“Basically, the only way to get into the rivers we’re going to be paddling is via float plane. And these are not just any lakes people have landed at—when you look at a map and talk to pilots, no one has ever been there before.” —Todd Wells in Frontier of Firsts Photo: Frontier of Firsts
The characters For Cooper Lambla, an expedition kayaker who works at Charlotte, North Carolina’s U.S. National Whitewater Center and moonlights as a filmmaker, this image captures what Frontier of Firsts was all about.
Lambla’s 2018 film was shot deep in the Alaska hinterlands on a mission to accomplish three first descents of unknown rivers with fellow boater and videographer Tyler Allyn, and class V pros including Chris Korbulic and Todd Wells, Erik Parker and Jeff Shelton.
The plot of Frontier of Firsts
The plot was in part conceived—and entirely made possible—by two equally skilled bush pilots, Jay Mahan and Ben Mastre, and their small but mighty Super Cub and Piper PA-20 floatplanes.
“It was late August and we got dropped off at the source of the first river of the trip [an unnamed creek flowing into Lake Clark],” recalls Lambla. “We had packed 10 days worth of food, gear and supplies into the floats of the two planes and landed at this unnamed lake deep in the Chigmit Mountains. The last two planeloads of our team, kayaks and gear had flown up the river in unison, Blue Angel-style. As we came in for the landing, Jay starting hooting and hollering into his headset. By the time the floats touched the water, all three of us crammed in the Super Cub were screaming in pure joy. It was the perfect beginning to an extraordinary trip.”
Lambla says the project was the brainchild of Wells, a pioneer in Alaskan whitewater, and Mahan, who flies small planes to support his career as a fishing guide.
“They crossed paths and started talking about different zones of unexplored rivers only accessible by floatplane,” says Lambla.
The kayaking film story
Eventually, they narrowed their sights on three: This tributary of Lake Clark, a link between the Lower Tazimina and Newhalen rivers, and an unnamed tributary of the Tuxedni River. All told, the expedition spanned 17 days in the backcountry of south-central Alaska.
The filmmaker is quick to acknowledge that using floatplanes was kind of like cheating. “Reality sets in when the planes leave and it becomes quiet,” Lambla notes. “But the luxury of flying in almost creates a false sense of security when compared to trips where you have to work physically to make your approach.”
“That said, you use a completely different mindset when you’re in such a remote location,” adds Lambla. “Decision making becomes much more conservative, and you have a heightened awareness of your surroundings.
That awareness was felt and respected by everyone on the trip.
This trip required us to work with the pilots and become a complete team
The crux of it all is balancing the drive to experience somewhere completely new with the responsibility to think critically about the consequences of your actions in such a remote setting.”
Actively participating in the film as boaters forced Lambla and Allyn to combine a creative vision with “staying present in each moment” and performing at the highest level. In the end, Lambla says the trip dynamics “were nearly flawless.”
The conclusion
A big takeaway from the project for Lambla were the similarities between whitewater boating and piloting a floatplane.
“This trip required us to work with the pilots and become a complete team,” he says. “The more we worked with them, the more parallels between paddling and flying emerged. We then decided to focus the storyline of the film on these parallels, and that changed the documentation of the trip.”
“Basically, the only way to get into the rivers we’re going to be paddling is via float plane. And these are not just any lakes people have landed at—when you look at a map and talk to pilots, no one has ever been there before.” —Todd Wells in Frontier of Firsts Photo: Frontier of Firsts
Trout. It’s what is for dinner.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Betcha Didn’t Know This About Trout
1. Trout fishing dates back to at least 200 A.D., when Roman author Claudius Aelianus wrote about fishermen using flies of red wool and feathers to catch trout on the Astræus River in Macedonia.
2. Trout are carnivores and spend up to 80 percent of the day searching for food. Trout usually feed on smaller fish eggs, crustaceans, insects and insect larvae. However, large trout can eat large prey—there are recorded cases of giant mouse-eating trout in Alaska and New Zealand.
3. Sean Konrad caught the largest rainbow trout on record in Lake Diefenbaker in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, on September 5, 2009. It weighed 48 pounds.
