It’s a jungle out there. For paddlers looking to add to their pile of boats, gear and accessories or newbies looking to get in on the sport, the number and diversity of boats, PFDs, gear, clothes and accessories can be overwhelming. To cut a path through the dense foliage of paddling gear, Rapid Media is unleashing a new online paddling buyer’s guide that will provide images, information, reviews and tutorials of the hottest boats and gear.
Go to the all new online buyer’s guide here.
“We want to be the world’s best source for paddling boats, gear and accessories,” explains publisher Scott MacGregor. The buyer’s guide currently has over 1,000 listings in 11 categories and is growing every day to provide a powerful consumer tool for paddlers.
The online buyers guide is an extension of the annual print Paddling Buyer’s Guide, that will reach expand to 280 pages of boats, gear and accessories this year. The new site complements Rapid Media’s print paddling publications and websites. “Gear and boats will become an ever more important part of what the company does,” MacGregor explains.
Once on the site, a prospective buyer can search for boats in a specific category, filter searches to specific qualities and find out vital specs on the top boats and gear. Another feature will allow buyers to virtually compare one boat against another to find the perfect ride. Clothes, accessories, PFDs, paddles and more will also be available for comparison and investigation. MacGregor says, “This will be the most comprehensive source of information on paddling gear and boats anywhere.”
Each product will be cross-referenced for reviews and videos with Rapid Media’s four magazine sites. So, the viewer can click a button and find past reviews on the products and boats that appeared in Rapid, Adventure Kayak, Kayak Angler and Canoeroots magazines or on Rapid Media’s four corresponding web sites. There will also be a location for user reviews.
Once a visitor finds what he’s looking for, he can click on a link to one of Rapid’s affiliate merchants and go directly to the web page where the product is sold. The online buyer’s guide will be mobile friendly, so paddlers can window shop anywhere. “It’s going to be pretty damn cool,” MacGregor promises.
