Get to know: Palm

Palm Equipment are at the forefront of paddle sport design, cementing themselves as market leader in canoeing and kayaking apparel and equipment. They make products for all budgets and disciplines with their associated brands VE Paddles, Islander kayaks and Wilderness Systems. 

The origin story: 

The 70's were a time where if you wanted good quality paddle gear, you would just have to make it yourself. 14 Year old Andy Knight was eager to explore the local rivers so with some guidance and some glass fibre material, him and his friends began making their very own kayaks. 

His spark for surf kayaking had formed, but he was too young to drive so was in need of a friend that shared the passion. Enter, Bob Slee. He had a car and always said yes to an adventure, which led to their weekends being occupied by searching the coast of the UK or heading to a river. 
They were committed to the outdoors. 

Andy became an instructor, teaching sailing, canoeing or climbing by day and by night was making modifications to his and his friends kayaks to get them to their highest performance, learning techniques of shaping and boat building from mentor Simon Beeson. 

In 1979, Andy moved back home where his passion for quality gear formed in to a business and he started work on his first production kayak - the Stringray. This was the start of 'Palm Glass Fibre Mouldings', and the start of Palm.

The products:

In the early 80's, Palm started making specialist paddling gear. As a kayak champion, Andy could undertand what was missing in the industry so began tailoring garments to paddle movements - something that has been carried through Palm ever since.

After those first jackets came sprayskirts, buoyancy aids and helmets. Palm were among the first to introduce waterproof taped seams to jackets to help paddlers stay dry, along with creating iconic safety gear like the Extrem PFD, before later prioneering the use of recycled material in kayak manufacturing. This is proof of Palms passion to explore new ways to make the best watersports equipment out there. 

The business:

The brand is made up of family members and many longstanding staff, all with the ambition that everyone can enjoy a lifetime of paddlesport.

The joy of being on the water is being discovered by more and more people, so Palm pledges to do all they can to encourage and protect everyone's chance to be on the water, through the care and effort they apply to their work and the products they create. 

As long as there is improvement to be made and a challenge to enjoy, Palm will continue it's work.

Click the image below to see more or check out our range of Palm products available here.