The Kayak Roll

Winner, Best Instructional Video National Paddling Film Festival

The Kayak Roll demonstrates and explains a smooth and effortless roll that works in any type of boat for many body types.  Crystal clear underwater footage, animation, and explanations make this a video you don’t want to miss!

In this video you will learn:

  • How a proper setup position helps orient and protect you underwater.
  • The hip snap- and how it faciliates easy rolling.
  • The path of the blade for an effortless twisting sweep roll.
  • Diagnostics and troubleshooting tips and techniques.
  • How to protect your shoulder and bombproof your roll.
  • How to avoid lifting your head- and killing the roll.

This excerpt from the video shows step one of the fundamental motion that allows anyone to learn how to roll a kayak.

The Kayak Roll DVD is designed for every skill level, beginner to teacher. Part one presents a step by step learning progression enabling you to learn an effortless roll from scratch. Part two is the diagnostic section, which offers solutions to help you tune-up a roll.

Every paddler will enjoy our kayak rolling techniques, whether they are beginner struggling to learn, an intermediate seeking to improve, or an advanced boater learning to teach a buddy. For whitewater and sea kayakers.  Produced by veteran instructors Kent Ford with Dan Crandall, Mary DeRiemer,and Phil DeRiemer.  62 Minutes.

Testimonials: 

I really loved your video “the kayak roll” – the best explanation of rolling I have ever found.  Thank you so much for helping me with my roll.  I am really looking forward to “Performance Sea Kayaking.” Sherry V. Smith 

Can I add to your testimonials? Great video, clear & concise with good graphics and video angles. Worth every penny (cent!). I think it’s the only instruction you’ll need. Just proved very useful on the river Dee in Wales yesterday! Saved me from a swim  Neil Thomas – UK Kayak coach 

Thanks for producing a great product!  I tell my students they will find this to be one of the best coaching videos in any sport.  And I mean it:<)  Harry BCU L5 Surf Coach

If you need some help with your roll and are considering purchasing “The Kayak Roll”, don’t hesitate! I can’t speak highly enough about the content of the video and support through Performance Video. I had a couple of issues with the video download, which were quickly remedied in person by Kent Ford – he was personable and made sure I was completely satisfied with my purchase. The video and instruction are top notch – I had been struggling with my roll for years and finally have confidence in “combat” situations. In fact, I had a great recovery roll this weekend that kept me from getting munched in a nice class 4 hole! If you are ready to take your roll to the next level – this is the video for you! Thanks to Kent and the folks at Performance Video for putting together a great product and backing it with superb service! Gavin Glore, Olympia, WA October 2016

Really like the diagnostics section at the end, you leave no stone unturned.  This video should be required viewing for all Level 4 Kayak Instructors – so pertinent to what we need to do.  Exceptionally Useful.  Charlie Duffy, Washington, DC

Gave Me Back My Roll!  I ordered this video the day before I hit my face on a rock and got 8 stitches all because of a missed roll … a little foreshadowing? I watched this video today, went out into the river to practice and bam! I’m back. Of course I’ve been collecting and practicing a whole host of bad habits all summer long which finally culminated in the complete destruction of my previously bomb proof roll. I can’t believe how thorough this video is. One video was able to help me discern all the wrong things I was doing — it is RockStar. thank you!!!  KellogShow on Amazon

This is by far the best roll video I have seen.  Every aspect of the video is so well thought out and executed.  I can’t stress enough how impressed I am with the content of the video and how well done it is.  I spent 10 years as a Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor, so I have some understanding of teaching a skill that is both mental and physical. My passion is in sea kayaking/touring boats. Thank you for making these great videos available to the world. Craig from ArkansasThe download helped a lot; my roll is usually my strongest stroke, but I bought a LL remix and found I couldn’t roll the darn thing. Pretty disconcerting.   I think my technique had got really sloppy and the new boat highlighted my poor form.    Anyway, it has really helped, so many thanks.Sue Birch  Rotorua, NZ

