Kayak Camping 20 miles on the Brazos in the Sea Eagle RazorLite FastTrack 385 and Explorer 380X

[@gaymurr988]

Cuckle burrs !!! Or porcupine eggs as we used to tell the kids !!! Welcome to the wiles of Texas !!

[@KayakCliff]

Hi @gaymurr988 - Both of those names are very fitting! Thanks for sharing!

[@LJ-jq8og]

Looks beautiful 😊 Loved seeing that husky too... ❤

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks for watching and commenting LJ! Have a good weekend!

[@LJ-jq8og]

@@KayakCliff You too !

[@elamanvetta1685]

I really enjoyed this longer video. It also made a good 30-minute background for a tedious task I had to complete. It's nice that you highlight more relaxing trips, and your reviews of equipment are really helpful as well.

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching, and commenting! I really appreciate your feedback :-)

[@geniemedford9200]

Great video! We just finished the 20 from PK dam in canoes. One night on the river. Fun!

[@KayakCliff]

That’s great to hear, thank you for sharing your experiences! I’m glad you had a great time. I hope to do many more segments of this river and others. Did you go down the river when they were letting all the water out of the dam with increased current?

[@geniemedford9200]

We went a day or two later. Saturday and yesterday.

[@ericjudd9088]

Hey Cliff! That looked so easy that I'd be tempted to try it in my PaddleSki437 with the motor tipped up. (I might even cheat a bit and drop the motor for some of the deep straight stretches, Wink, Wink! Thanks for sharing!

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 there, Eric! I was thinking the same thing when I did that trip. You definitely could use the PaddleSki, there was just one rapid with a dog right leg turn that was a little hairy. Otherwise, you would get pinned up against a tree. That’s the only place that I saw that would possibly cause some problems, but I think you would be OK. Thanks for watching and commenting and have a great weekend!

[@gaymurr988]

Thank you for the video , I do believe this old Texas gal is going to try this trip .. looks safe enough to do by myself ..

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 @gaymurr988 - When I did the trip, there was a single lady paddling her kayak and she was camping by herself. I would say it is totally doable and very safe. Have fun!!!

[@Atown0921]

I do this trip at least once a year. I love it. We call those 4 big boulders the "4 yachts" because they look like 4 sunken yachts in the water.

[@KayakCliff]

Oh wow, thank you so much for giving them a name! Hopefully with all the rain we've had, the water levels on the Brazos will stay up all summer? I plan on getting out there again! Safe adventuring out there this summer!

[@Atown0921]

@KayakCliff I actually went out there last weekend when they were flooding the river. It was super nice. I've heard that they will likely have the flow at around 300 cfs for at least the next couple of weeks. We did a trip last year at those levels, and it was one of the best trips I've ever done. I'm looking forward to doing the 40 mile trip soon!

[@KayakCliff]

@Atown0921 great to know! Thank you for sharing that valuable tidbit of information :-)

[@djlarryb68]

Northwest Alabama watching here. Enjoyed your video! Just bought my 1st Kayak Lifetime Spitfire. Keyed on Cypress Creek in Florence, Alabama. Very fun!

[@KayakCliff]

Hey 👋 Thanks for watching!! Have a great Summer paddling.

[@Asbestos127]

Loving your videos and informative recommendations, I managed to pick up a 393 razor light here in the Uk after watching your exploits, I needed something to focus on and dream of enjoying life again while recovering from cancer and it’s treatment watching your videos helped so much through the dark periods, all clear now and putting weight back on, just coming up to that retirement age and making plans where to go with the RV, hence the inflatable interest so we can take them with us, please check out the guy from Sweden, air on the water he is a prolific inflatable kayaker with the strenfit x500 as his favourite, I believe someone asked you to do a review on one and you said you would if he sent you one 😂 I also bought one of them as well on the strength of his recommendations, it is also unbelievably good for the money and very popular all over Europe, take care and keep doing what you do so we’ll .

[@KayakCliff]

Hey @asbestos127 👋 Thanks for watching and commenting. I just checked out that Strenfit X500, it’s also called the Itiwit X500. Looks like a real nice inflatable touring kayak. I’m a BIG believer in drop stitch composition for an inflatable performance kayak. Sometimes I like to be in an open sit on top kayak like the Sea Eagle RazorLite, while other times I like to be in an enclosed, sit inside touring kayak. Stay safe and healthy and enjoy the great outdoors my friend!

[@arnoldfarquwart4327]

Great video Cliff! Awesome trip. Thanks for encouraging folks to get out and enjoy life’s adventure in the great outdoors!

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching, and commenting Arnold!

