Cool New Gear I'm Looking Forward to Trying Out

I am a Kayak Fishing Gear Head. Certifiable. I like new gadgets that make my life simpler. Or cooler. I enjoy nice things too. Earlier in my life I went the cheapest route possible and after multiple failures, reworks and a few too many four letter words, I decided quality was a better way to go. I still like a good deal though. 

This summer, I've been eyeing a few things that have attracted my attention. Some have already arrived at my door. I'm hoping to get to test some of the others. Yep. Kayak Fishing Gear Head. 

Smith Optics Tenet Sunglasses with Polarchromic Lenses- 

Friends at Capital City Kayak Fishing and Whole Earth Provision Company really got my interest up in Smith Optics. The technologies they were saying these lenses had seemed highly advanced and at the same price point as other top brands. I did the research and this is what the Smith website says:

That's pretty cool. A glass lens that shifts with the light. No more trading out different pairs of glasses on different days and at different times. One pair to rule them all? Maybe so. I ordered the Tenet model and they arrived yesterday. Testing will commence soon. By just putting them on, the Smith Glass lens feels much lighter on my face that comparable sunglasses with a glass lens. I'm not naming names but you know who you are. On the water time is coming soon and of course a full report after a few trips. 

Hoo-Rag Bandana- 

This one was a Facebook discovery. I've owned protective gear like this in the past but have not been able to get the cool designs I like at such a good price. In addition to offering tons of cool designs, Hoo-Rag offers free shipping on all orders and can make custom designs for you! Want to get your softball league some cool Hoo-Rags with the league logo? They can do that. For all you Devil Dogs out there, they have licensed designs from the Marines available to. My first Hoo-Rag (the Hoowaiian Hook Atlantic) is on its way to my house as we speak. I'll be doing some day and night testing on the water and giving a full report back later this fall. The Hoos are $15.95 each except for the Mystery Hoo. That one is $8. And today my friends is a good day because I can save you some additional money. Hoo-Rag is offering 10% off the price of your order when you use this code:  PROMO45YX2  at checkout. 

RAM Universal Tough Clamp

Not available until the middle of October, this one has tons of uses as well. This clamp gives you the ability to mount lots of RAM products to lots of surfaces. The RAM website describes it like this:

An extra pair of hands is something that almost everyone has wished for at some point. The RAM Tough-Clamp™ is the solution. This extremely versatile product from RAM has endless applications and will certainly become one of your most valued tools. The RAM Tough-Clamp™ includes a 1" ball which can be used to mount a variety of products utilizing RAM's vast selection of mounting solutions. Attach your GoPro Camera, Smartphone, RAM AQUA BOX® Pro or similar light weight device on almost any surface. Capable of attaching to flat surfaces and square rails from 0.25" to 1.75" thick, and round rails from 0.5" to 1.75" OD, attach the RAM Tough-Clamp™ to any surface on your kayak, boat, motorcycle, aircraft, desk, or any other location where you simply need an extra hand.

The first idea that cropped into my mind was a GoPro camera. I don't have lots of them but like a variety of shots. If I attach a GoPro to the Tough Clamp, I can attach it to my net for the landing shot, then move it to my Park-N-Pole for a nice release shot without risking dropping a handle bar mount or screw in the water. I can also change it back to the net, attach to a tree, attach to a paddle or somewhere else with just a squeeze. I don't have one of these yet but I sure look forward to getting one. 



Have some additional ideas to share about cool products coming out? Let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook. 

Outdoor Retailer: 3 Gadgets Under $25 You Should Know About

Outdoor Retailer is underway in Salt Lake City this week and new gear abounds. While I’d love to have the new solar powered tent from Eddie Bauer or the Vibram LED shoes, the price point is going to place that out of the realm of possibility for, well…most of us.

Three useful new items are rolling out this week however, (though some have had 30-60 days of market presence), that I felt were definitely worth mentioning. The best part is, you can get all three for less than $25! Skip the movie with the significant other, cuddle on the couch with a Redbox or Netflix and BOOM!, $25 for a new gadget.