4. As trout grow, new tissue forms around the edges of their scales, and the rings on the scales can be read just like the rings on a tree trunk to determine age. Like chameleons, trout can change their color to blend in with the background, making them harder to spot in darker streams.
5. Trout tickling refers to rubbing the underbelly of a trout. Done right, the trout will go into a trance and can be thrown onto land. The so-called art form is mentioned in Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night, where it is a metaphor for bamboozlement.
6. A group of trout is called a hover. The act of bludgeoning someone with a single trout is called a trout slap. It’s seen famously in “The Fish-Slapping Dance” skit by Monty Python.
7. The proverb, “you must lose a fly to catch a trout,” refers to needing to sacrifice something to get what you want. It implies what you sacrifice is minor compared to what you receive in return.
8. Trout Fishing in America was published in 1967 by Richard Brautigan. The abstract novel lacks a central plotline, but achieved a cult following, going on to inspire a band by the same name and two people to try and change their names to Trout Fishing in America. Apollo 17 astronaut Jack Schmitt named a crater explored in the Taurus-Littrow valley on the moon Shorty, an homage to a character in the book.
Trout. It’s what is for dinner. Feature Photo: istockphoto.com
Spending weeks or months paddling free as a bird through the wilderness is every canoeist’s dream. Alas, the enormity of the task often leaves people stalled at the dream stage instead of making the trip a reality. Fear not, it’s easier than you think. Use these tips to paddle away on your bucket-list expedition.
1 Got vision?
First, you need a vision for your trip. The almost limitless interconnected waterways of North America provide opportunities for a lifetime of journeys. What areas are you curious about—the far North or the deep South? What kind of wildlife do you want to see?
How about following a heritage fur trade route or canoeing in the wake of a historical figure? Or, go off the beaten path and explore the unexplored. Where would you like to spend weeks with a paddle in hand? The only limitation is your imagination.
2
Keep it simple, stupid
The key to planning any large trip is simplicity. I like to think of an expedition like a weekend trip but with more food. The gear is the same for a three-month epic as it is for a Boundary Waters overnighter. Once you have a boat, tent, and food, you can paddle forever.
3
Shop local
Postal rates have gone up exponentially, making it prohibitively expensive to ship food ahead to remote communities. Now I shop in local grocery stores along the way and plan my route accordingly.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: Shop for all your paddling needs here ]
I can’t carry a season’s worth of food, but can easily manage to carry enough for weeks at a time. Even with sky-high prices at remote outpost stores, it’s vastly cheaper and more convenient than buying, prepping and shipping.
Daydream believer. | Photo: Frank Wolf
4
Make time
Balancing work, bills, family and other adult responsibilities is a juggling act, but everyone who is committed has the ability to do at least one big, epic journey.
Bank your time off, take a sabbatical or an unpaid leave—heck, even quit your job and get a new one when you return. Twenty years from now you’ll still be talking about your epic journey, not those few months of playing desk jockey.
5
Money matters
I save money when I’m in the woods for a month or two. There’s nothing to spend money on out there. To keep costs low, avoid bush planes and remote drops. Spectacular point-to-point wilderness journeys can be linked between towns serviced by regular air.
Buy a canoe at one end and sell it at the other, or use a folding canoe or kayak and check it as luggage. Or, drive to the end of the road, zip off for a month and return to the same spot without repeating a single stretch of water. Even today, $3,000 is plenty to cover two people on a summer-long epic, including flights. That’s cheaper than a month’s rent in San Francisco.
6
Sponsorship
It’s certainly one way to help with the costs of an extended trip, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If you opt to chase sponsorship—often granted in the form of complimentary gear—you have to reward a company’s investment. Quantifiable promotion in the form of writing, photography, film and social media can be a job in and of itself.
7
Be tenacious
Once you’ve decided on your mission, stick to your goal. Ignore doubts—your own and those of others. Once you’re sitting in your boat at the put-in to an epic journey, your worries will fade away. The daunting task quickly boils down to the joy of paddling and moving through a wilderness dream that you’ve made a reality.
Frank Wolf is a filmmaker, adventurer, and environmentalist. He takes off on a multi-month expedition each summer, and he’s known for swimming naked and being part of the first duo to canoe across Canada in a single season.
