Wales to Morocco: Nookie Team Rider Nathan Eades

Hey just dropping in to give you an update. Recently got back from a long road trip with my good mate and sick surf kayaker Marc Holland. The pair of us have been living out of a van for the last 4 months while we travelled down the entire coastline of Europe to get to Morocco! We had some amazing surf sessions on the way and had a fantastic trip! There’s a full report going into CKUK of the trip so I won’t harp on about it- instead I’ll give you a shout when it’s published so you can see all the best shots! Until then, here’s a couple to keep you going!

Thanks to Nookie for the ongoing support and supply of great gear without which, these trips would be a lot less accessible!
Yellow Boy

Nathan Eades

Nookie Team Rider Alex Keller's Dawn Raid on the Rheinfall

Look carefully and you'll spot the paddler!

The newest edition to the Nookie Team Riderz is Alex Keller from Switzerland. Alex has been featured in a previous video with fellow Team Rider Ron Fischer running the Rheinfall. These awesome dawn photos are courtesy of Rainer Eder.
Alex ran Europe's largest waterfall last week as an early morning dawny....... some wake up call!

New product page on nookie.co.uk

The 2008 range of Nookie white water products and accessories are now fully available for your viewing pleasure at nookie.co.uk. Simply follow the products link and scroll and click on any of the bars to unveil their hidden secrets.


The pages are constantly being updated with more information to help you make the best choice for your style of paddling. Popular FAQ's and instructional videos will help you understand why we do what we do with our designs.

Whilst visiting the site why not enter the online comp and win some freebies. Simply follow this link.

Nookie Team Rider Ron Fischer's Introduction

Hello! My name is Ron and for a few months now I’ve been a member of the amazing Nookie Team Riderz. So, It’s time for me to write something in the blog.

My mission for the cold months this winter was and remains, to paddle the awesome rivers down in Chile. I’ve been here for two months now and I don’t want to go home. Lots of rivers, lots of water, warm temperatures, good people and a beautiful landscape. Together with the incredible Nookie gear makes this area the perfect winter resort for kayakers.

We began our trip in Pucon, which is a great place to paddle a lot of small creeks. Then we took our car and drove south all the way down to the Rio Bravo. On the way I paddled some of the best rivers I’ve ever run like the Llangahue, Rio Fuy, Futaleufu and Michimahuida.


So now I’m sitting in my car, writing this in very bad Swiss/English (for Dan to translate back at Nookie HQ in Cornwall, England) and waiting until the mechanic has fixed the broken alternator. I hope it works this afternoon so we can continue our trip to the Rio Baker and Bravo.

So, have fun, ride a turn in the snow for me and we will hopefully see you somewhere on the river.

Don Ron

What's Wrong With Being A Weekend Warrior Anyway?

Shock! - Another wet weekend in the UK bought almost every river in our small country into its prime. So what do you do when you've got limitless options? Go with the flow? or head for somewhere with out the crowds?

The Usual end of week communications hatched a plan for the 'Llangollen Biathlon' A quick blast down the Dee in squirt boats followed by an afternoon session around Llandegla's infamous black run on the mountian bikes - Unfortunatley i forgot my Camera - Doh! So you'll have to put up with Sunday's session instead!

Woken by a phone call 'get your ass out of bed and get over here - it's in'...

... river surfng at it's finest, I'll let the photos do the talking...


Carving it up...

Blunt-a-rama

Soul surfing at dusk

...have fun!

Ben

Water, Water, everywhere - but not a drop in North Wales

A week of rain bought floods to most of the UK, so with this news its time to head to the hills.

Frantic end of week phone calls e-mails and text's gather everyone in the newly refurbished Conwy Falls Cafe [shameless plug - the coffee's good, home made cake and chips are even better!], only to find out its been mildly damp.

Low water runs only then! It'd be rude not to go for a couple of laps of the mighty Aberglaslyn before hiking 2Km up Snowdon to go explore the Cwm Llan slides.

A classic North Wales rock ditch fest all in the name of fun!

Mental Note: Nookie's super reinforced elbows are far better at shrugging off Welsh rock than my boney ones!

