This morning we released the 2011 Palm Equipment Workbook.
Packed with new designs and exciting colours, the range includes 4 women’s whitewater jackets, 5 men’s whitewater jackets and 6 new touring jackets.
Check it out below or online here:
2011 Palm Workbook
Keep checking back here for more updates from the Kanumesse Show or find Palm on facebook.
After a 3 weeks successful expedition around the north west corner of Spitzbergen our camera is as loaded of megapixels as our heads of impressions and new experience. Weather changes fast, wind is strong and the trip could have taken a month. By turning night into day (paddling and sleeping when possible…) we managed to cover 550K in 16 days. That including a 30K “kayak hiking”- crossing a glacier with our boats. Here is a taste of the adventure:
14 polarbears… some close to the camp and had to be scared away with flare-guns. These two friendly sweeties were just passing by…
The majestic Mittag Leffner-glacier had to be crossed – or we had to return and paddle 450K back…
12hrs of hard work crossing morains and glacier rivers, to get on to the high point.
Down the Ragnarglacier was like walking the dog.
Rafting down a dirty glacier-river for 6 hrs was much better than to carry all the gear down the moraine (would be a 2 days struggle). And off course we were were dry and comfortable in our suits.
At last we reached the Billefjord and continued the trip.
Great day on the Vestfjorden with the Lofoten Islands in the distance. No need for freeze dried expedition meals on this training trip. The fjord is full of fish dinner was caught as usual.
After climbing the Hamarøy Peak (seen on picture) we entered the kayaks on low tide. 
Blue mussels appeared and we could fill the boats!
Took the chance of not calling the poison-information… Made a nice fire, put the mussels in a big pot with a few cups of white wine and garlic. What a meal! Was watching Per-Thore as he ate like crazy…Hoping… But no, we are both still breathing so mussels seems to be OK.
You always get that stone-age-man-feeling when catching your own food. Unfortunately we cannot expect to live on the land at Spitzbergen.
Myself and ocean rower Sarah Outen travelled 150 miles across the UK by Stand Up Paddleboard, from Bath to London, reaching Tower Bridge on Tuesday 8th June.
Dave, a world-record breaking skateboarder and endurance kayaker, is currently exploring the boundaries of distance Stand Up Paddleboarding with one eye on a world record journey in 2011. Sarah is preparing for a two and half year global circumnavigation starting in London in April 2011, her first major expedition was a 4000 mile solo row across the Indian Ocean in 2009, which earned her three world records.
As passionate supporters of Blue’s aims, Dave and Sarah decided to undertake this expedition to celebrate the inland waterways of Britain, concluding their journey beneath London’s Tower Bridge on World Oceans Day. Throughout their journey they were joined by paddlers, cyclists and walkers, amassing a total of 875 Blue Miles (miles travelled on or by the water) during their week-long paddle.
Along the length of the Kennet & Avon Canal and the latter section of the River Thames Dave and Sarah faced a number of obstacles. Remarkably, an early June heat wave took its effect on the pair, and as expected 115 portages in the shape of locks and weirs turned this effort from a mere paddle into a true endurance event. Without doubt, though, the greatest difficulty was standing up for an average of 11 hours a day!
On their approach to London a deserved climax beneath Tower Bridge seemed to be in jeopardy as the Harbour Master ordered them out of the water just three miles from the end. Dave and Sarah hoisted boards onto shoulders and marched alongside the Thames past Westminster and the London Eye, determined to reach their destination even if it was on dry land. Thankfully, the Harbour Master had a change of heart and sent out a boat to escort them between Waterloo and Tower Bridge.
It was a truly iconic finish to the longest Stand Up Paddleboarding journey seen by the UK to date.
Read more on www.thegreatbigpaddle.com
Meet Dave @ www.davecornthwaite.co.uk
Meet Sarah @ www.sarahouten.co.uk
Earlier this year the folks from the Family Adventure Store introduced us to Dave Cornthwaite who was looking for some help for an upcoming series of what would be best described as adventurous endeavours.
We had heard of Dave before (vaguely) from a bit of national media coverage of him going to work on his Stand Up Board and previously having undertaken a solo epic to skateboard across Australia!
We are fortunate that a lot of people admire our Palm kit and so we receive a lot of support requests. Sadly we can’t help everyone, so we have to be selective. In Dave’s case he proposed three unique water journeys under the banner of ‘The Great Big Paddle’, in each case using different forms of craft. This alone was intriguing, but nowadays we look for more than just a paddling adventure when we sponsor, so with charitable and educational side projects and a natural ability to generate interest at both local and national levels Dave got our full attention.
That was in the late spring. What has occur ed since is a magnificent journey down the length of the Murray River that is a wonderful and inspirational tale to follow whilst also forming, in our opinion, a superb template for those aspiring to undertake adventure challenge.
Well done Dave from all of us at Palm.
After our first successful mission in the North west, we decided to focus on the Central Highlands and on the possibility of some bigger drops and bigger volume. So, it was back onto the train ready for a 28 hour journey to the city of Nah Trang, followed by an invigorating 5 hours in a minibus to the town of Da Lat.
An exciting early morning portage
With our base set up, the team headed out to collect as much information about the surrounding area as possible employing scooters, taxis and mini-rafts to check out the flows. All signs seemed to point North to the Yok Don National Park.
Yet another lengthy drive delivered us, in darkness, to the Dray Sap Waterfall. Although the team couldn’t yet see the fall it sounded thoroughly promising, and as morning broke it became obvious we weren’t going to be disappointed.
Andy looks up at the mighty Dray-Sap Falls
Whilst chatting to the locals it became apparent that there were some more falls about 5km further up the river, a short tractor ride delivered us and the kit to another set of sweet looking drops.
Andy hitting his line
The guys ran various different lines on the top falls and then headed downstream, with some intrepidation and anticipation of Dray Sap Falls themselves. On reaching the falls, the team split up and explored the full width of the river. A couple of lines were decided upon and the rest of the afternoon was spent on various descents.
Luke on Dray Sap Left
Another mission completed, the team are heading back to the coast for a couple of days before beginning the lengthy journey back through Vietnam and China to Hong Kong.
Keep it Steep,
Luke and the Kayaknam team.
I have just returned from an awesome expedition in Iceland where we were filming for Rush Sturges and Tyler Bradts upcoming feature ‘Dream Result’. Along with Rush, Tyler and Patrick Camblin we headed to the Land of Fire and Ice in search of big waterfall adventures!
We spent three weeks circumnavigating the entire Island and found some amazing drops. As well as dropping a few of Iceland’s more postcard drops we also knocked of several sweet first descents.
Camping in Iceland during the summer months is always a challenge due to the 24 hour sunlight and the extremely changeable weather. Luckily for us Iceland has a constant stream of natural hotsprings offering welcome refuge to the weary kayaker! Luckily for me on the water I was wearing the Sidewinder Top and Pant Combo as well as the new SIS Immersion Suit which both performed exceedingly well keeping me warm and dry in all conditions.
This was one of the most enjoyable trips I have been on for a long time. The combination of an awesome crew, unique location and epic paddling made for a memorable adventure. We filmed a great segment for Dream Result and got a ton of amazing images so be sure to check back here and on www.benbrown.co.nz for more tales as well as a video blog from the adventure.
Other Thames river craft come in many shapes
The entrance to St. Patrick
The backwaters of the Thames feature award winning and very exclusive properties
Check out this classic electric canoe - 101 years old!
Ever eccentric, the British take camping to spectacular heights of refinement
