Coosa Outfitters

Races start this weekend!

2011-02-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

2011 Alabama Cup Racing Series

The Alabama Cup Races have been in existence since 1992 and was developed to acknowledge the best racers of the three. The Mulberry Fork Canoe & Kayak Races started in 1981 and in 1991, the Locust Fork Invitational began and a year later the Locust Fork White Water Classic was added.

In 1994, the Mulberry Fork Canoe & Kayak races hosted the qualifying races for the U.S. Olympics. Some famous racers have been Eric Jackson, Rich Weiss, Davey Hearn and Phillip Foti.

These races are non-profit organizations and are operated independently by the hosting organizations. Proceeds go toward preserving, protecting and promoting White Water Slalom racing in the state of Alabama. It has also been educating the public the need to save our rivers for the future generations to enjoy.

These races have been possible only through the very hard work of many people donating their time and from the donations of food, items/services and financial support of individuals and businesses. If you would like to participate, please contact us.

For questions regarding races, please email the race marshal for the event and someone will quickly get back with you.
Locust Fork Invitational Race Marshal - Tony Diliberto
marshal.invitational@alabamacupraces.org

Mulberry Fork Race Marshal - Tom Land
marshal.mulberry@alabamacupraces.org

Locust Fork Classic Race Marshal - Gordon Black
marshal.classic@alabamacupraces.org

If you want to volunteer for the next event, please email the event coordinator or go to the Volunteers Page to learn more about how you can help.
Invitational Volunteer Coordinator - Sam Howell
volunteers.invitational@alabamacupraces.org

Mulberry Fork Volunteer Coordinator - Kim Glover
volunteers.mulberry@alabamacupraces.org

Locust Fork Classic Volunteers - Sam Howell
volunteers.classic@alabamacupraces.org

The Alabama Cup Racing Association Board

President - Tony Diliberto
president@alabamacupraces.org

Vice President - Mark Travis
vice.president@alabamacupraces.org

Treasurer - Nancy Cate
treasurer@alabamacupraces.org

Secretary - Sam Howell
secretary@alabamacupraces.org

Memorial Day Weekend 2010

2010-06-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 28, 2010
Memorial Day Weekend 2010
On Memorial Day Weekend 2010 I had the opportunity to paddle Section 9 of the French Broad River in Hot Springs, NC. I knew it was going to be a great weekend just because I was getting my mom on whitewater for the second time and my dad, brother(Logan), and Tim were paddling too. Mom and I were going to be paddling the Jackson Dynamic Duo. Her first time was in the Duo the weekend before at the Locust Fork.
When we left Boaz on Friday morning we looked like the Clampetts from the t.v. show "The Beverly Hillbillies". I think we carried everything but the kitchen sink with us on that trip.

Our first trip down the river was Saturday. It started out really good. Being in the Duo with mom felt 10 times better than it did the weeknd before. She was starting to get a really good feel for being in a kayak and she was doing everything I told her to do. I couldn't have asked for a better partner. We had made it all the way to S-Turn and had yet to swim. This was going to be our first 'real' rapid of the day. It is just a long Class lll rapid that turns like a 'S'. So mom and I ferried across the river to set up to run it. When we peeled out of the top eddy going into the rapid we didn't have enough speed to run through the slot where we needed to go. We stalled out on big rock just to the right of where we should have went. I knew this probably wasn't going to end pretty. So we started back paddling and I ended up dropping into the slot first and I was in the back of the boat. When I dropped in mom was still on the top of the rapid and it caused us to roll over. I was bracing hard trying not to roll all the way over because I knew that if we sawm it was going to be a LONG swim. Well we ended up rolling all the way over and I tryed to roll back over, but moms skirt had already busted and she was coming out of the boat while I was trying to roll us back upright. So I ended up pulling my skirt and swimming. And it was a LONG swim, but we all got to the bank safe and nobody was hurt so it was all good!

We got back in to boat and paddled downriver a little further to where we were going to eat lunch. Mom got out and Logan hopped in the Duo with me. There was a nice wave and we were going to try to surf it. We got in it once or twice. It was pretty hard to do in our long boat. We also got flipped a few times, but rolled back up everytime. The Duo is a very easy boat to roll when both people in it have solid rolls.
When we got to Stack House, the half-way point, mom decided she want to get out and go back to the camp. So Logan through his boat in the truck and hopped in with me and we paddled the last 4 miles in the Duo together.

The last 4 miles is pretty flat and you paddle it to run two rapids, but they are by far the two best rapids on the river.
The first rapid of the two is Kayakers Ledge. It is a ledge that drops about 5ft or 6 ft into a big pool and then had another little slide with a nice hole in it to do 360's. Logan and I bombed through it with no problem and stayed at the bottom of the slide a played for awhile.
The last rapid on the river is also the biggest. Frank Bell's rapid is a Class lll/lV rapid with a meaty hole at the bottom that likes to eat kayakers. Logan and I started at the top and eddy hopped our way down without any problems. When we got the bottom right before the big hole we missed our line a little and bombed right the the big hole. It didn't want any of our big Duo though.
On Sunday mom and few more people in our group decided to raft the river. So I paddled my boat that day. We floated down the river without any problems and it was another great day on the water.
Monday morning we packed up and headed home. Logan and I decided we wanted to stop by the Ocoee on the way home and really test the Dynamic Duo out. We got to the put-in and put on and had a nice crowd to watch us run Grumpy's, the first rapid. We bombed down the river really fast. I was amazed at how fast we were in that boat. We ran right through the meat of all the rapids and did really good. The hardest rapid for us was Table Saw, just because there are so many waves coming from all different directions which made it very hard to stay upright in that long boat. But we did make it through without flipping over. I was excited about that!