Later Ben

Nookie Hits the US

Well, its been several months in the making, but Nookie has touched down in the US with avid reception. My name is Tony Zanetti, and I am the US Sales Rep for the gear you all love, Nookie (thats me in the brown Nookie Hoody). I have been hard at work promoting the company and its equipment. Here is what I have been up to so far.

This past weekend, I loaded up the trailer and headed out to Bob's Hole on the Clackamas River in Oregon. I met DragoRossi Regional Paddler, Robby Virostek and set up shop with samples of all the latest and greatest from Nookie. I had extra Zone Shells, V Shock Decks, and Xtreme Dry Trousers on hand for folks to test and people were flipping out. After five hours and more then three dozen people trying gear, I packed up.

I sent a sample set of the Zone Shell, Xtreme Dry Trousers, and V Shock Deck to the sales manager, Luke Spencer, at Portland's most popular Kayak and Outdoor Store, Next Adventure. Luke has tested products from every kayak company in the industry and here is what he thinks - "The dry top and pants were awesome! I love the extended neoprene around the waist area, it really helps keep you dry, they are also very comfy. Dryness was as good as your gonna get for not being one piece. They are by far the best pants I have used yet! The top was awesome. I had a little bit of water come through the cuffs but overall 8 out of 10 on dryness. 9 or 10 on comfort. 9 on looking good. Durability seemed of the highest quality but only time will tell how it wears over the long term. Comfortability on neck and wrist is a 10! I would own this top. The tunnel system is easy to use, comfortable and well thought out."

The cold climate here in the Northwest is the perfect time to get a true test of the gear. I thought I would throw this shot in of Robby and his brother Joey suiting up for some ocean surfing.

Earlier in the season, Nookie products tagged along on a 26 person 'fun paddle' down my back yard river, the East Fork Lewis in Washington. Despite the snow, the level was great, and the Zone Shells, Xtreme Trousers, paired up with Thermal Core Top and Thermal Core Pants was the perfect comfort combination.

I have had a steady flow of interest across the country, so I will keep you all updated on where you can get your Nookie in the States, very soon.

Tony Z

Pimp your RiverMonster

The title says it all, make your already cool Rivermonster even cooler.

Ingredients
1 Nookie RiverMonster or any buoyancy aid with a chest harness will do.
1 Nookie sticker.

Method
Make sure your buoyancy aid is clean and dry, untie and remove the yellow quick release toggle from the cam buckle. Stick the sticker on straight and poke the holes for the release toggle through using a Biro from the sticker side. Rethread the cord and reattach the release toggle using an overhand knot.
Hey Presto all done, give yourself a Blue Peter badge!

Stay safe kids
James
www.jamesweir.net

Doug Cooper's African travels Part 2

Hey there everyone, i trust you all have sufficient hangovers and battle scars from partying , i fell in a cactus .

So a few days ago we all awoke fairly early and managed to flag down an old van to take us north to a break called Tamree, a break renowned for its consistancy and huge throaty barrels.
Piling boats on the roof and one on top of a fridge in the back and then all squeezing in alongside we headed North along the coast. On our way we swiftly realised that every break we passed was going off and in a big way. Finally arriving on the cliff top to our horror the waves were huge closing out and definitely pumping the sand bar, throwing all manor of hell in to our minds. Gingerly heading to the shallows all a little apprehensive we luckily got out back between a set. Once out i felt small. No....... tiny!!! Taking off on a few of the smaller sets we began to find our feet. Piers turned to us and said "look there is a hill in the sea, and its heading for us", we looked as an enormous set headed towards us. Danny took one look and started windmilling out back as fast as possible whilst Alan and i shook momentarily before wooping and preparing to get in to the line up. Once upon us it towered way over, i felt like a speck on the wave, i felt my boat begin to plane and i set my edge at a super steep angle of attack knowing well that if i didnt make the drop i was toast. Once far enough down the wave i took a moment to admire the huge banking face of water that i was riding before getting down to hucking the mother of all calli roles completely clean neither boat, body or paddles graced the water because i was flying at least 6 feet above it. A clean landing and still enough time to get back out on the face and escape the ever closing wall of crashing pipe behind me .
The rest of the day was spent riding waves of similar preportion. On our way home we picked up a few surfers who had broken down. Riding home we watched the sun setting over the point and in to the sea. A vast sky of deep reds and purples welcomed us home with the few minutes of dusk left we slung our boats on the balcony and headed to the pizza place on the beach where we spent the evening playing cards and sipping louessa tea with Moroccans.
With almost three weeks left in Africa and my tan coming on strong i wish you all good health and all that doo darrr

