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Knu-Pac Portaging System - What's NewThe Knu-Pac Knews - All the knews you kneed to know US Navy SEALS Choose the Knu-Pac SystemFinal Testing in Process After a year of rigorous testing at the Northern Warfare Training Center in Alaska, The Knu-Pac EZ-Tripper is in the final phase of field tests with the US Navy SEALS. When we introduced the EZ-Tripper at the 2000 Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City, two separate SEALS visited our booth on two different days not knowing that the other was also attending the show. They were looking for a tough waterproof bag that was also comfortable to carry and had been unable to find anything even close until they saw the new EZ-Tripper. The military version will feature extra heavy duty fabric, an improved weld design and extra grab handles and will, of course, be all black. This modified design will be used primarily by the Boat Division and we're working with Mystery Ranch Works to develop a waterproof pack for the other SEALS divisions. Once finalized, the military version will be made available to the public on a limited basis. While we can't mention names here, we want to acknowledge what a true pleasure it has been working with the SEALS representative. Any stereotypes of the no-nonsense warrior have been replaced by the very genuine and caring human interactions we have consistently enjoyed with the SEALS. It is an honor and a privilege to be supplying the SEALS with gear that works for them especially knowing that the SEALS will be playing a big part in the war against terror. A big thanks to the Navy SEALS and all who put themselves in harm's way to protect our freedoms. Canadian National Scout Jamboree 15,000 Gather in P.E.I. Once every four years, Scouts from all over Canada and from many parts of the world gather for a week of high adventure, games and meeting other scouts. This year's event was held on Prince Edward Island and the Knu-Pac was honored to be one of the few vendors to be invited to attend. Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the planning takes years and the actual construction of a temporary city, complete with it's own post office, and takes a full month to complete. Camping areas, cooking facilities, stores, climbing towers and the biggest mud maze we've ever seen! Scouts Canada includes both boys and girls, all of whom saved up to pay their way to the Jamboree. When not involved in a scheduled activity, the scouts could visit the X-Center, located in the dead center of the Jamboree grounds. The X-center housed the vendors, Scout Shop, entertainment stage and hands-on displays and activities sponsored by numerous organizations. Scouts could trade badges, make their own leather crafts or play touch football with the CFL players. They could also participate in the Knu-Pac Portage Challenge. Congratulations to the troop from Maine who narrowly beat out a Newfoundlander unit at the last minute and took home their free Knu-Pac System. We were christened Mr. and Mrs. Canoehead by the many Canadian youth that saw us demonstrating the Knu-Pac System. Mr. Canoehead is a Canadian TV icon. A Good Nights Sleep In the days following the September 11th terrorist attacks, we were all affected in many different ways. The shock of what occurred impacted on our thoughts, feelings and even our sleep. Two weeks after the event, we had the opportunity to spend a weekend in the Adirondacks at a special fall sale sponsored by Mountainman Outdoors Supply. Besides meeting with many customers, we also enjoyed the best nights sleep in weeks in our tent at a local state park. What a wonderful reminder of the restorative power of nature. Sleeping on the ground and breathing fresh mountain air was exactly the right medicine. Souris River Alliance We are pleased to announce a new marketing alliance with Souris River Canoes of Atikokan, ON. Souris River uses a proprietary epoxy resin lay-up that creates a stronger boat and is becoming the boat of choice of many outfitters in the Boundary Waters Area. Look for the Souris River boats in our upcoming print ads and please pay them a visit at www.sourisriver.com. New Products Ever wonder why there wasn't a simple daypack that was also fully waterproof? We did too and have been in the design process for this latest addition to the Knu-Pac line over the past year. With two water bottle pockets, the Dry-Ruck looks like a normal day pack except that with its all welded construction, waterproof fabric and roll down closure under the top flap, it's also totally waterproof. We've also added a large mesh pocket under the top flap that is accessible from the outside through a zippered opening. It can be stowed in most kayak's hatches or used as a deck bag while doubling as a daypack for those short hikes to stretch your legs. Why take the risk of your gear getting wet? We're also working on a smaller version of the side access EZ-Tripper. At 3000 cu in, this mid-sized bag includes a padded framesheet suspension with torso length adjustability, purge valve and, of course, all welded seams. Great size for any traveling needs, as a personal pack on your next canoe trip or for the younger paddlers in your