Nouria Newman says that she has always been drawn to Patagonia because of how far away it is from everything else. She teams up with Erik Boomer and Ben Stookesberry to take on the Patagonia Triple Crown.
The Patagonia Triple Crown consists of three major rivers in Patagonia that include the Rio Baker, Rio Pascua and Rio Bravo. These are all very large, high volume rivers that will require careful navigation.
The greatest thing about exploration kayaking is that sometimes you don’t find the good kayaking but it is still a beautiful adventure – Nouria Newman
These world-class kayakers show the fear and nerves that come with paddling new remote rivers. After their careful scouting and flawless execution, you can see the excitement in their accomplishment.
Erica Scarff of Toronto, Ontario, is a member of Team Canada. | Photo: CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE
There’s an elite new paddling sport gathering global steam. Paracanoeing emerged as a demonstration sport—then called “paddleability”—at the International Canoeing Federation Canoe (ICF) Sprint World Championships in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia back in 2009.
With the name changed to paracanoe, the event gained official ICF status in 2010 and made its Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. With the next Paracanoe World Championships set for August 21 to 24 in Szeged, Hungary, and the Paralympic Paracanoe Test Event happening in Tokyo in September of this year, things are lining up for an exhilarating contest at the games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo next year.
There are two types of craft involved in paracanoe, a conventional racing kayak that is up to 17 feet long, 19.5 inches wide and at least 26 pounds in weight, paddled with a double-bladed paddle, and a second boat called a va’a, which is a more stable outrigger configuration paddled with a single blade. In both of these vessel types, there are three categories of athletes, who accrue classification points based on their ability to use arms, torso and legs to propel forward motion. These points are assessed based on medical ability reports as well as on-water evaluation by sports officials.
The races in all three categories put single paddlers against each other and the clock, racing a 200-meter (656-foot) flatwater course. At the moment, at least at the highest levels of competition, only K-boats are included in the racing schedule. As with all sports, improved equipment and more effective training have been dropping the winning times with every championship. In Brazil, the KL1 men’s winning times were in the 52-second range, with the women close behind in the 58-second range for gold. KL2 typically knocks off about 10 seconds from the KL1 times and KL3 mens times have broken the 40-second barrier with Ukraine’s Serhii Yemelianov winning gold in Rio with 200-meter time of 39.810 seconds, just six seconds off the K1-200 world record.
As a pre-Olympic year, 2019 has a succession of events to establish the field of men and women who will be on the starting line in Tokyo in 2020. This began with the Paracanoe European Championship and the ICF World Cup in Poznan, Poland in May and continues with the Pan American Paracanoe Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil in July. Then it’s to the 2019 Worlds in Szeged, Hungary in August and the Paralympic Paracanoe Test Event happening in Tokyo in September of this year, leading to the games of the XXXII Olympiad in Japan next year. With representation from more than 50 countries and counting from Angola, Armenia, Argentina, Australia and Austria through the alphabet to Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan and Venezuela, paracanoe is clearly a fan favorite and growing quickly in popularity for participants and spectators.
Although the Paralympics tend to play second fiddle to the main Olympic games both in terms of coverage and international exposure, paracanoeing may be changing this with its meteoric rise from demonstration sport to full-on competitive sporting marketplace in only a decade. The level of competition is high, the quality of the athlaetic performances is unparalleled, and how athletes of differing abilities and capabilities are brought under one sporting umbrella is impressive and inspiring (track and field might do well to have a look at para’s classification points system).
Paracanoeing likely won’t be on the main networks as much as it could or should be, but online coverage and event streaming are alive and well on the Internet and well worth any interested paddler checking them out and getting involved in rooting for the home team, whatever, whoever that might be.
James Raffan is an explorer, author, and former executive director of the Canadian Canoe Museum. Follow the action this summer at www.canoeicf.com.
Erica Scarff of Toronto, Ontario, is a member of Team Canada. Photo: CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE
Cannabis + Campouts + ??? = Profit! As Canadians smoke, eat and otherwise consume $4 billion in cannabis products in 2019, marijuana tourism of all kinds is predicted to drift into a campground near you.
