The official Whitewater the Canoe Centre Christmas Hot list…

The list which we know you have all been waiting for has finally arrived, with Christmas just around the corner here is our ultimate Christmas Hot List:

1. Sweet Rocker Helmet. We still have all sizes and all colours of this fantastic helmet. It has been leading the helmet market for many years now and every single employee at WWTCC has at least one in their gear bag. We never leave home without them! They are well fitting and strong as they are made of a two pice outer shell featuring a composite layer and a rugged EPP foam liner. Although they are an expensive investment they do last well and really you only get one head so it is worth protecting.

2. Palm FXR Personal Floatation Device. The fit and freedom of Palm’s original design FX pfd, the FXR now features additional rescue features making it a great all round vest weather you want to go for a freestyle session or huck a big drop in the middle of the jungle. A large pocket and additional Cordura reinforcement, failsafe shoulder straps, a knife pocket and chest harness are just a few reasons why this is one of our top picks this winter. Oh and did we mention it is available in a number of fun colours.

3. Palm Descent Pogies. Possibly the ultimate whitewater pogie on the market owing to its extra short cut making it easy it quickly get your hand in and out at a moments notice. Although this does mean your hand will get a little wetter this really won’t make a difference if you are hitting up the Dart, Tryweryn or other whitewater venues this year. The obvious advantage to pogies is that you can still feel the paddle in your hand unlike the loss of feeling experienced with gloves or mittens. This should help the paddle stay in your hands rather than slip and slide around making it difficult to roll or set safety.

4. HF Kit Bag/Dry bag. Whilst the idea of a good rugged dry bag/kit bag is not a new one it is a tough one to do well. Other companies have tried through the years but it is the relatively new addition to the market from HF that seems to have married quality design with a reasonable budget. Weather you need a new bag for a trip to Nepal or just a bag to store your kit in on the way to and from the river this is the one for you.

5. Devises to Westminster Race gear. Well with another year of the famous DW race fast approaching there will plenty of grueling training sessions on the books, through the wet and cold of the typical British winter. So for those braving the race this year, or even just the winter training we recommenced Suzy’s 40 below Pogies, Kokatat Tropos Drift light Jacket and Palm Kosi Cap. Suzy’s are the obvious choice for the marathon paddler, silver lining reflects heat back at the hands and light weight really makes the difference over the course of the while event. Kokatat Tropos Drift light Jacket is a sensible lightweight option to keep you protected from the wind and the water as you race down the course. The wind can really strip a lot of heat away from your body so this jacket is a great way to stay warm when the mercury drops low. Finally the Palm Kosi Cap is a fleece lined cap ideal for keeping your head and ears nice and toasty on the coldest of days.

6. Watershed Ocoee Drybag 15L with optional Liner. Another product which has been a firm favourite for us here at WWTCC for many years the WaterShed Ocoee dry bag is big enough to keep all your essentials in and keep them dry. From expensive DSLR cameras or essential overnight gear that needs to stay dry, this is the bag for you. The bag itself is made from an extra durable plastic material and features solid carrying handles, multiple hard lash points and Watershed’s excellent Zip Dry system these things stay DRY. I have personally had used one to keep my camera safe on long trips abroad that featured swimming and jumping in the water, they are great, especially when combined with the Ocoee liner, great for fragile items.

So there you have it, our tops picks for Christmas this year, If you are buying for a kayaker who already has everything check out a post we did last week about gift ideas for them. Have a happy holiday period and we will see you on the water.