family. Knu-Pac Goes To College Two college outdoor programs are now using the Knu-Pac System for their paddlesports activities. Azteg Adventures of San Diego State University has been using their Knu-Pacs for the last several years to portage their Grummans up in Alaska using a two person carry with their gear. Binghamton Outdoor Pursuits of Binghamton University ordered 10 Knu-Pacs this year for those long carries up in the Adirondacks. Over the Andes Kayak Expedition First Kayak Crossing Of The Andes With Knu-Pac Rod Johnson, owner of Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis, MN, will leave on January the 3rd, 2001 for a truly epic kayak trip. Starting at Puerto de Natales, Chile, Rod and his partner, Hans Arlton, will first paddle up the west coast of Chile to a remote river which they'll navigate upstream to the foot of the Andes. At this point, the mother of all portages will begin as they carry their boats and gear over a never before crossed 6000' pass. Once over the top, they then have to get down the other side, which includes negotiating an icefall or two. Having survived this, a series of lakes, rivers and portages will take them to the Atlantic Ocean. Rod and Hans will both be using Knu-Pac Kayak Systems. Rod attempted this trip solo in 1992 and was turned back by high winds and low food supplies. With Hans as a partner, they will be able to belay each other when necessary; something Rod was unable to do on his own. Made of kevlar with a balsa core for lightness, their boats for the expedition are extreme high volume kayaks custom made for the trip by Current Designs. They'll also be carrying special EPIRB units, which provide an emergency radio beacon and GPS locator. If activated, this will not only pinpoint their location, but also identify their boats specifically. A global satellite phone will allow them to stay in contact with schoolchildren who will be asking them questions along the way. You can view the trip route and keep up with their progress at www.midwestmtn.com/andeskayak.html Good luck Rod and Hans! !! New Knu-Pac !! First side loading, "internal" frame dry bag The Knu-Pac Ultimate Tripper was introduced at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market and was well received by paddlers, hunters, backpackers, divers and even the Navy Seals. Available this spring. The 7000 cu in dry bag, like all Knu-Pacs, is fully welded with waterproof fabric and a roll down closure to ensure that your gear stays dry. The side loading design allows for easier gear access than a top loader even when the bag is still in your boat. Integrated side compression, a purge valve and lift handles are just some of the features built into this latest Knu-Pac. Versatility is always a prime goal when we design a new product and the Ultimate Tripper is no exception. You can attach the bag to the Knu-Pac Frame and carry your boat and gear or attach the bag to our brand new externally mounted framesheet. The new framesheet incorporates the design and comfort of internal frame backpacks with built in torso adjustment. Walk into the airport with the bag on your back and easily disengage the framesheet to convert the bag into airline friendly luggage. Or, you can clip on a simple over the shoulder strap and use the bag as a large waterproof duffel bag. Made with a 600-denier body and 1000d bottom, the new Ultimate Tripper will be available in blue for $249.95 with the framesheet. We believe that this is absolutely the most comfortable large waterproof bag available. Knu-Pac Hits High Fashion The Knu-Pac System has been featured in many magazines since it was introduced, but usually those with an outdoors oriented readership. In the closing hours of this summer's Outdoor Retail show in Salt Lake City, we were approached by a new, London based fashion/outdoor/travel magazine called Line who were at the show shooting a spread with an outdoor theme. When they saw us standing there with our green Compass Canoe over our head, they whisked us off to the studio. Normally we don't get to walk around a show like this carrying a canoe, but this gave us a perfect opportunity, including going up and down the escalators (that turned a few heads!). Once in the studio, the Knu-Pac was donned by one of the female models outfitted in the latest outdoor duds and she had great fun launching into her modeling poses while carrying the canoe. We haven't seen it yet ourselves, but it was scheduled for the fall issue. Maine Canoe Symposium Winona Camps in Bridgton, Maine is such a classic northwoods camp that it's hard not to start singing "Hello Mudder, Hello Fadder". It's a near perfect location for the annual Maine Canoe Symposium scheduled in 2001 for June 8 10th. If you enjoy wilderness canoe tripping or just messing around in a canoe, this is a great event for you. Sign up for workshops in poling, freestyle paddling, wilderness survival skills, canoe sailing and many others. We'll be presenting workshops on dehydrating food at the 2001 Symposium. You can also enjoy slide shows, great food and the camaraderie of like-minded paddlers with a spirited war canoe race as the finale. Stay in the camp's bunkhouses, wall tents or in your own tent. For reservations, contact Winona