Doug xx

Doug Cooper's African travels Part 1

Upon arrival in Marakech I swiftly realised that this place was much the same as most African countries. A jostling hub of activity with everyone trying to get a bit of the action . In and around Marakech is the same as most touristic places so after a day of trawling round shops with the boys I wanted out, so fortunately they had decided that it was a little costly so on we went , scoring a cab at a sweet price we headed desert side and in to the Atlas Mountains.
After five hours we arrived on the coast and were dropped in a odd campsite more like a desert full of German oldies in their super buses. That night we grabbed a cab to the nearest town, Tagazout, possibly the scariest experence I have ever had. I tried to put my seat belt on and the driver went nuts reminding me that seatbelts in Morocco were not done as he careered all over the road, back wheels sliding out. The rest of the drive I clung on to the door handle in terror.

Once in Tagazout we grabbed pizza and were offered a house to stay in for dirt cheap, in fear of sleeping in the desert for more than one night we took it, so at five pounds each a night we had a pad to die for equipped with a combined shower and toilet and a pimping balcony over looking the beach. We were set to entertain some sic sunsets and mad surf. Morning dawned bringing huge swell and even bigger pipes. Alan and I hopped in our boats and confronted the enemy, a messy 12 ft break greeted us with the beating of our lives. After an hour of what could be called carnage battling against strong winds and bigger waves we retired for the day.
The next day brought perfect 10 ft pipe. Once out back, waves were easy to pick and the first wave i took off on was around 11 ft as I dropped over the lip I thought that this must not be to dis-similar to seal-launching off the roof of my house. Once carving I had to keep my edge hard as the wave was begging to take me back and give me a good rinse cycle, finally making the line I turned forward and launched an air screw which must have cleared 6 feet landing back on the other side of my rail I realised that combo moves were more than good to go. The wave caught up and then kicked my ass, now I'm hooked.
I have been riding every day and often on more than one break in a day.

Doug

Steve Ugg's Victory

Steve Ugg is the winner of the South West Enduro Championship 2007.

After a gruelling season of dirtbike races in the clubman division. The year started with a good race in January only to discover afterwards he had broken ribs. As the season progressed first position wins indicated Ugg may be on for the championship but there were many top riders after the trophy. The extreme nature of the sport gave the air ambulance a busy time at almost each event. After intense training in the spring with the FrontrowGB Dakar team in Romania Ugg stepped up his game and started lapping the opposition and the trophy was in the bag!

Nookie Amara gloves were the best kit. They endured the intense wear and tear and gave plenty of grip. The Nookie Bank Jacket was good protection during the super wet muddy races.

2 day's, 14 hours, 3 rivers...

Sometimes, just sometimes, everything comes together with no real effort to make something perfect...

The river season so far this year has sucked, most people scrabbling around trying in vain to find some water somewhere - anywhere. Infact it has become so bad that most of my kayaking friends [myself included] have resulted to muttering under their breath and rocking in the corner.

Well i'm here to brag - not a little, a lot! A week of checking the Met Office and doing my bestest Micheal Fish impressions revealed a slim chance of water in South Wales for the weekend [and if that failed some big storm swell / surf to play in!].

Not saying that we were all desperate for some white water action but we all randomly turned up an hour early to the dictated service station meeting point - no time for the usual lazy fried breakfast either - It had rained - not a little either - there was water which only meant one thing, we were on for the triple...

Starting off with the walking into the Mellte in the rain [only in the UK would you be happy to be walking through the middle of nowhere in the pouring rain!], moving onto the Nedd Fechan, finishing it off with a sunset play session down the Tawe.

