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Frame christmas shopping

12K views 46 replies 21 participants last post by  climbdenali 
#1 ·
I have long used nrs frames but am now in the market for a quality break apart cargo frame for my aire 156r. I am looking for a frame that would allow me to carry two dry boxes, cooler, and two aluminum captains boxes. I am reaching out for advice from people that have this type of frame that may be able to point me in the right direction on a quality built frame like this.
 
#6 ·
We don't own one, but the Recretec breakdown frames I've seen belonging to friends appear to be pretty nice.

We just had a custom cat frame and dry boxes fabricated by Mike DeHoff, Eddyline Welding in Moab. He may not show up on a google search since he's only been full time at it a few years. Super easy and responsive frame welder to work with. Ours was a custom 2-module frame with a lot of details that my wife and wanted included. Mike also had many good suggestions. It's not breakdown, but I can't believe he could build one.
 
#9 ·
Eddyline looks like all the rest half home made looking frames.I was hoping to look at his page and go wow. Been a long time since I have seen something that made me go wow in frames.I did see a little orange hyside on the Rogue with a whitewater machine works frame. It is a cool little setup for compact fly in or something. Some dude floating solo with barely any gear and a map. At least Guy at WWMW does his own thing with his own mind, developed a cool system for people to put stuff together at home, that's what I like to see. A monkey can cobble together a frame.
People really need to stop saying custom frame
Getting Design,Function,Flow and Finish out of someone doesn't happen often.
 
#22 ·
Alternatives

Eddyline looks like all the rest half home made looking frames.I was hoping to look at his page and go wow. Been a long time since I have seen something that made me go wow in frames.I did see a little orange hyside on the Rogue with a whitewater machine works frame. It is a cool little setup for compact fly in or something. Some dude floating solo with barely any gear and a map. At least Guy at WWMW does his own thing with his own mind, developed a cool system for people to put stuff together at home, that's what I like to see. A monkey can cobble together a frame.
People really need to stop saying custom frame
Getting Design,Function,Flow and Finish out of someone doesn't happen often.
I whole heartedly concur. However, the flip side of that argument is price. Some wish to pay for art; some rather... put their kids through college. Money always has alternatives. WWMW is what I consider art and I applaud the effort. Any raccoon would be happy to haul his frame home to the nest.
 
#10 ·
The recretec frames do look very sweet and the cambridge salmon outfitter frame also looks simple and very functional what outher frames along these lines are out there, the latch in dry boxes are great idea and reduce the massive amount of straps envolved in rigging a multiday boat.
 
#13 ·
It would be,yes I learned the day I hit the water I hated straps so everything latches in, completely crazy to have to undo straps to get in your Drybox on the river. Something I started back in about 1998 after getting materials from guys who kind of started the latch in trend in Springfield,Oregon
Vehicle Auto part Automotive exterior Car Trunk
 
#15 ·
Nope, I am doing all the design and training for a couple new companies breaking out in 2016 and also a few other projects for product development. Some of my designs will carry on through me or the people I am working with. Some really cool stuff in the works. I have gone on to running a new river store where stuff is available on the floor with no wait time,working on getting that going. The custom orders the last two years and going in so many directions building tubes was a hectic mess after getting stiffed on about 40K in fabric from a supplier that went under. Getting down to the last frames owed by me to people now, so close to out of the woods on old promises. There are some elite projects I will still personally fab and weld

You still doing some here and there?
 
#23 ·
Josh,
Why don't you just dust off that trailer of yours and quit breaking down your boat every trip? Heck, for what this new frame will cost, you can grab a better trailer. Just joshing ya ☺ Say hi to your crew for me.

Sent from my SM-G530T using Mountain Buzz mobile app
 
#25 ·
Not to take anything away from the god of frame building. From the photos I've seen, he has built some nice stuff in the past, but here's the deal. One can actually get a frame form Eddyline Welding. Mike built it to our specs and finished it ahead of time. We were able to use it for a short float this Fall. I'd oar one of the "monkey built" frames form Mike anytime over one from the blow heart on this tread.
 
#26 ·
Sorry about your extended wait Tom and not being able to get your frame done in a time frame reasonable to you. If we had nothing in the shop it only is about a 2 week turn around,unfortunately that hadn't been the case for 3 years and even though I wanted to get something out for a customers sometimes it couldn't happen because of other logistical circumstances.

I am sure you will have an equal amount of good times on the river with the frame purchase you made.
 
#27 ·
C'mon James, we both know it wasn't about the wait. After you told me you sold your equipment, I wasn't convinced that you could produce our frame along with the other eight frames you said you owed to other people. Simple as that.

