Best Kayak Paddles: 2020 Top Picks and Buying Guide

Paddling is one of the most important things you need to learn in kayaking. Doing it right will help you to get from one point to another. Aside from mastery of the right techniques, you should also invest in the best kayak paddles.

The best paddles are designed for your highest level of comfort. It should be lightweight. An ergonomic design is also a must-have, making it easy to grip. From the length to the materials, there are several factors to consider when deciding which one is best to buy.

How to Choose the Right Swimming Goggles: Tips and Tricks

Opening your eyes under the water can be a difficult task, especially if you are a beginner. To make things easy, you need the best swimming goggles!

Aside from clarity of vision, swimming goggles also protect the eyes from irritation caused by chlorine and other chemicals in the water. It can also have a special coating for superior UV protection. It makes you more comfortable under the water while also enhancing your performance.

To fully enjoy these benefits, make sure that you know how to choose the right swimming goggles. If you have no idea how to do this, keep on reading and allow us to extend a helping hand.

How to Choose the Right Swimming Goggles: Tips and Tricks

Choosing the Right Swimming Goggles

Fit

Types of Goggles

Lens

Straps

Gaskets

Tips for Using Swimming Goggles

Put It on Properly

Prevent Goggles from Fogging Up

Pay Attention to Care and Maintenance

Conclusion

Choosing the Right Swimming Goggles

The options can be overwhelming. For the uninitiated, it is easy to be lured into low prices. If you want to make the right decision, however, go beyond the price. This section briefly talks about the most important things you need to consider.

Fit

One of the first things to consider is how the goggles fit. If it is too loose, it will fall off your face. Worse, water can get in your eyes. On the other hand, when the fit is too tight, you might end up compromising your comfort.

The fit of your goggles will depend on the seal that it creates around the eyes and not on the strap. It must follow the natural contour of the face to create a tight fit. In turn, this also creates a tight seal to keep water away from your eyes.

The most popular option for swimming goggles is one that is oval-shaped and has a silicone gasket. The latter is the one responsible for sealing.

You also have to consider the nose bridge of the goggles as you try to evaluate its fit. It should be made of a flexible material so that it can comfortably mold based on the shape of your nose or face.

It will also be good to conduct the leak-proof test to determine if the fit is right. Stick the goggles on your face without putting the strap on your head. Press firmly. The fit is right if the goggles stay on its place. If it falls, this is an indication that the size is not suitable for the user.

Types of Goggles

Via: Amazon.com

Be familiar with the types of goggles available and decide which one is most suitable for your needs.

• Competition Goggles: It has a low profile and fits closely to the eye socket, which is also the one responsible for the reduction of drag. It is meant for racing. When used for everyday swimming, it will end up being uncomfortable.
• Practice Goggles: With a less technical design compared to competition goggles, this is the ideal option for everyday use. It is built to offer the best in terms of comfort. It usually has a rubber gasket that creates a tight but comfortable seal around your eyes.
• Recreational Goggles: If you are swimming for a short time, this affordable option for swimming goggles can do the job. If you are an occasional swimmer on a budget, this is a decent option for you.
• Prescription Goggles: This is the best choice if you have vision problems and you need prescription lenses.
• Swim Masks: This is the biggest of the options mentioned. This is not for regular swimming. Instead, it is designed for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Lens

The color of the lens is an important consideration as it directly impacts your clarity of vision. This is an important consideration especially for people who have vision problems. The following are the types of lenses available:

• Clear Lenses: Designed to provide the best in terms of visibility, this is a great choice if you are swimming in low-light conditions.
• Polarized Lenses: If glare protection is an important consideration, this is the right choice of lens for you. This is great for triathlons and swimming in open water.
• Mirrored Lenses: It is effective for glare protection and reduction of brightness. If you participate in indoor swim races, this is a good choice.
• Blue Lenses: If you are looking for an all-around lens that you can use for both indoor and outdoor swimming, this is a good pick.