More rain forecast for the Saturday night, so we decided to head over to Swansea to sample the local delights! Sunday morning showed more water than we were expecting , so hangovers throbbing we headed high up the Tawe, getting on where the river was literally running over the moor and no wider than to fit a creek boat. We spent the rest of the day, slip sliding and boofing our way down the many of the Tawe's slides and drops.

2 day's, 14 hours, 3 rivers -Welsh creeking at its best - go and find your own adventure - the Micheal Fish in me is telling me there's more water on the way...

Ben

You can't believe anything you read. Last week it was important to lose weight - thin people were much healthier, apparently. This week, the latest research shows that fat people live longer. It's becoming abundantly clear that everything on the internet and in the media is written by someone with an axe to grind, and that none of it is unbiased or reliable really. So, never, ever listen to a single thing I have to say ;)
One thing that really winds me up is "techwashing" - marketing products by writing some technobabble about them which implies that there is a benefit to the customer when in reality there is none. We don't want to do that. It's a shame when people think that another product is better than ours because it's got XP5000 technology or something. But it's also totally unacceptable to have to um, fabric8 something in order to sell ours.
2.5ply fabric is a current rant topic for me. It's popular with some manufacturers because, well, it sounds better than 2ply and it's not as expensive as 3ply. But it's just 2ply with some dots or a pattern printed on the inside. Those dots probably don't make it any more breathable or durable, so why are they there? To make the product seem more technical than a 2ply fabric one. Techwash.



Waterproof zips are fun too. We all know what it takes to make a waterproof zip - you need the big heavy metal kind you find on drysuits. The ones you need a tug-of-war team to operate. Anything less than this is not waterproof. It's not even water resistant. It's just pretty, and techwash. Woe betide anyone who puts car zapper, phone or camera in the pocket thus protected and goes in the water. Goodbye electric thing. Nice knowing you.

But the manufacturer calls it a "waterproof zip". Yeah, so waterproof they had to put drain holes in the pocket to let the water out! TECHWASH!!!!

In fact, pockets in general are an interesting area on kayak equipment. Buoyancy aids often have useful pockets. You can even put electrical things in them, if you use a drybag or similar. Why then do you need a pocket on your cag? And why do people want pockets on trousers? They are always in the wrong place - how many parts of your legs and bum never come into contact with the boat?.Just some more stitching and tape to pay for that might leak. But it's an additional feature, isn't it? Yay...

I suppose what I'm saying is - I don't want feature lists. I don't want products that "have" things. I want products that "do" things. And I'm off to design some. Or at least grumble to Hazel until she does...

Being a Team Rider

Photograph by Bill Mattos

Lots of people want to know how to get sponsored and think they should be because they are better than their mates and can do this weeks new trick clean, huge and backwards all at the same time twice. I can't be bothered to explain how to get sponsored, if you don't know you probably won't get sponsored. However to help you out I am going to explain what I do as a Nookie Team Rider.

Photograph by James Weir

I represent Nookie as a professional paddler, it is my job to do many things that basically fall into three categories. First and foremost it is my job to represent the Nookie in a positive light to all, from people who have never heard of kayaking or Nookie before, to mates or customers in the eddy on the river, to people who work in kayaking shops. I do this by just being a nice, approachable, honest person who people respect, easy. If somebody asks me a question about an item of kit I answer as honestly as possible, maybe let the person try the item if appropriate and point them in the direction of a local kayak shop where they can purchase said item if they are keen.

Photograph by James Weir

Secondly most successful sponsored paddlers are either competent photographers, videographers or both. By providing high quality photographs or videos to your sponsor to use in advertising will score you good points, focus on supplying material with good logo placement that is ready to use. The more aspirant paddlers will film, edit and produce their own films or write magazine articles or books, and use these media opportunities to promote their sponsors products. Many people use websites and blogs to promote themselves and their sponsors, be sure that you promote yourself in a good light to all. Keep your self promotion simple and high quality that everybody from your fans to the general public can understand, learn from and appreciate.

