Portage Pads
Save Your Shoulder
As a kayak river guide on the Green River in NC I must hike .7 miles in or out of the gorge on a weekly basis. I found ways to lighten my kayaks and gear over time but still struggled with the weight and discomfort associated with carrying a boat on your shoulder for prolonged periods of time. I tried a few easy methods using pool noodles and other various padding but struggled keeping them in place and effective as I walked over 1000 steps. I eventually came to a working solution based upon my experimentation and one shuttle ride.
The Solution
My idea was inspired from an arena seat cushion I was asked to sit on during a shuttle ride. I thought this would be the perfect size to wrap around a shoulder and offer ample padding area. 1″ closed cell foam was just thick enough to prevent pain and discomfort. I just needed to find a way to attach it and keep it in place when lifting the kayak to my shoulder and walking.
My first design I used .5″ webbing with a buckle to wrap around my chest and to more easily adjust the tension. I cut away the cushion handle at an angle to allow the pad to sit closer to your neck and prevent gapping. This worked very well and the buckle made it simple to secure in a kayak.
My focus for the second design was to minimize materials and expense to more easily produce in an environmentally safe manner. I elected to replace the webbing and plastic buckle with repurposed paracord utilizing a fishers knot for tension adjustment. This decision worked to my advantage since It’s always nice to have paracord for both medical and survival situations.
Added bonus, it can still be used as a seat cushion for river breaks, your boat and when hiking or camping. It can be worn like a bib for those messy eaters. It will also make a great loin cloth in a pinch or whatever your imagination comes up with.
The O2P Portage Pad is now refined and ready for production. Designed to easily carabiner or loop around existing outfitting and slide between the seat and side of your hull. I made about 10 of them initially which were sold and given away for testing and feedback. I’m currently making them to order and can purchase foam in a number of colors: Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Navy, Purple and Red. Please contact me if you’d like to place an order. Price $25
Photography Credits (top to bottom): Chris Wing – H2o Dreams | Rich Osborne | Mark Denney (Videography) | JC Hulings Photography
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Have questions? I’m typically open to talk about paddling, gear, rivers, guiding, instruction, opportunities and how I can help.