Re: [Paddlewise] Best all-around vehicle for sea kayakers

On 5/24/05, Evan Dallas <evand_at_pensionresourcegroup.com> wrote:
> On 24 May 2005 at 7:29, Dave Reynolds wrote:
> 
> >  In your opinion, what is the best all-around vehicle for sea kayakers.
> >  I currently drive a ford escort hatchback and it suits me fine.
> 
> I have a Suburu Outback wagon that I specifically bought with kayak 
> trips in mind. 

Last winter my wife and I were cross-country skiing in Winthrop (which
I highly recommend: 200 miles or more of groomed trails) in north
central Washington State. We were parked in our Isuzu Trooper in the
downtown lot getting ready to watch the annual "ski with your dog"
races when the lady in the car next to us asked us how we liked
Winthrop. I said that we loved Winthrop but that we were lucky to be
allowed up the valley highway in to town. She asked if there had been
weather problems and I looked over the parking lot and said, "No... we
weren't driving a Suburu."

Forty years ago it was the Volkswagen Beetle that was ubiquitous here
in the Northwest but now if any single car is everywhere it's a Suburu
Outback. Testimony to the nature of the car and the proclivities of
the drivers.

But we were driving our second Isuzu Trooper. It's bigger than the
Outback and doesn't get the gas mileage (we get 16 to 18mpg while our
daughter's Outback gets 25 to 30) but there are advantages. It's
easier for me to get into the Trooper than an Outback... especially
after a long day paddling or skiing. And a LOT easier to get out of.
We never have to worry about whether we have room enough for all the
gear we want to take. There are racks from both Yakima and Thule
available. We can tow a bigger trailer than a Suburu Outback (which,
oddly enough, I can't remember ever seeing being used as a tow
vehicle). The ground clearance is higher.

However, the Trooper is tall and while that's great for us bigger
folks inside, it's a struggle to put a big kayak up there. Or even a
small kayak. Or even x/c skiis. Heck, it's not easy to even touch the
roof let alone put something up there.

But it has one great advantage over any of the Suburu models: it's
cheap to buy. Due to all the adverse publicity over their supposed
tendency to roll over you can buy them for a LOT less money than an
Outback or Forester; at least on the used market. We bought a 1999
Trooper with 70k on the speedometer for $7,000 two years ago. It had
some body damage but has run pretty well for us ever since.

And the other great advantage is that they rise high over the plains
of Suburus in the parking lots of the Northwest so we never have to
wonder where we parked the car. In fact the lady in Winthrop told me
that she loves Troopers and always parked close to one if she could.
"It makes it easier to find my Outback" she said, and grinned up at
me.


Craig Jungers
Royal City, wA
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