My Mariner Elan will be arriving in about a week, and I am wondering about footwear. My shoe size is 8-1/2, so I generally need to size up to 9, and I can't fit my Teva sandals into the boat. In warmer weather I can go barefoot (which is what I did when test paddling the kayak in Seattle), or wear relatively thin neoprene socks, but what about in colder weather and water? Thanks for any suggestions... merlin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Merlin, What sort of colder weather and water? You noted that you tested the kayak in Seattle and a previous post sounded like you did a course with the Kayak Academy here (Strawberry Is). Will you be paddling here in Puget Sound, 50ish deg, northern freshwater 30 to 40ish or winter conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. Cold is relative and it's funny to see friends from Florida try to swim in the ocean here even during mid-summer... I wear size 11's to fit over my drysuit and when I paddle my Sirius, I'm able to wear Chota's River Runner which is like a normal boot. In my Romany with it's lower foredeck, I need to wear a bootie to retain a decent level of comfort over a long paddle. I've been pleased with the NRS Zippered Wetshoe since it has a sole that's reasonably substantial for walking over rocks and our cobble beaches. When in my surfing or whitewater boats, I have to use a 'rodeo sock' due to the tight fit. This is probably similar to what you note below. NRS makes one that has a rubberized sole that give just a bit of protect, but not much. As an aside, what made you choose the Elan? Were you too small for the Express? I've been thinking about replacing my Sirius with an Express for a while now and had thought about an Elan for my wife (who usually paddles the Romany but wants a P&H Vela). Did you get fore and aft bulkheads installed? Or planning on using a sea-sock...? Links: http://www.nrscatalog.com/dept.asp?deptid=560 http://www.chotaoutdoorgear.com/wsports.html Best, Thomas At 10:01 AM 11/11/2001 -0700, you wrote: >My Mariner Elan will be arriving in about a week, and I am wondering about >footwear. My shoe size is 8-1/2, so I generally need to size up to 9, and >I can't fit my Teva sandals into the boat. > >In warmer weather I can go barefoot (which is what I did when test >paddling the kayak in Seattle), or wear relatively thin neoprene socks, >but what about in colder weather and water? > >Thanks for any suggestions... > >merlin > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed >here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire >responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. >Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net >Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net >Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ >*************************************************************************** At 10:01 AM 11/11/2001 -0700, Merlin Emrys wrote: >My Mariner Elan will be arriving in about a week, and I am wondering about >footwear. My shoe size is 8-1/2, so I generally need to size up to 9, and >I can't fit my Teva sandals into the boat. > >In warmer weather I can go barefoot (which is what I did when test >paddling the kayak in Seattle), or wear relatively thin neoprene socks, >but what about in colder weather and water? > >Thanks for any suggestions... > >merlin > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed >here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire >responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. >Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net >Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net >Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Thomas, and thanks for responding. I live in northern New Mexico (near Santa Fe), so most of my paddling at this time would be on relatively nearby man-made lakes. At the moment the days are sunny and in the 60's, but the water temps are down to around 42 or so. I do hope to get to the Corpus Christi area for a week or so in February. As for swimming, I spent 9 days on Galiano (one of the Canadian Gulf Islands) in August, and went in the water every day. In fact, that's where I got hooked by the kayaking bug. I chose the Elan because I was too big for the Express -- 5'7",140 lbs. The boat I test paddled at the Mariner shop fit me perfectly, but I would have had to do lots of foam padding and other outfitting with the Express, and even then the knee braces would be almost out-of-reach. Both boats handled wonderfully (I believe they are the same design), and I like the idea of not needing rudder nor skeg, which made my decision relatively easy. I was hoping to be able to use the Chota RR shoe (I already have the Chota Neo Sock, which is low-cut and fit perfectly in a size 9 RR), which I tried during the Kayak Academy course and liked very much, but I guess that given my shoe size they unfortunately will not fit in the Elan. I paddled a Mariner Coaster during the course and it was much too big for me, even with adding some foam blocks around the seat area, so that left either the Elan or Express. I will have to do some testing with footgear like the NRS rodeo sock -- I have their print catalog. Matt Broze of Mariner said anything that did not have a large and/or bulky heel should work, so maybe the zippered wetshoe you mention might do. I ordered a rear bulkhead and hatch with my Elan, and will use flotation bags for both the hatch and the bow. I am not a big fan of seasocks --although I know they can be very useful, I found them uncomfortable and sweaty. Anyway.... choices, maddening choices. All the best... merlin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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