BLOG 82: Review: New From Sealskinz & Accent Paddles

BLOG 82. Review: New From Sealskinz and Accent Paddles

by Cliff Jacobson

Here are some new items that have recently come across my desk. None are “must have”, but they are all pretty cool.

 

The Sealskinz™Beanie is waterproof and breathable

SEALSKINZ WATERPROOF BEANIE

When I canoed the Hood River in northern Canada many years ago, we paddled in the aftermath of a chilling storm that raged for four days.  The temperature hovered at 34 degrees, it rained off-and-on, and the wind speed (according to my wind-meter) was 20 miles per hour. It was cold. Very cold! The icy wind sliced through my thick wool stocking cap. If I put up the hood on my rain coat to keep my head warm I couldn’t see the rapid ahead; if I didn’t use the hood, my ears froze. I wished I had a warm, windproof hat.

Sealskinz’s™ new Waterproof Beanie takes the sting out of wind. Like all Sealskinz products, it’s waterproof and breathable. But what’s the point of a waterproof stocking cap? Well, it’s waterproof, of course, but more importantly, it’s windproof, which means it will keep your head “warm” in the fiercest wind. The outer layer of the hat is knitted Acrylic; the inner layer (next to your head) is soft micro-fleece, which provides warmth and moisture control and feels luxurious. I haven’t tried the Beanie in summer (it’s -10 degrees F here in River Falls, WI as I write this!), but I’ve worn it plenty this winter. It’s very warm; it defies the Viking wind and it’s lighter and more compact than most stocking caps.  The waterproof-breathable substrate naturally reduces air flow to some degree so the hat may be too warm for summer.  We’ll see. But for now—and future Arctic canoe trips—it’s great!

 

Sealskinz™ waterproof/breathable, knee-length socks

SEALSKINZ MID-WEIGHT KNEE-LENGTH WATERPROOF/BREATHABLE SOCKS

The waterproof-breathable substrate in most Gore-tex socks is contained between protective layers of fabric—usually, nylon or Polyester. Gore-tex socks are designed to be worn over conventional wool socks. Wearing a second pair of wool socks over the Gore-tex socks will reduce abrasion to the fabric shell.  

Sealskinz’s new mid-weight, knee-length socks are different. Here, the waterproof-breathable substrate is sandwiched between a luxurious layer of Merino wool (next to the skin) and an outer layer of Acrylic/Polyester. The result is a comfortably cushy sock that can be worn alone or with a light wool liner inside your boots. The socks won’t stretch or creep down as you walk. They are much more comfortable and more rugged than other Gore-tex socks I’ve used. 

 2-piece Mitchell Paddle

Accent Octane 2-piece canoe paddle--18 ounces

ACCENT OCTANE TWO-PIECE CANOE PADDLE

If you’ve ever used use commercial aircraft to access a remote river, you know the problems: There are baggage size and weight limitations and a fee for every checked bag. A 17-foot Pakboat (folding canoe) will weigh about 55 pounds with its duffel bag and yoke. Remove the yoke or some frames and pack them elsewhere and the boat will make the 50 pound limit. But what about your canoe paddles? They are too long to fit in the overhead compartment of the aircraft. Yes, you can bundle ‘em, roll ‘em in bubble wrap and assign them to baggage—but you’ll pay that ominous $50-$75 fee each way. A two-piece paddle that you can stow above your seat is a smarter way to go.

A few years ago, I was invited to canoe some wild rivers in Norway. We brought Pakboats, which were checked as baggage. Bringing paddles from home was an extra expense we didn’t want so we agreed to use the cheap plastic paddles with aluminum shafts that were available in Norway. Given the choice between paddling a good canoe with a bad paddle or a bad canoe with a good paddle, I might go with the latter. I hate having a bad paddle in my hands for hours on end.  For awhile I toyed with ordering a top end Norwegian whitewater paddle, and picking it up in Norway. But it would have been very pricey. And how would I get it home after the trip? So I asked Mitchell Paddles to make me a two piece whitewater paddle. The price was $300+, and the wait was six weeks.  Nice paddle, but at 33 ounces, it was heavier than I like.

Two-piece kayak paddles are widely available, but two-piece canoe paddles are not. Until now, if you wanted one, your choice was a custom built paddle like my Mitchell or a make-it-yourself project. Recently, Accent Paddles (Minneapolis, MN) has come forward to fill the void. Their new two-piece “Octane” canoe paddle is lightweight, stiff and acceptably balanced. It has a carbon-fiber reinforced shaft that is identical to the one on my Mitchell. The scooped, composite molded plastic blade is off-set eight degrees and has a thick reinforcing spline in back. The rolled-over carbon grip is nicely done, similar to that on Bending Branches carbon-fiber paddles. The two-piece disconnect button is smartly located low on the shaft--below where most people will place their lower hand. This was accomplished by reversing the usual connector locations—i.e., the male pin connector is on the upper shaft and the female receptor is on the lower shaft.  Most two piece paddles have it the other way around.