Camps at winona@nxi.com or at 207/647-3721. You can also pay a visit to the website for the Maine Canoe Symposium at www.mcs.gen.me.us Upgraded Knu-Pac Frame System Rather than re-invent the external frame when we launched the Knu-Pac System in 1998, we looked for the best frame that was available on the market. With a few modifications, this frame worked well and provided a huge improvement in comfort for our customers. But, we were limited in the amount of design changes that we could do which limited how much we could improve our product. We're happy to announce that, as of the summer of 2000, all Knu-Pac frames are now of our own design and incorporate many important design upgrades. We've stiffened and beefed up our hipbelt and added a lumbar pad to minimize slippage under heavy loads. This and increased adjustability make the new Knu-Pac more comfortable for taller users. Top load levelers allow you to shift the weight in a variety of ways and a textured finish on the frame tubing is both stronger and more attractive. Back River Film Arctic Expedition George Drought, award winning Canadian author and film maker, traveled down 800 km of the Back River in Nunavut Territory this past spring shooting footage for his next film. He was awarded the 1999 Waterwalker Film Festival Award for Nature and Interpretation for "An Arctic Journey Canoeing the Hood River". 40 hours of footage was shot on the Back recording musk ox, caribou, sand hill cranes and several zillion mosquitos. The new film is in editing right now and is scheduled to be released at the Waterwalker Festival in Ottawa in March. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society will be distributing the film to all schools in the Nunavut and Northwest Territories. "The Knu-Pac was superb! It allowed us to carry our Knu-Pac dry bags as well as the Pelican boxes carrying our camera equipment." Thanks, George. George is the auther of 4 Ontario river guides which are available on his website at www.wildernessbound.com Food Drying Tips In late September we returned to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario after an absence of almost four years. With our busy schedule, we didn't start drying our food for the trip until about the week before but simply cooked enough extra to keep the dryer filled. Homemade lentil soup was terrific with the colder temperatures and it both drys and rehydrates easily. We also began making our own jerky and will never do a trip without it. Slice lean beef thinly (partially frozen meat slices easier) and marinate it in soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic powder and salt for at least 8 hours. Be creative with the marinade, just make it strong. Drain the meat strips and dry until leathery. Most important, hide the jerky until you leave or there won't be any left The Year 1999 Kayak Canada 1999 Solo Kayak Trip Across Canada uses Knu-Pac Kayak System Pushing off from the salt water of Prince Rupert Sound in British Columbia on May 11th, Ilya Kivana, a 21-year-old wildlife biology student from Montreal, began a grueling solo trek across the continent of Canada. Using ancient trading routes and a hand built cedar-strip fiberglass/epoxy kayak, Ilya had to cross continental divides, paddle long upstream river sections, complete many exposed lake crossings and carry his boat and gear over more than 135 portages. After seeing the Knu-Pac at a Canadian canoe show, Ilya called and asked if we would sponsor him so that he could use the Knu-Pac to make those 135 portages easier. We were thrilled to support him and it was a match made in heaven as the bag from the Knu-Pac II that we sent him slipped perfectly under the deck behind his seat. From his June 29, 1999 journal entry: "The day began with thunder storms and heavy rain, so I put on my Gore Tex jacket and kept on paddling. Fortunately, it cleared up in the evening, just in time for a series of four portages (1260 m, 2000 m, 180 m, 425 m) around rapids, separated by short stretches of calm water. Thanks to the Knu-Pac portaging system, I did the portages in just one shot (kayak and gear together)....I really appreciated it" Ilya's journey ended at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland just after Thanksgiving (US). As far as we know, this was the first kayak crossing of Canada and the longest single season crossing by anyone! You can read all of his journal entries at www.mcgill.ca/kayak/ Way to go, Ilya! Knu-Pac Survives Salt Lake Tornado We were carrying a canoe at the time the Force 2 tornado ripped through the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City last August with winds of up to 150 mph and we escaped without a scratch. This probably had less to do with the toughness of the Knu-Pac and more due to the fact that we were about a mile away at the time. Our booth display, however, had been left fully set up in one of the two massive tents that the tornado had ravaged. When we were finally allowed into the tent the next day to salvage what we could, we were overjoyed to find most everything intact though the tent itself was unusable. The entire paddling community really came together to help each other with financial aid, help in moving and rebuilding or just a