[@overthehedgerow]

Hi Cliff.....My wife and I have paddled for years....when we lived in NE Pennsylvania we paddled the Lehigh.....which can be pretty intense even after taking private whitewater lessons...which lead us to really loving to paddle crystal clear flatwater :) We sold our Liquid Logic Salad kayaks when we moved to Wisconsin fourteen years ago. We still usually paddled when we traveled to destination bike trails here in the upper Midwest. Sadly my wife passed away in January and I am embracing physical activity to work through grief. I have added a carbon fiber fat bike, and a 2 wheel ebike to my recumbent Catrike 559. I am fortunate that I live right on a bike trail. Now, I have been looking to get back into kayaking without needing a separate kayak trailer because my F150 has a cap and not conducive to transporting a traditional kayak. I have found your videos very helpful because we had been looking at the great products from Sea Eagle the last two years and your videos really highlight the possibilities they represent plus they are inflatable. IF you are ever in Southeast Wisconsin, let me know and we can go for a paddle or a pedal....Thanks for the videos

[@KayakCliff]

Again, I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your wife. My sincere condolences to you and your family. I have found that with the sea eagle product line, there is a kayak for just about anything that you would ever want to do on the water. All types of water & all types of craft. The beauty with them all is they deflate and store, easily and transport easily. A big win-win :-)

[@cherylbrown8537]

Wow! I love it! I hope to run into you somewhere and kayak and camp with you! I'm hoping to get the Sea Eagle Paddle Ski. right now i have 2 Jackson Bite kayaks, and i love them.

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks for watching and commenting! I’ve heard good things about those Jackson Byte kayaks.

[@Merciuh]

Great video, the 393rl isn't really available where I live but I just ordered an Itiwit x500 which looks almost the same except it's sit inside more like a traditional kayak. Can't wait to get on the water!

[@KayakCliff]

Congratulations on your new kayak! Enjoy, and get out often, that’s what it’s all about! Have a great weekend!

[@Frank-nh9fe]

For one way trips getting back to the starting point is a real challenge. You mentioned what you did in this video for this trip. Any other hacks for dealing with this problem? Boating, hiking, cycling, always an issue for one way trips.

[@KayakCliff]

Hi Frank, thank you for watching, and commenting! Whenever I am going one way, and not returning, I always check to see if there is a service like Rochelle’s that will transport my vehicle to my destinations for me. Popular river. Destinations typically have a service like this. I’m trying to figure out how to do one-way trips on my bike for bike packing. That seems a little more difficult…….

[@tlgrimmy]

Man...thanks for sharing! Felt like I was out there with you guys. I've been doing the backpacking thing for a bit now, but have always wanted to try a kayak camping trip. This video really sold me! I've gotta get myself out on the water one of these days. I appreciate the great videos and blessings on you and yours!

[@KayakCliff]

@tlgrimmy Hey 👋 There! Thank you for watching and commenting! I find it’s a lot more enjoyable just throwing your back packing stuff into a kayak, then paddling to your destination! Bike-packing is awesome also. I used to backpack camp, but the loads just get too heavy. . . Safe adventuring out there!

[@tlgrimmy]

@@KayakCliff Definitely sounds nice to have the kayak carry the load me!

[@davidn.331]

On my kayaks I usually have a short rope say 3-6 ft for shallows or tie off if needed.

[@KayakCliff]

Hey David - thanks for watching and commenting! Yes! I’m really now starting to have a rope on mine as well, they come in so handy in situations, particularly when you need to get out and wade through shallows, while pulling your boat!

[@boson285]

I had no Idea so many people recreate on the Brazos in that way. I have been really missing out.

[@KayakCliff]

I did not either Jason, until I started going out there. There’s still so much for to explore! Safe adventuring out there!

[@dwainbertoncello5646]

Thanks Cliff. Enjoyed every minute of this video, you really do a good job on these. Would have liked to hear just some brief comments from your fellow paddlers regarding their thoughts on the particular kayaks they were in. I recently purchased the Fast Track and am looking forward to its first maiden voyage.

[@KayakCliff]

Thanks Dwain! Congratulations on your new FastTrack! Great suggestion, I will try to incorporate my friends feedback when paddling other boats on my adventures. They really appreciated how well the boats did in terms of the load that they carried and their stability. The only drawback, is when you are paddling down, rapids where it is extremely shallow, you need to make sure that you remove the skeg. If you want really good paddling efficiency in the deeper waters, you need to reinstall the skeg. There seems to be a lot of installing, removing, reinstalling. That being said, for THIS trip, I believe the explorer edges out the fast track, as it does paddle better without a skeg. That inflatable keel in the front of the fast track tends to want to turn the boat backwards if you are not 100% on top of your paddling. Doug, who was paddling the fast track, absolutely loved the boat when the skeg was in place. Hope this helps, have a great weekend!

