The Global SUP Community

Finishing up here with some miscellaneous images and stories of interest. For those who aren't familiar, Necky Kayaks is owned by Johnson Outdoors, which is a recreational goods holding corporation, much like Watermark or Confluence. On Saturday night Eric and I were sitting around reading through the piles of magazines and materials that we'd collected over the last few days. Eric was looking through the map and assessing corporate health by floor space, which is a pretty good indicator. Of course, most people understand this, so eventually it becomes a serious competition issue - who gets the best floor space, who has the most floor space. Floor space can also be used to intimidate smaller companies. So booths range in size from small to large to "Death Star" - e.g. Johnson Outdoors.

Dave Skyweber: Look! It's Tiffany and Billy, what are they doing this deep in America?

Ken Solo: Maybe they were part of a convoy on the rodeo circuit and broke off...

Dave Skyweber: Looks like they're heading for that small moon.

Ken Solo: That's not a moon.... that's a display booth.

Dave Skyweber: Maybe we should turn around

Ken Solo: Yeah...

Princen Leia: Oh gawd! Oh shit! It's a tractor beam! (hysterical whooping, screaming, running in circles)

Dave Skyweber: Just be cool with it, bro, BE COOL WITH IT!

Joebacca: RARRRAR!

BTPO: Oh my! Oh heavens!

R2-Pete2: Bleep-twip! Whir! I reckon deedle deedle deeeeEEEeee!

Meanwhile, in other booths around the galaxy... Stahlsack has an interesting idea whose time has come. Their whitewater bag is divided into wet and dry sides with a floating pocket. So now you can put your wet gear into the waterproof side to keep your car clean, or switch it all over to the mesh side to dry out, all within the same compartment. Nice system.

Stahlsack 1

Fluid Kayaks is a new company designed and manufactured in South Africa.

Fluid 1

Fluid 2

Fluid 3

And because they are just so thoroughly bitchen, here's some more Astral.

Astral 1 - front and back views of their rescue vest

Astral 2

Astral 3 - detail of the Z-strap system coming out of the back panel.

And so, another Outdoor Retailer show comes to an end, and we all get some much needed rest.