G E A R B a G
Five For FlyinG
SUMMER SPECIAL: freestYle Gear GuiDe
By Virginia Marshall
predator
lee 8
Predatorhelmets.com
$100 us
When Predator introduced
the Lee three years ago,
its simple baseball cap
styling, rock-solid ther-
aStral BuoyanCy
moplastic shell and af-
fordable price tag made it
bella
a popular choice for fashionable but frugal freestylers.
astralbuoyancy.com
The Lee 8 keeps the same look and adds some volume
$157 us
and coverage for M to XL head sizes. The integrated vi-
When women (and men) talk
sor gets revamped as well, cut back from 2.5” to 1.5” to
about the new Bella PFD they
retain sun and eye protection while increasing field of
invariably refer to it as, “the
view. One size with fit pads and removable ear covers
one with the built-in bra.”
included, available in yellow, red and black.
That’s how it first came to my
attention and I was eager to
set the record straight: Could girls in fact wear the Bella skin-to-
wind like the boys on those hot days at the local play spot? Well,
with a word of caution to my A-cup sisters—who may find the
generously sized sports bra a little revealing—yes, ladies of all
sizes, we can burn our rash guards. The Bella has brought wom-
en’s rights to the river. Oh yeah, Astral hasn’t forgotten the guys (if
you consider the above an oversight)—a similarly styled freestyle
PFD called the Willis is available for men… minus the bra.
peakuk
combi shorty
Peakukus.com
$185 us
The Combi Shorty is the embodiment of one of those great ideas that
strike halfway between the play spot and the take-out then evaporate
after the second tailgate brew: “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if…” Well, Peak-
UK managed to grasp that fleeting thought and hold onto it all the way
through production. The result is a one-of-a-kind shorty drytop with ti-
tanium neoprene sleeves that slide on or off in a hurry and store in the
chest pocket. Thermoregulation has never been so easy.
mitChell paddleS
immerSion reSearCh
remedy wood bent shaFt
shockwave
Mitchellpaddles.com
immersionresearch.com
$535 us
$105 us
If you like gear that is functional, durable and
The Shockwave sprayskirt com-
beautiful, then the Remedy Wood is your paddle.
bines the best of both worlds for
Mitchell’s bent, laminate ash shaft is a whitewa-
freestyle paddlers: a svelte, 3.5-
ter first, with the warmth and flexibility that only
millimetre tunnel and deck with a
wood can provide. Add to this the custom grip
dry, easy on and off bungee seal.
positioning and narrow grip width and you have
An adjustable deck exit strap
one of the most comfortable paddles on the mar-
gives beginner playboaters more
ket. Carbon fibre foam core blades are buoyant
ejection options if things get ugly.
with an ultra-clean catch and recovery perfect for
For big wave players, IR recently
playboating or river running. At over 500 bucks
added a super-sticky silicone
it’s not a cheap Remedy, but sometimes beauty
coating on the inside of the deck
and purpose are the best tonic. Weight: 38 oz.
to resist implosions.
2 Rapid summer/fall 2009
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