Straps

Via: Amazon.com

Consider the material used in the strap. It should be flexible so that you can pull it off easily. The material should also demonstrate exceptional longevity. Most importantly, it is important to have an adjustable strap. This will allow you to customize the fit of the goggles depending on what you find to be the most comfortable.

Gaskets

The gaskets or sockets are important because they are the ones that create a tight seal around the eyes. If they are ineffective, water can get in, and this is sure to be uncomfortable.

The classic goggles are equipped with foam sockets. They are comfortable around the eyes and have no hard suction. They are gentle, making it the perfect option for people with sensitive skin.

Silicone is another popular material for the gasket of swim goggles. It is often injection-molded and known for being an incredibly soft material.

Tips for Using Swimming Goggles

To make the most out of your swimming goggles, take note of the tips mentioned below.

Put It on Properly

This is one of the secrets for maximizing the benefits of using swimming goggles. Start by positioning the lenses on your eye socket. Hold it using your one hand. Use the other hand to pull the strap to the back of your head. Readjust the lens properly. There should be even pressure and slight suction.

Prevent Goggles from Fogging Up

The easiest solution to this problem is to ensure the right fit. By creating a tight seal around the eyes, water and air won’t be able to enter. This prevents condensation, and hence, you can expect that the goggles will stay clear when you are swimming.

Pay Attention to Care and Maintenance

To extend the lifespan of the goggles, you must emphasize care and maintenance. Use the pouch that comes with the goggles to protect it from dust and dirt. Avoid touching or rubbing the lenses. Dry it out thoroughly before storage. Keep it out of the sun and a place where it can get moist.

Conclusion

Swimming goggles are must-haves when you are under the water. They make you comfortable, making it easier to unleash your best performance. Not all goggles, however, can deliver exceptional benefits. Be careful about what you choose. From the fit to the materials, consider the factors mentioned above

Best Swim Caps: 2019 Top Picks and Buying Guide

Whether you are a recreational or competitive swimmer, a swim cap is one of the must-haves in your gears!

With the best swim caps, you can easily keep your hair out of your face and eyes, making it easy to swim. It also prevents your hair from getting into the pool. At the same time, it protects from the harmful effects of chlorine.

What is a Standing Wave?

Standing waves, also known as stationary waves or seiche, are groups of waves that bounce up and down on a bounded or enclosed body of water. A standing wave results when two equal waves go in opposite directions. In this post, we will be talking about the properties of standing waves, as well as the science behind it. It’s very interesting to learn how nature works, allowing you to fully utilize your skills, especially when you encounter one of these when surfing. Now, let’s get on with the discussions.

What is a Standing Wave?

What are Standing Waves?

The Discovery of Standing Waves

Surfing and Standing Waves

Conclusion

What are Standing Waves?

Simply put, standing waves are the product of two propagating waves that travel in opposite directions. It is a combination of two opposite waves that have the exact same wavelength and amplitude. The intersection between the waves is referred to as nodes while the maximum amplitude’s positions are referred to as antinodes.

How to Load a Sea Kayak: Get Ready for an Adventure!

The waves, wind, paddler height and weight – all these must be considered when you’re thinking about loading a sea kayak for an expedition. Those and of course a quick check of the weather forecast. Loading a sea kayak can be quite tricky and unfortunately, basic courses wouldn’t show you what you need to properly do it.

Lucky for you, we have here in this post everything that you need to know about how to load a sea kayak. Generally, the heaviest items go as low as possible while the lighter ones should be on the higher end of the kayak. These things, including some tips, will be discussed in detail in this article so be sure to read until the end so learn more about it. Now, let’s begin the discussions.

How to Load a Sea Kayak: Get Ready for an Adventure!

How to Load a Sea Kayak

Different Ways of How to Load a Sea Kayak

Carrying a Sea Kayak

Putting a Sea Kayak on a Vehicle

Tying Down a Sea Kayak

Conclusion

How to Load a Sea Kayak

The goal is to have your kayak trimmed and equally balanced before and after. With this, you might need to look at the kayak’s side view while it’s empty, floating in the water. Keep in mind that the loaded kayak will still look the same as the empty one but it will be sitting a little lower, mainly because of the added weight.

