In this edition of LifeKit, we caught up with UK kayaking talent, Bren Orton.
Feeling good on a river comes from years on the water and 300 out of 365 days kayaking and working hard. Bren's ambition is to be 'smoothest, sickest kayaker' he can be.
Based in Austria for much of the season, Bren's hard work paid off last year with no injuries, some big sends and a few new tricks locked down. If you don't believe us, check out Bren's instagram for a sense of what we mean.
For now, Bren's focus is on waterfalls, big drops and documenting it all, in his very unique style. Bren also wants to continue working on his freestyle and big water paddling. He also has some epic projects in the pipeline that are well worth tuning in to.
With that, over to Bren to explain the kit he cannot live without, and why....
Pyranha Ripper 2.0
My favourite kayak design of all time. It just works so well in almost every spot. There’s never a boring day on the river in this thing! I've been involved with the design and prototyping of these kayaks since I was 16 years old and they're made just down the road from where I grew up. It makes me proud to use my home town kayak brand around the world on trips and projects!
GoPro
I love these cameras and use mine everyday. Whether I'm trying to get sick shots or just watching back the footage after a session to see what I can improve. The GoPro Hero 11 is so sick, the quality of footage that comes out of that little camera is insane! And it's waterproof and nearly indestructible!
Airpods
I'm constantly listening to music, whether thats just to chill out, to visualise a line or hype myself up, I always have music on. I love that they charge themselves, how well they sync with my phone and that when I lose them I can use my phone to find them again! Favourite song right now is “Morning Yawn" by Febeuder but I listen to everything asides from metal and Justin Bieber.
Kindle
I'm a huge nerd and being able to buy books anywhere in the world makes the Kindle a must-have. The backlit kindle is the one! To be able to read at night when you’re camping without a headlamp is what true luxury looks like. Top 5 book recommendations currently - Riding Rockets, Deep, Golden Spruce, Creative Quest and Born a Crime. Reading is my super power and I power through a book a week.
SPF 50+ Mineral Sun Stick
LifeJacket asked me not to mention one of their products but honestly, the zinc stick is essential on long sunny days on the river, especially when, like me, you're ginger and covered in tattoos. I like the stick because it lasts all day. It’s also not like I'm going to stop kayaking to pull over and put suncream on, no matter how much sense it would make. I appreciate that I can put this on at the start of the day and at the end it’s still on at the bottom of the river and protecting my skin.
