Well Wilderness Systems/Confluence (which also controls Dagger and Perception and a few other paddlesports suppliers) is now owned by Pelican. May explain a few things…
I’ve always wondered at the plethora of too-similar small kayaks put out by some of these companies. I know at least with Perception some models are only available through some retailers, but seems weird with how expensive tooling up a mold is.
@Brodie you explain much of it. As users, we determine the product offering through purchases and customer feedback. Regardless of how select informed users feel, sales drive the market. I’m not interested in expanding the number of people kayaking. My desire is to help new kayakers avoid the trial and error I went through. As another member replied to my post, its costly to go through trial and error incrementing upgrades until you have over $2,000 invested in paddes. I doesn’t matter to me, because its what I do.
Kayaking is about experimenting. It doesn’t matter whether we traveled the world in a kayak, we can add value and to an unsure recreational paddler’s decision. Everybody doesn’t need or want a race boat or a sub-23 oz paddle. Everyone could use one, but I’ve had several people prefer a 32 oz Manta Ray over a 23 oz Kalliste. Many kayakers don’t know the difference in how to use a 110 sq in vs. a 99.7 sq in blade, or why a high angle blade needs to be shorter than a low angle blade. And when is too long a hinderance rather than a benefit.
I beleive the forum is a greater resource for new members than for the experience paddlers. Its too bad manufacturers can’t be more receptive to customer comments.
@string ouch, and apparently Miller. I didn’t mind the original commercial; it was the corporate response splainin to us how we were suppose to interpret it. We’re devolving in a society that lacks empathy. It’s something we can at least strive to keep here.