When we got to Hells Hole we decided to give surfing the big Duo another shot. We ended up getting in it quite a few times and getting some good surfing in. We tried to do some enders also and got one pretty good one.

After Logan and I got our fix at Hells Hole we paddled down to the take-out, loaded up, and headed home. We were exhausted, but we had a blast!
See ya on the water...
Torre Vann
-Team COOSAOUTFITTERS-

Little River Canyon/ Rapid Magazine

2010-05-17T19:00:00.001-07:00

Check this out!
http://www.rapidmag.com/rapidmag_earlysummer10/

AMG

2010-04-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

With each new idea comes sometimes overwhelmingly hard work. Planning the change from NAWFest to the Alabama Mountain Games for March 17-21st in 2010 was no exception. As we approached the organizing portion of the 1st AMG, we decided that the time had come to take that first big step into the next phase of the event. Our 1st goal: to add more outdoor sporting events encouraging a more well rounded overall competition. However, as with all big changes, the work proved to be more than any of us anticipated.

The idea behind the plan was simple. We would bring together all the event organizers in Alabama to create one unique music/extreme sports festival with a dash of arts, crafts and games while pointing the spotlight on conservation. Unfortunately, it was a very slow start forcing us to wait rather than actively organize. It was in December, with only 4 months to pull it off, that the ideas and suggestions started to roll in. Man, people have no idea the resources there are in Blount County and now everyone is starting to take notice. Think about how many people do you know that kayak that do another sport. We are all one large outdoor family. With this said different people and companies stepped up to take charge of organizing and funding their own perspective sports.

The main example of the dedication we received was that of Rob Beckman and his crew. Those guys were on the land relentlessly pick-axing, raking and building drains, gaps, rails and more to make the bike trail worthy of competition. The amount of work put into the mountain biking portion was inspiring something that became more apparent after riding the trail. With a 15-foot wall ride, long bridges and so much more, the trail itself earned the respect to hold up to competition standards. Yes! We had pulled one event off and the emails kept pouring in. Soon we were on to the next project.

With even less time to prepare, we were definitely punching the clock on finding someone to step up and take charge of the wakeboarding and climbing section. We were more than thrilled when Shred Ready so graciously took the reigns and led the sport of wakeboarding into what I thought became one of the most entertaining events of the entire festival. The Shred Ready team’s ingenuity on highlighting the showmanship of the sport really seemed to draw a crowd getting everyone up and cheering, something we strive for each year. Nice job, guys!

With only weeks to go, thanks to everyone’s support and drive, our little vision was starting to really take shape. We still had much to do, but for the first time, we could breathe a bit easier knowing the festival was actually going to happen.

Now, if we could just get the climbing wall set, the rest would be cake…that is IF…

No one could have possibly foreseen the insanity that became the search for the AMG climbing wall. After a wall was destroyed in a freak car accident, one was broken in the transportation process and another just ceased to exist, it turned into Jeremy vs. the Climbing Wall! Wall – 3, Jeremy – 0! It seemed like one thing after another was killing the possibility of our final event. I was out of time and ideas! Enter, Adventures Unlimited. These fantastic people came through along with help from Alabama Outdoors, Sam, Bill, Mags and Timmy made it happen for us.

Finally the day had come, March 18, 2010, the first day of our brand new and improved festival. We got an early start and headed over to Short Creek falls to start the Monster Energy Kayaking Events. The Fluid Kayaks Huckfest and Stony Boatercross competitions would kick off AMG 2010. Because these two events have been the highlight of our festival since the inception of NAWFest in 2005, we wanted make sure everything ran as smoothly as possible. The only real change this year was that we had to paddle down to set up judging as did each competitor. Even with this slight difference, I feel it still went as well as always. I want to give a special thanks to Gaia Paddlesports for the messenger bag which enabled me to carry all the judging material down both rivers without getting a single thing wet. Couldn’t have done it without Gaia!

The Huckfest, always a favorite, gave us some entertaining downriver freestyle which seems to get better and better each year. Kudos to all the competitors for going big and continuing to raise the bar each year. It is that attitude and determination that keeps our sport fresh and new, never dull! The highlight, for me, was watching Dane Jackson pop his skirt before the drop causing him to crash hard. Yea for carnage!!

The Boatercross was scheduled to commence immediately following the Huckfest and was as always just as entertaining. But as each boater disappeared from sight, we were left with one question: what goes on behind that waterfall? It was rumored that some people were shoved over. Hmm…an interesting end to a full day that couldn’t have ran more smoothly. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to Boogie Bottoms.

Thursday night featured Alice Gillee Project and One Eyed Mary, two bands that introduced the crowd to our after dark festivities and brought an appropriate close to day 1. So far, so good!

The next morning we awoke to jump-start the Coosa Outfitters Throwdown. And much like short Creek, this year we paddled down from Swann’s bridge. As usual, random landowner issues to get around. But we all made it without a problem and kicked off the event with the Junior’s division going all the way through and closing it out with the Pro’s. With all the great moves behind us, we moved downstream to catch the shuttle.