shoulder to lean on. We'd like to offer a special thank you to Walden Kayak for generously giving us some of their booth space so we could go on with the show. Trip Report: Woodland Caribou Provincial Park Thanks to Tim Lougheed of Ottawa for this report: "In the what-we-did-on-our-summer-vacation category this year, we took our wilderness experiences to new heights, or rather new latitudes. We drove some 2000 km from Ottawa to the town of Red Lake in northwestern Ontario, within spitting distance of the Manitoba border. In fact, that's as far as you can drive in Ontario as the roads end there at a giant wilderness park called Woodland Caribou. This country is very different from anything south of it, including the Boundary Waters, Quetico or Lake of the Woods, which incorporate some of the same muskeg topography. This park, because it is a much more remote drive, sees far less canoe traffic than any of these places. And it shows, the portages are extremely rugged, almost primitive, because so few people are keeping them open. This photograph (not shown) is of me negotiating one of the less pleasant ones, which consisted almost entirely of these boulders that had to be danced along, mountain-goat style. I simply could not have done the job without the Knu-Pack, which, as you can see, I had lashed up along with the control line from stem to stern. The cord was crucial, as I was constantly raising or lowering one end or the other as I went along these portages, and it would have been all but impossible to do so with a traditional system. And, as I tell anyone who wonders how we manage such feats, including a troop of Minnesota boy scouts we met at the park entrance, your pack is now an integral part of our kit. Once again, my thanks to you." Please feel free to send us reports of your next Knu-trip. 1999 L.L. Bean Sea Kayak Symposium In July, we visited the beautiful coastal town of Castine, Maine to attend and present at the annual L.L.Bean Atlantic Sea Kayak Symposium. This was our first opportunity to show the new Knu-Pac Kayak System off and the response was great. Seeing someone walking around with a kayak over their head is even more attention getting than with a canoe. Our presentation was titled "Expanding your trip possibilities by portaging your kayak" and our mission is to demonstrate that you can portage a kayak just as easily as a canoe. We'll be back next year if only to enjoy the great meals. Highly recommended! "Hands Down" Control Line Rules! When we first introduced the Knu-Pac, we spoke of the control line as an alternative way to control your boat while walking. For 12 years we had simply balanced the boat so that it was a little stern heavy and then used the weight of one arm to keep the boat level. Well, we're complete control line converts now and wish that we had used it from the very beginning. It just works better, folks. Much better control in the wind and you can always keep your boat parallel to the grade of the trail maintaining your visibility and balance. All this with both of your arms down at your side so your arms can actually relax. We now include a control line kit with every Knu-Pac System. We also now include a free instructional video showing all aspects of the Knu-Pac System. The Knu-Pac Goes Adventure Racing! Louise Cooper-Lovelace is the sole female member of the adventure racing Team Endeavour with a second place finish in both the Raid Gauloises and the ESPN X-Venture. She's been rated as one of the top three female adventure racers in the US and has finished seven races to date, not to mention her 7 finishes in the Hawaiian Ironman race. Overcoming her biggest challenge yet, breast cancer, Louise will be competing again this year after taking a year off. After seeing the Knu-Pac at a 1997 show and after a miserable experience portaging a canoe in one of her races, she called and asked us if we could sponsor the team, which we gladly did. She says, "The Knu-Pac System is a bonus in adventure racing. Very versatile and easy to use. I love it and will highly recommend it to all of my colleges." The Knu-Pac is also being used regularly in the annual 90 mile Adirondack Classic race. This is a three day event with numerous portages, some over a mile long. Food Drying Tips On our canoe trips we like to pack light but, we also like to eat well and drying our own food at home has allowed us to do both. And it's easy. The bottom line secret to drying food is to limit the oil content since oil cannot dehydrate and can turn rancid. Virtually any food can be dried including many meals that you may already make. Think of a favorite one pot meal like a soup, stew or casserole that includes protein, veggies and carbohydrates and you probably have a great meal to dry for your next trip. Two protein sources that we love are turkey burger baked as a meat loaf then dried in slices and imitation crab meat from the seafood or frozen food section. Simply break up the "crabmeat" by hand and dry as is. Try the rehydrated crab with a packaged Alfredo sauce and home dried veggies over angel hair pasta...don't forget the parmesan cheese. We'll serve the turkey with packaged gravy over mashed potatoes (home dried, of course) and a veggie on the side. |