G E A R B A G
SEVEN2 AXIOM
www.seven2.com $295 Cdn, $250 U.S.
If the Silver Surfer ever decides to settle into a kayak, this is the paddle he’ll be holding. The Axiom’s rubber grips on a straight narrow shaft offer the wrist alignment of a bent shaft, with the strength and flex of a narrow straight shaft. On the ends, the central “air pocket” of the carbon fibre blades offer the buoyancy of foam core blades with the same durable edges as traditional laminates. The BIG blades offer lots of bite, but slow your stroke rate down. The bubbles make the blades feel very light in the water, but take some bite out of the backstroke. —Thom Lambert
CHACO Z/1
$115 Cdn, $90 U.S.
www.chacousa.com
Chaco sandals take their name from Colorado’s Chaco Canyon, where the oral history of a dozen first nation cultures dates back nearly 1,500 years. According to the first inhabitants, everything in the canyon should have a time to live and a time to go back to the earth. But Chaco’s Z/1 sandals won’t be going back to the earth anytime soon. They stay secure on your feet with a single piece of sturdy 2.5-centimetre webbing that runs through the sole and criss-crosses your feet. The Vibram tread is moderately sticky and can be re-soled. With quality comes heft: Z/1s weigh nearly as much as a pair of light trail shoes, though they are much better ventilated. —Conor Mihell
Drug Store PADDLING ACCESSORIES
TIRED OF BEING OVERCHARGED FOR ACCESSORIES? LOOK NO FURTHER THAN YOUR LOCAL DRUG STORE:
LIFE BRAND
NOSE PLUGS $4
Nose plugs probably cost the manufacturer 6.3 cents to make, yet they somehow end up costing you more than 15 bucks at the till. Why not try some synchronized swim- mer-style noseplugs? Yes, the strap is guaranteed to break on your first window-shade and their latex sheath is sure to disintegrate once they become mouldy in your paddling bag. But, for $3.99 plus tax, do you really have anything to lose? Plus, they’re “flesh- toned,” so other paddlers won’t even recognize that you’re wearing nose plugs. —Tom Robson
LIFE BRAND
PERSONAL LUBRICANT $8
Providing an explanation for the unsightly gasket-chaffe ringing your neck is always an awkward conversation with non-pad- dlers. Instead of subjecting yourself to wearing a turtleneck sweater to conceal your wounds, try this non-greasy, water- based lubricant. You get the same “slide” you’d expect from designer brand-name lubes, but for half the price. It won’t de- grade your latex gaskets, makes for great conversation at the put-in and might even come in handy after an arousing day on the river. —Tom Robson
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