Spring Kickoff Weekend Was Amazing!

Perfect early spring weather arrived just on time for the outdoor community of Lafayette to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather. On hand for the weekend were 300 folks from Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Shreveport, Baton Rouge and even as far away as Tennessee! We paddled, looked at new gear, caught up with old friends and generally had a great time. Suffice it to say that we can't wait for next year! Here's a few pictures of some of the events:

Kickoff Breakfast Paddle
A wonderful paddle at Lake Martin saw the Lafayette Paddle Club hosting 30 paddlers who turned out to enjoy sunshine, beautiful scenery and great beignets!

Adventure Trade Show
During the day Saturday, lots of folks showed up to see the latest gear from MSR, Hobie, Wilderness Systems, Yakima, Hurricane Kayaks, Yak Gear, SPOT, and Native Watercraft. We all enjoyed meeting Jerald Horst (author of Troutmasters and other books) as well as Lucy the Goat from Louisiana Wild products. It was a great time to meet representatives of the Lafayette Paddle Club and the Lafayette kayak Fishing Club.


Reel Paddling Film Festival
We hosted a capacity crowd for the first tour stop in Louisiana for the Reel Paddling Film Festival Saturday night. We all laughed through "Paddle to Seattle", thrilled to the whitewater in "Lucky 13", were inspired by "The Missouri Stream Team Story" and loved "Finding Farley". The films were great and the crowd was great. Overall, a wonderful celebration of paddling as a sport.

Kayak and Canoe Demo Day
The Demo Day on Sunday set records for participation with over 250 people showing up to try out the canoes and kayaks we had on hand. As you can imagine, it was hectic, but exciting.

Our thanks go out to all of you who participated in this very special weekend. We enjoyed hosting you and look forward to the Spring Kickoff Weekend being even bigger and better next year!

Buff Sun Protection Paddling and Angling Gloves

Buff, Inc., known for technical and multifunctional headwear popular among the angling community, continues to push the envelope by introducing its new premium-quality line of Pro-Series Gloves® in February. This new line of highly durable Pro-Series Gloves® not only offers a UPF of 50+, but also incorporates various technical aspects to deliver exceptional functionality to anglers beyond basic UV protection. Buff, Inc.’s new Angler model is crafted to enhance dexterity, grip and offer UV protection, as well as to provide anglers with a performance advantage literally in the palm of their hands.

The Pro-Series Angler Glove® model has a Diamond Grip Palm by Clarino™ for wet and dry conditions; an Accordion finger grip to provide more surface area; longer stripping guard fingers and pads for protection against line burns; and a finger tip cut and easy-off pull tabs for functional convenience.

Additionally, the Pro-Series Angler Glove® model has taken functionality and innovation steps ahead with its anatomical thumb for full-fledged comfort. Other features include an extended cuff for extra UV protection, and fingertip cut for dexterity.

The Pro-Series Angler Glove has a UPF of 50+ and breathable, moisture wicking, two-way comfort stretch for flexible lateral movement. Additionally, the Pro-Series Gloves are made with top-quality Japanese synthetic suede that holds strong in wet conditions and also dries quickly, as well as ergonomically-stitched palm and fingers for a natural, curved hand position proven to reduce fatigue. It also features a reinforced palm overlay and unique design to reduce fabric bunching and keep things efficient and comfortable.

Buff UV Protection Mask

Buff UV Protection Sun Masks should be on your wish list because it:
1) let's you skip sun screen

2) lets you see more fish

3) feels comfortable even when worn all day

If you spend all everyday out on the water you have to protect even your face from getting burned. By covering the last remaining skin you can also skip sun screen lotion. No smelly stuff on your wonderful bait any more. (we assume that you already wear sun-protection clothing and only have the face left to cover)

How can you see more fish with a face mask?
You need polarized sunnies to see what's in the water. Our white skin destroys a chunk of this effect by reflecting the sun to the back of the sunnies. By closing the gap between sunnies and skin you experience the true potential of polarization.

The Buff as a tube fits snug over your glasses and covers this gap.
What a Catch!Wind protection is not that obvious but probably the most important bit. Ever wondered why you feel so drained at the end of a great fishing day? It's the wind that puts a strain on your entire body and virtually sucks your energy away.
Buff as a face mask and a cap prevent this energy drain. You don't have to hide in the wind shade. You can stand tall on the bow or on the cliff and return home with lot's more energy left. For a pro being more focused for a longer time simply results in better catch.
For you it offers a nice advantage over your mates. Guess who has the last laugh at the end of the day. The drained, tyred one or the smiling energetic fisho that has more than one great story to talk and laugh about. I hope this gives you a bit of the drift.