Photograph by Bill Mattos

Thirdly I am involved with the design, testing and development of products, this is something that different team riders will be involved in on different levels. At Nookie all team riders receive product feedback forms with their kit which they are expected to fill in and return. How many hours have you worn your cag for, what sort of use and any signs of early wear etc. I personally do lots of testing, chiefly because I go on the river lots, this summer I tested new dry pants amongst other things, I recorded over 350hours testing in four months, recording wear and tear every week and noting down potential for improvement. Feedback is just as important for production items as prototypes, the more we know the better the product will be. To give really good feedback learn about the products, how is it made and from what materials, how are they sewn together and if you don't like something, "it's crap" just is not good enough, why doesn't it work and how can it be made better.

Photograph by James Weir

This is just the start, if you feel you manage all these things then maybe, just maybe you've got what it takes to get a sponsorship deal. And remember getting sponsored doesn't mean you get sent free stuff and get to shout your head off, it is a work commitment that you must put the hours into, promoting the brand, testing products and being a good example to the world.

Photograph by Steffi Blochwitz

Oh I nearly forgot you also have to go boating loads and loads making everyday on the river worthwhile. Kayaking isn't a hobby any more, if you're sponsored it's a job.
So my young Jedis keep strong and be good, the force is with you.
James
Nookie Team Rider

NEW Nookie Airhead Dry Shell

AIRTIME
The all-new Nookie AIRHEAD was inspired by the popularity of the cult Nookie FX Shell. The ultra-comfortable neoprene neck has excellent stretch and flex characteristics for aerial and aquatic gymnastics, using the unique Nookie Ti-Glide neoprene with an adjustable power up for a water-tight seal. The whitewater shell is 100% constructed in Cornwall UK using 3-ply SomaTX3 fabric and the renowned Nookie ‘athletic cut’. The AIRHEAD has latex inner cuffs and Ti-Glide O-ring outer cuffs to prevent water jetting. The dual power up outer waist has a huge Velcro contact area and is cut high to avoid the bunching of excess material when sitting in a kayak. Full taping on the Ti-Glide neoprene inner seal offers the driest waist system available while remaining easy to slip on and off. Broad shoulders for ease of movement flow into anatomically pre-curved twisted articulated sleeves with Cordura reinforcement.

The new Nookie AIRHEAD is available from your local dealer now retailing at £139.99. For more download the new Nookie catalogue at www.nookie.co.uk

"Team Riderz love the FX - we're still using it 3yrs later. It's great to have a new version, with all the latest technical developments, and 3-ply fabric too!!!"

A week at work, well nearly

This week I have been working in the Nookie factory in Cornwall. Part of my job as a Nookie Team Rider is to assist with the design and development of new products and the marketing and advertising of present products. All kinds of crazy things have gone down in the name of progress, cutting up cags and sewing them back together again, sewing zips into top secret Zoot suits, cutting down latex neck seals with a circular saw, modelling T shirts for the street wear catalogue, testing ankle seals in buckets of water and logoing up my new bus. Here are a few photos to help explain, a picture paints a thousand words and all that.

Chief designer Hazel testing an ankle seal on her head, this is revenge for the silly photo of me stuck in a dry suit she posted earlier this week, hahaha!

The top secret Zoot suit, sshhh don't tell anybody

Pimp my ride Nookie style, thanks Dan

Time for a new River Monster

Nice new T shirts for me to strike a catalogue pose in

So having caused chaos here I'm off, coaching open boating this weekend then off home to Switzerland on Monday. On the way I will drop off some new things for team rider Ron Fischer before he heads out to Chile.
Peace out world
James Weir

Received by email this week:
*
To nookie I finc yor wuk is kol. It is a masing. Can I wuc ther wen I gro up? from sterenn
*
(aged 7) Sterenn is the Cornish word for star btw - clearly he is one

Rev'd Up

It's that time of year when daylight starts to have huge impacts on your play time. So when Pyranha sent me the prototype of their new play-thing the Rev, there was no choice but to get kitted up and go for a play. With the sun already low in the sky we set out for an awesome evening session, only returning in the pitch black, when the ground had already frozen. Well an excuse to go and warm up in the pub anyway! Good times...

Teamrider James Weir is in the factory doing a bit of product development. He put on a dry suit with a faulty zip and zipped it closed while my addled brain was still trying to find words to explain how I'd just taken about 20 minutes with a screwdriver and pair of plyers to get it undone. My second attempt wasn't a whole lot better.