Re: [Paddlewise] Cold Water Clothing (also Legal Liability)

From: Robert Livingston & Pam Martin <bearboat2_at_attbi.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 22:33:51 -0800
> I didn't mean to imply the Floater Coat was appropriate for paddling.

Reminds me of a trip I took down a river in Alaska in the early spring of
1980. These full Mustang floater overall outfits had come out and I thought
that might be just the thing. I am a little manic about new ideas.

Anyway I spent a lot of my disposal income at the time on the thing, and a
small group of us drove for two days to get to this river for a three day
trip. I had thought that this would be useable on land and in the boat.

As we prepared to leave, I proudly starting putting on this bright orange
outfit as my friends looked on in awe. I was anticipating a toasty few days
out in the wilderness.

I started putting my right foot in the outfit and I could not get it out the
leg hole. I was baffled. Then I put my hand up the leg but I could not get
my hand to the waist of the outfit. It seemed impossible.

I was so shocked that it took a while for the thing to sink in. When the
suit had been constructed the lining was sewn only in two places, at the
groin and at the pant cuff. But whoever had twisted the lining 360 degrees.
You could go up or down the pant leg an arbitrary distance but you could
never get out.

I had so much invested in the suit that I did not dare rip it apart for fear
they would never believe me at the store and refuse to take it back. I was
young enough to have such concerns.

It was not an ideal time to find out your entire wardrobe was defective but
I suppose that it would have been worse on the deck of a sinking ship.

It was a cold trip. I cannot remember all the details. Not much to learn
except what they teach in kindergarten.

Do not put all your eggs in one basket.

Look before you leap.

That kind of stuff...
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Received on Sat Mar 15 2003 - 03:30:25 PST

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