Awesome pack out. I'm looking for a smaller kayak and didn't think I would be able to weekend trip it...until I saw this. All round great pack out job. Thanks.
It's a great yak imho, Kory! The Aspire is a versatile package that handles most "real world" kayaking needs very well. Camp, fish, casual float...it is adaptable!
Have never yakpacked but it sure looks like a wonderful time, especially in cooler weather when not as many people are around. I have a sister in Texas and she has talked for years about wanting to kayak down the buffalo river and after watching your video's, I know understand why.
wow, perfect video for what ive been looking for. ive been wanting to get into "yakpacking" after loving kayaking but have very little to no experience camping and was thinking i would need a Pungo 140 to fit everything but feared the length with the fairly windy rivers near me, now im second guessing how much storage i need. thanks!
Glad to help William! I pondered the exact same thing and as it turns out, the "less is more" strategy works very well for yakpacking. Guys I know with bigger yaks tend to really fill them up with gear and I've found that the smaller and lighter gear you can obtain...the more enjoyable the trips are. Plus, you don't feel like you're packing up a yard sale at every campsite! LOL! Thanks for watching!
Hey Pete! Question, my aspire 100 just came in and I noticed there is a foam block in between where the foot pedals rest. Did that come with yours? I saw that you put a dry bag in that area and wondered if you removed that foam piece on yours?
Ryan Clark I'm pretty sure the forward block is just there to add a bit of rigidity to the hollow bow area. Likely it adds a little forward flotation as well. Some folks apparently take it out, but I left mine in. A 10L drybag fits great up against it and rides up to just past the cockpit. A 20L bag comes up to just below my knees. It provides a good "stop" to keep gear from getting out of reach in the bow. Just remembered, a 5L drybag will wedge nicely between the foam block and the hull, one on either side of the block, providing about 10L of storage space. Be sure to leash/tether all bags/boxes, etc. in case of capsize. Enjoy your new yak!!!!! Good times await!!!
Thanks for the tips on packing. Good to know to keep the load balanced, and not on top of the deck if at all possible. Weather permitting, I'm going on a 3 day kayaking and camping trip. Love the kayak skirt.
It's called the " Covert Cooler". It's made for golfers. A sneaky way to hide beer in the golf shoe compartment of your golf bag. Holds about 9 cans...or whatever else you wanna throw in there. Great for behind the yak seat!
Okay, because of your great video's I have an Aspire on order. Can't wait! What Harmony skirt is the this one. Thanks. Oh, I was wondering what way do you prefer on entering the cockpit. My current kayak is a sit on top.
Gary Goldsmith Great news Gary! You are gonna love it! The skirt I use is currently a Harmony Synergy...not sure what size I'll look and get back to you. The 105 will have a larger cockpit than the 100, so keep that in mind. As far as entry/exit, just stay low and centered. A few times in and out you'll get the feel for it. Enjoy your new yak!
i cant decide between this or the dagger axis 10.5 or 12 or a wilderness systems aspire 105 any help from the experienced paddlers on choosing i want to camp fish and hit some rivers
The Punisher Both of those are great choices. Of course I am partial to Wilderness Systems... the Dagger Axis is a great boat, my friend has one I haven't paddled but it's very similar perhaps a little bit bigger bow (rocker)for breaking waves but the seat is a little less comfortable versus the WS in my opinion. I also prefer the hinged Hatches on Wilderness Systems versus the "peel off"type that Dagger uses. Again, both are great yaks & either one should do fine, it's really just personal preference. If you can, go to a retailer and see if you can test paddle or at least sit in each of those boats and let that be the deciding factor. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!!!
+HammockTips The cooler is called the "covert cooler" and was purchased at a golf shop at a country club. it is designed to hold 9 cans of your preferred beverage and fit into the shoe compartment of your golf bag ( for those courses that frown on alcohol use while golfing) It's a nifty little cooler and does the trick for me as I usually don't carry much in the way of perishables...and it fits behind the seat to keep the weight centered better. Thanks for watching!
