G E A R B A G
WRSI
CURRENT
www.whitewaterhelmet.com $70 US Gil Turner founded the non- profit Whitewater Research and Safety Institute after losing his son, Lucas, to a whitewater head in- jury. His goal: to improve safety and save lives. Dur-
ing several years of development,
including consultation with scientists at Johns Hopkins University, Turner developed a means of simulating underwater hydraulics for study- ing cranial impacts. The WRSI Current com- bines a secure yet simple retention system with a vented plastic shell sporting a stylish over-the-ear cut and a short brim. The three- piece liner system includes 12 interchange- able fit pads. —C.M.
MOUNTAIN SURF DRYBACK
DRYDECK
www.mountainsurf.com $490 US
Drydecks are a minimalist’s
dream. The one-piece dry-top- and-skirt combos mean you have
one less piece of equipment to for- get, fewer bulky layers under your PFD and one less seam through which water can seep into your boat. The Dryback Drydeck ex- cels by virtue of Mountain Surf’s renowned Dur-O-Ring cockpit seal, the rubber rand at the bot-
tom of some of the driest skirts on any river. If you usually paddle in a dry top (or want to) and aren’t prone
to swimming, this waterproof-breath- able top and bomber deck will keep you nearly bone dry. —I.M.
H2O
H2O-2
www.h2opaddles.com $329 Cdn
Injection-moulding specialist Dyna- plas does a good business making plas- tic parts for the automotive industry. But CEO John Hevesi has more fun on rivers than roads so he teamed up with former Waterstick designer Steve Horvath to launch H2O Performance Paddles. Among their quiver of six whitewater models, the H2O-2 is for the generalist. It’s designed for river running and play, available in sizes three centimetres longer than the more freestyle-oriented Team model. The mid-size plastic blades have a snappy flex, aren’t prone to fluttering and are nearly unbreak- able, according to one committed tester (a claim backed up by H2O’s 18-month warranty). The ergonomically correct bent carbon shaft feels natural in the hands and the Santoprene (chemist-speak for “sticky”) grips come in two sizes and provide enough blade control and warmth to make it hard to let go. Available in four sizes from 188 to 197 centimetres, with 0-, 12-, 30- and 40-degree offsets, or with a straight fibreglass shaft. —I.M.
NORTHWATER
RESCUE KIT
www.northwater.com $83 Cdn, $67 US At less than 500 grams Northwater’s Rescue Kit is smaller than your first aid kit (you do carry a first aid kit, don’t you?). The one pulley, two prussiks, two carabiners and five-metre length of tubular webbing fit into a compact nylon bag you can strap
into your boat. The kit has what you need to set up an anchor on shore before running your throw bag line (you do carry a throw bag, don’t you?) out to the pinned boat onto which you’ve fixed the pulley and back to shore for a simple two-to-one mechanical advantage. Better yet, buy another $32 pulley to stuff in the bag and you’ll have everything you need for a Z-drag, a three-to-one system that will free the most stubbornly pinned boats. —I.M.
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