Review: Vesterguard - LifeStraw

I picked up a LifeStraw when I purchased a box of the Mainstay Emergency Food Rations,and for a long while, it stayed in the bottom of my bear box, untried, untested. Eventually I found it, dug it out and got ready to test it. Then the dog found it. Talk about Disaster Preparation! I heard the chewing sound and rushed into action, rescued the unit, and decided it was salvageable.

The LifeStraw is a plastic tube 31cm long and 3cm in diameter. It has a Sieve end, and a mouthpiece end, both originally with a cap. The straw, as you might imagine is operated by placing the sieve end in your water source, and through some rather strong and vigorous sucking is needed to get water flowing, but when it does, you get a steady flow of water.

The way the LifeStraw works is that water that is drawn up through the straw and passes through hollow fibers that fill the tube. This bundled mesh of fibers filter particulates down to 0.2µm across, using only physical filtration methods and no chemical components to either run out, or leach into the drinkable water. The entire process is powered by the suction of the operator, and is reported to be able to filter up to 1000L (264gal) of water safely before clogging up.

Initial models of the filter did not remove Giardia lamblia, but this model is purported to remove a minimum of 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites including giardia and cryptosporidium. It is also touted as Removes up to 99.99999% of waterborne bacteria. It as previously stated also reduces turbidity by filtering particles of approx 0.2 microns which significantly improves the quality of water,

You can see the sieve end here, which keeps macro-particles from entering the straw, and for better or worse, after some dog-chewing, this end cap had popped off, exposing the internal fibers in their mesh packing sleeve.

The LifeStraw
did take some practice and perseverance to get going, but when it did, I managed to get some interesting results. I didn't want to take too many risks with my dog-chewed example, (giardia infection will ruin your whole day) so I opted for a more pedestrian testing regime. I chose to filter my fruit-concentrate cordial instead. I found that whilst still coloured, and sweet, the water I drew off certainly did cut the pulp and particles that were suspended, and I managed to drink the whole glass, with some effort. I expect that from a free floating and particulate light source, like a free flowing stream, you'd get swifter hydration. You can de-crud the filter by blowing back through it, expelling the contained water, and self-washing to some extent.

To recover and reseal the unit post-dog gnawing, I wrapped it in a cris-cross of tape, to ensure the seals and tube are air-tight. I think i will try to secure myself a new one, (which due to their awesome business model, then benefits kids in impoverished places) just because having a fully-working one is better preparation than relying on my already weathered and dinged one.

Review: Platatac Punisher 2014 CUS Shirt

Here is one of my favourite go-to shirts for when I have some serious adventuring to do. This is the Platatac Punisher Cool Under Shirts 2014 edition. I got mine in the 3-pack bundle, which means I can shirt-up and stay stink free for days at a time.

The shirts themselves are made from Drytech polyester and are designed to be worn under body armour, as a work-out shirt or whatever close fitting base layer you might need. Ive covered this kind of garment before in the Blackhawk! shirts and the Under Armour shirts. These kinds of materials wick moisture away from the body, helping keep you cool and also quick drying. I certainly gave this a test this year in both the Tough Mudder, and on my recent trip to Fiji.

There are even mesh panels under the arms to help with airflow, which really comes in handy if you are wearing a vest of some kind (be that a plate carrier, LBV or BCD/PFD) especially in a hot and or wet environment.


Decked out with Kryptek patterning printed onto the right sleeve, and fitted with a broad swatch of loop-field on the left, the tan material with subdued ANF for the platypus skull filler make this a cool-guy shirt that does its job. The back is printed with shout-outs to the major lines Platatac works with.

I've put this shirt through some pretty strenuous work; it's my running shirt, my Tough Mudder shirt, I wore it jetski-safariing and snorkeling. I've found it to be light, warm when needed, cool when needed and certainly quick drying.

I really liked having a loop-field to attach items from my ever-growing patch collection.

If you have need of a slick, comfortable and hard-wearing body-hugging shirt, you should totally give the CUS a try. Coyote adventure tested!

Review: Source - Storm WXP 3L hydration bladder

Here's a much loved but oft forgotten item in my survival, training and adventuring kit. This is the
Source Storm WXP 3L hydration bladder which has seen some pretty heavy use in the past, and I thought it was fully worth showing the light of day.

