Gear That Got It Done, Made in the USA: 260-mile Desert SUP Expedition

In mid fall, a group of adventurers paddled SUPs 260 miles through the Utah desert, including a rarely traveled stretch of the San Juan River as it slowly meanders into Glen Canyon Recreation Area. The mantra was “eat, sleep, and paddle,” tackling an average of 33 miles a day. Here are 4 Made in the USA products that got it done. 

Badfish Selfie 16’: Our newest obsession

The Badfish Selfie is a 16’ x 30” performance expedition paddleboard hand-shaped by Badfish Co-Founder Zach Hughes in Salida, CO. Based on the popular Badfish 11’ Holeshot design, Zach added 5 feet of length and extra volume throughout to carry weeks’ worth of self-support gear. In front of the standing area, the deck is recessed and outfitted with a tie-down system that performed flawlessly while paddling in windy conditions, or quickly unloading your gear at camp. 

The Selfie 16’ is a real looker, and it proved to paddle like a dream. We faced all sorts of water conditions during our 260-mile trip: from maneuvering through technical whitewater to cruising in fun downwind swell, we were thoroughly impressed. The board tracked very true and straight, even when rigged with a short river fin, and once the hull was at speed, it continued to glide through the water with ease.

Badfish has set the bar high for expedition-style stand up paddle boards, and we are already itching to plan another adventure.

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Voormi Solarium Hoodie: Quiver killer of the wardrobe

The Voormi Solarium Hoodie is a super lightweight Merino wool long sleeve top designed with a quarter zip, hood, hand warmer pocket, and thumb loops. It’s meant to be worn as a sun shirt, but is truly an uber-versatile garment. Voormi sources their wool from sheep in the San Juan Mountains and manufactures their products locally in Pagosa Springs, CO.

Testers used this piece as a base layer in the early morning, sun protection midday, and even paddled through hours of light rain, without the need for a shell. The athletic fit was perfect for long hours on the water, and was thin enough to wear comfortably under a PFD. We experienced temperatures from the low 40s to mid 80s (F), and the Solarium was worn alone or as a layer at all times.

This hoodie moved right in as an instant staple of tester’s technical wardrobe collection. Voormi’s product line is constantly evolving to improve designs, and follow the change of seasons. 

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Watershed Drybags: Ultimate in utility and peace of mind

The Watershed drybags product line was an essential and integral part of our self-support mission. These premium bags are made in Asheville, NC and feature the best materials, closures, and construction on the market. Watershed uses a patented Zipdry closure that is watertight up to 300’ submersion, and a polyurethane coated/UV resistant nylon fabric. In English, that gives you a durable, flexible, easy-to-use dry bag that will last a long, long time. 

Testers used a bag for each of the following: food/kitchen; bedding/shelter; electronics/small daily items; and first aid/board repair kits. We especially took advantage of the multiple attachment points, from securing the bag to the board, or quickly clipping water bottles and camera for easy access. At camp, we felt confident tossing the bags down on rough sandstone, with hardly any signs of abuse by the end of the week.

We loved having our bright orange Watersheds lashed to the nose of each board for extra visibility on the water. 

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Werner Legend 99: A legend in more than its own mind

Werner Legend 99

The Legend 99 from Werner is a full carbon paddle with a burly dynel edge insert made to perform at a high level while taking a beating. The low angle offset from blade to shaft and extra buoyant blade will bring your whitewater paddling skills to the next level. Werner hand builds their products in Sultan, WA.

On an expedition of this length, it’s mandatory to bring a spare paddle for the group. We opted for a performance travel version of the Legend. It easily comes apart into three separate pieces, and made for simple storage on the nose of a board. We enjoy the longer, more slender blade shape on the Legend –  over time it’s easier on the body and provides control while paddling at varying cadences, two very important points when overuse injuries are always lurking from paddling nearly 16,000 strokes a day. 

The paddle is hands down the most important part of the set up. It allows you to have a primal connection to the water, and to efficiently put your skills in action.