It was back to the festival site where competitors and judges were welcomed by the hum of live music in the slight roar of a growing crowd in the background. It was NAWFest veterans, Sorry Lee Harvey, Jon Poor, Laissez Funk and The Incredible Sandwich that brought down the house as they fantastically headlined our Friday night concert series. After a great showing and tons of fun with the jousting and more the night came to a close.

Saturday marked the time for all kayakers to report our previous home, King’s Bend, for the Locust Fork Whitewater Classic slalom race. This was the first time that AMG/NAWFest paired up with this event and seemed to have proven a great idea. I definitely think we will keep that going and continue making these events a little more convenient and easier to attend.

Meanwhile, at Boogie Bottoms, the Werner Trading Post XC Mountain Biking competition was making its debut! Finally it was on! Almost 4 months of building the trails had actually become worth the hard work and it was great to see people enjoying it. Everything was going great for day 3 and now it was time for Saturday’s featured event – Shred Ready Wakeboarding Invitational. The wake boarders were set to be pulled from a 250 sq. ft. hole in the ground into a pool where water was constantly being pumped. From the pool, each was pulled onto 2, 30ft. sets of foot rails shooting the boarder out, dropping him back into the water. He would continue on downstream, line up behind the jet-ski setting him up for the course’s grand finale. As the jet ski took off, the boarder was aimed directly for the ramp, hitting it at just the right moment, shooting him up and landing him in the river for the finish. Talk about a crowd-pleasing event! I don’t think I have seen a group of people more into an outdoor sport than wakeboarding. Thanks to Nick Troutman and Dane Jackson for taking one for the team, going off that ramp and bringing a proper end to the event!

As the crowd dispersed, most headed over to the to watch the Guntersville Outdoors Freeride Mountain Biking. With three drops of different heights and speeds the table was set for some entertaining demonstrations. What an excitement-packed day. And as our final AMG evening got underway, The crowd continued to venture around the site, eventually being pulled back to live music of, One Eyed Mary, Kendra Sutton Band and The Back Row Baptists.

And for all those arts and crafts fiends, many thanks to Jessica Rains for her work on the brand new, Go Green Art Marketplace which quickly became the main attraction of all the festivals minglers. It was this group of talent that brought the crowd arts & crafts to purchase set amongst many expo tents offering: massage therapy, chainsaw art, paintings, necklace making, pottery, chiropractors, bottle cap necklaces and organic candles and soaps.

The festival is full of things going on. With dusk only a couple hours away the Alabama Outdoors Climbing Competition began. Finally, the wall was in full use! What a fun event to watch! Next year we plan to improve the event as a whole, but for our 1st year, I think it made a decent debut.

As evening festivities continued, the ever popular, fan favorite Jousting Competition was on! And after many had beaten each other stupid with foam sticks, what better time to start the awards ceremony? Saturday night BONFIRE was on.

With refreshments rolling in, we had some great times giving out Mountain Khakis pants. We loved watching people fight over the really small gift card. This is also the same time we asked everyone to add Mountain Khakis to your facebook pages. If you have not done this yet, please do so now to help us continue to earn their support in years to come. After the work of the festival was done, the organizers actually had the 1st opportunity to witness what they had accomplished. Sitting on the stage with the Incredible Sandwich rockin’ out behind me, I was very happy to see so many people dancing, laughing, cheering and just having a great time. Seeing this reaction made all the sleepless nights, 16 hour days, and crazy mishaps completely worth it.

We are continually working on improving our festival and really look forward to seeing everyone next year. As with all new things, year 1 is usually more experimental than anything, so thank you for bearing with the changes and sticking by NAWFest as it continues to grow into its new title. Great ideas are in the process and more sports will be unveiled next year. Keep an eye out on our website for videos of all events complements of Riverbone Productions. Thanks to all who worked so hard for AMG. Without you guys, we wouldn’t be able to do any of this. Our organizers, volunteers and supporters are the ones who have kept our dream alive and push it to be better each year. Here are the results from 2010 and we will see you all in 2011! If you are interested in being part of our great team and think you can contribute in any way please email Flyinskeleton@cs.com. Special thanks to Ian Zinner, Weston Photgraphy, Gary Holder, Charlie Simmons, Samantha Meadows and Sunburst Rafting for all the pictures

Jeremy Adkins

www.JeremyAdkins.com

AMG/NAWFest Co/Organizer

www.alabamamountaingames.com

FlyinSkeleton@cs.com

Coosa Outfitters/Volleyball Tournament/Customer Appreciation

2010-04-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Coosa Outfitters will be hosting a Volleyball Tournament at our shop May 22 2010! We have a very nice volleyball court on the lot next to us! We are looking for teams of 4 or less or more(we don't care how many you bring) We will be doing some crazy twists on volleyball so be ready! WINNER TAKE ALL!(all of what... we are not sure yet) We will try to have cash prizes(if we don't spend it all 1st) and giveaways from some of our different lines! Please come and hang out... tournament will start at 10am-3pm. There is plenty of room for the family!(We have a play ground for the kids too.) We will be cooking out...and hopefully have some wings!! We will be registering starting today! Give us a call to register today! 256.543.0222 Cost to register is $35 per team..(this will be for cash prizes and wings)WOOO!

KAVU just in @ Coosa Outfitters

2010-04-15T07:52:00.001-07:00

Come check out all the great gear!

