What Jackson Kayak products should you now own or get ASAP? by Will Richardson | Jun 20, 2005 | Heros, Rockers, Whitewater | 0 comments June 20, 2005 It is mid-June 2005, a great water year in many places, average in others, but finally summer has arrived everywhere. We have been busy making many new products, of which most people are not really aware of all of them or the ones that will change your paddling life. Here is a guide… Playboats- If you haven’t paddled the 2005 Star, All-Star, or Super Star and you are a playboater, you are missing the boat big time. For the first time in history the boat that goes bigger than anything ever made, is also the boat that is easier to cartwheel, more comfortable, and will make your playboating improve across the board immediately. Star- Small, perfect for ladies, kids, small adults from 90-140 pounds. All-Star- Medium- perfect for EJ (I haven’t lost an event in this boat in 2005 yet, thanks to the go big nature of it!) Super Star- big boys love it! Mr. and Mrs. Upright kayaks- Hero (small/med) and Super Hero (med/large)- Fast, easy to paddle, river running boats Incredible performance, making the downriver trip easy to handle, the flats enjoyable, and the rolling is AWESOMELY EASY! The new outfitting with the first ever adjustable bulkhead from inside the boat, is worth driving to your dealer just to see that. Your all-around great river running/playboat- FUN family of kayaks– you know about these already- don’t have one? Why not? Rocker– if you are a creeker- the time is now to check it out- it is hitting the stores everyday, call yours and demo one now. Accessories you have to have: Happy Seat– Simply my most exciting new design for 2005,. The Happy Seat goes in front of your kayak seat and inflates under your legs to lift them comfortably into the thigh braces. It takes the pressure off of your hips and ankles and butt. It also allows you to drop a leg down to hip snap or drop an edge instead of only lifting one. I NEVER paddle without one anymore. It is as important to me as hip pads! Happy Thruster– if you playboat (do loops, or want to), then you need the Happy Seat/Thruster combo. The Happy Thruster is designed to add volume to your cockpit area and makes you go WAY bigger. Combine the Happy Thruster with the All-Star and you go into space! I was asked by a member of another manufacturers team yesterday, “EJ you go so huge, what is your poison?” That answer is the All-Star, Happy Thruster combo. If you are learning to loop, it throws you way higher allowing you to make more mistakes and still get it around, probably in the air. Fun and Creek Floats– float bags are not new- however the horseshoe shape of the Fun Float or Creek Float allow you to put a single bag in your stern that wraps around the back of the wall and never comes out, doesn’t need tied in, is lighter, and fits all of our kayaks like a charm. I won the world championships with a Fun Float in the back of my All-Star, I am a believer in safety first. (it also allows me to puff the stern up a little if I want, hint, hint!) Happy Feet– Nothing has changed the world of foot comfort and adjustability more than the Happy Feet. Still there are two camps of kayakers out there, those who know how to use them, and those who don’t. It is easy to tell them apart. Those who know how to use the Happy Feet, use them and love them, those who don’t don’t think they are any good. Just look at the amount of people buying them, the fact that I use them 100% of the time, including the world championships, and that should answer your question on whether you should get some for your boat, or put them back in your Jackson Kayak if you took them out (yes, it is true, some people have taken them out and it is a sad situation) If you want to know how to use them, go to the kayaks section of this website and look under outfitting your kayak! NEW DVD’s- EJ’s River Running Basics, and EJ’s Advanced River Running– Something for everybody in these if you are looking for an in depth instructional DVD on techniques, safety, equipment, etc. All filmed in the Southeast USA, spring 2005! OK, get on it, don’t miss the fun! EJ 🙂 Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