Dreamryder Freestyle Kayak Outfitting System
The psychological aspect of kayak outfitting is closely linked to the kayak a whole and in the way the hull performs in water. The outfitting should reinforce the desired qualities in the kayak design and deliver positive mental picture of being in control of the vessel.
The outfitting is designed for a type of kayak that is the latest development in freestyle kayak design. The kayak should be capable of delivering competition performance of the highest standard and be approachable to less experienced paddler when learning the basics of kayaking. At this point can be noted, that the user will probably be proficient in basic paddling techniques when considering the purchase of the kayak in question.
A beginner paddler will see and use the kayak, and its outfitting, very differently than experienced paddler. To a beginning kayaker a small freestyle kayak seems like extreme sports equipment. It promises excitement and thrills, but also hardships they need to overcome to really enjoy the sport. They often find freestyle kayaking demanding sport to learn. Even the outfitting might be something a beginning kayaker finds challenging, no matter how simple the system has been made. The small space allowed in freestyle kayak feels confining and the outfitting system confusing.
Paddlers with moderate experience will know what to expect from the kayak and the outfitting. For them a new freestyle kayak is a way to progress in kayaking and in some cases a way to have more fun in their sport. For them the kayak is not so much extreme but more a gateway to experience the river and the play features like waves and eddylines. Pushing personal limits can be seen as a important motivation in kayaking among the intermediate kayakers. Most freestyle paddlers are kayakers with moderate paddling experience. For them the outfitting must be modifiable to ergonomic and performance oriented fashion. It must allow them to sit in the kayak longer and deliver movements precisely. Making progressive paddling easier to achieve. Also the outfitting system should be considerably better than preceding industry standard, telling the users how the kayak has evolved in user centered way like it has evolved in performance oriented way in kayak hull design.
Expert paddlers demand a lot of themselves and from their equipment. They usually have trained their freestyle technique to a level where the hull design is more important than the factory outfitting. They often modify the outfitting system to suit their personal style and taste. Well thought off outfitting systems are appreciated as they demand less tinkering to make work well. The expert user is pushing hard to progress as an athlete. And thus needs the outfitting to make faster and more powerful paddling easier on their bodies and to withstand the wear and tear on the outfitting
Usability means different things to different users. The beginner may want easy comfort and less restrictive outfitting to allow fast exit from the kayak. More experienced paddler may want the outfitting to enclose on the lower body in order to gain more control during advanced paddling maneuvers. This often means trading safety for performance, but they are not too concerned of this trade since they are less likely to hurriedly exit the kayak.
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