Paddling the Ride 115 with Some New Toys

Austin Store Team | December 23, 2012 | 0 Comments

I recently had the chance to take out my Ride 115 on the Colorado River (Little Webberville, Texas). It’s always a pleasure to take this kayak out, I truly love it. First off, at only 11.5’, it doesn’t stick out the back of my truck far enough to need a bed extender, which makes it a lot more practical for me personally. And I truly don’t find too much of a difference between paddling this and its big brother, the Ride 135. Sure, I might lose a little speed and it might not track quite as well, but it is negligible and not enough for me to take notice. It’s stable enough for me stand in easily, paddles plenty fast and tracks well, plus it can handle my 245 lbs. and any amount of gear I want to take with no problems whatsoever.

As it’s often said, the motor of the kayak is the paddle. Some people choose to skimp in regards to this item, but my recommendation is to spend as much as you can afford. For me, I’m very happy with the Camano FG (Fiberglass) paddle. It’s very light for times when I’m paddling long distances and has plenty of rigidity in the blades so I’m not wasting energy. I would recommend this blade to anybody!

For my recent birthday, my family got me some new toys and I got to put them the test for the first time on this outing. The first of which was the Malone Express Scupper Cart, which I have decided is a must-have! I don’t know how I made it so long without one. It’s easy to use and I can take all my gear in one trip. In the event I get another sit on top, it will adjust to fit nearly any kayak. And most importantly, it has foam filled tires so I don’t have to worry about flats.

The next item I got that has made life a lot more comfortable is the Skwoosh Classic Kayak Cushion. At less than $50, this is money well spent if you find yourself getting sore after a short time in your kayak seat. Let’s face it, the most important part of any kayak seat is the support it provides, but a close second is some cushioning to sit on. The gel in this is great and makes for a more comfortable paddling.

Lastly, I got to use the Eco Extreme Speaker for the first time. Not only does it do a great job of keeping my cell phone dry, but puts out a decent amount of volume via Pandora or whatever player you choose to use. The fact that the unit floats is a major plus in the event that you knock it out of the boat.

This particular day was right after a cold front blew in, so the fishing was non-existent. This allowed me to fully appreciate my surroundings with its abundant wildlife and crystal clear water (at least on this day). I would always prefer to be catching fish one after another, but I’ve learned over time that nature sometimes pitches a shutout…..AND a bad day of fishing is far better than a good day of working!

Scott @ACK Austin

Tags: 1097, 2012 wilderness ride, 2805, 5707, 5989, 6281, ACK Austin, Eco Extreme Speaker, Go Play, Kayak Fishing, Malone Express Scupper Cart, skwoosh, werner camano fiberglass paddle