Hi Pete, great review thanks, have the boat on order here in the UK, just one question? Do you know if the Harmony spraydeck is available in the UK, have done some searches, but according to Harmony website they don't ship to UK? Thanks again
Pete Braginton I purchased the Harmony Synergy spray skirt at Scheels sporting goods. I got an awesome deal. It wasn't marked so i had them do a price check. They went to the back and checked it, came back and said it was 85, but they would sell it for 30, because it's been in the system since 2012. I gave it a good look over and made sure it hadn't been returned or anything. It looked brand new and they assured me it hadn't been returned. Needless to say, i bought it!
Gary Goldsmith Awesome Gary👍! Good times await! The cooler is a "Covert Cooler" sold for golf bags...but it fits well behind the seat (maybe even two?) www.covert-coolers.com/ More trips & videos planned, just getting through my busy work season then when it cools off...back to the rivers! Send me a pic. of your yak, I wanna see!
+moon glow Well, I typically use the same gear load out as I do for backpacking. In the shoulder seasons that's about 20-25lbs. (not including water, as I can filter that as I go directly from the river/lake). Food weight varies depending on duration but I would say its generally around 3lbs /day. The great thing about yakpacking is the ability to bring more comfort items without the burden on your back...that being said, I would assume 5-10lbs of "luxury items" are carried depending on need/use/weather. I would say at the heaviest (multi-day winter trip) gear/consumables/warmer clothes would be around 45-50lbs. In the warmer months, one could get by with much less weight , closer to 30 lbs. I weigh about 150lbs, so me and a typical 2 day load in say, March, would be around 35-40 lbs. The load capacity on my WS Aspire is 350lbs...so I can easily get all Winter or Spring gear in the boat + me and still be well under the load limit. Hope that answered some of your questions. Thanks for watching!
Short answer, Yes, It can be a trick and sort of frustrating the first few times. Look for a skirt with a zipper that will open 3/4's of the way down the skirt....this makes for easier entry/exit without taking the skirt off each time, and vents in the summer if the skirt is on due to rain. I only use the skirt in the winter time to keep drips out and heat in the yak....or in the spring if the rivers are swelled and I know the boat may take on some water due to rapids and stuff.
Yeah, it can be...Look for a skirt that has a zippered opening...makes entry/exit somewhat easier w/o taking the skirt off each time. Neoprene skirts are designed to roll your yak in (so they're TIGHT) a nylon skirt is more recreational,which makes it more versatile in my opinion.
my whole strategy in the winter or cooler months is Do Not Get Wet. I have made it a fine art of getting in and out of the kayak without getting my feet wet at all. this takes some practice and some creative launching/landing locations...but can be done with some proper planning. I don't have a drysuit (never will either) or any special wetsuit booties or any of that stuff. I do use waterproof kneehigh socks by sealskinz(while I'm in the boat cuz there will be water in there no matter what) and a trusty pair of Crocs to slip on when I go to shore. I also pack a couple pair of wool socks for back-up or emergency.
waterproof socks while in the yak (cold weather) then slip on Crocs when I hit shore to pee, stretch legs, eat, etc.. Crocs come off before I slide into sprayskirt (put under rear deck bungie while paddling)...WP socks stay on to keep feet warm and dry cuz there will be a little water in the yak sloshing around that is unavoidable & your feet will get COLD touching the inner hull of the boat when the water is cold. Warmer months, I use fivefingers by Vibram.
