in hatch TAKE OUT Bulkley River Long Johns & Toque
The stench of sweaty polypro is something we were prepared to live with in exchange for the conve- nience of wearing the same clothes every day. But now that we can buy merino wool underwear in- stead, it’s time to give B.O. the boot. Wool’s superior wicking and breathing eliminate the odour issues of synthetics. The midweight Bulkley River line from Take Out—a new company making merino clothing in northwestern B.C.—is a perfect base layer for your après-paddle wardrobe or for underneath a drysuit when it’s too hot to wear fleece. The toque is the ideal size to stow away in a pocket for a cool day. Wool costs more but lasts longer than synthetic, and what you lose in shekels you’ll make up in campfire karma. To avoid secondhand stink, just make sure that your tent partners buy some too.—TS Long Johns: $85 Cdn/US Toque: $20 Cdn/US
www.takeoutundies.ca
KOKATAT Bahia Tour PFD
The words “recreational kayaking” and “high-quality equipment” need not be mutually exclusive. To make a rec kayaking PFD, Kokatat used thin flotation and mesh venting to give the Bahia a lightweight and breathable back. Then it added the same quality and design features found on popular Kokatat life vests like the OutFIT and Orbit, right down to the D-ring sewn into each of the three roomy pockets. The result ranks with the best in fit and performance, with the added versa- tility of a cut that’s comfortable with the high-backed seats of rec kayaks and sit-on-tops.—TS $109 US
www.kokatat.com
EXPED Downmat 7
In Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale The Princess and the Pea, a prince says only a true princess would be able to feel a pea beneath 40 mattresses. For suitors today, Exped’s Down- mat 7 is a portable alternative. A waterproof stuff sack dou- bles as a pump to inflate the 700-fill down pad to a thickness of seven centimetres—about twice that of typical mattresses. Yet it weighs only 800 grams and rolls to the size of a loaf of bread. I tried the Downmat on my girlfriend, whose closet overflows with yellow foamies and self-inflating pads and who claims to have never had a good night’s sleep outside. My search contin- ues for a true princess.—Conor Mihell
$150 Cdn
www.exped.com
SEAL LINE Deluxe Bailing Sponge
When it comes to boat-bailing style, the two-buck yellow painter’s sponge from your local hardware store doesn’t cut it. SealLine’s deluxe sponge has the same classic peanut shape but with a trendy patterned fabric cover that sucks up water like, well, a sponge—and keeps your well-used cockpit cleaner-upper from disintegrating into little crumbs behind your seat.—Conor Mihell $17 Cdn • $14 US
www.seallinegear.com
BENDING BRANCHES Sun Shadow Crank
The Sun Shadow Crank is one-of-a-kind: an ergonomic bent-shaft paddle made of wood—impressive proof that Bending Branches is a lot more than just the company name. The Sun Shadow surprisingly stood out as our testers’ fave amid a haystack of pricier carbon paddles. Wood has a lot more natural flex than composite and rewards strong paddlers with a lively snap in the water. The Sun Shadow weighs just 1.2 kilos (2.6 pounds) and comes in four lengths and three blade shapes.—TS $259 Cdn
www.bendingbranches.com
42 | | ADVENTURE KAYAK fall 2006
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