Joe Tip (because I ain’t a pro): Pelican Case Snack and Keys Box
If you own an OC and are sick of reaching behind you for your gels or a snack, try affixing some female velcro to the bottom of a Pelican Case and sticking it below your knees. The knee bend when you paddle provides plenty of clearance. Orient it BEFORE YOU PUT THE VELCRO ON so the opening is on the side of your dominant hand. That will make it so it’s one motion to open and one to close. Fast. Easy.
Get the wide velcro and a version that matches what’s already on your OC. You can usually buy it at a hardware store for maybe $3-5.
Make sure the bottom of the box is dry and that you stick the velcro on well—really rub it in, and leave there to set for a little bit before you get it wet. You wouldn’t want the edge to pull up because you just jumped in the water.
Pick the right size Pelican Case depending on how much velcro you have and how much clearance under your knees. I have an Kai Wa’a Ares and I was able to fit a 1040 case. They have so many sizes and colors.
The 1040 holds 12 gels (if I ever was on a 12 hour paddle) or a phone, keys, a bar and a gel (for most days.)
The carabiner that comes with the box actually lines up with where your leash string is, so you can make sure if you huli, and the velcro fails, at least it’s attached.
Of course this only works if you have your seat back enough to expose the velcro, so don’t adjust where you sit just to put a box there.
We don’t sell Pelican Cases or have an affiliate program to tap, so just go local and find them at a kayak, paddle or fishing and tackle shop. The micro cases are the ones you should look for. They come in a range of sizes. There is a 1015 Micro – 1020 Micro, 1040 Micro, 1050 Micro. I opted for the Micro 1040. It had the most clearance and fit the most stuff for my needs.
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