B OO TIE B E E R S Need we say more?
C AMAR ADE R I E
B c
Heartwarming, right? When we asked Rapid’s Facebook fans what they love most about paddling, we expected to hear about big water, epic expeditions and cascading creeks. Nope! Almost 70 percent of respondents said fellow paddlers were what made their paddling lives complete.
D-R I NGS
It’s amazing that such a small, simple and strategically- placed piece of metal can be so damn handy.
E X CUSE S
“Oh, you couldn’t roll ‘cause your skirt imploded? Well in that case…bootie beer.”
FE ST IVALS
d E f
Races, waves, podiums, concerts, big bucks and bonfires. A gathering of the greatest people you could ever hang out with? Yes, please.
KI D S k 50 PADDLING MAGAZINE
GEAR G
In 2014 Adventure Technology launched a new unbreakable paddle design (www.rapidmedia. com/0274) and Esquif Canoes announced a new hull material as tough as Royalex and 20 times more abrasion resistant (www.
rapidmedia.com/0275). Kayak designs continue to evolve, drysuits are dryer than ever and every year paddling products get lighter, better, faster, stronger.
HA CK S h
Sure, we love a high-end, ultra- light, sexy new Gore-Tex anything as much as the next guy, but we also love how many hacks there are for boaters on a budget. Don’t have a hundred bucks to drop on new river shoes? Gym class sneakers will do the trick. Can’t afford physio? Tennis ball massage. No roof rack? Pool noodles. Popped float bags? Beach balls. Don’t want a mortgage? Live in your wagon! See page 28.
IMA GE S i
Just look at back issues of Rapid to see how far we’ve come. From point-and-shoot, boat-in-a-hole shots, we’ve moved to professional photography with high-end equipment and incredibly skilled shooters. Drones, cable setups and an ever-expanding boom in creativity means photographers are capturing whitewater action and lifestyle like never before.
Every one of the top pros profiled in Rapid in 2014 was in a boat as a baby: Pat Keller (page 22), Dane Jackson (
www.rapidmedia.com/0276) and Katrina Van Wijk (
www.rapidmedia.com/0277). On page 44 of this issue we review a canoe for kids designed to bring wee ones into whitewater, and a recent participation report tells us more and more kids are giving whitewater a try.
DIGITAL EXTRA: Read about the companies swallowing profits to build boats for pint-sized paddlers at
Rapidmedia.com/0278.
<g> <f> <i>
2014. PHOTO: NICK TROUTMAN
PHOTO: RYAN CREARY
PHOTO: DYLAN PAGE
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