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Author	Message Text
Nomadmusky	05/30/2017 09:04PM   Here are mine: CVCA I have them on two of my three canoes, the other is simply a wood yolk, but I don't portage that one too far. Nomad
Grizzlyman	05/31/2017 06:04AM   I made some great pads out of high density foam last yr. I first steam bent the ash backing into a curve to fit over my shoulders. They've been great but I've noticed that toward the end of the portage they start to hurt and it's worse than just the wooden yoke would be - I think this is due to not spreading the load over my entire back like on a yoke. With pads the load is just on two points. In retrospect- I should have gone toilet seat. I may yet modify these to be a toilet seat design.
Frenchy19	05/31/2017 09:35AM   No pads on my solo yoke...Chosen Valley on my tandem.
muddyfeet	05/31/2017 08:40AM   I've made a couple sets of these and have been happy through miles of portage. Another DIY yoke pad.
Hanz	01/10/2014 07:26AM   Hidden River Universal Solo Canoe Yoke It raises the canoe on your shoulders for a better view while portaging. It clamps on and I lined the plastic clamps with some neoprene to keep from scratching up the gunwales.
Doughboy12	01/10/2014 07:55AM   quote Hanz: "Hidden River Universal Solo Canoe Yoke It raises the canoe on your shoulders for a better view while portaging. It clamps on and I lined the plastic clamps with some neoprene to keep from scratching up the gunwales. " I would have a hard time putting that canoe in the water...too nice!
fadersup	01/09/2014 08:44PM   +1 for Superior, great pads.
Craig K	01/09/2014 06:41AM   I have some sling style pads on my canoe that look identical to the ones in OneMatch's link. Very happy with them.
ozarkpaddler	01/09/2014 10:00AM   Like with PFD's, we all have different shoulders and body types so different strokes for different folks. Wenonah's horsecollar was the worst padded yoke I've tried and I didn't care for the Chosen Valley yoke I bought; sold both within a year. THESE are the best I've used for MY shoulders, the Bourquin pads. Mine have been on a few different canoes:
Jackfish	01/09/2014 11:31AM   Chosen Valley Canoe Accessories portage pads (along with a couple CCS Pioneer packs).
LuvMyBell	01/09/2014 12:54PM   Switched to Spring Creek portage seat/yoke on all my canoes several years ago. IMO these are the most comfortable portage yokes available.
WHendrix	01/09/2014 01:14PM
jrlatt	05/22/2017 08:40PM   quote Canoe42: "I have also tried every yoke out there. Found this one about 20+ years ago and have loved it ever since. Wish I could find them again. Would like to get another one. It is contoured to your shoulders and very well padded. I move it from 1 canoe to another if I need to portage more than 1 canoe." + 1 I have two. I bought my second not to long ago after a long search for one on line. Not sure where. It has probably been 5yrs. I thought it was mad river. I will check if I can find where I got it from. I really like it for heavier canoes.
luft	02/11/2014 04:01PM   quote WHendrix: " " Are these pads homemade or a name brand? They look to have a nice combo of the features of both the sling pad and the blockpad, in that they are contoured but still wide enough to adjust their position on your shoulder. Anyone ever used the Harmony contoured yoke pad? If so, how do you like the feel of them on your shoulders?
naturboy12	02/11/2014 05:56PM   quote Chilly: "Thanks everyone, might give the Chosen Valley ones a try." Both the drill and clamp-on style are on sale at Rutabaga, if that helps you make the decision.
jhb8426	05/27/2017 11:10PM   quote HighPlainsDrifter: " Made this removable yoke for my Merlin cedar strip. The pads are Chosen Valley. I drilled the yoke rather than clamping. " That's the same as I have. Works well for me.
chessie	05/29/2017 08:57AM   A 2nd vote for the Piragis 'toilet seat' style pad .... it give you options for slightly shifting the weight of the boat to accommodate going up or down-hill .... it's the best/most comfortable I've found. Some people worry they'll get their head 'caught' inside when flipping boat off .....I haven't found this to be a problem .... you just need to lift the canoe a bit, then flip. They also seem to hold up well -- ours is on it's second canoe ... can't even recall when I bought it. I am careful to not drop a pack down into the boat, on the 'arms' of the pad - I think that could go south .... but again, ours has been on numerous trips, and still going strong.
nctry	05/29/2017 05:30PM   quote chessie: "A 2nd vote for the Piragis 'toilet seat' style pad .... it give you options for slightly shifting the weight of the boat ." And you can use it as a... well... toilet seat too. Just remove it from the canoe first. Seriously, I think the chose valley yoke pads are all most need. Larger boats I'd go with the blocks or spring creek yokes. These would male less desirable toilet seats though.
nctry	01/09/2014 02:44PM   Here is my Chosen Valley in the traveling mode. My seat rest against it well. Frosty morning in May. A light frost again. Same campsite in September. The May picture is taken the morning I flipped. Had I just tossed it in the boat like some do I'd have finished the trip with no yoke.
Ragged	01/09/2014 11:48AM   quote Jackfish: " Chosen Valley Canoe Accessories portage pads (along with a couple CCS Pioneer packs). " Pete, are those Packer pads......look to be Green and Gold....
unshavenman	01/09/2014 11:53AM   Chosen Valley for me as well.
