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Lavacore Elite kayaking apparel
- Category: Kayak fishing apparel
- Published on Thursday, 16 June 2011 17:29
- Written by Josh
- Hits: 1288
It was just over a year ago, prior to the onset of winter - right about the time I started thinking about cold weather kayak fishing again - that I first wrote about Lavacore base layer clothing for kayaking. At the time I picked up a pair of their Unisex windproof longjohn style pants and have been using them ever since. Comparing them to the better known Shark Skin brand (as I did) turned out to be a fair thing to do, as they've performed similarly. I still have a pair of each though I have to admit to reaching for the Lavacore pair most often, as they fit me better and are marginally more flexible and thus a bit more comfortable for peddaling the Miragedrive. So it's also fair to say that I'm pretty fond of them, which is why I was particularly interested when I learned that Lavacore have some new similarly styled offerings that are a bit more technical in design and with a focus for enhanced comfort and suitability to kayaking.
Though there are a number of items within Lavacore's new Elite series of kayaking clobber (pants, shorts, cap & pogies, all of which are available for inspection in the Lavacore online catalogue) it was the Elite tops that I wanted to try out first. What makes these unique to their other models, as well as what is currently available from Shark Skin, is that instead of being constructed with a fleece-lined wind-proof trilaminate fabric all over, Lavacore's Elite series incorporates neoprene at the wrists cuffs and a merino wool lined bi-laminate fabric under the armpits and side panels. This design concept is intended to provide enhanced flexibility (for paddling), permeability (to reduce overheating, sweating & body odour) and maximise overall comfort. Although I do think that a full trilaminate design would be the better option for diving and snorkeling, I like this idea a lot for paddling.
It also has a half zip front, so not only does that help in heat control, it's also a lot easier to peel off at the end of a bug day on the water. The neck collar has a thicker fleece lining for a nice fluffy warm feeling. On the inner sides are small hang loops, which are designed to hook over small buttons on the Elite pants in order to keep them securely positioned.
Though I've only basically tried it on thus far (and left it on for a couple of hours for a quick test) I'm yet to truly put it to the test on a harsh day on mid-winter water. Obviously I'll get that opportunity soon enough, so I'll update this article with a more definitive conclusion when I do. Suffice to say that so far I'm suitably impressed.