INthehatch the core gear issue 3 2
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Benchmade Model 160 Tether Knife Not all sea kayakers paddle with a knife strapped to their PFD. And some I suspect wonder why the hell anyone needs to carry what looks like an urban assault weapon. Besides garnering instant respect from strangers, carrying a knife while paddling makes sense. The general rule of thumb has always been, “if you carry a rope, carry a knife.” The last time I checked, all patrolling authorities expected kayak- ers to carry at least 50 feet of rope. The rope is on board to tow a boat or throw to a swimmer in the water. A knife is the easiest way to detach from a rope under tension if it tangles or otherwise endangers you or the person at the other end. All too often, knives get left at home because they are just too bulky to have clipped to a PFD. Not the Benchmade Model 160. Thinner than a piece of Melba toast and shorter than my hand, the low-profile 160 straps or clips (with optional clip accessory) to a PFD, out of the way and ready for battle. A grippy coating covers the ergonomic handle. The blade snaps firmly into the plastic sheath and can be drawn with one hand. Benchmade includes a clever breakaway lanyard which you could rig as a backup to keep the knife in place on your PFD, but we didn’t find we need- ed it.
The combination serrated/smooth blade cuts rope like thread. Be sure to use your knife only for rescue situations so it is always sharp. You can get the knife sharpened at the factory again and again with Benchmade’s Lifesharp Service. $97.25 Cdn; $70 US.
www.benchmade.com.
42 Summer 2003
Snap Dragon Ocean Tour EXP with Knee-Off
After seven years and thousands of kilometres with a sun-faded, stretched-out, patched and leaky spray deck, I was embarrassed to show up at pad- dling festivals. “Where did you get that,” folks would ask. They thought it must be a hand-me- down with sentimental value. Nope. I sold it for ten bucks and replaced it with an all-neoprene reinforced Snap Dragon Tour EXP. Snap Dragon builds a tight, dry and easy-to-snap-on deck, cus- tom fit to your kayak cockpit.
I hear lots of ungrounded hesitation from pad-
dlers worrying about getting out of a quality skirt. The concept is the same as any skirt: pull and exit. The exit loop is large and peels the bungee cord off with no trouble. The Snap Dragon even comes with a Knee-Off option. The strap across the deck will release the skirt if you panic and try to pull your knees out first. It’s also an incredibly handy chart holder.
Spray decks like Snap Dragon’s Ocean Tour EXP are really about keeping you dry inside your boat. The 4 mm neoprene waist tunnel is sized (xs, s, m, l, xl, xxl) to fit snugly around your torso. The deck is tight and the elastic rand is secure to pre- vent waves from crashing into your lap. Combine this Snap Dragon skirt with a quality paddling jacket and you can play, roll and tour in breakers all day with confidence and a dry ass. With Knee-Off: $200 Cdn; $120 US. Without Knee-Off: $190 Cdn; $105 US.
www.snapdragondesign.com.
NRS Napali Jacket
Paddling around the harbour is a lot like going to a city park for a picnic—you really don’t need quality outdoor gear because you’re always within a short dash of the car. Hike into the mountains or paddle beyond the breakwall, however, and things change. Your Levi 501s and K-Way jacket fail to offer the mobility, durability and breathability of the Northwest River Supply Na Pali touring jacket. U.S.-based NRS is a manufacturer of its own line of gear and an online/catalogue retailer of other paddlesport products. The Na Pali is their full-featured, full-on touring jacket featuring Entrant waterproof/breathable fabric, latex-gasket wrists and full storm hood. NRS incorporated a six-inch strip of one-way stretch fabric across the back and shoulders for extra mobility and sewed strips of reflective tape on the hood and sleeves. You can access the high chest pockets and super- handy sleeve pockets while wearing a PFD. All pocket zippers and pit zips have splash-proof rub- berized closures. NRS went with a drawstring bot- tom and waist rather than a double tunnel and left the neck free of clutter, letting the Na Pali double as a bomber around-the-park raincoat. $225 US.
www.nrsweb.com. —SM
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