Hey guys, im looking to trade in the paintball gear (played for 6 years) and take up kayaking, however, i dont know ANYTHING about this sport and it's gear. I know for sure that ill need a boat, helmet, skirt, paddle, and life vest (i've heard that shoes are nice, but i only need the necessities for now), but is there anything else that ill need?
Over all, id like to spend around $400-$600 on a boat, and im wondering what suggestions you guys would have. Im pretty sure that i want a river runner and im 5'9, 120 lbs (i know, im small :P). I dont really mind buying new, or used -- in paintball, i only bought one new gun out of about 20 i've owned, so buying used is not a problem. My expierence with a boat so far is limited, i've been down the Nantahala in a large raft last summer (going somewhere this summer aswell, no clue where yet though) and have borrowed a buddies kayak to just piddle around the Saluda in South Carolina. So anyhelp would be greatly appreciated.
tl;dr-
noob (5'9, 120lbs), river runner, $400-600 -- in need of options
spend some time on the gear swap. You are likely to find someone selling a boat with much of the other equipment you will need. I'd look for something like a wavesport ez... you'll be able to run up to class III and IV without much issue and you can start to get into playboating with it if you want to. Best advice is to try a bunch and pick the one you like.
Also, assuming you are in colorado, you are going to need a dry top and neoprene pants, or a wetsuit. You are sure to do some swimming as you get into it and the water is COLD for most of the season. A pair of paddling gloves for the beginning of the season wouldn't hurt either, I like Glacier Gloves.
actually, im in the deep south, so dry top etc.. wont be particularly necessary. i like the EZG 42 design, how is Wave Sport on customer service/reliability? The price of a used one looks good as well. Are there any other boats that match the quality of the EGZ in this price range?
also- i just found a used liquid logic session for 150...thoughts?
The EZG's had a design flaw and crack around the cockpit rim. Their customer service is extremely poor, and they obviously didn't stand behind the EZG's (I had one), which is why they are selling for cheap...if it's not broken yet it will be. I only got half what I should have out of mine.
In terms of customer support everyone seems to agree that Jackson is the best, though I haven't owned a Jackson yet. Another option is to look at the new Jackson boats with the lesser quality plastic (which is the same quality most other boat manufacturers use anyway), with a price that rivals most newer used boats...I think if it says "Classic" it means it's not the cross link plastic and has a cheaper price tag (i.e. Jackson Classic Fun series).
Last edited by IkayakNboard; 05-15-2008 at 03:40 PM.
Wavesport is owned by confluence kayaks who suck balls. Wavesport themselves are a good company. I am not trying to knock Wavesport, but you should stay away from the EZG, they have a well known design flaw that causes them to crack around the cockpit. If they didn't do that then they would be one of the best boats ever.
I would suggest finding a Wavesport EZ, notice the lack of the G. They are the predecessor to the EZG and are great boats to learn in as well as grow with.
The sessions is probably not the best boat for you, but it is pretty damn cheap.
My two cents would be to find a cheap EZ
__________________
"Gangstas make the world go round" - Ice Cube
I don't know much about paintball, but I know Xerox and have been kayaking for 27 years. What's with the Xerox trailer?
Honestly, I don't know what motivates you to pick up the sport, but since you ARE in the deep South and IF you sell Xerox (as I did) I have a radical suggestion: don't buy a boat.
Like copiers, it kills the business end of the deal to use the wrong tool for the right job.
Take your $600 and go to Nantahala Outdoor Center for a week of Southern Rivers. You'll paddle a different boat each day if you want to and gain about 1 year's worth of experience in one week. They'll take you on a BUNCH of rivers and you'll learn flawless technique. They'll have you side surfing holes in that week and teach you to read whitewater like no body's business. You'll spend alot of solid time in drills and wear yourself out. Then they'll feed you at the end of the day, give you a bunk and send you back out there the next day.
If you have a heart to go "commando," learn to roll first (buy Grace Under Pressure) and then enroll in the Intermediate skill level course. (But don't be a jerk, show up with a roll.)