[@josearmas474]

Hello Cliff... very nice video... I just started preping for a kayak camping trip and would appreciate some insight... in your opinion what is the best time of year to make a trip like your video?... I live in Fort Worth and planning to have my first kayak camping trip at the same spot and distance you did... I'm just struggling to figure out the best time of year... thank you for the feedback and will be watching more of your videos... have a blessed day sir....

[@KayakCliff]

Hi Jose! In my opinion, October is the best month for kayak camping. Spring can also be good. If going in the Fall, make sure the water levels and flow rates are good though. If the Summer was a hard drought and they are not letting any water out of PK damn, then the trip would not be worth it. I plan on doing a separate 20 miles this October and filming it too! Stay safe out there!

[@BaumgartnerRanch]

*Good speaker and video!*

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Have a great weekend!

[@benbeals8479]

In a review of the Fast Track that I read several years ago the writer mentioned that on rivers he and his wife had really good success with reversing the seats and paddling with the keel in the rear. Have you ever tried this?

[@KayakCliff]

I have heard that too, Ben! I have never tried it, though… I think I will and see how it works. The concept certainly has some merit to it.

[@victormourana]

Hey Cliff, What sunglasses are you wearing? I can see they are Oakly but which model? :)

[@KayakCliff]

Hey 👋 there Victor! I’m wearing the Oakley Crosslink glasses. These are my daily Rx glasses, I just have no line bifocals and changeable lenses for when I’m out in the Sun. I basically added every bell and whistle to these glasses, since they are all that I wear. I love them!

[@RealDocJames]

Awesome video as always Cliff! As I continue on my quest to paddle in all 50 states, Texas is one I haven't gotten to yet. Would love to do a float with you and the crew sometime.

[@KayakCliff]

Hey 👋 @RealDocJames Let me know when you are going to be in Texas, I live up in the Dallas Fort Worth area. If our schedules & weather align, absolutely, it would be great to paddle with you. It’s just me, no crew, however I do have some friends with me from time to time. Are you a RV’er that is covering all 50 states? One of my next steps is to get a small 17’ Casita or Airstream travel trailer.

[@anneli1735]

Nice trip! Sorry you didn’t capture how you stored your stuff in your kayak 😢

[@KayakCliff]

I’m so sorry, I can only capture so much in a 20 minute video. I think from the number of views that I have had on this video, the vast majority of my viewers have been very pleased! I will let the number of thumbs up and views speak for themselves on this video. That is a good idea, though, perhaps, on a future video, I will show more of how I packed. If you have watched my Suwanee River video, I went into pretty good detail on that video how I packed my kayak. Stay safe out there !

[@anneli1735]

@@KayakCliff Thanks indeed for explaining me being new to this channel. Do you have a 20min rule here? I like those longer outdoor videos often 30-45 min I’m used to from bushcraft channels. Will check your channel though.

[@allonsy9808]

Fantastic video (as always)! This was the video I've been waiting for. I bought the Razorlite about a year ago for exactly this reason--kayak camping. I've been out kayaking, but haven't been able to kayak camp due to some career transitioning issues (intensive further education). I'd love to know how you distributed the weight of your gear. I'm in AZ, so I can typically kayak all year round. Woohoo! Happy to hear the RL performed well. More videos like this, please!

[@KayakCliff]

Thank You so much!!! I had a 65 liter dry bag and a cooler in the back. I had a 30 Liter dry bag in the front. Then 5 - 48oz nalgene bottles with water. I put 3 in the very back and 2 up in the very front. I hope you are able to get out soon and do some kayak camping, safe adventuring!

[@casondaniel1472]

Enjoying the video as we speak. Are there places to hammock camp along the brazos?

[@KayakCliff]

Thank you for watching Carson! The campsite that we stayed at had some trees that you could hammock camp from. I do like to hammock camp, but I was not sure what the availability of trees would be for me, so I took my tent. I would say about a third of the campsites that you go by, you could probably find some trees.

[@pootinplays]

Never been in an inflatable. Are the sideways sturdy enough for dog claws?

[@AndyDepwe]

Great video! You wouldn’t happen to remember what the CFS was when you went?

[@KayakCliff]

Hi Andy - thanks for asking! I looked back at my notes and I don’t have it written down. I’m thinking 100 cfs. It was what Rochelles said is a good level, not to low and slow and not too fast.

[@AndyDepwe]

Thanks. Heading out tomorrow morning!!!

[@KayakCliff]

Safe adventuring!

[@thanhd4611]

New to Kayak Camping. I have a question about getting back to the car? How do you do that going down river? Thanks!