KAVU outdoor clothing is designed for men and women with busy livin’ lifestyles.

All of our gear and apparel is crafted for what we call a KAVU Day – the adventure that leaves you exhilarated, exhausted and fully alive. Whether your KAVU Day involves kayaking, hiking, climbing, or just some quality time in the big outdoors, we’ve got you covered. It’s all about attitude, doing what you love and pushing boundaries.

Since 1993, we at KAVU have been weaving this feeling into our comfortable and durable outdoor clothing. We understand what you need because we’re out doing the same thing: playing hard, getting dirty, creating fun. This is the attitude behind KAVU gear. We provide the apparel for all your adventures, wherever they lead you.

Based in Seattle, KAVU is a small, energetic company that refuses to rest. Founded on the now-classic Strapcap, we’ve expanded into a wide range of men’s and women’s clothing, bags, sunglasses, and accessories. We take great care to choose fabrics that are eco-friendly, using natural fabrics such as bamboo, hemp, and cotton.

Our outdoor-ready clothing perfectly blends function and fashion, so you can rough it up all day, then wash out the trail grit and wear it to your favorite watering hole that night – and look good doing it.

So have a KAVU Day! We’ll meet up later and share some stories

2010-04-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

Our goal is to create a product that we know can withstand extended abuse (in our packs, purses and falling off our desks), feel safe giving to our children and be proud of as a unique piece of art that brings beauty into the world. It's not just about creating an object with which to hold our beverages of choice, it's about creating something that not only will last but that we will want to hang onto forever.
At Waterbox our goal and desire is to create beautiful and long-lasting products that you will want to hold onto. We look to the world around us for inspiration and strive to create products that are both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing.

We have teamed up with top designers so that your bottle is not just a vessel but is also a piece of art. As we work with a wide range of both up-and-coming and established artists the "art" on your bottle is exactly that: Art.

We also recognize that everything we do has an effect on the environment, so the durability of our bottles is a must. We would like nothing more than to replace the "single use" plastic bottles in your life with a Waterbox bottle that will not only meet your functional needs, but also reflect your personality and style.

Waterbox grew out of the idea that a bottle should not be limited to its functional use, but should look and feel good as well. Over 32 million single use plastic bottles are thrown away every day in the United States alone and this doesn't have to happen. One of the things we recognize is that if your bottle looks great and functions well, you'll use it every day.

We were also concerned about the confusion over which materials are safe and which materials are not. There are a lot of families, including ours, that do not want to have to worry about whether their bottle has some harmful chemical in it. So, we set out to create a company that uses only food-grade materials in our products so that we can all be safe.

West Water

2010-04-04T18:16:00.001-07:00

We headed up to Utah the night before to meet up with some friends of ours, Kevin Parker & Scott Shipley. We hung out around the “big” fire, (thanks to me!) and stayed up just a little too late. But I told mom I'm 14 now, I shouldn't have a bed time... :) The next morning was an early one, but dad pulled me out of bed, and we got a hot breakfast from mom. Meanwhile, dad and the guys sipped on some coffee, as I tended to the fire. After we had our tummy’s full, we started gearing up...

Our friend Chris Tonnozzi had invited us on this trip, along with 13 other people. We had two rafts, and nine kayakers. Dad and I hadn't ran West Water before, but about half the people in the group had; they told us there were a couple of nice playspots, and lots to catch on the fly. So I had my eyes open for any thing with some sort of foam pile. After a couple miles we stopped, it was time for lunch! We picnicked on a little sand bank, which went up into a huge rock garden.

After lunch there was more play to be had, along with an eight-mile flat-water paddle out! (I've heard the flat-water paddle out is 7, 8, & or 9 miles, so I'm not exactly sure..) But luckily, our favorite buddy Mr. Tonnozzi had arranged raft support! So, that meant we hopped in the raft, tied the kayaks to the side, and turned on the motor. I have to say I am very thankful to our captain and his motorized watercraft. We had gone maybe about a mile or so, when we came up on a group of 6 other rafts, unfortunately they weren't as lucky as us, and were doing it old school. But our gracious captain and crew was up for helping them out, so we tied eight, yes, eight, rafts together, ten kayaks, along with the passengers (twenty-seven people in all), about five miles. But we used up more gas than originally planned, then had to paddle out about two miles. But it was nothing compared to seven or eight...

It was a great run for the beginning of the season out here in Colorado. Dad and I had lots of fun playing in our new 2010 Jackson Star & Mon-Star. I can't wait for summer! :)

Coming From Inside My RV,

Lauren Burress

Sunclould Optics

2010-03-31T06:35:00.000-07:00

These Glasses are GREAT! they are made by Smith Optics...they only cost $49.99! Get yours today!

LENS FEATURES
Polarization
Through advanced lens technology, Suncloud polarized lenses selectively filter horizontally reflected, visually interfering light waves know as 'glare'. The elimination of direct and ambient glare results in superior visual clarity, definition, color transmissions and optical comfort.

Lens Tints
Suncloud eyewear features three multi purpose lens tints.
Polarized Gray for elimination of glare and the truest transmission of natural colors.
Polarized Brown for elimination of glare and enhanced contrast while maintaining the accuracy of color transmissions.
Polarized Rose with a silver flash mirror for elimination of glare while providing an optically comfortable and pleasant lens.