Another thing you must be aware of is that if you put too much weight forward will only make your kayak too immersed on the bow rather than the stern. The kayak tends to turn into the wind’s direction when this happens. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing and in fact, this could also be an advantage, especially if you’re paddling upwind. However, keep in mind that this might also make your kayak a little bit more difficult and challenging to maneuver and control.

Meanwhile, too much weight backward may only cause your kayak to turn downwind. This is a clear advantage if you’re paddling downwind. However, this again might cause you a problem with controlling the kayak.

A trimmed kayak would be best for all-around performance. While this may be the case, you must still be vigilant in case the weather changes, in which you may have to go the other way and turn around. When getting close to land, you still have the option to stop and reload your kayak. However, doing so might just be impossible if you’re doing an open crossing.

Not only would you want your kayak trimmed on the forward and backward portion but you would also want it trimmed on the sides. If you’re carrying heavy gear on one side, the boat will naturally lean on that side. This, again, might cause some control issues because the kayak will inevitably carve turns in the opposite direction.

With this, you might want to load the heavier items low and along the kayak’s keel – close to the cockpit. In addition, you would also want to wedge your gear into place so that they don’t shift from one side to another when there’s an apparent wave action or when the kayak in preparation for a turn or while you’re bracing into a wave.

Different Ways of How to Load a Sea Kayak

Loading a sea kayak is not such a terrible task to do but it’s very important that you know how to properly load it onto your vehicle to make sure that it’s secure even when you’re on the road.

Carrying a Sea Kayak

Carrying a kayak with two people is very simple. Each person only needs to grab an end of the kayak by its handle found at either the stern or bow. Then, both persons need to lift the kayak. Instead of one person having to backpedal, both persons can freely face the same direction when transporting the kayak. In fact, carrying two boats at once can be done just by taking a handle from each kayak in each hand.

On the other hand, carrying a kayak alone is still very doable – unless your kayak is very heavy. All you need to do is to stand on the kayak’s left side while facing it. Then, squat down and take ahold of the cockpit’s edge that’s closest to you. After, pull the kayak’s edge up to your thighs.

Try reaching across the boat using your right arm and then grab the kayak’s inside by the cockpit’s underside. As you begin to stand up, try lifting the kayak to your right shoulder. Finally, the cockpit’s rim should rest on your shoulder. It is also very important to note that finding a balanced position is essential so that your kayak would not tip forward or backward.

Putting a Sea Kayak on a Vehicle

Via: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/transporting-kayak-canoe.html

Before attempting to put your kayak on the top portion of your car, be sure to have the following: crossbars, rack or padding, cam straps, and bow and stern lines. Using the crossbars and the padding already installed and the straps and lines ready to be used, you can quickly place your sea kayak on the top of your car.

If you’re by yourself, it might be beneficial for you to use a lift system, getting some rolling wheels, or using a towel or a blanket. When loading more than one sea kayaks, you might want to consider adding a second rack. You may also opt to use stacker bars to keep your boats secure.

Tying Down a Sea Kayak

When tying down your sea kayak, it’s very important to keep everything simple. You may use fancy knots and straps, which may seem cool, but what’s important is to try to do it as quickly as possible and using the most secure ones. It may also be a big help if you use a ladder, especially if you’re short and you have a tall vehicle. This wouldn’t take so much space, as you can keep this small stepladder in the back, allowing you to use it for reaching the straps, which makes the whole process a lot easier.

Conclusion

We’re now at the end of the post and we hope that you have learned a lot about how to load a sea kayak. While these are all very easy to do, what’s important is that you need to check how everything is every 15 minutes of driving. You might need to pull over at the side of the road to keep track of everything. You may also need to give your kayak a quick and forceful tug just to make sure that it’s still secure at the top of your vehicle. Hopefully, you get to put this new learning to the test when you set out on your next sea kayaking adventure