Heel and brace pads by Yak Pads

Advice
#1

Have any of you tried these and if so do they work as advertised? Also are they easy to install on smart track foot braces.

Thanks in advance.



JT in Central FL

#2

Ssince no one answered you yet,
I looked them up on line, and my only thoughts are:

  1. If you want them for “pressure relief” on your feet, why not just ease off the foot braces, and only keep pressure on them in rough water, or strong tides where you need the extra “snugness” ?

    If I am on an all day paddle, I usually will give my legs and feet a break, by just putting them straight out in the middle of the yak and backing off every so often.
  2. It looks like they go down on the floor of the yak. If they do are they going to add that little bit of extra height that will put your toes up against the underside of the deck?



    I know this doesn’t answer your questions, but hopefully someone else will chime in here that can help you.



    cheers,

    JackL
#3

I Saw Them On-Line a Year Ago
It seems that they are a pretty good idea but I have to agree with JackL. I would be concerned that they would raise my feet up in an already confined area. I wear size 10.5 shoes which make me about average and already am a bit tight. If you have the sea line rudder the toe peddles are already fairly close to the foot peddles and I would wonder weather you want to add something else in that area.



I am considering applying a thin sheet or square of neo, maybe 1/8 inch where my heels would be. I use el cheapo boat shoes and wear the heels out in about six months.



Happy Paddling,



Mark

#4

I Think the neoprene layer would do.
I don’t care about the padded braces, I do the same thing no pressure, feet straight but need heel padding whether I’m on the braces or not.

#5

I fully expect to see
water coming up one of these days from where my heel rests.



Anyone know how long it takes to wear a hole through kevlar just from where your heel rubs?

Or has anyone already worn one through?



Cheers,

jackL

#6

YakPad Heel Pads
i had the same problem with my heels getting sore in my Loon so i ordered a set of YakPads. the angle of my foot pegs in Loon didn’t seem right for installing the pads, so i just throw them on the bottom of the kayak for my heels and they work great. very comfortable and worth the money.

#7

Water shoes
I wear the $5 water shoes from Wallyworld. Works for me. I know some people like to go au natural.

#8

Water shoes
When I wore water shoes from wallyworld I could not feel the difference between braces and toe rudder pedals. Maybe some 3mm short diving booties with thin sole.

#9

depends on how much you move your feet
A friend of mine who is an awesome paddler wore two holes in his glass Slipstream right where his heels rubbed. Every time he paddled two little squirts of water would enter his kayak. I think he temporarily has duct tape covering it until he can make a proper repair. I wouldn’t have believed it to be possible had I not seen it myself.

#10

Kickers
A pair of Nrs Kickers will probably solve this problem. They cost $31.95, fit like a glove

glove last several yars *my first pair lasted 5 years) and save wear on both your heel and the boat.

Good luck…kim

#11

Mousepads
work well for floormats in kayaks.

anything thicker and my feet wouldn’t fit in my kayak.