OneMatch	01/09/2014 06:01AM   don't have a picture right up, but you can't do wrong with the pads that Kevin Carr makes - Chosen Valley Canoe Accessories. 225 Winona St NE, Chatfield, MN 55923 (507) 867-3961 Chosen Valley Canoe Accessories
Ragged	01/09/2014 09:28AM   Put me in the camp of tried the sling pads and went back to basic blocks, mine are the ones that came on my Q17, just a solid foam block covered in black nylon, as simple as it gets.
Ragged	01/09/2014 09:43AM   Put me in the camp that has tried the “sling style” pads and went back to a quality block setup, love the blocks because you can slide then forward and back on the shoulders to change balance point and put pressure on a different part of the shoulders, hard to do with the slings, your pivot and pressure point is basically fixed. Just your basic pad with black nylon over it. I might make my own this year, just a tad bigger in size but I want to play with different layers of foam, stiffer base layer, medium density mid layers and then a couple different top layers, this variable density works well in other applications.
butthead	01/09/2014 09:37AM   Superior Portage Pads these are my favorite, thick comfortable adjustable for position on the yoke, large enough to slide back and forth on my shoulders to trim canoe while carrying. Harmony Pads Secure comfortable on flat trails, pvc curved base can cut into shoulders on hills, not adjustable once installed. Still have them for backup. Chosen Valley Pads Used with a cantilevered thwart mouting from CVCA, bouncy, could dig into shoulders, adjustable with tools. No longer own them. butthead
ozarkpaddler	01/09/2014 10:24AM   Hmmm, lost my post somehow? Let's try again. I've used a lot of different kinds. Like with PFD's, our body types may lend us to prefer one over another. Worst for me was Wenonah's horsecollar. Chosen Valley has many fans, but the regular ones weren't padded enough IMHO; I haven't tried their thicker ones. The Bourquin's I've had on a few different canoes. Best I'VE tried. Here's a few pics:
mirth	01/09/2014 10:29AM   I have Superior pads too. They're nice, like others have said - can adjust balance point to trim while portaging.
Cedarboy	01/09/2014 10:51AM   Bourquins
Mark2	01/09/2014 07:54AM   I’ve tried every possible design of yoke pads in all conceivable configurations. You can’t do better than a thick block of stiff foam. We’ve been using these for over fifteen years carrying everything from a 30# Kevlar solo to over 100# cedar/ canvas canoes. They are expertly constructed and by far the most comfortable pads available. Your mileage may vary. Yoke Pads
PineKnot	02/11/2014 07:03PM   I like the Piragis U-shaped yoke pad...very comfortable. No more banging the back of my neck on the yoke...
Bannock	01/11/2014 10:40PM   I agree with everyone. Personally I have Chosen Valley, but diferent brands fit people differently.
HighPlainsDrifter	01/12/2014 11:02AM   Made this removable yoke for my Merlin cedar strip. The pads are Chosen Valley. I drilled the yoke rather than clamping.
Chilly	01/10/2014 09:11PM   Thanks everyone, might give the Chosen Valley ones a try.
RC	01/10/2014 11:30AM   I tried many different types of yoke pads. I switched to the sling type yoke pads and they were a big improvement over all the other pads. However, I have not tried the Spring Creek seat/yoke (pic below), it looks like it might be great.
Goby	01/09/2014 01:00PM   +1 on the superior portage pads. I've used a couple of different pads that were equipped on outfitters boats, and then got these when I bought my own boat. They're comfortable, easy to install, and as others have said, you can adjust the load on your shoulders due to their size.
bojibob	01/09/2014 02:08PM   BOURQUIN YOKE PADS from...... Midwest Canoe Anatomy of a Bourquin Boat Yoke Pad: 1. Vinyl Covering 2. 4" High Density Foam 3. ½" Closed Cell Foam. 4. Stainless Steel Machine Screws 5. 5/8" Underlayment Plywood
Canoe42	01/09/2014 08:19AM   I have also tried every yoke out there. Found this one about 20+ years ago and have loved it ever since. Wish I could find them again. Would like to get another one. It is contoured to your shoulders and very well padded. I move it from 1 canoe to another if I need to portage more than 1 canoe.
Chilly	01/08/2014 11:30PM   Looking to upgrade yoke pads for the canoe and looking for reviews.
jrlatt	07/03/2017 10:18PM   quote jrlatt: "quote Canoe42: "I have also tried every yoke out there. Found this one about 20+ years ago and have loved it ever since. Wish I could find them again. Would like to get another one. It is contoured to your shoulders and very well padded. I move it from 1 canoe to another if I need to portage more than 1 canoe." + 1 I have two. I bought my second not to long ago after a long search for one on line. Not sure where. It has probably been 5yrs. I thought it was mad river. I will check if I can find where I got it from. I really like it for heavier canoes. " I did find where I purchased mine from. I got it on amazon 6 years ago Mad River Canoe Universal Yoke for IQ Gunwales Sadly they are unavailable.
sedges	05/23/2017 09:39AM   Simple, homemade sculpted cedar block with half inch closed cell foam. Have had to replace foam about once a decade.
keth0601	05/23/2017 10:55AM   I also now use the Bourquin pads. Best commercially available option I've seen. I had a canoe that I bought that had some home-made pads that we're even more comfy, but sold them with the canoe. :(
Jackfish	06/01/2017 07:21AM   quote Ragged: "quote Jackfish: " Chosen Valley Canoe Accessories portage pads (along with a couple CCS Pioneer packs). " Pete, are those Packer pads......look to be Green and Gold...." William, in my best Ed McMahon voice... "You are correct, sir!"