warm is to use layers of clothing and to keep as dry as possible.
My winter paddling gear is as follows –
PFD, helmet, boots/shoes and spraydeck don’t real change through the seasons, although if it is really cold I might wear a Playboater Titanium Earwig
My dry kit does change, as I tend to move away from using Dry Tops/Shorts to full suits.
To keep me dry I like to wear a dry suit. I have owned the Palm Spark Surface Immersion Suit and Immersion Research Double D Drysuit in the past and now use a Sweet Protection Intergalactic Dry Suit. Continue reading
The Prodigy range of kit from Sweet Protection are designed for both on and off water use. I’ve been using one of the earlier one piece suits for a couple of seasons and it is doing really well.
The Prodigy products are warm and very comfortable garments made in a four-way stretch one-sided brushed fleece with excellent moisture wicking properties. Offering a snug fit achieved by strategically patterned panels joined together with flatlock seams.
Pure Land Expeditions
Northshore Watersports
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