Lens Materials
All Suncloud lenses are manufactured from optical grade Polycarbonate material with high grade polarizing film incorporated into the lens. The results are glare free viewing through a lightweight lens with high impact resistance for added protection.

UV Protection
Suncloud Polarized lenses are manufactured with filters to provide protection from the sun's harmful UV rays.

Injection Molded Lenses
Each Suncloud polarized lens is manufactured with optical grade Polycarbonate using an injection molding process to ensure exceptional clarity and associated optical properties. This process helps to create a rigid polarizing film carrier and eliminates distortion.

FRAME FEATURES
8 Base Lens Curve
Suncloud frames and lenses feature 8 base curvatures, enabling the frame and lens to wrap on the wearer's face. 8 base frames provide added protection from annoying side glare and environmental elements such as wind, dust and particulate matter.

Grilamid Nylon or Metal Alloy
Each Suncloud frame is crafted from optical grade Grilamid Nylon or Metal Alloys for a quality fit and lasting durability.

Microfiber Storage and Cleaning Bag
Suncloud Polarized Optics all come with a Microfiber storage bag. When not storing the sunglasses in the bag, it can be used to clean any smudges off your lenses.

Megol Nose and Temple Tip Features
Many Suncloud frames incorporate hydrophilic Megol features in the nose area and temple tips. These help your glasses hug and stay put on your face in light activity or humid conditions. Metal Alloy frames feature a spring hinge at the temple for a comfortable, custom fit.

Mad Rock Belay Glove Review

2010-03-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

Mad Rock Info

2010-03-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

Evolution · Improvement · Value
Mad Rock's goal from the start has been to offer the most sophisticated designs and materials at a fair price, and now more than ever our message of value, quality, durability and climbing enjoyment rings true - so much so that our competitors are increasingly following our lead. We always thought that climbing should be enjoyed by everybody - and we aim to do that with the best gear at a fair price. - Team Mad Rock

Science Friction 3D Molded Heel Cup
Another innovation in climbing shoe design when it came out, the patented Mad Rock Hooking Heel has been continuously improved and refined over the years and is a feature on all of our shoes. The heel piece gives climbers more contact area on the rock and is 3-D molded for a truly contoured fit-- an important choice and distinction, because the last thing you need when heel hooking that tricky crux is for your shoe to slip. To top things off, the heel incorporates a textured descent heel, a nice touch when you're walking down the scree or those class 3 approaches.

Thermal Molded
Mad Rock's continuing quest of bringing high-end athletic shoe innovations to rock climbing footwear is evidenced by our use of thermal molding in our performance models. Scarcely available on brand-name $150 running shoes, thermal molding precisely puts padding where you need it most, flexes freely, and provides excellent ventilation while being extremely lightweight, and providing comfort and performance in a competition-level shoe.

Fine Art
No doubt about it, with its grace of movement and inventive improvisation, climbing is an art form. So it would go to figure that we unleashed the best young graphic artists to use some of our best selling shoes as a canvas. From the Mad Monkey's jaunty animated stylings to the seriously sinister Flash Lace, Mad Rock shoes announce their presence both on the rock and off it.

Vegan Friendly
Mad Rock was one of the first major rock shoe companies to offer a non-leather alternative, and we're still proudly carrying the flag. Far from offering up sub par castoff designs or repurposed old models with different materials, our vegan friendly models happen to be some of the best performance shoes we make. As always, these models contain no animal by-products anywhere in the construction, and offer the same quality and durability with Mad Rock's well-deserved performance edge.

Polypropylene Midsole
This feature works in conjunction with our Dual Density Sole (DDS) technology to create the best all-around performance climbing shoes in the world. The Mad Rock molded polypropolene midsole not only allows the shoe to be soft at its center for optimal sensitivity and smearing performance, but it's also stiff on its sides for edging. Recent trips to the climbing shops and industry trade shows have shown that other rock shoe companies have trimmed costs yet again by not even adding a midsole to their shoes. While this may shave a few bucks off the cost upfront, the lack of a midsole makes for a difficult resole job, adding more expense- and maybe even a new pair quicker than you want-- down the road.

Premium Leather
Quality construction always begins with the best materials, and we have you covered. Mad Rock uses only premium leather in our rock shoes to ensure consistent quality, durability and workmanship. A good quality leather shoe is meant to stretch, and to accommodate different shapes and sizes of feet. Our choice to use a higher quality leather may mean a slightly higher price initially, but the long-term benefits should be evident: compared to cost-cutting models (whose leather is often lined to mask their poor quality), your Mad Rocks will not over-stretch, show excessive wear, get holes or degrade rapidly under equivalent circumstances.

Dual Density Sole
Mad Rock's patented Dual Density Sole (DDS) construction is stiffer and thicker at the outer rim and thinner at the center. In practical terms, this unique "horseshoe" shape on our high performance models gives the climber better control and grip: the stiff edges of the DDS allow the shoe to grab holds on overhangs or smear on tiny features while friction climbing. At the same time the DDS makes for a more sensitive rock shoe: the thinner sole center allows for more feel of the rock face-it gives the climber the sensitivity level of training slippers, but with all the sturdiness and performance of a full lace shoe. While Mad Rock has licensed this patented design to select rock companies for their high performance models, still others try to simply copy the look of the DDS, with little-to-no performance gains to show, what with their not-so-sticky rubber and basic lack of technology and construction expertise.

