Paddle Me, Please

Went to the Adirondack Paddlefest in Old Forge this weekend to look for a second sea kayak. The festival is put on each year by Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company, and is one of, if not the largest paddlefest in the Northeast. I bought my first sea kayak there a few years back. If you're interested in demoing kayaks, a festival is a great place to do it.

If you've never been to one, imagine upwards of 150 different kayaks you can demo. Take it out on the lake for 10 minutes or so, and compare it with the others. You can test as many kayaks and canoes that you want, as you narrow it down, try your shortlist boats again and again until you make a decision (or not). There are manufacturers reps, sales people and kayak enthusiasts there to answer your questions and help you buy a boat.

We spent the better part of four hours testing boats. In the end, we had it narrowed down to two very comparable kayaks. One was a carbon lite material (and available to take home - read immediate gratification), the other Fiberglas (we could have it in three weeks, but would have to drive back up to Old Forge to pick it up).

We ended up purchasing the Fiberglas boat, even though we had to wait three weeks. The reason? We had been helped choosing a boat by this couple from Indian Lake, New York — who were volunteering at the festival to help people find the right boat, to get more people into kayaking. Over the coarse of the afternoon, they had helped us demo a number of different boats from a number of different manufacturers. They clearly preferred the Impex Fiberglas boats (they had several), but they also helped out with the other boats around. They also said things like, "take your time, find the right boat. Before you buy a boat, get a great paddle. And don't buy a boat unless you are sure."

The carbon lite boat was from another manufacturer. Their manufacturers rep was trying to "sell" us the other boat. He used language like "have I got a boat for you. Isn't she a beaut? How do you like it?" His boat was really nice, and it was 20% cheaper than the Impex.

But there was something about the way that couple from Indian Lake approached the whole experience that added credibility. What made us sure of our purchase was the fact that no one tried to sell us. We were allowed to buy.

Now, we're brand advocates for Impex Kayaks and for the Mountainman.