Paddling tips, tricks, news and gear reviews from an Unsponsored point of view
Pyranha related their Fusion kayak a number of years ago for those who wished to use a kayak for both whitewater and touring (hence the name). We shared the image of one these prior to launch and received a slap on the wrist.
They have now made the Fusion twice as fun by adding another seat.
A change of car has forced me to seek out a new set of roofbars. I wanted the best set of roof bars for my car without going silly on the cost. This time I have went for the Thule Wing bars (aka Aeroblades in the USA). I love cars that can have a set of roof bars bolted to them, either to fittings hidden within the roof or roof rails.
The new Unsponsored HQ paddle wagon/family transporter is a very sensible two litre 184bhp Skoda Octavia VRS estate. It has replaced the BMW 320d Touring shown in these images.
So am I still using these bars with the new car?
How about a super lightweight packable sea kayak? TRAK has launched a campain on Kickstarter to fund the TRAK 2.0 kayak.
The TRAK 2.0 is billed as the Ultimate Touring Kayak.
Until recently, I didn’t realise how much South Wales could offer in terms of open canoeing day trips. I’d heard of the classic Wye tours but did not realise just how much there is to paddle there: From meandering grade 1 to technical grade 3, something for everyone! I had the opportunity to spend some time down there and between walking and caving, I managed to borrow a subtle lime green canoe and sample some of many stretches of Welsh goodness.
We have a Whetman Equipment Sea Kayak contact line in for review from Whetman Equipment. The system is designed to safely tether two kayaks together for short line contact rescue.
We have a pair of 2016 Palm Zenith Pants here at Unsponsored HQ for review.The Zenith pants are designed to be combined with any dry or semi dry top to create a flexible system for year round use.
Although a two piece combination will find it hard to be beat a drysuit I have used a number of two piece systems in the past that have been super dry. The big advantage is that you can mix and match tops and bottoms to create a system that is best matched for the conditions you are going out in.
I will be matching these pants with the Palm Fuse jacket which we have been using here at HQ for almost a year.
Girls Go Round – Corsica. 3 Girls, 3 weeks and a whole heap of fun. Sea kayaking around the Meditereanean island of Corsica self supported.
I have been using VE paddles for some time now as I was able to very quickly order a set of customs left handed cranked full carbon paddles and have them delivered within in matter of days. Superb service. This was a lifesaver and I have found that the construction and durability is as good as the customer service.
I was intrigued when I saw that VE also make a range of Sea Kayaking/Touring paddles. I managed to get hold of a set of Vertical Element Explorer Aircore Pro paddles for review.
I grew up on the North East coast of England and spent a great deal of time paddling in the sea whether it be surfing or exploring the cliffs and rocky shore a matter of a few miles from my home. Although I really enjoy paddling in the sea if on a long trip in heavy swell I do get seasick and remember a number of trips when I was younger where I was hit hard by seasickness. I must confess that over the years the surfing has continued but the exploring the coast has dropped off.
However over the course of the summer I spent some time up on the West Coast of Scotland at the Unsponsored HQ summer retreat centre opposite Knoydart. This part of the world is a haven for both whitewater and sea kayaking, so it made sense to take advantage of the sheltered waters around Loch Hourn.
Here’s a run down of a few of the things that kayakers, canoeists and SUP paddlers may like as a pressie from Father Christmas. All could be useful and all are items that I either own or have tested.
I am assuming that other large bits of kit are already on the list!
Over the last few months we’ve had a fair bit of near gear at Unsponsored HQ lined up for testing. One of the hottest pieces of gear this summer has been the VE Explorer Aircore Pro Carbon Bladed paddles.
I had two sets of these paddles to test with different blade areas. These can be seen in the lower part of the image with a whitewater set at the top for comparison.
A change of car has forced me to seek out a new set of roofbars. I wanted the best set of roof bars for my car without going silly on the cost. This time I have went for the Thule Wing bars. These are known as the Thule Aeroblades in some parts of the word. I love cars that can have a set of roof bars bolted to them, either to fittings hidden within the roof or roof rails. The new Unsponsored HQ paddle wagon/family transporter is a very sensible two litre 184bhp BMW 320d Sport.
This is a great edit that has gone totally viral from Canadian based company Nova Craft. Since the supplies of Royalex have dried up canoe firms have been looking for a viable alternative. Nova Craft have developed a composite material called Tuffstuff which seems to be doing its job very nicely.
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