Jackson Happy Feet

[BooF4FooD]

If anyone has a jackson with the feet bags... Im curious of how you use them.... When I use them correctly... my feet slide all over the place (including the bag), and I can not sit tight in my boat at all...Im thinking this happens because I crazy short legs.... Lately, I've just been blowing the bottom back up completely getting in my boat and letting the least amount of air possible to get my feet far enough in to sit....This keeps me super tight, but so so so uncomfortable on my toes and heels... my feet are dead asleep after about 5-10 minutes of being in....

Any ideas???

[ScottH]

First, the basics

They do make 2 sizes of happy feet, and if you are short legged and inflate it most/all of the way, you might need the larger one. Also there is a specific way they are intended to be used. Go here and here for the actual instructions. If you need help look me up at Rockport or a river some time and I can try to explain the designed concept. The system consists of two parts, a 2 chamber air bladder on the front, and the bean bag in the back.

The air bladder in the front has 2 chambers and needs to be in the boat evenly and flat to start with so the air will not move around much once inflated. Put it in crooked and it will not inflate evenly, which will cause movement/problems. The bean bag should then be shaped and all the air removed so it vacuum seals around your foot. Your toes should never hurt as they are supposed to be sort of pointed down into the beans.

Reality

I read the instruction, followed them and it works as designed BUT, it seems to get messed up after a few in and out of the boat. I then get lazy, don’t fix it back right and just jam my feet in. Then, either the air bag starts moving more when I push with one foot doing some trick or my feet get uncomfortable. The system would work fine for me when running rivers but for full on playboating, I could not get it solid enough for my tastes. I ultimately took everything completely out and just built a foam bulkhead.

I tell everyone to read the instructions and try it as it was designed to be used. Most of the complaints I hear about it are based on using it wrong. After that you may still not like it and a foam bulkhead will be what you need to do. I went for a while with a smaller foam bulkhead and used the beanbag part on top of that and never aired up the bladder. It worked but then I realized that the combo was heavier then all foam.

I see now they are recommending the use of Velcro to help hold the bag in place a little better. I might have to try this out again, cause it is really comfy when not playboating hard.

Scott Hanshaw

[BooF4FooD]

Thanks Scott.... Right after I posted this, I went here---> http://www.jacksonkayak.com/kayaks/HowT ... nKayak.pdf

felt like a fool after reading it...went outside got to fooling with the outfitting.. my seat was on the middle screwhole... moved it foward... also i wasnt using the happy feet near close to correct... i like it a little better now, but still not sure about... im waiting on some glue to dry on some foam, and im going to go test it out... let ya know what I think later...

[Owl]

I've got a Jackson 4Fun and like the boat a lot but the "happy feet" and "happy seat" are a joke, IMO. I also built a foam bulkhead and removed the seat beanbag as it always felt bunched up under my butt. I emailed Jackson about considering offering a factory foam bulkhead but never got a reply.

I like the minimalist outfitting because it reduces weight (the light weight is one of the things I really like about the boat) but the boat just needs to have a foam bulkhead and 1/8" minicell padding on the seat. Then it would be perfect.

[BooF4FooD]

yeah...I think Im going to go with a bulkhead too.... I adjusted my seat... Got the bag working right... Everything was good for about 15 minutes... After I rolled a few times it seemed like I just got more and more loose in the boat... When I would roll my offside leg could move enough to straighten out... That crap drives me mad...

Owl.. .I have a 4fun also...

[BooF4FooD]

Would one of you care to explain exactly how you built your bulkhead???

[ScottH]

I am 5'11" and have my seat all the way forward as well. As for the happy seat, I have had no problem with it. Put a little air in it, wiggled around and then removed ALL the air from it to vacuum seam the beans and it has stayed shaped like my butt for about a year now. Another thing I did was I took two pieces of foam 1” by 1” by 6”to8” long, cut a wedge on one side and put them under the thigh padding along the edge to make a more aggressive thigh hook. So now I do not have to have my feet packed in so tight to keep my knees from popping out.

As for the bulkhead, took a 3” thick piece of foam, laid it on top of the boat and cut the rough shape out. Then using a knife, some dragon skin and some 60 grit sandpaper, started working it down till it fit. Just remember to make it “too tight” on your feet at first because it will pack down pretty quickly in the first few times you paddle.

[Lupe]

I thought the Happy Feet were okay, but I like the support of foam better, so I came up with a happy medium...

I cut out a foam piece shaped to how I like to position my feet, and then put this foam block in front of the Happy Feet, using the bean bag section to hold the foam in place. Now I can adjust the tightness to a degree with by pumping air into/out of the air chamber.

I feel this has given me the best of both worlds - the comfort, support and reliability of foam, but still the flexibility of on the fly adjustment with the Happy Feet. I use more air in the bladder in the summer, and then less in the winter when I have bulky clothes and shoes on.







Note the vertical notch holds the foam around the pillar, and the horizontal notch is to give room for the tubes to the Happy Feet to have room to pass behind the foam.

Cheers

[BooF4FooD]

thanks scott and owl... im only 5'9, but my legs are super short... my problems come from when i roll or something my leg will straighten out, and since im not very tight by my feet, the bag just allows it... i may try adding some foam to the thigh pads like you explained.....

do you think you could take some pictures, and let me check out what you have going on??? also what about the pillar the hoses are running through??

[BooF4FooD]

thanks lupe... you posted that while i was typing my last reply

[BooF4FooD]

Lupe, is the foam free moving, or glued?

[Lupe]

The way I set it up, there was no need for glue. The notch around the pillar plus the bean bags shaped around the foam both hold it in place very securely. If it was glued, then I wouldn't be able to have the benefit of adjusting the fit with the air chamber - it's because it's not glued that I can use the air chamber in the bow to make the foam closer or further away to adjust the tightness.

Cheers

[scott yarbrough]

I couldn't figure out the Jackson outfitting either. After reading the instructions more than once with less than stellar results, I Bought a glue in "Pads" foam seat to keep from sliding around. Then built a bulkhead out of outfitting from a another mfg. Love the boat now.

[hdh]

maybe this could be a class at Rendezvous...I have problems also..

Harlan Hughes

[KAYAKN]

maybe this could be a class at Rendezvous...I have problems also..

Harlan Hughes

Man oh man dont we know that!!!!! I dont think happy feet is going to fix any problems you have