Andrew Chipchosky That's a tough one...as I too am pretty new to this. Here are some points to think about while deciding between different kayaks: #1 Type of water most likely to be floating; flatwater lakes/ponds/etc. or moving water; rivers/creeks/etc. different boats are designed to perform better for specific types of water.#2 Type of paddling you will be doing; basic recreational trips/overnights/multi-day/fishing/etc. think about what you will be using your kayak for the most, while still being able to crossover if the need came about. #3 Type of kayak; sit in or sit on top...advantages and disadvantages to both...I prefer sit in's for colder weather and less exposure to water...just me though. #4 $$$ kayaks are expensive and I would totally recommend getting a reputable brand over a cheapo...pays dividends down the road. Sorry if this gives you more ?'s than answers, I've been real happy with my Aspire b/c of capacity, maneuverability, stability, skeg, weight( heavy long boats are hard to load/unload from vehicle solo), & overall versatility for rec. paddling to light fastwater to overnight to even fishing. If you can get to a kayak shop, demo a few different boats(in the water) that fit your overall criteria and go with one that works best for you. These were a few I was thinking over before I settled on mine. Dagger Zydeco, Dagger Katana, Jackson Rouge, Liquid Logic Remix, Wilderness Systems Aspire. Most "crossover" boats are a little biased to the whitewater side more than the rec side...with the exception of the Aspire (I don't have alot of whitewater where I live, so didn't need a yak that was designed to handle WW....stability and versatility were were my main two criteria) Talk to some people who kayak and they can set you straight on the finer points I'm forgetting to mention. Hope something in here helps, float on!
Awesome pack out. I'm looking for a smaller kayak and didn't think I would be able to weekend trip it...until I saw this. All round great pack out job. Thanks.
great video. I'm considering getting an aspire and your videos have been the most informative and pretty much sold me on it.
It's a great yak imho, Kory!
The Aspire is a versatile package that handles most "real world" kayaking needs very well. Camp, fish, casual float...it is adaptable!
Have never yakpacked but it sure looks like a wonderful time, especially in cooler weather when not as many people are around. I have a sister in Texas and she has talked for years about wanting to kayak down the buffalo river and after watching your video's, I know understand why.
wow, perfect video for what ive been looking for. ive been wanting to get into "yakpacking" after loving kayaking but have very little to no experience camping and was thinking i would need a Pungo 140 to fit everything but feared the length with the fairly windy rivers near me, now im second guessing how much storage i need. thanks!
Glad to help William! I pondered the exact same thing and as it turns out, the "less is more" strategy works very well for yakpacking. Guys I know with bigger yaks tend to really fill them up with gear and I've found that the smaller and lighter gear you can obtain...the more enjoyable the trips are. Plus, you don't feel like you're packing up a yard sale at every campsite! LOL! Thanks for watching!
Hey Pete! Question, my aspire 100 just came in and I noticed there is a foam block in between where the foot pedals rest. Did that come with yours? I saw that you put a dry bag in that area and wondered if you removed that foam piece on yours?
Ryan Clark I'm pretty sure the forward block is just there to add a bit of rigidity to the hollow bow area. Likely it adds a little forward flotation as well. Some folks apparently take it out, but I left mine in. A 10L drybag fits great up against it and rides up to just past the cockpit. A 20L bag comes up to just below my knees. It provides a good "stop" to keep gear from getting out of reach in the bow. Just remembered, a 5L drybag will wedge nicely between the foam block and the hull, one on either side of the block, providing about 10L of storage space. Be sure to leash/tether all bags/boxes, etc. in case of capsize. Enjoy your new yak!!!!! Good times await!!!
That makes sense. Thanks!
Great video mate,nice to see the smaller Yaks working well for camping-mine is 12' 6 and your vid has helped me for my up and coming camp.thanks
Thanks dismaldog! Like they say..."it's not the size of your yak, but how you pack it!" Cheers, mate...enjoy your adventures!
Thanks for the tips on packing. Good to know to keep the load balanced, and not on top of the deck if at all possible. Weather permitting, I'm going on a 3 day kayaking and camping trip. Love the kayak skirt.
Very helpful
I just purchased this same kayak..the cooler you have behind the seat what cooler is that ?? Thats perfect
It's called the " Covert Cooler".
It's made for golfers. A sneaky way to hide beer in the golf shoe compartment of your golf bag.
Holds about 9 cans...or whatever else you wanna throw in there. Great for behind the yak seat!
@@PeteBraginton thank you!!!
Great information…..thank you….gary
Glad you enjoyed!