Power Strap
The Mad Rock Power Strap (available on the Contact and Maniac model) is an elegant solution for those who seek a balance between comfort and performance. A completely removable high-strength nylon webbing strap that seats the back of your foot firmly in the heel cup, you can keep the Power Strap on the shoe when heel hooking or competition climbing, and remove it when more flexibility is desired, like when face climbing or belaying.

Laser Etch
Hey, you can't be serious all the time-sometimes you have to let loose with totally unnecessary technological tricks that nonetheless look wicked cool and stylish to boot. Available on the Onsight models, laser etched designs are imprinted right onto the face of the shoe. While we could go on about thinking outside the box and constantly using new advances in technology to make better shoes, we just think that they look nifty this way.

Descent Tread
Because Mad Rock wants you to get down safely from the climb as much as we want you to send it, we came up with an innovative reverse-hook tread under the heels, helping to stabilize your descent or even when standing on an incline. And because the descent tread is made from Mad Rubber, you're not going anywhere unless you decide to. Whether going up or going down, Mad Rock has you covered both ways.

TekFlex Synthetic Upper
Tekflex is a unique space-age material that can offer both flexibility and rigidity depending on its construction. When it is used in an unlined or padded construction Mad Rock Shoe, it offers the optimal amount stretch and comfort. When paired with a cotton liner, Tekflex is a high-performance upper that will not stretch or lose its shape.

Edge Tech System
Through a combination of technical lasts, advanced midsole materials and deliberately slow hand production, our traditional flat soles offer a sharper and straighter edge than our competitors. Why start with the technical disadvantage of a rounded or reverse-beveled edge working against you in your new pair of shoes if you don't have to? Get the Mad Rock Edge.

Science Friction Power Upper
There was a time not all that long ago when the phrase "toe hooking" didn't exist in the climber's vocabulary. The first generation Mad Rock Hooker model changed all that with the then-astonishing idea of having textured climbing rubber on the top of the shoe to aid in tricky maneuvers. This seemingly small yet significant addition to the shoe allowed climbers to pull on pockets, smear and grab holds with the top of their feet, and aided greatly in the cracks. In the years and models that followed, Mad Rock has continued to refine our uppers, and in the process helped usher in a new generation of climbers whose shoes have actually assisted instead of limited their development. Our Power Uppers are 3-D compression molded, made with Science Friction 2.2 rubber, and feature ventilation holes to help keep your feet cool. While imitation may be the most sincere form of flattery, our patented design keeps the competition at second-tier status with their attempted knockoffs: the handful of companies that try to mimic this feature use either flat sheet rubber, or even injection-molded non-sticky rubber-- patent-dodging "solutions" which are more for looks than genuine performance gains.

Dual Pull Tabs
While other rock shoe companies often use an inefficient single pull tab at the rear of the shoe, likely made all the more uncomfortable due to internal stitching, Mad Rock's reinforced pull tabs are sewn externally, offset, and aligned for optimal efficiency of pulling on your shoes. Pull tabs that actually do their job and don't add to the misery of blisters? All part of the well-thought out design.

Anti-Shock
Hidden discreetly inside the heel bed of each Mad Rock shoe is a small EVA foam cushion. It's substantial enough to absorb impact and reduce pressure when standing in your climbing shoes, yet subtle enough as not to interfere with the weight or performance of the shoe.
Concave Sole
Mad Rock's innovative and patented Concave Sole allows climbers to utilize their feet as they would their hands. Concave soles are optimal for grabbing at holds while climbing on overhangs, and also help to create a sharper edge for standing on tiny holds and ledges.

3D molded Rubber
Mad Rock utilizes an advanced and intricate system of molding its proprietary Science Friction rubber using 3-D molds to bring the components and features as close as possible to the curves and angles of your feet. It's expensive and time consuming to do this, but Mad Rock believes that it is impossible to achieve the best fit without the use of 3-D components. The 3-D components that make our shoes superior are unique and patented: DDS, concave soles, the Hooker Heel, and Power Upper are just some of the things our competitors simply can't match, yet still attempt to copy.

Science Friction Rand Rubber
Modern climbing cruxes involve far more overhangs and degree of incline than in years past. In other words, high performance climbing requires a high performance shoe. So why are so many rock shoe makers sticking stubbornly to the same materials and 30-year old construction methods? Mad Rock is one of the few companies that utilize true climbing rubber in the construction of its rands. While it is true that some of our competitor's rands are slighty more durable, the dirty little secret is that their composition is closer to tire rubber than climbing rubber and provides little or no friction. Knowing that, whose shoe would you rather wear on that next tricky 5.13 overhang?

Science Friction 2.2 Rubber
We're serious about friction. So much that Mad Rock develops and manufactures its own climbing rubber-something no other rock shoe company does (they often make up their own names for commercially purchased rubber, but that's about it). Over the last year, Mad Rock has developed a new formulation that has been scientifically proven to be substantially better than any other climbing rubber on the market, a claim that has been independently verified by outside labs and by top climbers around the world. We're also proud of the fact that even our rand rubber is competition-grade sticky; in order to shave costs, there are some companies that use regular tire rubber for their rands and heels.