Ive covered some hydration systems in the past, such as the the Platypus PIB hydration pack and several hydration bladder carriers, such as the lustful Geigrrig Tactical Guardian (I'd love to get my paws on one of these) the 0.75L version that come in the Tactical Tailor Joey hydration pouch and the backpack style Platatac Bravo pack. This isn't my first Source 3L bladder, as I failed to follow the care-and-cleaning guideline of DO NO USE BOILING WATER ... they melt. Hot enough for your hands is hot enough. More on this later.

The bladder itself is constructed from a very special three layer, coextruded polyethylene construction with a very special low maintenance liner layer. Integrated Grunge-Guard™ antimicrobial surface. This  435 micron thick surface prevents bio-film build up, my being almost glass-smooth, (Source quotes it as being  2000% smoother than standard TPU films, with virtually no difference from glass itself. This reportedly improves the systems self-cleaning function.

The wide opening access at the top opens with a slide closure for easy filling, draining and cleaning. The fold and slide lock gives a strong, airtight seal. A retaining cord ensures clumsy finders don't drop it in the muck, or let it wash downstream. It also means that you can add ice, or powdered drink supplements.

I found all the seams, including those at the tube attachment point to be very strong and well placed to take any tension that the bladder is challenged with, so far.

The drinking tube attaches to be bladder with their propriety QMT™ Quick Mate Technology hose fitting, which offers push button convenience, no leakage, and click-in compatibility with USMC Miox filter system. Sometimes the clip can be a little stiff, but hardly much of an issue for me, as I rarely took these off, except to rinse. However, even at the tube tip the QMT is completely self sealing.

This means that even with a full reservoir you can change tubes, add valves or whatever, without worrying about drips or leaks. Great for fitting a full bladder into a pack that already has a hose run through it. Sometimes hydration tube ports can be a snug fit.

The drinking tube is 94cm (37") long, and contains its own valve built in. Again, no drips or leaks when changing the tip or feeding it through bags and gear. The tube cover both insulates and blocks UV-light.

This helps your water cool and bacteria free from first to last sip. I really noticed this when doing long stretches in the sun with this. the temperature gradient from tube-to reservoir was always delightfully small.

The very cool push/pull Storm Valve isn't a bite-valve, being a pull-open plug like on a sport bottle. It apparently delivers 25% higher flow than bite designs. The integrated valve has a twist-lock which will lock the valve in the "off" position, so you don't have to worry about inadvertent leakage. It is also set at 90 degrees from the tube, which apparently reduces the required tube length (for twisting it around to have kink-free drinking) by 25cm! It also rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to place the valve end on any side of your gear, and have access to it.

It comes with a dirt-shield cover, which is also dummy-corded on, and can be cinched with a dedicated slit, to stop it from dangling and rattling about when not used.



In addition to the Widepac wide opening access at the top, with its hanging slot,  the bladder also has a screw-top opening, which incorporates a carry-yoke. The yoke can be rotated to best suit your carry style, but allows even gloved hands to hold the bladder open for refilling without contaminating the reservoir.

The gasket screws down over the yoke to hold it in place, and is also dummy-corded to the wide-mouthed cap. I have had some troubles with the gasket winding loose, and this impacting on the seal the cap gets, but if its screwed down tight, all should work out well. 

Evacuating all the air from the bladder keeps it very quiet, no canteen-sloshing noise-disipline worries there, and the placement of the tube to the bladder means you pretty much get every drop emptying out, you can even set it to run continuously, using siphoning, to get regular irrigation, or when running detergent through it to clean it. The guys at Platatac recommended throwing it, washed but not dried into the freezer as a decontamination step, which is a far better idea than melting it with overly hot water, I have to say.

This particular bladder has seen me through camping, long haul drives, and three Tough Mudders, and it's going strong! I even inflated it and used it as a flotation aid when diving off one of the "Walk the Plank" high dives on Tough Mudder.

I'd love to try one of the Universal Tube Adapter  attachments, which lets you fill the pack from the drinking valve, from taps or bottles, without having to take it off your pack or out of a pack.