Thanks!
neoprene booties a must for me cold weather floating
Okay, because of your great video's I have an Aspire on order. Can't wait! What Harmony skirt is the this one. Thanks. Oh, I was wondering what way do you prefer on entering the cockpit. My current kayak is a sit on top.
Gary Goldsmith Great news Gary!
You are gonna love it!
The skirt I use is currently a Harmony Synergy...not sure what size I'll look and get back to you. The 105 will have a larger cockpit than the 100, so keep that in mind. As far as entry/exit, just stay low and centered. A few times in and out you'll get the feel for it. Enjoy your new yak!
Thank you Pete, it's being shipped in today. I'm too excited to sleep!
i cant decide between this or the dagger axis 10.5 or 12 or a wilderness systems aspire 105 any help from the experienced paddlers on choosing i want to camp fish and hit some rivers
The Punisher Both of those are great choices. Of course I am partial to Wilderness Systems... the Dagger Axis is a great boat, my friend has one I haven't paddled but it's very similar perhaps a little bit bigger bow (rocker)for breaking waves but the seat is a little less comfortable versus the WS in my opinion. I also prefer the hinged Hatches on Wilderness Systems versus the "peel off"type that Dagger uses. Again, both are great yaks & either one should do fine, it's really just personal preference. If you can, go to a retailer and see if you can test paddle or at least sit in each of those boats and let that be the deciding factor. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!!!
ty for the reply
Look up the IRIDIUM stove..... best pack stove ever made for these adventures
Pete Braginton What ice cooler and water container are you using behind the seat? Thanks for the video, very informative!
+HammockTips The cooler is called the "covert cooler" and was purchased at a golf shop at a country club. it is designed to hold 9 cans of your preferred beverage and fit into the shoe compartment of your golf bag ( for those courses that frown on alcohol use while golfing) It's a nifty little cooler and does the trick for me as I usually don't carry much in the way of perishables...and it fits behind the seat to keep the weight centered better. Thanks for watching!
Hi Pete, great review thanks, have the boat on order here in the UK, just one question? Do you know if the Harmony spraydeck is available in the UK, have done some searches, but according to Harmony website they don't ship to UK?
Thanks again
which harmony spray skirt is that? I have been looking for it everywhere!
Believe it's the "Synergy" model.....& it's great!
Pete Braginton I purchased the Harmony Synergy spray skirt at Scheels sporting goods. I got an awesome deal. It wasn't marked so i had them do a price check. They went to the back and checked it, came back and said it was 85, but they would sell it for 30, because it's been in the system since 2012. I gave it a good look over and made sure it hadn't been returned or anything. It looked brand new and they assured me it hadn't been returned. Needless to say, i bought it!
Got the boat, love it! What brand is the cooler you use? Thanks for the info and please make more videos.
Gary Goldsmith Awesome Gary👍! Good times await! The cooler is a "Covert Cooler" sold for golf bags...but it fits well behind the seat (maybe even two?) www.covert-coolers.com/ More trips & videos planned, just getting through my busy work season then when it cools off...back to the rivers! Send me a pic. of your yak, I wanna see!
Work??? Who needs it. Thanks Peter for the info. I will send you a photo once I get it on the water. I chose the color Sonar Lime, love it!
.
.
Thanks.
Curious if this load set-up was ever weighed?
And including you is a total of ... ? lbs.
.
.
+moon glow Well, I typically use the same gear load out as I do for backpacking. In the shoulder seasons that's about 20-25lbs. (not including water, as I can filter that as I go directly from the river/lake). Food weight varies depending on duration but I would say its generally around 3lbs /day. The great thing about yakpacking is the ability to bring more comfort items without the burden on your back...that being said, I would assume 5-10lbs of "luxury items" are carried depending on need/use/weather. I would say at the heaviest (multi-day winter trip) gear/consumables/warmer clothes would be around 45-50lbs. In the warmer months, one could get by with much less weight , closer to 30 lbs. I weigh about 150lbs, so me and a typical 2 day load in say, March, would be around 35-40 lbs. The load capacity on my WS Aspire is 350lbs...so I can easily get all Winter or Spring gear in the boat + me and still be well under the load limit. Hope that answered some of your questions. Thanks for watching!