Photo: Colin Field
Picture this. A luxury guided trip. Ultralight canoes. Six-inch-thick air mattresses. Pan-seared steaks prepared over the fire at night. Chocolate fondue drizzled over fresh fruit for dessert. A friendly guide offering you the choice between a pinot noir and a cabernet sauvignon. All set under the backdrop of hanging boughs in a remote, spruce forest. Sounds a bit like paradise.
Now can you imagine the same scene, but instead of offering wine, your friendly guide offers up some cannabis?
That’s exactly what some new start-ups are proposing to do this summer. Thanks to legalization in October of 2018, Canada’s cannabis business is booming. Canadians are slated to spend $4.3 billion on cannabis sales in 2019, according to Deloitte, and that’s said to be just the tip of the iceberg. With experiential tourism continuing to be the hottest niche in travel, experts are predicting cannabis tourism to be Canada’s next high.
Cannabis + Campouts + ??? = Profit! As Canadians smoke, eat and otherwise consume $4 billion in cannabis products in 2019, marijuana tourism of all kinds is predicted to drift into a campground near you. | Photo: Colin Field
South of the border, in states where weed is legal, tourists can seek out thriving bud and breakfasts, puff-and-paint classes, blaze-and-gaze art tours, weed-infused yoga classes, cannabis-friendly wellness spas and blossoming coffee shop scenes. Think of every activity tour operators have ever paired with wine or beer tastings—cycling, gourmet food, walking tours, and more—and imagine it with marijuana.
As Canada’s first summer with legal cannabis approaches, a handful of entrepreneurs are taking reefer madness to new heights, pairing cannabis’ new legal status with the most classic of Canadian pastimes—camping and canoeing.
New Green Economy
“Canoeing is quintessentially Canadian, and there is going to be an increase in tourism for cannabis—we’re trying to be ahead of the game,” says Jeremy Blair, owner of Ontario Cannabis Tour (OCT) (ontariocannabistour.ca). The company specializes in fully-guided, cannabis-infused backcountry canoe trips in Algonquin Provincial Park and on the class I to III Madawaska River. It starts running trips this summer.
OCT is a BYOB operation—bring your own bud. “Due to the regulations, we can’t purchase cannabis for clients, but we can make recommendations on strains based on desired effects,” says Blair.
Once clients arrive, OCT runs like any other full-service guided trip. Trips start at $550 for a long weekend, and include equipment, transport, food—some of it cannabis-infused—as well as three guides who are experienced with cannabis. Of those three guides, one acts as a cannabis guide—like a sommelier but with more plaid and marijuana—while the others remain sober for risk management purposes.
Blair anticipates a majority of this summer’s clients to arrive internationally, but he’s also getting interest locally from seniors attracted by the pain relief potential of cannabis, in addition to the full-service guiding.
[ View the largest selection of trips in the Paddling Trip Guide ]
“There’s a consumer out there looking for a more in-depth experience with cannabis and a lot of people who are curious first-time users. Either way, this is a safe space to explore,” he says. Blair is quick to agree with comparisons to alcohol—is what OCT offers different than luxury guided tours providing their clients with a glass of wine or a beer after a day of paddling? Is it much different than guided canoe trips touring the distilleries of Scotland by paddle?
“Of course, we’ve also seen what alcohol can do. You can enjoy yourself with a couple of beers, or you can be the drunken fools. We’re providing an opportunity to experience cannabis responsibly,” he says.
We view cannabis as an addition to the camp routine only
On any Canadian canoe trip, guided or not, cannabis can only be consumed off the water and canoeists cannot be on the water intoxicated. Toking up in a canoe could result in a $1,000 to $5,000 fine. A landmark decision last fall declared canoes subject to the Criminal Code of Canada’s impaired driving laws. The first case in Canadian history where a paddler has been charged with impaired operation of a vessel causing death is currently before courts.
“We view cannabis as an addition to the camp routine only,” says Blair, stressing that consumption only happens after the paddling day is done.
Spliffs And S’mores
Under Canada’s new laws, adults can carry 30 grams of cannabis—almost enough loose buds to fill a one-liter Nalgene—on domestic flights, in cars and, yes, in canoes, so long as the cannabis is stored and sealed. However, where it can be consumed varies by province, with some provinces treating it like alcohol and others treating it more like cigarettes.
