This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage Live Show, where we answer submitted questions and talk all things whitewater.
Topics and links that Zach talked about this episode
Questions that Zach covered in the Q&A section of this episode
Topic: Malheur River
Hi Zach, do people ever raft/kayak the Malheur River? It is listed as wild and scenic so it must be on your list... P.S. Your show has got to be the best source of continuous info for river running. Keep it up!
Topic: Rescue
Can sawyer oars make a aluminium dowel (oar extension) to join two oars together to make a rescue pole and attach a nrs oar clip to one end. Easy to carry in a pin kit on an oar raft and quick to put together. We used a similar pole on a recovery effort on Town Creek in Alabama.
Topic: Food Storage
How do you best suggest food be stored on a multiday raft trip? I don't have an aluminum drybox for my frame. Ammo cans? NRS plastic dryboxes? Something else?
Topic: NRS Oar Mounts
Hi, like my nrs frame but never been happy with the oar mount attachment. Got dumptrucked last year and during the event the mount spun on the frame and got forced down and out. The two nuts on the ubolt probably weren't tight enuf, but once back in the boat while still in the canyon I couldn't get the mount back upright to get control of the boat. Managed to eventually get into an eddy, and go over things. No way the mount could be brought back into position without tools. Heard of this happening before? Do you know of alternative mounts or solutions that work with the nrs frames? Thanks, J
Topic: Astral BlueJacket nominal vs tested it floatation
Hi, thanks for all the stuff you put on YT (and calling out the nonsense curvature of the Pilot knife)! About the floatation of the Astral BlueJacket - which is not brillant nominally. Mine is ~6 yrs. old and has seen both salt- and freshwater, all temperatures from freezing to hot (0°C to 30°C) over regular use. A year ago I tried to come up with a reason to buy a new PFD and wanted to check the floatation of the old'ish BlueJacket. Strapped an 8kg kettlebell to it and put it into the water (river) - it did not submerge completely. Which would mean it still had ~78N of floatation. Lucky sample? Excess margin of error on the production? Would other 70N-nominally-PFDs boast a 'real' 90N? Best, Patrick
Topic: Cool Friends
Hey Ya Zach, Been a GG member for nigh on two years now. Thanks for all the great videos! Any chance you’ll be welcoming more “cool friends” to your live show, at least as a members only broadcast? I really appreciate the days of Aaron and Steve, and all the thoughts that we, as a live audience got to reflect on during your live discussions. I miss those days! I also miss having a day and time I could depend on which I could tune in to for a lively live discussion with river masters. I work nights, and would like to have a dependable afternoon or morning during which I could tune in and learn sometime from you, Zach, and your cool friends! Any chance ya’ll could nail down a reasonable-ish time for a live show?
