Optimistic Paddler with his gear (Harel Ofir, Alaska, 2005)A significant part of the preparation for our trip centers around the equipment. While there is no doubt that the most important component of the enjoyment and safety of the trip is our attitude and judgment, the right choice of equipment is also critical in ensuring a smooth and pleasurable trip.
In isolated areas there is generally no option to replace a forgotten or defective item so careful planning is essential. We intend on a number of postings covering our choice of equipment, hoping that this may be useful to other paddlers in the planning of their trips. We would also be happy to receive any feedback that our readers may care to submit.
The Kayaks
Among the most important items are the kayak and the paddles. Back home we are happy owners of NDK Explorer and NDK Greenlander kayaks.
In previous expeditions, Kobi mainly used the NDK Explorer while Alan mostly opted for the logistic independence afforded by Feathercraft folding kayaks.
Due to the remoteness of the region and limited possibilities of transporting kayaks, we were initially considering also using Feathercraft kayaks for this trip. While this choice would have afforded maximum route flexibility, we were concerned about transport logistics and costs since we have 6 flights just to the starting point.
When we learnt of the possibility using almost new Prijon Seayak that could be delivered to our starting location, we decided to adopt this option. While this Seayak is a bit slower and has hatches that are probably less sealed than the kayaks we normally use, we consider these as fairly minor drawbacks. Our trip is mainly of an exploratory nature and not a race to cover a predefined distance in a minimal time. We will compensate for the lack of day hatches by using low profile deck bags.
Prijon seayak are made of High Performance Thermoplast Polyethylene so they should be very durable on the ice and rocky shore.
The Kayaks
Among the most important items are the kayak and the paddles. Back home we are happy owners of NDK Explorer and NDK Greenlander kayaks.
In previous expeditions, Kobi mainly used the NDK Explorer while Alan mostly opted for the logistic independence afforded by Feathercraft folding kayaks.
Due to the remoteness of the region and limited possibilities of transporting kayaks, we were initially considering also using Feathercraft kayaks for this trip. While this choice would have afforded maximum route flexibility, we were concerned about transport logistics and costs since we have 6 flights just to the starting point.
When we learnt of the possibility using almost new Prijon Seayak that could be delivered to our starting location, we decided to adopt this option. While this Seayak is a bit slower and has hatches that are probably less sealed than the kayaks we normally use, we consider these as fairly minor drawbacks. Our trip is mainly of an exploratory nature and not a race to cover a predefined distance in a minimal time. We will compensate for the lack of day hatches by using low profile deck bags.
Prijon seayak are made of High Performance Thermoplast Polyethylene so they should be very durable on the ice and rocky shore.
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