Paddle - Gear - Windfree

Paddla has reviewed some gadgets we were curious about and got the chance to try them out. A few of them will surely come along on future paddling trips.

Windfree is the kind of product you neither knew existed nor knew you needed until you tried it. It’s simply a pair of foam ear muffs specially designed to block wind noise. The idea is that when the wind noise is filtered out, other sounds become much clearer.

The band that holds the ear protection in place is made of plastic and can easily be adjusted to fit your head size. Once I got past the initial feeling of looking a bit silly, I didn’t really notice that they were on my head. I did get a little warm around the ears when I used them during a training session in the racing kayak, but during slower paddling, they didn’t warm me at all.

The wind noise, or rather the whistling, that occurs in the ears when it’s windy or caused by the wind from speed, completely disappears with Windfree on. All that remains is a slight rustling, which really lets you hear all other sounds better. Suddenly, I could hear a motorboat from a distance approaching from behind and what my paddling companion was muttering even though he was in front of me. I also lent Windfree to a family member with two hearing aids and got positive feedback there as well, though they used them on a bike ride.

Windfree is a clever gadget that definitely serves a purpose, but unfortunately, I think the price discourages many from trying it. Which is a shame, because it definitely has the potential to reach a wider audience.

Paddla no.1 2013