Arcata, CA - On March 4th 2008, Kokatat ambassador Tanya Faux, Australia's world champion whitewater kayaker, will lead a team into the Kimberley to explore the uncharted water of the Moran and Mitchell Rivers. History shows that no river flowing from the Kimberley into the Indian Ocean has ever been paddled.

Arcata CA - Kokatat is pleased to announce Sean Morley has accepted the position as Kokatat Sales Representative for the western territory. This territory includes California, Nevada and Arizona. Sean moved from the UK to California in 2006 and founded River and Ocean LLC, a Sales and Customer Service Agency within the water sports industry representing such established lines as Valley Sea Kayaks and now Kokatat Watersports Wear. He is based out of the California Bay Area where he lives with his wife and daughter and continues to work as a freelance kayak instructor.

I was just a young pup when a material was introducted that was so abrasion resistant and revolutionary, it changed the world forever! What is that miracle fabric you ask? Non other than Cordura.

How's that for hype!

Yep, this month, Cordura is celebrating its 30th anniversary of selling to the outdoor industry. I did a quick check of my gear and found Cordura in everything from my 13 year old MEC backpack to the reinforced knees on my Kokatat Gore-tex dry suit.

Cordura is also used in a wide range of products from luggage and backpacks to boots, military apparel (such as tactical blade sheaths, ammunition pouches, etc.).

Cordura history goes back to 1929 when it was first made out of Rayon by a little company called DuPont. During the Second World War it was developed further when the military used it in tires as well as sewing thread. Later, in 1966 DuPont switched over to using Nylon when it discovered that it was superior. In 1977 researchers in the lab discovered how to dye Cordura and started selling the material for use in luggage and sporting goods.

Today about 40% of all luggage is made out of Cordura.

So, at your next office Christmas party, make sure you remember the little history lesson above. If there is one way to get to the top of the corporate ladder fast, it is with little golden nuggets of information like the history of Cordura!

More info:
DuPont History
cordura.com
wikipedia.org

Arcata, CA - In September of 2007 the Expedition Amazonas team will trek and paddle, totally unsupported, for over 7 months and 7000km, the entire length of the mighty Amazon River.  This is a complete traverse of the South American continent from the Pacific Coast in Peru to the mouth of the Amazon River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil.  The experienced expedition team includes members from Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.  Expedition Amazonas has partnered with environmental and indigenous rights action group Amazon Watch, and high-profile equipment sponsors including Kokatat, Teva and First Ascent.

In late August 2007, Epicocity Project team members Howard "Trip" Jennings, Kyle Dickman, Brian Eustis, Matt Fields Johnson, Andy Maser, and Scott Feindell joined a team of scientists and cavers for a six week exploration of the Hargy Caldera in New Britain, Papua New Guinea. This National Geographic expedition will give voice to the recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Fund that this area be conserved.

Almost done!
23 days into their "Chasing the Anna" expedition, Derrick and Taino are ¾ the way around Puerto Rico. They made it through Hurricane Dean. [Link]
 
Sunscreen Confusion
Outside Blog has an interesting post about what SPF means in sunscreen. They report on a couple improvements the FDA is trying to implement for package labeling. [Link]

Keeping Maine's boaters safe
The Kennebec Journal in Maine asks the question: Are we doing what we can and should do to keep Maine's boaters safe? It gives an interesting primer at mandatory boater education for all boats including canoes and kayaks.

"Boating safety is analagous to hunter safety," says a 2007 report issued by a state group studying the possibility of a Maine mandatory boater education course. "Until mandatory hunter safety was implemented Maine experienced many hunting related shootings including numerous fatalities. Once mandatory hunter education and mandatory hunter orange clothing were required, hunting related shootings decreased significantly." [Link]

The Reactor is coming!
MSR has finally started shipping is long delayed Reactor Stove. Everybody seems to be really excited about it. [Link]

BCU Syllabus Change Summery
Mark Tozer recently posted a great summery of many of the changes about to happen to the BCU kayaking instruction program. It looks really promising. I'm a big fan of the new kids curriculum. [Link]

Calling all Gear Junkies!
Kayak Journal Podcast has posted a pile (and I mean a pile) of great video casts reporting on the latest gear from OR. If you want to find out what Werner, Bending Branches, Suunto, Delta Kayaks, Wenonah, Watershed, Surefire, Smith Optics, Optimus, Teva or Kokatat are working on for next season, head on over! [Link]

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Arcata, CA - On August 16th 2007, New Zealand's Adventure Philosophy team members Graham Charles and Marcus Waters will embark upon another ground-breaking adventure - a 1300 kilometer ski and sea kayak journey through Greenland's frozen wilderness.

Arcata CA- Kokatat is pleased to announce that Megan Kress and Kelly Blades will be the new sales reps for the Midwest territory. This territory has been split up into 2 sub-territories. Megan will be covering west of Lake Michigan (IA, IL, MN, and WI) and Kelly will cover east of Lake Michigan (IN, MI, OH). Suzanne Hutchinson will take over as sales rep for the New England territory (CT, MA, NH, ME, RI, and VT).

Both events, underwritten by Kokatat, will be held from 12 - 1pm on Days 1 and 3 of the show and will feature women's paddling gear and skill training for experienced and newbie female paddlers.

"TAPS is very excited to be working with OIWC and Kokatat at this summer's Outdoor Retailer trade show. Promoting paddlesports to women is important for the health and growth of our sport. We appreciate what OIWC does on the industry side to promote women in paddling and all outdoor activities," stated TAPS Administrator Nikki Rekman.

Arcata CA - Connecting the Drops is a two-month canoeing, hiking, and mountaineering expedition that will depart on June 19, 2007. The team includes Don van Hout and David Lavallee who will be exploring the entire 1538 kilometer Athabasca River from the Columbia Icefields, the hydrological apex of North America, to the internationally protected Peace-Athabasca Delta, the largest inland freshwater delta in the world. They will ski to summit of Mount Snowdome and then hike and paddle the headwaters of the Athabasca River in remote Jasper National Park, across Alberta to Lake Athabasca.