Admittedly, I’m not crazy about the scoop blade or the spline or the eight degree off-set—I’d much prefer either a dead straight blade (for rapids) or a 12-degree one for cruising. And anyway you cut it, splines don’t make for dead-quiet running.  Still, the blade works fine in moderate whitewater and flat. The scoop adds some catch and the spline discourages the molded plastic blade from fluttering. From a performance-racing standpoint, an eight degree bent shaft provides little if any advantage over a similar sized straight blade—and bracing off the backside of any bent blade is at best, awkward. Still, the “Octane” blade is straight enough to allow reasonably efficient off-face braces—essential for stability in rapids. But the real beauty of this paddle is its light weight, price and utility. The 56 inch paddle pictured here weighs 18 ounces (shorter sticks will weigh less). Retail price is $144.95. A one piece version (the “Max Carbon”) costs $129.95. There are two blade shapes—a conventional tear-drop with hard edges and a Zaveral-style lollipop racing model. Both are nice. The conventional blade has less surface area than the lollipop and is slightly lighter and quieter in the water. But the bigger blade has the advantage in aerated water.

Admittedly, this Accent paddle can’t compare in weight, balance or in-water smoothness to a top shelf 12-degree carbon, bent shaft racing paddle. But that’s not its purpose. Instead, it offers reasonable lightweight, acceptable stiffness and all-round utility in a handy two-piece package. Frankly, 18 ounces is pretty light for a canoe paddle, especially a solidly built one like this that can double for fast cruising and moderate whitewater. Even the best wooden paddles generally weigh more than one-and-one half pounds. And none of them come apart! If you want a reasonably light, acceptably-balanced, take-apart paddle at a reasonable price, look hard at this new stick from Accent.

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 82 

Winter in the Northland

The coldest days of the year are upon us.  Yesterday morning as I walked to work and my beard rapidly froze solid, it felt a lot like 50 below zero with the wind.  It was a strong 26 degrees below.  The ice was popping all night outside as the hot water registers and wood stoves inside got hotter and hotter.  Just last Saturday we were graced with about 8 - 10 inches of the beautiful white stuff that makes winter work.

We needed snow, it was looking bare around here for skiers, snowshoers, and winter campers.  Now we've got a perfect amount for the trails.  The pike are biting on frozen ciscos and the occasional light northern sucker live minnow.  They are still visiting decoys in the darkhouses, too.  Until the cold front dropped by early Sunday morning, all the fishing reports were good.  Shagawa lake and many small lakes surrounding Ely had 16 inches plus of good solid ice.

Winter cold brings with it a delightful and dangerous beauty.  Being prepared physically and mentally for the low temps and windchill factors is essential.  That includes having the right gear, even if you're just going out for a hike or ski.  A day pack with lighters, waterproof matches, fire starter tinder, extra dry clothing, water, waterproof matches, quick energy food/snacks, cell phone, emergency survival blanket, something to signal for help with, you get the drift...  It is vital to go into the woods prepared no matter what time of year, but this time of year especially.  The safety ice pics that allow you to pull yourself out of the lake if you fall through the ice - those are essential as well.  If you're prepared, being outdoors during the deep freeze is awesome.

Ely's a special place, year round, and if you'd like to experience winter camping, we've got the winter rental gear you need from sleeping bags, to pulk sleds and canvas wall tents with ultralight wood burning stoves.  If a motel is more your speed, then come up and visit us and do some day tripping on a pair of our rental skis or snowshoes.  The annual Ely Winter Festival is coming up (February 5-15, 2015).

If you're holding out for the soft water then we'll still wish you a Happy New Year and be expecting you next summer.

Sincerely,
Tim Stouffer
Piragis Northwoods Company

p.s.

This is what I dream of when I walk to work and it is 20 plus degrees below zero with a windchill factor of -40. Boundary Waters summer days, by the lake in my hammock with my dog and a good book. Bobber floating, fire waiting.

BLOG 82. Packing Tips For the Boundary Waters

BLOG 82. Packing Tips For the Boundary Waters

by Cliff Jacobson

I recently took my daughter Clarissa on a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. It was raining hard when we put in and the temperature was in the forties. But no matter; we were dressed warm, had good rain gear, and everything was secured in waterproof packs.  But others were not so fortunate. At one portage, we saw a canoe with an unprotected (soaking wet) sleeping bag on the bottom. Without thinking, I quipped, “Hey, I guess you guys don’t believe in waterproof bags!” A man mumbled back, “We’re on our way out so it doesn’t matter”. As soon as they cleared the portage, my daughter said “Daddy, you were really cruel to that man; they’re doing the best they know how.” “Yeah,” I replied. “The problem is they don’t know how and don’t care to learn!”