Contoured Strap & Custom Eyelets
Instead of using commercially available off-the-shelf components which often lead to "dead spots," blisters, and compromises, Mad Rock uses custom-made straps and rings in its construction to ensure the best fit possible. Our webbing straps ergonomically mimic the curve and angle of each shoe, allowing it to cinch it up in the important contact areas, and offer a degree of flexibility in others.
With decades of experience in rock shoe manufacture and design, we knew that standard split ring eyelets don't do that great of a job: their rounded corners often allow the eyelet to get twisted and split open when put under the ordinary stresses of climbing and can corrode over time; synthetic rings don't corrode, but oftentimes break. Mad Rock's solution is to have custom-manufactured, powder-coated, die-cut metal ring eyelets ensure strength and consistency. Proprietary features like these are certainly more expensive to build. But in our quest to build the ultimate rock shoes we think they are worth it.

One Piece Binding
To make the finest shoes, having the best designs and the best materials are only part of the equation. The manufacture of rock shoes is still largely a hand-made endeavor, and it's the quality of the construction that elevates our products. Mad Rock employs some of the most experienced, top sewers in the business, and it's this quality born from experience that shows in all of our models. Mad Rock shoes are sewn with a single piece of binding that encompasses the cuff or ankle, utilizing tight stitch patterns (which takes far more time and precision), and using the best thread. This is a sign of quality and workmanship that most other footwear companies-rock climbing or otherwise -simply can not match.

Mini-Liner
Often, unlined leather shoes have been known to over-stretch or wear out quickly; alternately, using a rigid inner liner that covers the entire interior allows negligible stretch. To combat these conflicting extremes while maximizing the sensitivity of our shoes, Mad Rock has developed a limited flex material liner that works in conjunction with our premium leather to give you all the comfort and stretch of a leather shoe with all the durability of a synthetic shoe. This is one of the reasons that Mad Rock enjoys some of the lowest rates of return and defects in the industry.

Dope Lining
Another Mad Rock first, organically grown hemp lining is naturally odor resistant, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. This lining has a very high tear strength and is a natural and renewable resource. Available in the Mugen Tech and Demon model.

Padded Cuffs
Sometimes the simplest features are the most appreciated. Our multi-pitch and all-day models enjoy the added comfort of padded cuffs, making them some of the most comfortable shoes out there. While some manufacturers won't go through the additional time and expense of adding this feature, Mad Rock does-because our design team are avid climbers, and they know firsthand how beneficial a comfortable all-day shoe really is. Mad Rock also incorporates additional comfort into the shoes by the means of thermal mesh, and leather padded tongues.

Double Cross
For over 10 years Mad Rock has produced climbing shoes that feature a slingshot rand crossing under the arch and forefoot to create a tensioned platform for better climbing. This was such a great idea in fact, that other companies started to do the same exact thing (using different names for their "innovation") and have applied for patents a mere 8 years after our pioneering efforts.

Twisted Science
By applying pre-tensioning principles to our high performance lasts, Mad Rock shoes with this feature offer additional support when edging and smearing. The science of pre-tensioning helps to hold the down-turned and cambered shape of the shoes while you are climbing, offering optimal grip and contact points. Available in the Con series, Mugen Tech, Jester and Demon models.

Lasts
We have literally dozens of different basic lasts available: wide, narrow, downturned, low volume, high volume, children, women-specific and so on, all to meet the needs of different kinds of climbers and different kinds of shoes. Mad Rock continues to design and develop new lasts every year utilizing the latest technologies like 3-D imaging, the latest biomedical research and sophisticated software. Far from being created in a pure lab environment lab though, our lasts also benefit from the feedback of the world's top climbers in real-world situations. To ensure quality and compatibility, all last development and construction from sewing to gluing is done in our own factories and isn't farmed out to third party manufacturing houses. Mad Rock feels that making our own lasts is crucial to the entire design of the shoe, and that each new radical shoe deserves its own specific last, not an adapted old last-or even revised, decades-old hiking boot lasts, as some other manufacturers have been known to use. We know of no other way than our own: to create a quality, unique shoe, the entire process has to be controlled.

Compressed Polyester
A pricey and fairly exotic technical material, compressed polyester offers a controlled flex and stiffness to our shoes. This light yet sturdy midsole material stands the test of time, and will not break down or degrade like some other midsole materials currently on the market.

3D Molded Polypropelene Midsole
Mad Rock uses custom 3-D molded midsoles with an adherent textured face. That's just techno-speak for a very useful feature: 3-D molding enables creation of a sole that can be either flat or concave in shape, that will not tear, and will be extremely flexible and retain its original shape. Using this technology, Mad Rock can vary the thickness and stiffness in different areas of the sole no matter what the shoe size or model. Our competitors choose to use a cookie-cutter approach, and with inferior materials to boot: some companies use compressed paper or cardboard midsoles which break down easily and do not retain their shape, and utilize the same midsole density and thickness for all their models, whether it's a women's size 5, or men's size 13. At Mad Rock, we have made the conscious choice to give climbers value: well-made shoes that offer high performance for a long time after the purchase. Our esteemed competition would seemingly much rather sell you a shoe that looks good in the store, but quickly loses its grip, shape, and comfort once in the field.

EVA Heel Wedge
A simple solution to the thorny question "how can I walk around in my climbing shoes?", we added closed-cell Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam to the heel area of the popular Frenzy EZ model to make those trips between the boulder fields a lot more pleasant. While this use of a common athletic footwear element seems natural, it was an out-of-the box design idea for climbing shoes, and yet another Mad Rock first.