Review: Vibram Five Fingers

I've covered several sets of the very cool Paleo Barefoots and a variety of other footware, like my Magnum Amazon5's or the Danner Striker II boots before then. Footware is a very important aspect of both day to day life, and planning for those catastrophic events we are all hoping to be prepared for. When I had the opportunity to get a pair of the much vaunted Vibram Five Fingers toe shoes.

I've seen and heard about these for some time now, and thought I might give them a try, because they certainly have some interesting potential.

As well as having worn the Paleos, I have also spent a lot of time in tabi-boots over the years, so the idea of a split-toe shoe is not alien to me, but was an interesting to have a toe for each toe, rather than just one for the thumb as in tabi.

The Vibrams have an abrasion-resistant stretch polyamide fabric for the uppers, with a wrap over Hypalon strap, which feeds through a nylon ring, and secures with hook-and-loop.

The soles are Vibram's own TC-1 performance rubber, which is both a springy and tacky material. I found it quite grippy, even on sandy stone.

The footbed, inside the shoe is of an antimicrobial microfiber, which is great, especially as whilst socks are available, these tend to be a sockless kind of shoe. Having healthy feet is essential, especially if you have to be in your shoes for long periods of time. I'm always in favour of this kind if thing, which is why I also really like my BioDefence spray too .

So the best part of these are the segregated toes, allowing you to splay them independently, giving you very good constant contact with the ground, and the ability to grip with your toes, if you're that way inclined.

Conversly, the same thing can not be said for the main body of the shoe. I found it difficult to mold my feet to curves in the way I have grown accustomed to with my Barefoots, and even the flexible soles of the tabi, this might be due to not having worn them in as much as they need, but they just feel stiff.

They are a light alternative for running, for sure and perhaps it is my slightly wonky little toes which didn't quite sit nicely in these, but overall I didn't find them very comfortable. I will see if this improves with further wearing-in. Well made, and they certainly do everything they are known for, but I think I will stick to boots and Barefoots.

Review: AquaYak - Aqua II tandem kayak

A little while ago, I showed you all the AquaYak Snapper-Pro, that was loaned to me by the good folks at AquaYak Kayaks. A couple of months ago, I saw that there was a sale going on at AquaYak, and we took the plunge (so to speak) and went out to check out the showroom. It was the tandem's that had caught my eye, both for load-hauling, but also for family-moving purposes. We settled on a Aqua II tandem, in their Granite Spa colour, with a full load of accessories.

Tactical Baby promptly claimed is as "MY BOAT"

The kayak is a direct extension from the Snapper Pro, just bigger.

It features the same scupper hole and circular storage hatch system as the Snapper Pro, giving self-draining capacity to each of the two, deeply molded seats which as well as adding stability, and having their own mounting points for the padded fabric comfort seats, also feature the molded foot rests, drink holding wells (between the thighs) and anchor point for lashing dummy-cords (between the calves).

The central storage hatches had bags fitted, so your personal items don't get lost in the hull-void.

Fore and aft hatches, are the main structural difference between the Snapper Pro and the Aqua II. These hatches are held in place with a clever shock-cord mechanism, and can be unstrapped and opened with minimal effort, without being a loose or an accidental release risk. These open directly into the hull-space, and afford a very spacious cargo storage area, if you first consider the width of the openings. Stuffable packs and items will work well, but larger items might need to ride on top.

I found that I made use of the Grab Lines, which are mounted by brackets running all around the hull, for both maneuvering the kayak about on the land, as well as for giving Tactical Baby and Triceratops Girl places to hold onto when they were riding with us. As part of our deal, we bought a family's worth of life-vests including a red and black and  coyote/OD Stormrider YAK PFD for the adults as well as lurid red and yellow kid and toddler sized ones (which I will cover later). I also got several 10L dry-bags to go in the hull, and scupper plugs, to reduce incidental water splashes. 

You can get an idea of the depth and size of the two fore and aft hatches with this shot of my arm, along with the padded seal that makes up the inside of those hatches.

The same propriety 'alkatuff polyethylene' material, which holds a UV certification for maritime plastics, is used to make up all the AquaYak hulls, and whilst I have noted that my dragging, and beaching has scored the keel and sides of the hull, its all cosmetic, and a very tough, resilient material. 



