Gear reviews

Klip-N-Go Kayak Strap

There is now an alternative to overhead portaging of a kayak, thanks to the Klip-N-Go Kayak Strap. As easy to use as its name suggests, the cushioned strap clips to the skirt rim of a kayak, fore and aft. The strap is then slung across the shoulder and around the neck, allowing the kayak to be carried at one's side.

Illustrations and detailed instructions on how the strap can lighten a kayaker's load can be found at www.klip-n-gokayakstraps.com.

Klip-N-Go LLC is a family-owned business in Appleton, Wisconsin, that assembles the straps in house to ensure their quality.

The straps cost $24.95 and can be ordered through the website. Call 920/659-3831 for more information.

It's A Doozy

At Canoecopia last March, Silent Sports obtained a device called "It's A Doozy" that helps a person in the water board a canoe.

The Doozy is essentially a rescue stirrup - a cable that attaches to the carrying handle or holes at the end of the canoe with two threaded brass nuts and coupler. Detailed instructions are included.

The person wishing to board the boat places their foot on the loop step stirrup under the surface of the water and pushes down and back with that foot so the canoe "glides under the person for easy entry." Successful use depends on the size of the individual and canoe and is not recommended for canoes with a raised prow.

The device does appear to be a simple solution to what can be a vexing problem. As the manufacturer notes on the packaging, "It's a lifesaver. Watch the first step. It's a doozy."

The device is available from Sundown Ideas LLC, P.O. Box 334, Waunakee, WI 53597. For more information, email itisadoozy@gmail.com.

Finn Hook

Many silent sport enthusiasts, paddlers in particular, are no stranger to soreness in the neck, shoulders and upper back. A deceptively straight-forward tool for alleviating that pain is the Finn Hook, a "wellness product that provides the benefits of massage, acupressure and trigger point therapy all in one" the manufacturer claims.

Crafted from birch plywood (by central Wisconsinite Dale Niggemann of CAT Ski fame), the Finn Hook releases muscle tension in hard to reach areas. The therapeutic self-massager is recommended for use after workouts, at the office or anytime you have a spare moment.

The Finn Hook is available in two models, costing $29.95 and $44.95. To watch videos demonstrating their proper use and to order, go to www.finnhookusa.com.

Tired Ol' Belts

After all the paddling and other exercise, you may have that enviable problem of slimming down until our pants are too big. And if your belt just doesn't cinch tight enough, consider getting a new one that shows off your love for cycling - and recycling.

Tired Ol' Belts is a Twin Cities, Minnesota, husband-and-wife team that turns old bicycle tires, both road and mountain, into snazzy belts. While they are not the only environmentally driven belt makers out there, they may be alone in pairing their belts with buckles also made out of old bike parts. Buckles fashioned from chains, cogs, rings and spokes make their belts stand out and your pants stay up.

The unique hand-crafted belts made from 100 percent recycled material sell for $25-$30 each. Customers can have belts made out of their own tires or trade bike parts for finished belts.

See Tired Ol' Belts' inventory and ordering info at tiredolbelts.com.