Last fall, Parks Canada announced it would allow cannabis use at its campsites. “While Parks Canada campgrounds are public areas, the agency treats individual campsites as temporary domiciles for our visitors. For this reason, at Parks Canada campgrounds, consumption of cannabis will be permitted in campsites,” spokesperson Marie-Hélène Brisson wrote in an email to the CBC, likening its rules to those around alcohol.
However, she cautioned: “It is important to maintain environmental awareness and a clear mind when performing activities in Parks Canada’s places to help prevent accidents, incidents or injury.”
The warning is an understatement to some. Not everyone is stoked on the idea of legal cannabis entering the outdoor recreation sphere. In an article titled “Why it’s a Bad Idea to Get High in the Mountains,” posted last summer on British Columbia’s North Shore Rescue (NSR) blog, first responder Curtis Jones writes, “There is no safe way to experiment with drugs in the mountains… The combination of mind-altering drugs and being in the wilderness is a terrible and dangerous idea.”
The mountains are not the place to lose yourself in a drug-induced stupor
In response to impending legalization and the burgeoning canna-tourism scene, he wrote that SAR teams have enough trouble with unprepared hikers flocking to the mountains and regularly respond to calls for those who are well prepared, do everything right, are completely sober, and still get into trouble. “Being in the mountains is worthwhile, but it comes with significant risks, which can be reduced through fitness—including being clear-headed—and preparation,” he says. “When you’re high in the mountains—and I don’t mean elevation—you shift your position on the continuum between prepared hiker and candidate for rescue significantly towards the latter position.”
Jones goes on to cite recent intoxication-related incidents North Shore Rescue responded to, including a snowshoer who consumed edible marijuana, had a seizure and required intubation and ventilation; a hiker who consumed mushrooms and marijuana, and fell 60 meters into a ravine sustaining a serious head injury; and two young people who left a bar on Burnaby Mountain drunk, took a shortcut down the mountain and fell to their deaths.
“The mountains are not the place to lose yourself in a drug-induced stupor, nor are they a place to experiment and learn your tolerance. The reality we face is the wilderness is unforgiving, and it can take a long time for rescue crews to reach you, even if you are only a couple of kilometers up the trail,” Jones writes. “This is our plea to everyone to be responsible in the mountains, and leave the weed at home.”
There are high-profile stories confirming these fears—a highly publicized case in 2017 of four men getting stoned on Scafell Pike, England’s tallest peak at 3,100 feet, and rallying a mountain rescue with air support and ambulance to get them off the summit comes to mind. However, statistics on the effect legal cannabis has had on search and rescue operations are hard to find. So Paddling Magazine contacted four search and rescue organizations in the outdoor recreation mecca of Colorado, the first state to legalize cannabis five years ago. Colorado now hosts millions of cannabis tourists on weedcations every year and credits a quarter of its tourism to legal cannabis.
“We have not noticed any uptick in search and rescue mission counts or incident type trending that can be related to recreational marijuana use,” says Patrick Caulfield, commander of Fremont Search and Rescue, located a few hours south of the mile-high city, Denver. He adds drug-related SAR activities in Fremont are rare.
“The biggest challenges currently for the SAR community are the increasing number of people getting out there, social media-based versus experience-based expectations of a backcountry adventure, and inadvertent non-emergency activation of personal locator beacons,” he says. “All result in an increasing number of missions for our non-paid professional SAR teams here in Colorado.”
Cannabis And Canoe Culture
Recreational marijuana use is currently legal in Colorado, Alaska, Washington, California, Nevada, Oregon, Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts. Another 22 states are pursuing some form of cannabis decriminalization or legalization. And while the cannabis tourism industry flourishes in some states, outdoor recreation within it remains a small niche.
“A lot of cannabis tourism in the U.S. focuses on immersing cannabis in party-style tours. I see an opportunity in Canada to get away from that, and more into education and sightseeing opportunities,” says Tristan Slade, owner of Vancouver-based High Definition Tours (highdefinitiontours.com) and a founding member of the National Association of Cannabis Tourism (NACT). “The goal is to combine Canadian culture and cannabis culture in a fun and legal environment.”