But, thank you for your wishes that we enjoy our frame. We do.

Good luck with your new venture. I hope it works out for you.
 
#30 ·
Since GreenWall James the owner of Canyon has been so kind to grace us with his presence wonder if he'll answer questions?
So James did every one get there frames, rafts and money back from you when you sold out or did you leave them high amd dry?
 
#31 ·
Sure I can answer a question, now that I am not in the shop 14-16 hours a day 7 days a week I have a small amount of free time. The amount of people owed stuff was very small compared to the boats that were delivered on time through out the year. Most of the late boats or ones that couldn't be completed started with a fabric supply problem. The people who received boats generally don't get on the internet to say how great of a transaction they had so naturally you see or hear of the 7 or 8 difficult ones we had over and over in some form or another. There are actually quite a few who have my frames or complete boats hiding out on MBuzz. Canyon wasn't sold it was closed. Some older designs and some prototype stuff,older equipment and jigs were sold off to another start up manufacturer, mostly stuff we had no interest in using anymore or had replaced with new machines or frame building techniques that are now outdated to me. To answer your question as of now there are only about 5 boats left to be delivered before everything is totally caught up 3 of those are near done at this time. Canyon was closed as a manufacturer, the designs will still be produced and I am working with a couple new companies and one established one who came to me to do design,fabrication and training for them.
 
#33 ·
This thread isn't about me I showed a couple frame pictures to someone who asked about different types of frames.

You want to ask me a question and then smack talk to me in the next sentence,ya no. I answer those questions in person.

I am done with the about me or Canyon in this guys thread.
 
#34 ·
Sooooo. Back to the original topic. I have used the same NRS frame for about 15 years now. Most of that time it was a cat frame with the NRS yokes. When I switched to a raft, I kept the side rails & cross bars, and sold the yokes. I have been happy with the frame. Nothing on it has ever broke, bent, rotated, or in any way hindered my ability to float down a river. It may not be hip, slick, and cool, but it works. It can be broken down into a small bundle to stick in an airplane to fly in to the MF in the fall, but 95% of the time it is assembled & on my raft. I did have issues with the cat yoke & down bar flex when I had a cataraft, but I came up with an easy fix for that. I have been known to curse violently at the U-bolts when I take the frame apart, but I don't break the frame all the way down very often anymore.

Every year I think about getting a new frame. Something lighter, something custom, something hip, slick, and cool. But then I remember my inclination towards fiddling around with my set-up. Tinkering with where things go based on what kind of trip I'm on (solo, passenger, extra gear, etc.). I still have another set of NRS side rails on the shelf, left over from the cataraft, that I can cut down to make a shorter day/weekend frame if I want. I can't quite convince myself to spend all that money on a new frame, when I like the one I have.

As far as my experiences with other builders go.....
Dusty at DRL made me a custom sized foot bar/cross bar for my frame that I like. I saw somewhere that he has a latch-in system that I might be able to retro-fit to my current frame & dry boxes?

My rafting partner has 4 Recretec frames on his 4 rafts & cats that he loves. They are anywhere from 4-15 years old I think. They are all in great shape, light weight, easy to assemble, and the latch-in dry boxes are awesome.

I have chatted online with Whitewater Machine Works about his frames. He has always answered my questions fully & promptly, and he's sent pictures of stuff when I've asked.

I have also bought foot bars and flip seat brackets from AAA. They were well made pieces and the folks there were very good to deal with.

My only advice to the OP would be to look for a frame builder who is relatively close to where you live so that you can perhaps have a face to face meeting with them to plan your frame build. That way noting gets lost in translation online or over the phone. Frames cost a lot of money & you want to get exactly what you need. Good luck in your quest & let us know what you decide to get.
 
#35 ·
Thanks for the insight cataraft girl, You speak the truth on the nrs frames they are great in many ways but my problem has been not wanting to trailer my boat long distances. That in turn requires me to break down my frame to get it in the vehicle get to the put in build the frame then take it apart again at the take out. Each time this is done takes time especially assembly with taking measurements for coolers and boxes and all. I did start bringing a small electric impact which cuts the time down a bit. I either need to get over the not wanting to deal with a trailer thing or I thought one of these break down frames like recretec could be the answer, like it would go together in a few minutes. Anyway thanks for all the info from everyone.
 
#36 ·
I can appreciate your dilemma. Based on what I've seen of my friend's Recretec frames over the years, I think you'd like them. They are light weight and well made. Putting them together is a matter of lining up the sections, sliding them together, and putting in the pins. the lock-in dry boxes are sweet.

I hope Santa leaves a new frame under your tree this Christmas :D
 
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