Re: [Paddlewise] Hip Pads

On Sun, 30 May 1999, Clyde Sisler wrote:

> 
> I bought Banshee Pro (as opposed to amateur?) Hip Snaps from Planetary Gear
> a while ago and then forgot about them.  These are nylon type pouches with
> shims so you can adjust the thickness to your own bulging hips and you
> Velcro and strap them to the seat.  The sticker says $32US.
> 
> After fooling around with them for a while, I decided I felt more
> comfortable with one full hip pad than with two partially filled pads. I
> think I'll have that on my strong side.
> 
> I also decided I didn't want them permanently or semi-permanently attached
> as they hinder my getting into the kayak.  I noticed this getting in with
> the kayak sitting on the lawn so I can imagine the trouble it might cause on
> the water, particularly in lumpy water.  There's a warning on the package
> about the possiblity of hindrence when entering and exiting.

Clyde, I am not a big fan of the Banshee removable hip pads.  They are too
loose even when the straps are tightened.  This makes them less effective
and much more likely to hinder entry.  A much better (and cheaper)
solution is to shape custom pads out of a couple of blocks of that gray
minicell foam using a shaping tool. If you glue these pads in well, then
they provide superior support, and also do not hinder entry or exit all
that much -- especially if you shape little ramps on the top section to
encourage your hips to slide by upon entry.

Another advantage to shaping your own pads is that they can be the perfect
width on both sides, and therefore avoid any lopsideness.

> 
> I think I'll just use the one hip pad and set it once I'm in the boat.  I'll
> figure some way to  keep from losing it; maybe a short tether connected to a
> D-ring somewhere.
> 

If the pad is not firmly attached to the boat, it will not provide much
good at all.

> Any thoughts or comments?
> 
> The second issue is foot peg adjustments.  My thighs were kinda loose (not
> flabby loose) in the cockpit.  Not being a roller, I had always set them so
> I could just reach them with the balls of my feet for rudder control (when I
> used it).  I suppose now I have to find some happy medium between tight
> thighs and cramped legs.
> 

Having the foot pedals close enough to be comfortably snug should not
cause cramping on its own. You may be having trouble with overly large
footwear. What do you wear? There are many models of kayaking specific
footwear that are popular today, which may greatly enhance your comfort
level. I have long legs and big feet (size 13), and I use the Acona River
Racer shoes. These are tight fitting and take up the least amount of room
possible. In my sea kayak, it is no problem for me to take my feet off the
pedals and point them forward in front of the pedals for a rest. Also the
sticky river rubber provides excellent traction on slippery barnacle
covered rocks. I really love kayaking specific footwear!

> Sure hope this rolling stuff saves my butt someday.  It's an awful lot of
> trouble.

Don't worry. You will be totally thrilled the moment you pull off a roll
after an unintentional capsize. At this point, all the trouble you
perceive won't seem like any trouble at all.  I teach combat rolling quite
a bit, and I love to see the excitement people get when they pull off
their first combat roll.

One bit of advice though, is to never stop practicing your roll!  All
aspects of your paddling will benefit from the practice, and you will be
more likely to actually make that combat roll a reality. Good luck with
your roll.

Kevin

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