[@KayakCliff]

On this trip I used Rochelle’s to pick up my vehicle at the beginning and take it down to the end. They charged $50 for this. A great deal! Most rivers that have lots of paddlers have companies that offer this service. If not, you need to have two vehicles, one at the beginning, and one at the end, and do it yourself. Hope this helps, safe, adventuring out there!

[@Taematoe]

Hey there, my Seaeagle 300x has standing water in the floor. I boat white water with the drains open. Have you ever used the drain plugs? I haven't heard back from the company so I'm just asking around if this is normal.

[@KayakCliff]

Hi deleted! Thanks for watching and asking! When paddling white water with all of the drain plugs open, 12 in the 300 X I believe. You will always have some standing water. Now, I have found that if you do not remove the caps or tuck the caps underneath the floorboard, they will close on their own and inhibit the draining of water.

[@Taematoe]

@@KayakCliff Thanks for the reply!

[@lisahare1208]

I will be moving back to TX from SW FL. Currently I only own 2 sea kayaks...17.5'. Can I use those in the Brazos? I'm figuring I need to buy a 14' for rivers....

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 Lisa - You could paddle your kayaks on the Brazos. Are they easily maneuverable with good rocker? How about their construction? I don’t think I would wanna take anything carbon, fiber, or fiberglass, because you will scrape the bottom a bit. I think, ideally, for multi-day trips, a 14 or 15 footer would be the best option. I hope this helps! Welcome to Texas!!!

[@Legionere]

Do we have a put in and take out map?

[@KayakCliff]

rochellescanoeandkayakrental.com This is the outfitter out there that I mentioned in the video. Their website will have maps.

[@mikepen0287]

Well I'll be there was a Rufus on the brazos

[@KayakCliff]

You never know who you’ll see 😂

[@dariushKing]

thanks for your video , dude i just bought sea eagle razorlite 393rl and for the first time i tried it i felt a little bit tipsy do you have any advice for a beginner? i ready enjoyed it but i wasnt 100% sure about not dropping off my kayak so is it common or can i get better over time, thanks for your great content dude

[@KayakCliff]

Hi 👋 Dariush - Thanks for watching and reaching out! If you are a new paddler that is 250lbs. or under, you will DEFINITELY get more comfortable with the inherent “tippiness” that you feel initially when first paddling the RazorLite. Give it a little more time and I assure you the feeling will dissipate after more paddling. It will become more comfortable over time as you get used to it! Here are my other videos in the RazorLite. 393RL Razorlite Kayak - Slow rivers & flat / open water, high performance: Sea Eagle website RazorLite page - bit.ly/3Enpq1z RazorLite Tandem - bit.ly/3CqBUGT My review of the RazorLite - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXTTq2ydocRrhMU Adventure videos in the RazorLite: Florida Kayaking Withlacoochee River Dunnellon Florida in the Sea Eagle RazorLite 393RL kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2jYo61orq6Eo7M Kayak Camping 20 miles on the Brazos kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4DIkmmKm9-mftk Paddling & Diving sunken airplane - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXe9apqgo7RkqJo Earth Day Caddo Lake - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZayeKWMoLSssLc Weedon Island Mangrove Trails - kzbin.info/www/bejne/b52xpKdpbtWNqc0 Ft Worth Nature Center - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWHMkp6Dhq2el6s Trinity River Elm Fork - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWevk3ihe5yJqMU Silver Springs Florida - kzbin.info/www/bejne/immwi52got2Ab7s How to fold the RazorLite - kzbin.info/www/bejne/epfFoZKiopidfbs Bixpy® J-2 Electric Outboard Motor Kit with Slide-n-Lock Skeg Adapter bit.ly/3RKGd7e

[@dariushKing]

@@KayakCliff thanks for your advice dude, i appreciate it, i am newbie in kayak so i hope i get better over time i love razorlite 393 its awesome but need more practice to have my balance in kayak and have more confidence to paddeling ,great content you have look forward more videos from you with kayak camping maybe fishing its great to watch you thanks dude

[@KayakCliff]

Safe adventuring out there!

[@badbonzai1]

Herbert Brazos Golph.

[@KayakCliff]

Hey 👋 there! Who is this guy? Is this who the river is named after? If so, do you have any history on him?

[@leslienigh-cx6nq]

I just abandoned a five day trip by 393rl. Simply put it is not possible to loa$ one safely for a multi day trip.

[@KayakCliff]

It really depends on how much you weigh and how much gear you want to take. In this video, I only did a one night trip. For me, it would be difficult to do a five day trip, but if I packed extremely light, I think it is doable. For a longer trip I would prefer the explorer.