Many cannabis strains are complementary to physical activity
Matt Cronin, founder of Canada High Tours (www.canadahightours.com), provider of more than two dozen cannabis-infused experiences, expects growth to be slow but steady. “Alberta is ahead of the curve in terms of instant access to legal dispensaries. Coupled with their amazing parks and lakes, we believe Alberta will be the go-to province for combining all that’s great about Canadian and cannabis culture, especially when we look at outdoor activities—kayaking, hiking and camping.”
Slade is quick to note the risk factors many outdoor recreation activities present aren’t compatible with any level of intoxication and indicates cannabis should be consumed back at camp or after activity has concluded.
But not everyone agrees. “Many cannabis strains are complementary to physical activity,” Cronin insists. “And equally, just like you may have a beer or two after a long hike or a two-hour paddle, you may well want to sit back, relax and have a nice mellow joint or two instead.”
Cronin’s clients are diverse—from 20 to 60 years old, and from Canada, the U.S. and Europe. In addition to the Maligne Lake Paddle and Puff Experience (two hours, $95) which takes place in Jasper National Park, Canada High Tours offers a Stoned Stampede Experience—which is a visit to the Calgary Stampede—and a Moose and Mashed Experience—a wildlife viewing opportunity—plus more typical fare appealing to the average canna-curious tourist. It’s this type of tour—low commitment, half-day trips with less risk and investment than a backcountry-style tour—that have gained a foothold in the U.S.
NACT’s Slade is quick to note stigma is a barrier for the emerging market, both in terms of attracting new customers, but also in reticence from owners of already established tourism operations to experiment.
Black Feather, a Canadian guiding company with 30 years of experience leading remote paddling trips all over Canada, has no plans to welcome cannabis on trips, according to lead guide Steve Ruskay.
“The spirit of our policy remains the same,” he says. “No one—guide or guest—shall consume any substance that causes impairment before or during any wilderness activity. On certain trips in high-risk environments, no consumption is permitted at all.”
Ruskay adds there’s not enough evidence to determine to what extent, and for what duration, impairment from cannabis will cause, and therefore guides are not to permitted to consume cannabis while in the field. Alcohol consumption for guides is also limited to certain trips, small amounts, and after all activity has concluded. Similarly, Paddle Canada’s policy extends to any inhibitors of judgement, “so even though it was written pre-cannabis legalization, we didn’t feel a need to update it,” says executive director Graham Ketcheson. Paddle Canada members may not consume alcohol, cannabis or other drugs on the water, and there must be eight hours between consumption and paddling. “This is a safety policy for Paddle Canada instructors and for participants taking training, to make sure all are coherent and able of mind and body,” adds Ketcheson.
The risks can’t be ignored, but nor can the fact Canada’s cannabis-tourism industry is about to spark. Mixing weed and wilderness legally has only just begun and integrating cannabis into Canadian experiences—whether city tours, tastings, wellness experiences or backcountry campfires—is already in full swing. It’s something the entire outdoor community will have to reckon with. Regardless of the controversy, pot-loving adventurers, tourists and entrepreneurs will be enjoying Canada’s green rush and blazing new trails this summer, legally for the first time.
Kaydi Pyette is the editor of Paddling Magazine. Of the more than 40 slang names for cannabis she came across while writing this article, her favorite was the wacky asparagus.
Cannabis + Campouts + ??? = Profit! As Canadians smoke, eat and otherwise consume $4 billion in cannabis products in 2019, marijuana tourism of all kinds is predicted to drift into a campground near you. Feature Photo: Colin Field
Discover some of the year’s best throw and tow bags from Kokatat, Level Six and Salus Marine. Throwbags are some of the most important safety items for whitewater paddlers. Here’s Paddling Magazine’s top five favorite throw and tow bags for 2020.
For paddlers who place a premium on being prepared, this compact throw bag comes with 50 feet of quarter-inch floating polyethylene core rope (max strength 1,465 pounds). It has a fully adjustable quick-release nylon belt and can be worn on the waist or lap. Easy to stuff after each use, the bag fits flat against the body, has a quick-drying mesh top, foam side panels for flotation and reflective piping.
