The Daily - Day 1 - June 18, 2019 - 32

Ideas
B I G

T R E N D S

Top to bottom: MTI's Solaris, Hala's River Radito, and
Kokopelli Packraft's Recon.

Water World

With the year's big snowpack melting off
from California to the New York islands, retailers are bracing for swelling sales in everything
from whitewater and SUPs to fish and rec
kayaks. By Eugene Buchanan
THIN TO WIN

Rec kayaks are booming, and
PFD companies are responding
by making life jackets that accommodate high-back seats-either
ending the foam halfway down the
back or making it thinner. "Instead of having vests completely
clear kayak seat backs, many companies are creating thin backs,"
says Lili Colby of MTI Adventurewear. "Plus, it's good to have some
foam protecting the spine." MTI's
new Solaris comes with improved
pockets and attachment points
and reflective trim, as well as
mesh on its seat-friendly back for
breathability.

SUP CENTRAL

Inflatable SUPs aren't just for the
river anymore; consumers are increasingly using them for touring.
Beyond touring options, Hala
Gear debuts the new river-oriented Radito at the Show, featuring
tip-to-tail rocker for maneuvering
and surfing. "We're seeing more
traditional hard-board paddlers
adding inflatables to their quivers,"
says Hala's Victoria Ohegyi.

PACKRAFTS TAKE OFF

Light in weight, portable, and
durable, packrafts represent one
of the fastest-growing segments
of paddlesports (estimated
at 30% annually). "They have

multiple uses, from canyoneering
and adventure racing to RVing
and bikepacking," says Kokopelli
Packraft president Kelley Smith.
Kokopelli Packraft's new Recon
fits the bill, bringing commercial
raft durability to the packraft
category. Weighing 18 pounds,
it's made with PVC sidewalls and
floor, and a 210-denier Diamond-Ripstop nylon inflatable
self-bailing floor. Bonus: A seat
backband and thigh-strap attachments help hold you in when
the going gets wet.

don't need a big garage or SUV to
enjoy." Case in point: NRS's new
STAR Paragon, an 11'2" IK with a
partial deck to shed water. "IKs are
getting lighter, easier to set up and
use, and they offer minimal transport and storage requirements,"
adds Eric Henderson of Kokopelli,
which launches its first IK here at
Summer Market.

PEDAL POWER

More consumers are realizing the
benefits of hands-free propulsion,
using pedal-powered kayaks to
fish, birdwatch, and explore. The
boats let your legs do the work via
a removable pedal-drive system
(you can still paddle old school by
pulling the drive system up). As
well as showcasing a line of new
fishing kayaks, including Evoke's
Conquer and Navigator, Hemisphere Design Works will unveil
a price-point pedal-drive kayak at
Summer Market. Evoke pro staff
director Pete Gelesko says it has
"an entry point to make pedal-drive kayaks more affordable
for the average angler."

INFLATABLE KAYAKS

Consumers continue to gravitate

/ SUMMER MARKET 2019

EASY TO STORE

toward Inflatable Kayaks (IKs to
those in the know). "We're definitely noticing a trend toward inflatable watercraft, as the outdoor
audience becomes younger and
more urban," says NRS marketing director Mark Deming. The
company's STAR line is designed
to make watersports accessible to
all. "A big focus for us is creating
well-designed watercraft that you

Especially for those in urban areas,
boat storage is paramount. "We
solve the two major pain points of
paddling-storage and transport-
by using durable, lightweight materials and a patented folding pattern
that lets you store [the kayak] behind your couch and transport it in
your trunk," says Oru Kayak marketing director Andy Cochrane.
Oru Kayak's Lake kayak features
a new origami pattern, weighs in
at less than 20 pounds, and has
a small storage footprint. "It's all
about making water accessible and
simple," says designer Anton Willis,
who points to ease of assembly,
stability, affordability, and portability. "To do all of this, we had to
redesign everything."

The Daily - Day 1 - June 18, 2019

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