I don't need comfort - I'm tough
Sure. That's why you don't mind something in your face that itches, smells and makes you sweat.

The textile engineer behind Buff realised two decades ago that it is comfort that makes our day. No matter how tough we are: Nothing beats feeling good while doing what we love most.

A Buff is guaranteed itch free for the lifetime of the fabric and almost always feels good in any weather.

Because it is the only tube only the market that comes with a guaranteed UV blockage of 95%.

100% Money Back - Guaranteed
The feedback is so overwhelming positive from fishing professionals that we are happy to give you a 100% money back guarantee if not satisfied. We even provide you with a paid return envelope to make it as easy as possible (just ask for it). In 7 years of trading 6 came back. 5 looked as if the dog had chewed on it.

Pirhana Hand Paddle

The PREDATOR Kayak Fishing Hand Paddles allows you the opportunity to fish, photograph or hunt while moving your boat simultaneously!

You DO NOT have to put your fishing rod or camera down and break out a seven foot paddle to move your boat a few yards to stalk your prey. Simply placing the PIRANHA Hand Paddle between your legs, or within easy reach, provides immediate access to a simple propulsion mode.

You will never have to let loose of your fishing rod, camera, hunting gear or lose sight of moving prey. A few stealthy strokes from the PIRANHA Kayak Fishing Hand Paddle places you back on target.

Fishing and stalking has never been so easy for the paddle sports fishermen!!

Hobie Soft Cooler

Perfect for your lunch and drinks, this soft sided cooler from Hobie is the perfect complement to any kayak or canoe. The easy zipper access makes it easy to retrieve a cold drink while fishing. Use the bungees to attach your raingear or an extra tackle box. And the handy front pocket is perfect for your GPS, spare batteries, fishing license and other small items. All this at an amazingly low price!

New Keen Models In Stock Now

The new Keen Sandals for 2010 are in now. These include the all new Whisper for women. Featuring a womens fit and slimmer straps combining with the legendary Keen fit and performance in and around water, the new Whisper is a winner!

Black Diamond Sprinter Headlamp

The urban-inspired Sprinter opens up the dark for those whose running isn’t restricted to daytime hours. This rechargeable streets-to-trails runner’s headlamp features excellent fore-aft balance and a super low profile, which minimizes bouncing and shifting with your stride. A red rear strobe offers safety around cars while a strong, ovalized beam keeps your vision focused on the path ahead.

• DoublePower LED with 68 lumens (max setting) projects a strong, ovalized beam optimized for running
• Red taillight strobe for visibility in urban areas with on/off switch
• Powered by a lithium polymer rechargeable battery (6-hour charge time)
• Settings include full strength, dimming and strobe
• Regulated for constant illumination on max brightness setting
• Sealed waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft)

Your Dog Deserves Great Gear Too!

You can now equip your dog for all types outdoor activities right here at Pack & Paddle. We are now stocking collars, leashes, life jackets, bowls, pads and even rain jackets! One of our favorite discoveries has been a bungee style leash that's great for running and hiking. Come by today - and don't forget to bring your dog with you so we can fit her gear.

Camelbak Flow Meter

Convert any CamelBak^® reservoir into an intelligent hydration system with the CamelBak™ Flow Meter™.

Water Gauge measures how much water you drink, and how much is left in your reservoir

Programmable to monitor personal hydration goals

Easy to Integrate with any CamelBak^® reservoir

Includes: Fluid Sensor, Display, Battery and installation and operating instructions.

Interesting New Handbags and

Come by soon to see our new selection of handbags and purses from Haiku, Sherpani, Kavu and others!

Ex Officio Clothing for Men

Stop by soon to see all the functional clothing from ExOfficio. Perfect for travel, casual and outdoor pursuits, ExOfficio is the perfect clothing choice for South Louisiana. Here are a couple of examples:

TripR Shirt
With a casual look and high tech features, the Trip'r is the best of both worlds for your adventures. Discreet mesh ventilation along the back yoke and incredibly lightweight fabric creates climate control. Indestructible buttons and wrinkle resistance make this shirt's handsome look durable enough for dinner. Adventure on.

Nio Amphi Short
The Amphi short is durably engineered to dry quickly and resist wrinkles, water and stains. This collection has a mesh brief for in-and-out-of-water adventuring and leg cinches so your shorts won't ride up while you're wading.