At 3.8m (12.5") long and 0.9m (just under 3") wide at the beam, and weighing in at 30kg, it is quite a bit larger than the Snapper Pro, and harder to man-handle when out of the water.

At 30kg it is not all that to lift, but the size of it makes it awkward. The two sizable heavy-duty handles at the bow and stern make for easy lifting and hauling, even when fully laden with safety gear, seats, paddles and even the occasional squealing child. I've dragged it up a grassy hill by looping some webbing through the front handle. Wheels might well be in order (and AquaYak offer them)

In the water, It handles really well, thanks in part to having two sets of paddlers but is very operable with only one, even being quite maneuverable when solo.

We've it out on The Bay a number of times, and whilst its bulk means loading it onto and off my vehicle can be a pain, once its in the water , it is a lot of fun.

With a stated carrying capacity of 200kg, even with two adults, and two kids riding, unencumbered by gear, we've ridden very high in the water, and have had little trouble staying course, and upright, even on our first trips, are probably largely due tot he great design, including this tri-keel, which helps with tracking and stability, even in the moderate swells we've encountered.

I feel that if we needed to get off-shore, as simply as possible, this is a real option for us, both is speed, and limited cost. Get it on the vehicle, get to the beach, onto the water, and away ... Load it up with MALICE 2 pack, a Platatac Light Field Pack, and supplies in Dead People Jars, we could have quite the getaway. 


We put the kids in their Mudlarks All-In-One suits, to keep them warm and dry, with the PVD vests over the top, and went for a paddle one sunny spring afternoon, having been visiting with friends.

You can see that there is quite a bit of room the in the kayak, and we have found that the kids can site between our knees as we paddle, but that space could just as easily be full of packs and supplies. This is the saem beach as I reviewed the Snapper Pro, with a high grassy hill from the carpark to the beach. The weight of the fully laden kayak, over grass, down a hill was no issue at all. It even maneuvered well.

Once down at the waters edge, it was a simple matter to alight and shove off.

You can see here how high on the water we were, and whilst heading right into waves gave us some spray, we were a long way off ever taking water over the side and into the cockpit. I think we could have laden the hull with a lot more kit, and still have been positively buoyant and dry.

All in all, I am really pleased with this acquisition, and plan to spend a bunch of time on The Bay over the summer, as well as trips to local lakes and rivers.

I heard recently that AquaYak are going to stock a Windpaddle sail for their kayaks, and that is a great idea...

Review: Propper - Adventure Tech, Level V APCU softshell pants

I took the family up to the snow recently (yes, it DOES snow here in Australia, just not very much, or in very many places) and I got to try out a few pieces of kit that I have been waiting for an opportunity to pull out in public.

My last trip to the snow, some three years ago was a very unfortunate event; sleet and hail fairly ruined out outing, and I had passed on most of my snow gear to the others in my party, and as a result ended up cold, wet and miserable. Not to mention a touch hypothermic. Having lived in the snow several times (Denver, USA / Surrey, UK / Calgary, Canada) I was kicking myself for my lapse of judgement, but as I say, the others in my party were ok, and looked after me.

However, THIS time, there would be no repeats! I payed attention to my ever growing collection, and selected not only a range of layers, but also spares, in the event that I needed them. 

The key piece that I tried out, however, were my new pants from Propper. I picked these up from an eBay sale, and as it turns out they appear to be a discontinued range from Propper. However, the Propper Adventure Tech, Level V APCU softshell pants were a welcome addition to my wardrobe, and certainly proved their worth on my trip to Mount Baw Baw for the weekend. 

I wore a Tough Mudder/ Under Armor shirt and my Platatac Half-zip fleece top  on top, with my HeadSox on my noggin.

I have very long legs, which usually means that I go for a size larger waist to ensure the right length, for pants which don't have a W/L sizing, but in this case that played in my advantage, as I chose to wear these as over-pants, over the top of a base layer of my Platatac sniper pants fleece layer in the first instance, with my Urban Dax as a mid layer, in the event of unpleasant weather.

I found that the mid layer was unnecessary for the beautiful crisp and dry conditions we faced on the mountain, so I felt I could really throw myself about in the snow. 


