Folding Kayaks Forum

Hello there,

Does anyome have any experience with these seats? Are they any good, or an expensive gimmick?

Maybe I'll go with the idea of a camping chair on top of the standard Folbot seat ...

Thanks,

PK

If you have a Folbot and don't plan rreplacing it with another brand, there are more Folbot users at http://www.folbotforum.com/ than at foldingkayaks.org. The only thing that their forum is not good at, is unbiased opinion concerning comparison of Folbot to other folders brands.

Also, I wouldn't call it "expensive" - any decent kayak seat plus a separate backrest would cost at least same much, and you might have to modify it to fit your folder. I've seen some canoe seats resembling the Airfom, and they cost more than $100. Airfom photo, btw, shows the attachment clamps looking more appropriate for monokeelsen models like Cooper than for GII, but may it's just the photo.

Thanks, Alm,

Maybe I should have added that I'm in South Africa, so shipping and customs usually doubles and sometimes trebles the cost of whatever I'm buying. The distance means I pertty much make do myself - just spent a good few days sourcing alu poles and decent rivets to repair a badly bent keel section.

But, for the right gear, such as seats, there's no generally option but to buy the real thing.

I used to lurk on the Folbot forum but ever since I found my AEII I prefer this forum.

Cheers and thanks,

PK

PK,

Some Folboteurs love those seats; some do not. I have never used one, but have examined them closely. Pretty sure I would not like them because they would be too loosey-goosey. I want a firm (as in minicell) platform that conforms to the shape of my butt and upper thighs which will allow me to maintain a good bracing position inside my boat. Because you paddle that Klepper, perhaps that is not so important to you, so the seat might work for you.

I have the impression (perhaps false) that most of the folks who love that seat paddle in very protected waters and are not concerned about bracing.

The best seats are ones you make your self from minicell. Becaue you are in the RSA, I don't know if it is available to you. To pursue this further, look this site over: http://www.kayakfit.com/

I've made a short handful of these, over the years, and been very happy with them. I have an extensive series of photos showing how I made the seat in my Folbot Cooper (and installed a backband). Send me a PM with your email address and I'll email them to you if you are interested.

_________________
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
--
Folbot Kodiak, Cooper, and Edisto; three hardshells; Mothership: Surf Scoter the Bartender; dinghy Little Blue Duck.

Agreed with Dave, - carve your own out of closed-cell foam (hopefully there are some suppliers nearby). Covering it with fabric isn't necessary, - it just makes it look better. The instructions are embedded in the middle of the article "Paddlefloat Rescue" in the link that Dave provided. Also, check the photos of Dave's backband from hardhsell kayak, installed on the folder (probably in the Gallery here).

Another alternative is buying Longhaul seat, if they are still on sale for $65 (I've heard). It's basically a legless campchair with self-inflated seat cushion and foam back (optional self-inflatable back can be added for $40). With shipping and taxes this won't be much cheaper than Airfom - it weighs 5 pounds. Some Klepper owners enjoy it, but I didn't really love it - it just did the job.

alm wrote: Also, check the photos of Dave's backband from hardhsell kayak, installed on the folder (probably in the Gallery here).

No, I don't have a gallery here. Should I? I use pBase for my galleries and would probably continue on that. I shot PK some photos of what I did. Maybe I'll put them up on pBase, also, if others want to see them.

_________________
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
--
Folbot Kodiak, Cooper, and Edisto; three hardshells; Mothership: Surf Scoter the Bartender; dinghy Little Blue Duck.

Right. I thought I saw it in the Gallery or Modifications at foldingkayaks.org - could be at the http://www.folbotforum.com/ or in the archives of the previous forum. But I know I saw that backband attached to the gunwales of the folder, and it was Dave's photo. Sure, you can (and may be should) post it in Modifications here as well.