An hour later, we found a nice campsite on a high hill, rigged twin tarps and built a cheery fire. Clarissa told me again that I was out-of-line. 

It rained almost continually (an ice cold rain!) for the next three days, so we stayed put under the tarps, venturing out only for water and firewood. We were camped along a popular route--canoes cruised by like trains, each searching for a place to camp. We watched them through binoculars. There were wet clothes draped over thwarts, packs with their flaps ajar, unprotected tents and sleeping bags. The show was quite entertaining!

On the fourth day of our trip, the sky cleared—just in time for us to head home. As we rounded a bend, we passed a canoe going our way. Déjà vu—there was a drenched sleeping bag on the floor of their canoe.  “Guess you guys don’t believe in waterproof bags,” blurted Clarissa. I stared at her in disbelief—we both broke out laughing!

Admittedly, I’m a belt-and-suspenders man. I pack much the same way for trips in the Boundary Waters as for those on whitewater rivers in Canada and Alaska. It takes very little time and effort to do it right. And when the weather turns sour, the pay-off is huge. Here’s my procedure:

I place rigid and breakable items (axe, saw, eggs, stove, repair and first-aid kit etc.) inside a waterproof barrel or wanigan with a secure lid. Personal gear (clothing, sleeping bag, tent etc.) goes in soft packs. Any soft pack will do if you waterproof it right. The CCS (Cooke Custom Sewing) Pioneer is my favorite (with a tumpline, of course), but I also like #3 canvas Duluth packs.

Some terrific hard packs. L to R: 5 gallon pail with waterproof gamma lid seal; CCS Quad-Pocket Barrel Pack; CCS foam-lined food pack; EM Wanigan (no longer manufactured); 60 Liter Barrel with Ostrom Outdoors harness; Adirondack pack basket inside #2 Duluth Pack Cruiser (extended flap)

PACKING A SOFT PACK

I begin by lining each soft pack with a large yellow (now orange) waterproof pack liner, available from Piragis Northwoods Company. The seams of the liner are electronically welded, and the roll and clip closure is 100 percent reliable. The bag is absolutely waterproof even with a compressed load. If you capsize you’ll be glad you have one! 

Next, I set a 4-mil plastic bag of similar size inside the yellow liner.  Its purpose is to take the abuse of stuffing gear (which can abrade the WP coating of the yellow liner) and to separate the tent—which may be dirty or wet—from clean, dry gear.  Alternatively, you can substitute a giant 4-mil plastic bag for the yellow liner (I did it this way for decades)—but only if you are very meticulous in sealing both bags. 

Pack in horizontal layers.  Why horizontal? Because horizontally placed items form to the curve of your back; vertical uprights don’t.

 

Waterproof way to pack a pack (from Canoeing & Camping, Beyond the Basics, by Cliff Jacobson)

Pack things in the reverse order you need them.

1.My sleeping pad goes at the bottom of my pack. My rolled foam sleeping pad goes on top. If the route includes serious rapids, I “sandwich pack” my sleeping bag as follows: sleeping bag goes into a stuff sack (which need not be waterproof); this stuff sack goes inside a plastic bag--the mouth of the bag is twisted and “goose-necked” then secured with a loop of shockcord; this unit goes inside a second nylon stuff sack (which need not be waterproof). Note that the waterproof plastic bag is protected on both sides by abrasion-resistant nylon. For lake country canoeing (BWCA), the double-bag security system is over-kill.

2.The stuff sack that contains my extra clothes and toiletries goes next. I prefer to use a zippered CCS food bag instead of a conventional stuff sack for this purpose because the zipper provides easier access than a draw-string.

3. Next: Camp shoes in a plastic or nylon bag.

5. Next: Sweater or jacket and sundries.

6. Next: Tightly roll down the plastic “abrasion liner” then set the tent (sans poles and stakes) on top. Place the stake bag inside the tent pole bag and set the pole bag on top of the tent. Roll down and seal the yellow waterproof bag. If the poles are too long to fit crossways in your pack, set them under the pack flap and secure them as illustrated. Note that your tent—which may be wet or dirty—is separated from the clean, dry gear below.

About Food:  One partner may carry the tent while the other packs food. I prefer NOT to pack food in a special pack because: 1) The pack will be too heavy, and possibly impossible to rescue in a capsize; 2) it’s unwise to put all your eggs in one basket. Better to spread good things around. All my food is vacuum-sealed, water and odor proof. I divide food equally among my crew so that the trip can continue if a pack is lost or damaged. Food bags are placed at the bottom of the pack, followed by personal items. The diagram illustrates the procedure.

www.cliff-jacobson.com

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