The material of the pants is a very light, 4-way stretch fabric which is extremely comfortable, both on the skin, but also from a breathability and wicking perspective. This is due in no small part to the Schoeller Nanosphere Treatment that Propper applied to the fabric. This treatment apparently mimics the natural self-cleaning effect of some plants whose leaves always remain clean, because particles cannot adhere to the finely structured surface, and is easily washed off when rinsed, without allowing water to penetrate. It combines with the weave of the fabric to offer a high level of protection from wind, rain as well. It certainly shed snow and slush well, as well as the mustard and BBQ sauce I exposed it to at the chalet. It also seems to resist washing out, so should retain its abilities when I do need to give them a wash.

Also, they were in Multicam! I haven't had many opportunities to wear Multicam. I tend not to wear camouflage "for fashion", (although I got a MC Tactical Kilt from 5.11 .... review to follow! ) so having an outdoorsy activity to test it out in was great too.

The pants have a wide padded waistband, as well as pretty standard belt loops. I actually felt that the softness and lightness of the fabric would have warranted thicker belt loops, just to make them a bit more substantial. but really, I didn't have any problems with them.

The main front pockets were almost horizontally cut into the front of the pants. This was an unusual feature, and it did mean that when using these pockets, I needed to dive my hand straight down in front of me, but certainly did ensure that my pocket goodies remained safely stowed.
 

The pockets are lined with mesh, rather than the same material as the rest of the pants, or some other full-weave liner, which was an interesting addition, but certainly didn't hinder me in any way. The overlap between the front and back lips of the pocket were constructed such that they overlapped nicely, and I didn't experience any wind-bite or water logging as a result of the pocket placement.

The just-above-the-knee cargo pockets were small for this kind of pant, but certainly functional. (they fail the "will it take my iPad test", but I certainly didn't want to be lugging that through the snow), but they were billowed at the back, for extra capacity, and the left set included a zippered side pocket as well. 

 

Whilst tromping about in these on the mountain, I found that I could easily stow my phone in its SLXtreme case as well as my Contour cam, in ITS waterproof case, as well as two to three sets of gloves and or mittens, without a spill or lost technology all day. I did find that the knee-pads I wore sat very close to the cargo pockets, and this impinged on their ability to be filled fully. This was a little annoying, but the knee-pads were -very- large.

The cargo pocket have hook-and-loops closures, and the top of the lid-flap had an opening for pen, light or knife clips, or could also trail a cable.

One thing that I found with these pants is that they stopped the wind dead. Whether I was standing on the top of a ridge, or zipping down a slope on a toboggan with the little ones, they simply cut the wind right out. They did so without the "zitch-zitch-zitch" that Gore-tex "hard-shell" pants might. 
 

This leads me to post this little guide to assist anyone else who occasionally gets mystified by ll the "hard-shell/soft-shell" jargon ... 

I've tried to find an explanation or scale to describe the "Level V" portion of the Propper scale (which goes to at least VII) but this might go some way to describe what different levels and ratings of waterproofedness and breathability mean.

One thing I found interesting about these pants are that not only do they totally lack any pockets at the back, but are also fitted with a wide elastic section, the full width of the waistband, for the entirety of the back of the pants.This meant that they did sit fairly snugly, even with the "slightly too large" size I got, and stayed snug when i was crouched, squatting on a toboggan, or kneeling to pick up and carry my small people. 

I really liked wearing these pants. I stayed snug, warm and dry. I tromped through snow and slush, picked up squealing kicking offspring and sat them on my legs , sat in the snow, built snow-dinosaurs and generally had a good time, all without a single sad, soggy moment.

It's a real shame these are no longer being made, but can still be picked up by searching for Propper Adventure Tech, Level V with the product code F7220, online. Good luck, stay warm and dry!

Review: Storm Rider YAK PFD

I'm really excited about getting my first kayak this weekend (more on that later) and that reminded me that I had not yet covered the Personal Flotation Devices that I tried out when I did a trial of the Aquayak - Snapper PRO. When you're out on the water, a flotation vest is just as crucial part of your loadout as a bump-helmet or your shark-stabbing, line-cutting knife (ok, perhaps that is a stretch).

It's PPE of the most basic kind.

In this case, I was lent a StormRider YAK PFD by the good folks at AquaYak and I wanted to show you what made it an essential part of my time out on the Snapper PRO.