I know guys like gear. Guys like gear ALOT. But I personally think the boat doesn't matter so much. (O-bee-wan-ka-no-bee) At the end of your course, NOC will give you a great discount on a boat and they have used boats to choose from. If you find yourself too poor to buy the coolest EZ, buy a beater boat and trash it until you DO have the money for the model you think you can't live without. Just throw that cheap boat into every situation you can find time for. There are always poor kids who sell their souls to live at NOC and have a spare boat at an outrageous price. $175 is not an unreasonable find.
Well, that's what I would do if I had it to do over. Oh yeah, and I would have left Xerox about 3 years earlier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xerox01
Hey guys, im looking to trade in the paintball gear (played for 6 years) and take up kayaking, however, i dont know ANYTHING about this sport and it's gear. I know for sure that ill need a boat, helmet, skirt, paddle, and life vest (i've heard that shoes are nice, but i only need the necessities for now), but is there anything else that ill need?
Over all, id like to spend around $400-$600 on a boat, and im wondering what suggestions you guys would have. Im pretty sure that i want a river runner and im 5'9, 120 lbs (i know, im small :P). I dont really mind buying new, or used -- in paintball, i only bought one new gun out of about 20 i've owned, so buying used is not a problem. My expierence with a boat so far is limited, i've been down the Nantahala in a large raft last summer (going somewhere this summer aswell, no clue where yet though) and have borrowed a buddies kayak to just piddle around the Saluda in South Carolina. So anyhelp would be greatly appreciated.
tl;dr-
noob (5'9, 120lbs), river runner, $400-600 -- in need of options
wow, thanks for the great answers guys, and no, your suggestion is not too radical. However, the $1300 price tag for a full week is a bit intimidating :P But, you sound like you have this pretty much down, so i might just take up on your advice and go for a 3-4 day course if i get the chance to. Depends on how dates line up this summer.
oh yeah, xerox is really a nick name i got while playing paintball because i always mimicked what the better players did when they played and looked like a fool when i first began because i really didnt know what i was doing. However, that came in really handy after i got a little better because i was already preforming more advanced techniques than many people in my first and second tourney seasons.
My reasons for wanting to investigate kayaking is simple: adrenaline. that's it. nothing else comes close to the rush i've gotten through paintball except rafting, but paintball is becoming way to costly for me. Rafting seems to be a little less expensive sport (in terms of general "play" and the gear, i can see some trips to become very expensive of course).
I do think though for the mean time im going to look into getting a small beater just to throw around. i learned in paintball that the most important thing is actual "game time" -- the best gear in the world wont save you under pressure.
Not to knock 8life, but I don't think you need to spend 1300 or even 400 bucks to learn how to boat. Spend your money on gear cause you need the gear to boat. All you need to learn how to boat are people who are willing to teach you and spend time with you on the river.
P.S. the roll is way overrated. Learn how to boat and get comfortable with your surroundings(boat paddle river) then worry about a roll.
__________________
"Gangstas make the world go round" - Ice Cube
Game time in: exactly! Glad I could be of some kind of service. The French Broad is near you (inexactly) and has a hole/pourover; Bells I think its called. The more time you spend in a hole and the more comfortable you get, the more solid your roll and better your confidence will be. (In my humble experience) the diff. between guys who stay raft guides (no matter how hairy the guiding) and those who enjoy 1st tier kayaking are those that are willing to swim everything they paddle (just in case.) Bell's can be such a great hole I've had my shoes and socks sucked off and even dreamt about playing it. If gals are a consideration, we always passover the raft guide for the true boater (sorry but true, I've been sharing the playbook with my friend Nate recently) He tells me bass-ass chicks are hotter than any other class of babe, even the girls who wouldn't give you the time of day in high school. Ha! something I didn't appreciate. So I'm sharpening my skills too.
Good luck!
"I do think though for the mean time im going to look into getting a small beater just to throw around. i learned in paintball that the most important thing is actual "game time" -- the best gear in the world wont save you under pressure.[/quote]"
Yeah, the Broad and Saluda meet to form the Congaree 7 min. from my house and i've gotten in touch with some local guys who are going to let me join them on a rafting trip soon. I also might go demo a used perspective spark tomorrow on all three rivers.
Somebody should really sticky a post about how to begin kayaking.
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