While kayaking The French Broad river in Asheville, North Carolina we got the opportunity to test out Adventure Technology’s Quest Carbon lightweight full carbon construction kayak paddle. The Quest Carbon’s unique blade design accommodates both high-angle and low-angle paddling for varying conditions and paddling styles.
Aside from the canoe itself, your next biggest investment is probably in your paddles. Paddles are meant to be used and when used regularly and often they will get scratched, chipped, and potentially break. I’m OK with that so long as that occurs when on the water and not in storage or in transit. After purchasing my Bending Branches Expresso paddles (and before having them in my possession) I set out on a search to find a paddle bag worthy enough to protect these beautiful paddles. My criteria when searching for a paddle bag was as follows: accommodate two bent shaft canoe paddles measuring 54 inches. Surprisingly, there aren’t too many paddle bag options meeting that criteria.
Call it a crossover, a hybrid, or a do-all and you’d be correct. The Approach 10.0 kayak by Dagger is all the above. It features an adjustable skeg that drops down for tracking in high winds or rough waves. The Polyethylene hull features a large cockpit and adjustable padded thigh braces, seating system, and foot brace system. Located at the stern is a bulkhead to store gear in. This is a great little vessel for river running, lakes or mild moving rapids.
Yesterday, while traveling from Atlanta to Raleigh for business, I saw a sign along the highway for Easley, South Carolina. I recognized the city name for being home to the corporate office of Confluence Watersports. Not familiar with Confluence Watersports? I bet you are. Do you recognize these brands? Wilderness Systems, Perception, Dagger, and Wave Sport kayaks, Mad River Canoe, Adventure Technology paddles, Bomber Gear and Harmony accessories. That’s them.
Gearing up for a summer filled with outdoor fun, this year I decided to add a canoe to my assets. The search led me to an used 1991 16′ Mohawk Blazer canoe that I found from a local seller on Craigslist. The seller confessed to me that he had barely used the canoe…purchased it thinking it’d bring fun to the family, but neither his wife or kids showed any interest. He was the original owner and had always stored it inside. The boat is pretty much flawless, a steal for what I paid! Next, I turned my focus to upgrading paddles and after much research (more on this in a later article), I purchased the Bending Branches Espresso Plus 14 canoe paddle.
This is a nifty case! The Pelican i1015 Micro Case is a must have if you plan to be operating your iPhone or iPod near source of water. This is excellent for rugged sports, but keep in mind it is not waterproof, but rather water resistant, so it is not recommended for swimming or submerging. However, worth noting, we missed the fine print and submerged the case containing an iPhone 4 without any problems…this is NOT recommended though, but should give you an idea of how well the case is constructed.
