[Paddlewise] Foam and Back band Outfitting

Duane Strosaker said:
>>I really like the Snap Dragon backband that is a plastic
strap with neoprene padding.  The strap gets bolted in.  It works great on my
plastic Looksha IV and fiberglass Arluk II.>> <snip>

Back support, specifically lower back support is one of the issues raised
most often by new paddlers, paddlers with new boats, and "paddlers" renting
boats who normally only paddle a couple times a year.

Newbies seem to love the "chair" style, with full molded plastic support -
admittedly, and seemingly comfortable at first. Some even go on to like
this style for the long haul (literally and career wise). Others prefer a
wide, flexible plastic piece, with padding - mounted like a back band
strap. Necky still has this available. Caffyne used back slats held
vertically in position, for some of his loooooong trips. Back straps seem
the post popular with performance oriented paddlers. I have used, and/or
installed a number of these different options over the years. I find the
back band digs in to my back a bit too much, but afforded the greatest
amount of freedom of movement. The wrap-around Necky style gave a good
compromise with comfort and performance/flexibility. The seat-style I've
tried on borrowed boats was okay, but too restrictive for my taste. It even
seemed uncomfortable after a while, and interfered with exits and entries,
due to the fact that it sticks above the deck and coaming of the kayak
(paddlefloat rescues were made more difficult too, during the getting back
in phase). Folders often have well-thought out seating arrangements, and
often more readily amenable to innovative designs due to available mounting
points and de facto engineering.

I wonder what the Inuit used for back support. Any experts in this subject
out there, or has this been brought up on paddlewise before?

My buddy who makes his own kayaks, orders the P&H seat which has built-in
lumbar support. Within a year, he added a back band. I even tried one of
the newer, wider back bands, but still found it obnoxious. Now I just
paddle a lot and do back exercises at the gym, and don't need any back
support whatsoever. It has been liberating to paddle like this, though a
bit difficult the first two days out on a long trip. I can also more easily
adjust trim by sliding back or forward a bit - something not entirely
possible with an arbitrary preset-distance back support. I do have a
slanted, wrap-around aft bulkhead that is padded with 1/4 inch foam, such
that if I lean back, I can get a modicum of support for rest breaks, or
while taking a break to suss out conditions so as to ascertain whether I
want to be in a Sea Kayaker Mag incident report, again :-)

Back to you.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd (now on digest version)   

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************