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Auxiliary
Appendages: Protecting Your Hands and Head
For warm hands, some people prefer pogies while others swear
by neoprene gloves. Both work, but don't forget that every gram
on your paddle can translate into lifting an extra ton over the
course of a month of paddling. Why spend an extra $150 for a helium-filled
carbon graphite paddle only to add fifty grams (fifty tons) of
pogie or glove onto the shaft. So, if you can possibly stand it,
paddle bare handed. Keep those hand-warming devices in your ditty
bag for days when you absolutely need them.
I'd never
worn a helmet while sea kayaking, even though I never, never,
never paddled in my river kayak without a helmet. My reasoning
seemed logical: "A helmet while sea kayaking??? Gimmie a
break! The ocean is five miles deep! How am I going to hit my
head?"
The answer
is simple. "You'll hit your head when you roll in the surf."
If you paddle in and out of the surf, eventually you're going
to capsize, pitchpole, window shade, and cartwheel. And when your
boat is doing tricks for you, your head is swinging around, looking
for rocks. Take a helmet. Tie it on the deck when you're in deep
water, but pull the chin strap tight when coming in for a landing.
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