Team OrionHealth Adventure

All team members of Orionhealth.com use Legend paddles while competing in both expedition-style adventure races internationally and multisport races in New Zealand. There are many types of Legend paddles to suit races of different lengths and people of all shapes. Being considerably shorter than my male teammates I use a Fusion Small which has a small enough blade to allow me to paddle for long distances in adventure races but is also suitable for shorter races such as the Coast to Coast. Legend Paddles are all beautifully made and are of the highest quality; check out www.legendpaddles.co.nz for more info. If only my ancestors used Legends, I could have been enjoying N.Z much earlier!

I have been using Day Two multisport kayak spray skirts and paddle jackets for the last 6 years competing in both multisport and adventure races. I have always found these purpose built light weight items to be hard wearing, reliable and user friendly in pretty much all the conditions I have encountered, which at times have been reasonably extreme! I would recommend them without hesitation, with the added advice, always buy the equipment designed for your specific use!

After spending thousands of dollars buying and making lights over the last 5 or so years I think I’m finally content with the Edison 5. This is a fantastic light from Lupine. The Edison system consists of a 13W Metal-Halide lamp powered by lithium-ion batteries. That basically means a brilliantly bright light (equivalent to about 60 watts from a halogen light) and very lightweight batteries. The light has a high and a low setting. The high is all the light you’d ever need and great for Cateye Moonride etc, while the low gives longer run-time and is more than enough light for adventure racing.

What really sets this light apart from the others is the attention to detail. The build quality of all the components (light, attachments, charger etc) is faultless. The mounting systems for helmet, handle-bars and head are easy to set up and work very well. You can quickly swap the light from bike to head-strap (supplied) and we often take the light on a trek leg as it can be a huge help spotting features that our normal trekking lights will not reach.

The Lupine charger is a nice little unit with a digital readout that leaves you in no doubt that your batteries are fully charged (A problem I’ve had with other chargers) and also has a discharge feature and ability to charge other battery types.

So finally I’ve found the perfect light and can stop looking.

Although the Lupine Wilma X Pro looks pretty good…

We have used Insomniac Racing Kayaks in all of our adventure races since 2005, when they first hit the market.

Their sharp entry lines and long waterline length make the Insomniac kayaks a match for any other AR double for flatwater speed. The sleek nose has proved very effective for surf beach launches, allowing us to punch through breaking waves and maintain our momentum. In open water the Insomniac has proven to have very good stability and has handled large ocean swells and choppy water easily, catching lifts well in trailing seas.

The Insomniac kayaks have proven to be excellent adventure racing doubles with easy storage for compulsory equipment. They are competitive in all conditions and stable enough for every level of paddler. A good choice for teams looking for a competitive edge as well as those wanting something with a bit more speed than the “old barge” that won’t tip them into the drink!