Eezy Cut Trilobite

This emergency “knife” is safe to carry on your hip, lightweight and has a blunt end with protected blades. Great for cutting fishing line, rope, trot lines, and other tangled messes, this could be the new safety knife that becomes a kayaking favorite. Right at $25, it is significantly cheaper than other safety knives on the market and may be safer and more user friendly. If I had the Trilobite a few years ago my hands would have a lot fewer scars.

Zippo Firestarter

Kayak camping demands planning but the weather can often make it difficult. When everything is soaked, it’s good to have a back up plan. The Firestarter is that plan. At $10, it has a small lightweight package but includes all the things you will need in a damp (or dry) environment to get a fire going and your gear to drying. Small and easy to pack, this should be a consideration for all your overnight trips.

YakAttack GTSL Gear Tracs

This newest addition to the Gear Trac family from YakAttack has changed rigging options once again for kayaks. This high performance polymer trac comes in a variety of colors, can curve easier than its anodized aluminum brothers, and has a lower price tag than any previous trac offering. From as low as $8 and available very soon, you can get trac and show off your personality at the same time. Rigging just got easier, more affordable and has a new personalized look.  

Water Safety for Kids

It's too easy to make a mistake.

You're loading up the truck with a kayak or two and that little voice rings through the garage, "Daddy, can I go?" You may have planned on her asking but did you really plan on her going?

According to the CDC, 350 children die every year in boating related drownings.

How do you prevent that?

Planning properly.

It's human nature to think that would never happen to you. You can protect them. You will hold them on your lap. The water's not that deep. I'm a great swimmer.

I've heard them all. The plain and simple fact is no one plans on disaster happening to them. With a little planning, a little awareness and some ground rules, most of those 350 would be at home with their parents instead of living only through the emotional scars their parents now bare.

I know it feels like I am preaching, and maybe I am, but this is IMPORTANT.

Here are the steps I have taken and believe you should too to ensure safety for every child that gets on one of my kayaks. This may not be the end all be all list but you need to have some list of rules and know it by heart. And then, once you have the rules, don't make exceptions. Again, these are my rules, not Texas State Law except where noted.

Any child in a kayak must have a proper life jacket on and secured properly.
Texas law states "Children under 13 years of age in or on vessels under 26 feet must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable PFD while underway."
Get a life jacket that is weight rated for the child and fits properly. A Type II is better than a Type III because it will, under most circumstances, float the child face up. PFD Types Click Here. 

Children under 12 cannot ride alone in a kayak until they have met my adult qualifications.  (My Rule)
It seems archaic and overprotective to some but, using a boat that can flip on top of you, weighs more than you do and is not an easy re-entry if you fall out are recipes for danger. 

All paddlers must go through an orientation with the boat. 
It only takes a few minutes but it is important to know safety on the kayak, regardless of age, but children especially need to know what to do.

Open water re-entry experiences are a must. The first time I took my eight year old out with me I explained what we were going to do. I said we would jump off the kayak into the water. I instructed him to stay where he was. I reminded him the life jacket will float him and I would come to him once I re-entered the kayak. I was probably over explaining things but he understood. We jumped off and he did great. He watched to make sure he didn't get run over by the kayak. When it got too near him he pushed himself away while I got back on. I scooped him up and he did great! He didn't panic. I had explained everything. Paddling back to the shore I purposefully dug in and flipped the boat without telling him. I watched him calm himself down quickly and take in the surroundings. He assessed the situation. He showed me he was ok and waited for me to get back on the kayak and scoop him up. Another success. You have to do this with your kids. You have to learn how to coach them when on the water. This is how people survive bad situations. Preparation. 

The water is warm now. Do this now. Don't wait until winter. Don't wait until the water is cold. 


This all takes some time and preparation but if it saves just one life next year that is one more child who gets to become an adult. One more set of parents who aren't grieving over a simple mistake. Take the time to be ready for when that little girl or boy asks to do what you are doing. When they ask to go kayak with you, have a life jacket, have a plan and have a blast making memories that will last forever.