The PaddlerUK magazine September 2015 issue 4 | Page 85

in association with g THE UK S ULTIMATE ONLINE www.nswatersports.com PADDLESPORT STORE! w 01642 01642520234 520234 testin The backrest is super comfy, it provides plenty of support, sitting at the right height and little to go wrong. . If you want y o tion u rp sta r st Cockpit – backrest ThePaddle r ez ine te Just behind the backrest there is a high density blue foam pillar and gear clip in point. The clip in point is one long single loop and there is plenty of room for storing clipped in gear without having to deflate air bags. ter of in Grab handles dle rs - e mail us: r eviews@t hepad dler ezin e m .co Underneath the cleat is the thigh brace that also incorporates some additional foam blocks/padding that is fixed to the side of the hull using a strip of Velcro. There is some adjustment to the thigh braces via two bolts. As yet I am still tweaking this setup to hit the sweet spot and although comfortable, the system is quite different from those that I have been used to. est pad to The Ace of Spades has no ratchets for backrest adjustments, but relies on a rope and cleat system. One of the best hardware manufacturers out there has provided the cleats, which do run the opposite way to those on Jackson kayaks.The rope in this instance is pulled towards you to adjust and then locked into place – it’s simple and it works. I can’t get the backrest cranked up as tight as with a ratchet system but nonetheless the system does work. Some will hate, some will love. e will b nd it ed a view t re uc od in association with Grab handles come in two flavours – grey handles at the bow, stern and mid bow and tape based handles to the rear of the cockpit. Both are quite unconventional in a world of anodized metal broach bars but they feel robust and are well secured to the hull. Information from the guys at Spade suggest that both types of grab handles are more than up to the job. The Ace of Spades comes with an outfitting pack that included shims for the hip pads and a whole pile of spare parts. What I find very interesting is that all of the key fixings that keep the boat together are pretty easy to get hold of from car part stores or chandlers. I have used the same fittings used on the seat pad to fix mud-flaps to my car. There is nothing special that would require an order from a kayak dealer, which I suspect is a very deliberate move. Setup I used the Ace of Spades with the seat in the factory position and only needed to tweak the thigh braces and hip pad shims and move the footrest into the correct position.The rear of PADDLERUK 85