Spring and Big Loops have Sprung!

by Clay Wright | Apr 17, 2014 | Playboating, Rockstar Carbon, Whitewater

Spring is in the air and so were our kayaks! Stephen Wright and I headed over to the Pigeon last week on the chance that we would catch a release – and got lucky. The 1600cfs flow proved perfect for getting the hard technical tricks and combos we needed to...

Kayaking Gloves vs Pogies vs Mittens: Hand-y tips for cold weather boating

by Clay Wright | Jan 16, 2014 | Beginner Moves, Creeking, Intermediate Moves, JK Team Posts, JK University, Playboating, Reviews, River Running, Whitewater

Cold water or cold weather or both, there’s just no way to get around exposure to the  cold if you want to paddle as many days as possible unless you have the appropriate protection.   Instead of worrying about the temperature so much,   why not just prepare for...

”Switch” it up to get fresh thrills from your favorite rapids

by Clay Wright | Jan 25, 2013 | Instructional, Whitewater

My first time seeing a kayak go off Gorilla, they spun out and went off it backwards, arms in the air the kayak flopped over the edge and pitched vertically but slid down the flume just fine.   Hearing Woody Calloway say people go off backwards 50% of the time, I made...

Clay’s Karma Med / Large Creek Boat Review

by Clay Wright | Dec 25, 2012 | Creeking, River Running, Whitewater

Karma Review: The high pitched patter of the rain turns to a lower, rumbling thunder that just keeps rolling along until it’s drowned out by the splash of the gutter’s overflow against the backdoor. So much for sleep tonight. As you scroll down the gage...

2013 All Star- Initial Review by Clay Wright

by Clay Wright | Aug 13, 2012 | Whitewater

First Review of 2013 All-star Just a quick review of the new All-star after paddling it off and on daily for a week. Me:  165lbs,  30” inseam,  5’9” size 11 play booties. Compared to Rockstar Medium Fit:  The cockpit rim is lower than the Rockstar, I...

Biggest Loops on Earth? Kelly’s Nationals today!

by Clay Wright | Jul 7, 2012 | Playboating, Rockstar, Rockstar Carbon, Team JK, Whitewater

In the middle of an Idaho meadow lies possibly the biggest loop spot on Earth. The Kelly’s Whitewater Center features several man-made rapids but the top one is the biggest and baddest and is where we are having the US Freestyle National Championships today....

How to Backflip Seal Launch a Kayak

by Clay Wright | Apr 18, 2012 | JK University, Whitewater

How to Backflip your Kayak:   I’ve seal launched the 20′ point at Rock Island for 20 years, I’ve also watched paddlers try backflips off ramps and waterfalls and also over-rotated off high dives and cliffs of all sorts.   I knew it was possible....

Jackson Kayak Zen 65 and 75 Review (by Clay)

by Clay Wright | Apr 3, 2012 | Whitewater

Boat Review:  Zen 65 and Zen 75                                       Me:  170 lbs, 5’9”, 31” inseam,  size 11 feet.   Test Conditions:  Rock Island...

Stepping up to Stout at Chile’s 70′ Middle Palguin

by Clay Wright | Feb 15, 2012 | Whitewater

My first time on Chile’s 70′ Middle Palguin Rock is full of plastic, nylon, nerves and energy.  Water turns from deep green to white  during the lead-in 10’er and just 40′ downstream it turns to mostly to spray on it’s 70′ journey...

Reno! and the Creeks that Followed

by Clay Wright | May 18, 2011 | Creeking, Events, Hero, River Running, rivers, Trip Reports, Whitewater

Flew out a full week early this year to train at the Reno Whitewater Park in hopes I could get as good at combo’s as Stephen Carbon Rockstar video (http://www.youtube.com/user/jacksonkayakvids#p/c/0/ODBI1D1yYY0) by the time of the Festival.  In that respect I...

Lift your Comfort level with a Sweet Cheeks 200

by Clay Wright | Apr 29, 2011 | Creeking, Reviews

If you like paddling bigger boats or have a shorter torso than average for your weight there’s an amazing piece of kayak outfitting waiting for you to discover:  the 200 Sweet Cheeks. Like our regular Sweet Cheeks, the 200 is an airtight nylon rectangular bag...

2011 Super Hero Review (vs Hero)

by Clay Wright | Apr 25, 2011 | Whitewater

  Take a 2011 Hero and ‘Super-size-it’ and you get a boat just as lively, quick, stable, and nimble ast he2011 Hero – only bigger! But what about when a 170 lb guy compares one to the other?  That’s the idea here – to compare how...