The Quick Throw Pro features 65 feet of 3/8” static dyneema rope with a new glow in the dark sheath. Its new easy re-stuff system means you can pack the bag faster and easier than ever before. High-visibility reflective piping and screens, mesh drainage panels, a 600-denier durable nylon bag and belt loops to pair with a new quick-release throw bag belt creating the ultimate rescue system available.
[ See more products from Level Six]
Amigo Throw Bag from Salus Marine
Price: $49
salusmarine.com
This handy and compact side-worn throw bag clips easily to a belt pack inflatable. Comes equipped with 50 feet of paracord, a light and whistle. This throw bag provides all of the legal requirements for SUP and other small craft. Available in lime, red and pink colour.
[ See more products from Salus Marine]
Sea Throw n’ Tow from Salus Marine
Price: $89
salusmarine.com
Ideal for sea kayaking, the Sea Throw n’ Tow has the ability to set up multiple tow lengths and contains 15 meters of polypropylene line with a spectra core for reduced resistance while dragging through the water in a tow scenario. A large high-visibility bib allows for easy throwing in a rescue scenario or to other sea kayakers. Bungee cord is removable to absorb wave shock.
Ideal for kayak touring, the Salus Ungava is a unisex-style vest with all of Salus’ trademark features, including soft foam, round edges and contour fit. Additional features, including hand-warmer pockets, the ability to attach a quick-release belt, zippered security pocket, mesh drop-down pocket for quick access, five lash points and added reflective trim, make the Ungava a welcome companion on any water adventure.
The new Demo Rack is an original innovation from Sparehand. Aimed at retailers, the Demo Rack is ideal for showcasing pedal drive kayaks, allowing customers to test out a kayak’s configuration and pedal to their heart’s content without having to hit the water.
“The Demo Racks elevates the kayak to clear the drive system, and allows for easy paddler on and off,” says Spearhand rep Mike Tsou. Sparehand president Dennis Wang was on hand to show how easy and stable it is to get on and off a kayak when resting on the demo unit.
[See more transport, storage and launching.]
Made of high tensile steel, the Demo Rack comes in two sizes. The shorter option lifts the kayak 14 inches off the ground while the taller unit lifts the kayak 17 inches off the ground. The Demo Rack is rated for 410 pounds.
The Demo Rack can also be used for showcasing canoes. It’s also a perfect storage rack for home use as well.
The Demo Rack’s curved features and safety straps help center and stabilize larger boats.
“This portable rack improves the retailer experience by allowing customers to test boats in-store,” summarizes Tsou. MSRP is $299–$369.
Anyone who spends much time around the water has lost a cell phone, keys, wallet or all three into the drink. To prevent further loss, Ugo Dry Packs are the toughest personal carriers on the water.
Starting with a high-quality, dry-suit zipper that’s approved for hazmat suits, Ugo seals out all water and seals in air. Not only is the Ugo air-tight, but it floats, too. The clear window allows paddlers to see and use their phone. Use the phone to film photos and video underwater. It even plays music with minimal sound dampening. The Ugo keeps electronics from overheating or freezing and it doesn’t collect condensation.
The case comes with a padded strap and D-rings to attach to a belt. After thousands of units sold, Ugo says they’ve never had a failure. In addition to holding electronics, the Ugo also has room for keys, wallet and other smalls. The dry pack comes in sizes for a cell phone, tablet or small computer. They’re working with Line Cutterz to develop a model for anglers.
To keep your electronics safe, rely on Ugo Dry Packs on the water and off.
Standup paddleboards are a great grab-and-go option for water babies, but longer, wider and heavier boards still need some help getting to the launch.
Suspenz developed the Double Up SUP Beach Cart and EZ Fold SUP Portable Stands are a two-step solution to handling a big, heavy SUP. After removing the SUP from the roof racks or truck bed, set it horizontally on the portable stands to install a box fin or stick the board in the V-cradle keep the board from being damaged on the ground.
The EZ Fold stands work great for storage at home, too. Once the board is assembled and waxed up, set it in the Double-Up SUP Beach Cart with a padded cradle for two full-size SUPs. The balloon tires will traverse any terrain, moving two SUPs with two fingers on the padded handle. To maintain air pressure in the low-pressure tires, Suspenz includes a special air pump. Using the SUP Beach Cart and EZ Fold stand makes it easy to grab your SUP and go.
