{"id":18248,"date":"2018-12-30T01:00:53","date_gmt":"2018-12-30T09:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=18248"},"modified":"2024-02-06T08:27:28","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T16:27:28","slug":"best-of-nrs-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2018\/12\/30\/best-of-nrs-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Best of NRS, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every December we boast about having the best year yet. Then we raise the bar a little higher, with hopes to meet or surpass those goals. Once again, we outdid ourselves and have no problem saying that 2018 was a big year\u2014for conservation, for gear, for storytelling.<\/p>\n

2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act and a culmination of our years-long effort to fight for free-flowing rivers with American Rivers and other outdoor industry brands. We celebrated new designations and shared your river stories with the world.<\/p>\n

2018 brought updates to five of our best-selling jackets and two brand new PFDs. Our technical layering line grew more comfortable and attractive than ever. And we continued to push our kayak fishing line to become one of the most comprehensive in the industry.<\/p>\n

Lastly, in 2018 we shared stories of kayakers pushing physical and mental limits and having a blast along the way. We learned (and hopefully taught others) how to make it in the guiding world as a rookie (or a female), the not-so-best approaches to teaching kayaking, and to always have The Talk with our boating friends. We\u2019re ready to watch the final sunset of this year because we know 2019 is going to be even more exciting.<\/p>\n

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Films<\/h2>\n

The Long Stretch |\u00a0<\/strong>On the early morning of May 10, 2017, three Idaho kayakers pushed into the Middle Fork of the Salmon River at Boundary Creek put in. Their initial intent was to set a 24-hour high water speed record 300 miles away at the confluence of the Snake River. The Middle Fork is known for legendary paddlers and boatmen pushing themselves purely for the passion of it. Although the team knew the levels weren’t quite high enough to secure a record-breaking descent, they chose to paddle on and forge a new bond with the river that taught them how to paddle. Read Smitty’s full feature, “Pushing Limits on the Salmon River.”<\/a><\/p>\n