When I am practicing rolling and such, I often come up with my noseplugs off and a snoot full of lake water. I’ve tried several different designs. Some I like better than others but I have the same problem with most. I’m wondering if there’s something sticky I could put on my nose to keep them from slipping off. I’ve thought about using adhesive to put some fine sandpaper on the nosepads thinking this might help them stay on. Wearing a mask is a good solution but a bulky one.
What kinds have you tried? The only ones that ever work for me are those with a spring between two round flat pads. I can no longer find my original brand, had to pick up something different but they have not been tested yet.
I’ve tried Smiley’s and now I’m using the kind where the 2 nose pads kind of ratchet shut when you squeeze them together. Those were my favorites for a while but still having problems. I’ve tried some others over the years but the specific design is sort of lost to memory. I’m going to an event in Florida for a few weeks held at a lake and there’s going to be lots of rolling and so on. I think a mask is the most foolproof option, so I’ll be packing that.
Off topic but, what event?
As in everything else kayak related…different noses and different expectations.
I use Smileys, but don’t want to totally seal my nose. I like to just limit it so I can still breath out slightly thru it and not thru my mouth.
Traditional Qajaqers of the South (TRAQS). Down in south central Florida. I was going to go the last couple of years but Covid put the kibosh on that. The focus is Greenland kayaking skills, tools, culture, etc.
Jealous! Just back from Delmarva and now all I wanna do is learn more Greenland style paddling and rolling. Hope you have a great time!
Krazy glue
Maybe wipe the nose and plugs with some rubbing alcohol? Remove skin oils?
For me the Smiley plugs stay on better if I hook the wire over the bridge of my nose and pinch them really tight.
Can you roughen surfaces slightly on plugs?
I was going to suggest what Rex said. Skin oils make your nose very slippery. I try to get as much off of my nose as I can, and I squeeze my nose plugs as tight as I can tolerate to keep them on.
DON’T use adhesive or sandpaper. That’s a good way to lose skin.
Apparently different shape noses do better with different plugs. I have tried Smiley’s and Cottonmouths, and they don’t work well for me. My preferred plugs are Tweakers (which work very well for me). I used to get them from Prijon/Wildwasser, but now I get them from Kayak Academy. Hint: use them with a leash.
Definitely tie them on! I’ve lost a number of them by not tying them adequately.
The best results I’ve got were from Tweakers which have the spring that goes over the bridge of the nose and good size nose pads.
Tweakers are no more for a long long time.
How would roughening a plug make you lose skin?
Looky looky
Was googling for picture and found these.
Yup, grabbed a pair this last summer from Amazon. Only ones out there that are likely to replicate the Tweakers.
He didn’t suggest roughening the pads, he asked specifically about using adhesive to attach sandpaper to the pads.