Skwoosh Kayak Gel Pad for kayaks, canoes and dragon boats |

I use this in a low volume kayak where the ability to shift your position is limited and thicker cushions are not a viable option. It has made a HUGE difference in my comfort level and allows me to stay on the water hours longer. I'd buy another - I recommend this to others. A few personal attributes that impact this review. * I am not endowed with a lot of personal padding and hard seats are tough * I'm remarkably cheap, but there are some expenditures that matter My typical paddling session runs 3+ hours and the last 60 minutes or so would feel like an 'enhanced interrogation technique'. Part of the problem is my favorite boat 'fits' to the point where readjusting body position while paddling is not real practical. The original seat was designed for stoic suck it up types by a near sadist. Before buying the Skwoosh,I tried a variety of DIY solutions using closed cell foam. They were OK, but by no means great. This low profile pad has made a real difference. Well beyond what I would have thought possible from 1/2" of gel. It's durable,lightweight and cleans up well. If your brain loves kayaking, but your bottom has a different opinion - I'd give this a try (even if it is more expensive than cutting your own foam).

This isn't a cushion for someone looking for a luxuriously comfy seat. But...if you want something small, compact, and easy to carry when not sitting on it, that also provides good comfort on hard surfaces, this is a pretty darn good option. I used this at a tennis tournament over three days, where I was sitting on metal bench seats for hours at a time. It did a good job of providing enough cushion that I didn't spend the day wishing I was watching from my couch at home. :) You do need to listen to the directions and smooth out the cushion between uses so that the gel is redistributed evenly - that does help ensure that the next time you sit on it that things are as comfy as possible. I really liked that when not using it I could either fold it up and slip it into my backpack or hang it from my backpack via it's integrated carry loop. I would like a way to keep it folded closed so it stays smaller, and may add a large rubber band to wrap around it when carrying/storing it. Its small size also means that when you're sitting on it in the stands no one else is bumping into it or complaining about it getting in their way, which happens frequently w/the larger foam cushions. I considered some other options, but the combination of small size/portability, durability (the quality of the construction and materials used is quite high) and comfort is perfect for my purposes. I will also be using it kayaking, but my main use will continue to be for sporting events where I don't want to punish my tush on hard seats.

I got the pad for a Wilderness Systems kayak in which my rear started hurting after more than 2 hours of paddling. It did the job. I also use it in an uncomfortable office chair that I use when visiting my parents (I work from home/anywhere I can get the internet). The pad made the hard as a rock chair comfortable and negated the need to buy a new chair for the several weeks a year that I visit them. A lot of reviewers have commented on how "thin" it us. At first glance, it is; however, even if I place it on bare cement and sit on it, there's still gel and foam between me and the cement. So adding more gel to make it thicker isn't going to make it any more effective. I'm 6 ft tall and weigh around 200 kbs.

I think the best thing I can say about this cushion is that you don't even know it's there. Usually, when kayaking for a long time, my bottom gets numb, my tailbone hurts, and my back gets very sore. In other words, I become very aware that I'm not sitting in a comfortable seat. I have not had any of these problems since getting this cushion, so my seat is no longer uncomfortable! It's so thin, you wonder if it's actually going to accomplish anything for you, but somehow, it does. I like that it doesn't raise your center of gravity. It also absolutely stays put, there is no slipping or sliding around. I am so glad I got this thing!

I got this for my kayak hoping it would take the sting out of sitting on a hard surface. It really did not do much but provided some comfort but not alot. I guess I needed something thicker. Good news it dries quick when wet and it was the perfect size for my kayak.. but for the most part it is just ... meh.