These very solidly constructed vests consists of three components; the two front panels and a back panel. It features open sides with adjustable webbing to ensure a good fit, whilst giving you freedom of movement for paddling and water-borne activity.

The back panel also featured a drying hook, with a built-in nylon D-ring
The webbing attaching the front panels to the back are fixed at the shoulder and at two points on the flanks. Between these three points, the harness is highly adjustable, even down to to my light frame.

It might seem strange that the front of the vest is -not- adjustable, its three Fastex clasps hold the front panels but this in fact provides an important safety aspect. By massing the buoyant material at the front, when in the water, this holds your head up and out, ensuring the best  position for breathing. 

The brightly coloured exterior of the vest allows for easy search and rescue in the event you are lost due to capsizing, or bad weather, but you'll note that the insides are black, an unintentional asset if being less visable is desirable. Both front panels comes fitted with several zipperable pockets. The use of mesh and the water-shedding nylon in the pockets, as with the rest of the construction gave not only a number of ways to store important gear, but also to do so in a quick drying and draining fashion.


I found this very useful, as I dunked myself several times whilst in the kayak.


I was really impressed to note that the zippers were all of noncorroding plastic.

An inner retention lanyard provides an even more secure option for survival, signalling or orientation gear.

I stored my iPhone in its SLXtreme waterproof case, my car keys and the like whilst testing, all held snugly and safely.

I also noted that there was a more subdued OD and coyote-brown version of the vest, which I think will be my personal selection.

I've worn PFD's before, as well as SCUBA Buoyancy Control Device, and I really liked the simplicity, and design of this one.

You put it on, strap it to fit, and can all but forget about it when out and about on the water. In an emergency situation, you want to have the best equipment on hand to protect yourself and others from the environmental hazards you will be facing. A well made, worn and maintained PFD is a must for any kind of action on the water you might be facing.

Review: Aquayak - Snapper Pro

I was driving past a series of shops recently, and stopped at a set of lights and looked over and there it was, my local Kayak shop. I felt it was time, given the water only five minutes down the road from me and the fact that I haven't really covered any sort of transport caught my mind. I have used kayaks before, mostly in lakes and rivers in Canada, in the Rockies.

I dropped them a line after looking over their website and I was delighted to be offered the chance to trial a couple of their models. The first is the Snapper-Pro, the fully kitted version of the Snapper.

This is a 2.7m (8'10") long ‘sit-on-top’ kayak with a range of features, including coming in a range of colours, all in their propriety 'alkatuff polyethylene' material, which holds a UV certification for maritime plastics. Pretty impressive. 

The hull is deeply molded and 0.8m (2'7") a the beam. It also only weighs 18kg empty (just under 40 lbs). I lugged it out of the shop, lashed it to my vehicle (more on this later), drove it home and looked it over before taking it out on the water.
I wanted to get a closer look at the hull cross section that had been hinted at on the website. It did indeed have a very interesting profile, and I was keen to see if this unique low-drag underwater shape that provided the speed and tracking through the water without the need of a complicated rudder that they advertised.

The last kayak I had used was a "sit-inside" type, you traditionally see, and required "eskimo-roll" survival training in the event of capsizing. On the AquaYak boats, you just climb back on like a surfboard.

Here is a cross-section of the hull, sitting as a display in the shop. The polyethylene hull is both spacious and well reinforced with supporting pillars scattered throughout. The pillars seen here actually form part of the self-draining system the boats share, as scupper holes that allow sloshed in water to drain back though the boat. The hull is around 6-8mm thick, and has most of the major features molded right in, with very few cuts or holes drilled into the body.


   

The kayak has a capacity of 120kg (265lbs) and as long as you keep in mind the operator (for me, that's 85kg, leaving 35kg of gear haulage) however, after handling it in the water, I wonder if that might be a very conservative rating. There are three storage ports built into the hull, fore, central and aft. The turn-lock sealed ports allow you to store a variety of gear in the hull, away from the worst of the elements, and keep your center of gravity low at the same time. 

 

For the fishers our there, the central port comes fitted wit ha removable, drop-in bait bucket, all the better for catching the fishes with!