Quality Stitch
In high-stressed and high-wear areas, Mad Rocks use double (and sometimes triple) stitching for increased durability. The quality of the stitches is obvious and on display for all to see: straight, tight and smaller stitch patterns are the mark of quality craftsmen. While other companies' utilize lowest-bid outsourced sewers who are paid at a piece rate (which encourages manufacturing speed over quality), Mad Rock has incentives for skilled workmanship. And while this practice isn't exactly innovative, we feel that fostering pride in the product on all levels is simply good business, and ensures consistent quality.

Offset Lacing
First seen on the first generation Mad Rock Hookers years ago, offset lacing is now a regular feature on a lot of performance climbing shoe models, including those from other manufacturers. While the exact degree of angle and the lacing hardware have been refined in our shoes over the years, the benefits of offset laces remain true to our original design spec: increased performance and comfort. Performance because the laces have been moved to make way for more climbing rubber over the forefoot, and comfort because there is less direct pressure on a traditionally sensitive area of your feet- which also happen to be the main points of contact and propulsion for any climber. As ergonomic technologies and materials continue to evolve, we fully plan on continued refinement of this elegant solution for competition footwear.

Whats New with Jackson Kayak.

2010-03-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

Jackson Kayak has re-written the books of whitewater kayak manufacturing. They’ve got some of the best boats in the industry, but at the same time have made the shopping process a little bit confusing for the consumer (and for us too sometimes). The purpose of this post is to inform the customer on the current JK situation. Here is an explanation of the options.

Plastic-Cross-Link Vs. Super Linear
Current 2010 model Jackson’s (Star, Fun, Hero and Villain) are all offered in 2 different plastics (click here to read an in depth article on the differences between cross link and linear):

Elite: These boats are made out of a light weight cross-link plastic. They come with full Happy Outfitting (Sweet Cheeks on all boats, and Happy Feet / Sweet Cheeks on Fun’s and Star’s). The advantage of cross link plastic is that it is light and strong. The drawback is that it is hard to weld. MSRP:$1195

Super Linear: Super Linear boats have linear plastic. Linear is a little bit heavier and not quite as strong. It is also easier to weld.MSRP:$1049

Color selection….Solid, Multi and Custom Colors
The color selection process is one of the coolest and most unique parts of JK’s offerings, but also one of the most confusing. They have standard solid colored boats. They also have solid colored boats that cost extra (see**below), due to the expense of the dye. Next are the multi colored kayaks. These are basically “one offs”. We (Coosa Outfitters) do not have any ability to pre determine the color of the “multi” boats before they arrive here at our warehouse. The last option, and by far the coolest is the custom multi color boat. All of these options will be explained in detail below.

Solid color boats:
Elite Solid Colors ($1195)-red, green and orange. Factory determined multi color.
**Elite Solid Custom Colors ($1274)-yellow,black,white,purple and pink.

Super Linear Solid Colors ($1049)-brick red, yellow and blue.
**Super Linear Custom Solid Colors($1124)-carrot and moss.

Multi color boats:
Elite Multi Colors($1195)-Jackson Kayak determines what colors to use in these boats. They use both the standard and custom colors. The multi colored boats are a mix of between 2 and 4 colors.

Super Linear Multi Colors($1049.00)-Jackson Kayak determines what colors to use in these boats. They use both the standard and custom colors. The multi colored boats are a mix of between 2 and 4 colors.

Custom Multi Color Super Linear and Elite(Crosslink)-($75 in addition to boat price)- Custom boats are a really cool thing. The customer can pick out up to 3 colors (black,pink,purple, yellow,blue,green, yellow, white). They can choose where they want the colors to go (for ex. black stern, white cockpit and pink bow). If you have a very detailed design pattern, give us a call, and we can pitch it to Jackson. Custom boats take 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Outfitting Options
Elite Jackson’s come with the following outfitting:
Fun and Star series- Happy Feet, hips, Sure Lock back band, and sweet cheeks. The customer can change out the size of the sweet cheeks if they want. Call us for details.

Hero, Dynamic Duo and Villain-Standard outfitting which includes foam seat pad, hip pads, Sure Lock back band and a foam Uni shock bulkhead.
Super Linear and Classic Jackson’s come with the following outfitting:
Fun and Star Series- Foam seat pad, Sure Lock back band, hip pads and foam foot blocks.

Hero, Rocker, Dynamic Duo and Villain series-Foam seat pad, Sure Lock back band, hip pads and Uni-Shock bulk head.
Shipping Boats

2010 Jackson Spray Skirt Information
Snap Dragon Expedition Skirt Snap Dragon Trek Skirt Immersion Research Skirt
Star Large Large Large
AllStar Large Large Large
SuperStar X-Large X-Large X-Large
MonStar X-Large X-Large X-Large

Snap Dragon Expedition Skirt Snap Dragon Trek Skirt Immersion Research Skirt
Fun Large Large Large
2Fun Large Large Large
4Fun X-Large X-Large X-Large

The sizing for the Hero’s and Rockers are the same that they have been in the past. The Villain is TBD.

We hope that this helps to shed some light on Jackson’s many options. Just like building a custom bike or any other outdoor gear set up, the more options that are available, the more difficult it can be to sift through all of the info. The end result however, is a better product, that is built 100% for an individual and not for a mass market. Jackson is trying to accomplish this as best they can. With a little bit of patience, it is possible to build your dream kayak, that has your own personal touches like graphics, outfitting, type of plastic, etc.