Is it difficult getting in and out of the kayak with the spray skirt on
Short answer, Yes, It can be a trick and sort of frustrating the first few times. Look for a skirt with a zipper that will open 3/4's of the way down the skirt....this makes for easier entry/exit without taking the skirt off each time, and vents in the summer if the skirt is on due to rain. I only use the skirt in the winter time to keep drips out and heat in the yak....or in the spring if the rivers are swelled and I know the boat may take on some water due to rapids and stuff.
Yeah, it can be...Look for a skirt that has a zippered opening...makes entry/exit somewhat easier w/o taking the skirt off each time. Neoprene skirts are designed to roll your yak in (so they're TIGHT) a nylon skirt is more recreational,which makes it more versatile in my opinion.
Great video, I ha wondered how you packed your boat.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of footwear do you use during the cooler months?
my whole strategy in the winter or cooler months is Do Not Get Wet. I have made it a fine art of getting in and out of the kayak without getting my feet wet at all. this takes some practice and some creative launching/landing locations...but can be done with some proper planning. I don't have a drysuit (never will either) or any special wetsuit booties or any of that stuff. I do use waterproof kneehigh socks by sealskinz(while I'm in the boat cuz there will be water in there no matter what) and a trusty pair of Crocs to slip on when I go to shore. I also pack a couple pair of wool socks for back-up or emergency.
Pete Braginton So you only wear socks while you're in the yak?
waterproof socks while in the yak (cold weather) then slip on Crocs when I hit shore to pee, stretch legs, eat, etc.. Crocs come off before I slide into sprayskirt (put under rear deck bungie while paddling)...WP socks stay on to keep feet warm and dry cuz there will be a little water in the yak sloshing around that is unavoidable & your feet will get COLD touching the inner hull of the boat when the water is cold. Warmer months, I use fivefingers by Vibram.
Well done, very informative, tks!
I'm kinda new to kayaking and I was wondering what kayak would you recommend me for yak packing and just general kayaking thanks
Andrew Chipchosky That's a tough one...as I too am pretty new to this. Here are some points to think about while deciding between different kayaks: #1 Type of water most likely to be floating; flatwater lakes/ponds/etc. or moving water; rivers/creeks/etc. different boats are designed to perform better for specific types of water.#2 Type of paddling you will be doing; basic recreational trips/overnights/multi-day/fishing/etc. think about what you will be using your kayak for the most, while still being able to crossover if the need came about. #3 Type of kayak; sit in or sit on top...advantages and disadvantages to both...I prefer sit in's for colder weather and less exposure to water...just me though. #4 $$$ kayaks are expensive and I would totally recommend getting a reputable brand over a cheapo...pays dividends down the road. Sorry if this gives you more ?'s than answers, I've been real happy with my Aspire b/c of capacity, maneuverability, stability, skeg, weight( heavy long boats are hard to load/unload from vehicle solo), & overall versatility for rec. paddling to light fastwater to overnight to even fishing. If you can get to a kayak shop, demo a few different boats(in the water) that fit your overall criteria and go with one that works best for you. These were a few I was thinking over before I settled on mine. Dagger Zydeco, Dagger Katana, Jackson Rouge, Liquid Logic Remix, Wilderness Systems Aspire. Most "crossover" boats are a little biased to the whitewater side more than the rec side...with the exception of the Aspire (I don't have alot of whitewater where I live, so didn't need a yak that was designed to handle WW....stability and versatility were were my main two criteria) Talk to some people who kayak and they can set you straight on the finer points I'm forgetting to mention. Hope something in here helps, float on!
Hey, what size does your sprayskirt have? Thanks for this great video!
Love the skirt
look up Sawyer filter for drinking Water
Pete..love the vids. I'm looking hard for a used Aspire because of them. Pls check your Inbox when you can.
Nice...kinda made me feel petty unorganized,lol.
Nice Pack Rat sticker!
Harrison Schober Represent! Thanks buddy!