 

As I mentioned earlier, I didn't have any trouble moving it around, even on my own. I keep a couple of karate-belts i have collected over the years in the boot, which make for excellent roof-rack ties. The smooth edges of the hull laid right on the roof of my car and I lashed it through the built in safety lines. Getting it up and down was a pretty simple exercise, the biggest trouble was doing so in the high gusting winds I had on my paddling day. I have roof-rack rails, which aided in lashing, and I could, if i needed, have put a specialized kayak carrier on, but it didn't really need it.

 

Here's where I went, a little sheltered bay on Port Phillip Bay. You can see that it wasn't a very clear or fine day, it was drizzling on and off, a strong wind was zipping in and there was a bit of chop. There was also a fair bit of a hill to portage the kayak over. All part of the test I wanted to give it.

 

 I got the Snapper-Pro off the top of the vehicle, put on my vest, and helmet,  grabbed the paddle and trotted down the hill to the beach.

 

   

Getting it down on the beach, I unfolded the padded seat, and latched it to the loops bolted to the hull with the brass clips provided. With two forward, and two behind this padding fitted in nicely to the deeply molded internal seat. Webbing straps form each of these four points  and allow you to customise the fit and feel of the seat. I opted for a slightly lent back approach, because i'm so tall. I sat in it on the sand to adjust, then got ready to push off.

 

 

 

 

 It wasn't overly cold, but with the wind, even the bit f spray I got would be chilly, so I dressed for the occasion in my Platatac Microfleece half-zip top and matching Microfleece Sniper pants under my North Face pants and Paleo Barefoots.

I knew I wouldn't stay dry,  but I wanted to stay light, and warm.

Pushing off, I moved through the shallows, and was amazed at the very shallow draft the kayak had. in barely more than ankle deep, I was floating just off the sand, and with a gentle push of a paddle, I was afloat.

Paddling out into the bay, it took me a few minutes to remember how to coordinate arms to hips, to ensure stability, and not to dig too deeply when on the shoreward side of waves. 

All along  the rim of the Snapper-Pro is a safety line, a heavy cord, mounted securely to the  hull by a series of hard plastic loops. There are also two drag handles, fore and aft, to assist with hauling and climbing back in, should you go over. You can see here that my feet were right up to the front of the cockpit, as I have really long legs.
It wasn't uncomfortable, but an extra few inches would have made a difference for me.
One thing that I hadn't anticipated was the scupper holes letting water into the cockpit, and right into the seat of my pants. As I say, I had anticipated getting wet, so this wasn't a problem, but just be sure that you bear this in mind. For those with shorter legs than mine, there were a series of channels in the sides to act as in-situ footrests, which was a really cool idea.
I found that I could access the center port with no difficulty, but the fore and aft ports were moslty out of reach.

The kayak was very stable in the water, and responsive too. I haven't paddled for 15 years, and quickly found myself zipping over waves, from end to end of the little bay, against the current, against the wind, and across both. It was only when I over-paddled and over-balanced that I had any troubles controlling it. 

You can see over my shoulder, the elastic cargo netting,  which I left empty for my trails, but would fit a decent sized pack, like my Platatac light field-pack or a child quite happily (obviously, you don't put the child under the straps). You can also see the aft drag handle. Both the inter-hull cargo compartment, and the external cargo compartments in the aft and between my knees, so there is plenty of space to haul cargo, or passengers. Bear in mind the weight limits, and get your bug-out -kit waterproofed!

I had a couple of tumbles whist finding my water feet, and found that I could quickly (if not easily) haul myself back on board.


Not only did the kayak handle well, and was easy to right, haul and lug, it was sturdy and stable. I feel I could have fished happily off it (using either of the two built in rod-holders in the aft) although I would need practice to get my cast coordinated so I didn't dunk myself.

I had a real blast with this, and I think I will be trying to include more watercraft skills in the future in my planning.I also took a bunch of Contour Cam footage, and have included it below:




http://contour.com/videos/watch/aquayak-snapper-pro-1


http://contour.com/videos/watch/aquayak-snapper-pro-2


http://contour.com/videos/watch/aquayak-snapper-pro-3-dunkings


http://contour.com/videos/watch/aquayak-snapper-pro-4


http://contour.com/videos/watch/aquayak-snapper-pro-5-hauling