Kokatat has joined a host of outdoor brands sponsoring an expedition this summer designed to challenge American kids’ increasingly sedentary lifestyle.
In the Paddle to the Arctic expedition, two young families will embark July 1 on an attempt to paddle the length of the Mackenzie river, Canada’s largest and longest river.
On average, children spend 35 hours a week in front of a screen and less than 25 percent of school-aged children participate in daily physical activity. The Paddle to the Arctic expedition will challenge these trends as three youngsters will document their experience in the rugged wilderness through blogs, videos and photographs.
The expedition is lead by one of Canada’s most renowned adventures and Explorer’s Club member Kevin Vallely. His wife and two daughters, aged 12 and 10, will be joined by Intensive care physicians Craig Fava and Carole-Anne Yelle and their 11 years old son.
“The perspective of a child will be a refreshing change to the often monotone voice of adventure dialogue,” said Vallely.
The Paddle to the Arctic expedition will cover 1750 kilometers from Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean through one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.
The paddlers will be using Kokatat apparel and PFDs throughout the expedition.
Kokatat has been manufacturing paddling gear in Arcata, California for 45 years. At a time when many technical apparel brands were moving manufacturing offshore, Kokatat continued to invest in infrastructure in the United States.