Just want to say that I am so happy that I found your KAYAK ROLL video soon after I left my real job to follow my dream as a  kayak outfitter just six years ago. I quickly learned to roll the right way and trained all my staff and many happy clients a safe, functional, ergonomically correct roll. The toughest challenges by far have been to help students unlearn a bad roll…. Chris Boland, Naples Kayak Company (Formerly Saltwater Sports)

April, 2012  With this DVD i was able to attain a bombproof roll that is very easy on the body highly recommended the best of its kind by far  -Xavier, Canada

I have watched your movie, “The Kayak Roll” so many times that I can almost recite the dialogue.  Your movie has given me a consistent guide to learn the sweep roll.  I found the troubleshooting section to be very helpful.  It showed me that I was ‘punching’ with my left arm, and showed some ideas to fix it.  The movie has been helping me to get rid of bad habits, and makes the roll easier and smoother.  I feel like I’ve made some real progress on improving my roll this winter, and I could not have done with without the Kayak Roll movie.  Tom Andros

“Just downloaded the second part.  A masterpiece, like the first one.  Your method works.  Made my first successful roll in the pool at fifth attempt.  I really did not expect to get so much value from such remote assistance.”  Alex Sourjikov, Russia

I have been a whitewater kayak instructor for a decade and I have to admit that this is, by far, the best instructional video on ‘how to roll’ I ever seen!  It’s perfect for beginners, and instructors as well!   Alexandre Valiquette Vice president Club de Canoe Kayak d’Eau Vive de Montréal

This video is fantastic in it’s presentation of the kayak roll. It is clear, concise and well documented, reinforced and illustrated. All of the presenters are qualified instructors, and this is the first dvd I have seen that slows the process down and even breaks down each step into a practice. I highly recommend it to anyone who kayaks. You will not roll overnight but you will NOT roll at all without this dvd.  Philip Russo

I’ve been paddling for a number of years and my only option on a flip had been a wet exit. Last year I bought my first whitewater kayak and had been using it a lot in the ocean to play in waves. I then got a sea kayak and had started adventuring more and more out into the ocean, down the beaches, etc. I had practiced a self rescue using a float and pump so I had that down, but still, a wet exit is just such an ugly option, I had to get my roll down. It was becoming a real safety concern. I brought my kayaks to a friend’s pool and armed with many hours of Youtube videos and research under my belt I was only able to fully confuse myself and get very angry. Rolling is impossible! That was it, I was all ready to sign up for a LL Bean roll clinic, $240. They pretty much guarantee that by the end of the 4 hour private class, you are gonna have your roll down.

Then suddenly as a gift this video was given to me. I watched it fully, took what I learned and went into the ocean on a very calm day later that week. In shallow waters I had a partner do as I instructed (if I tap on the bottom, flip me back up) and I was still having trouble. I finally said to myself, “Fine, I’m going to do EXACTLY what they said in the video!” Bang, I did my first roll. Then again. Then I got my 16 foot sea kayak out, first try rolled it.

This DVD not only contains the exact concepts but does a super job at teaching them. They pound into you over and over the same thing but present these ideas from different angles. Getting a roll down is just so very counter intuitive, and in the video they say that and then show you what EXACTLY to do. There are different instructors and they use many different techniques to get the message into your head. This is the same company that puts out a good Ocean Kayak Surfing video which I already found helpful, this video is even better. Not only did this DVD save me a bunch of money, it’s saved me from many horrid wet exits and who knows what else! David- New Hampshire

The set up for the kayak roll guarantees a bombproof roll.
Reliable and bomproof finish position of the kayak roll.

“…way above anything else that has ever been made…Students have done infinitely better since we started using the new video. We have yet to have anyone complete the course who has not been able to roll.” – Steve Christensen, Instructor, Carbon Country Recreation Department

“The Kayak Roll video is just the best. Excellent in all respects. This is going to help so many people you should be very pleased” – Mike Aronoff , Paddling instructor

I have already seen the video and it is a great bit of work. Well done to you all for making one of the best videos I’ve seen. – Niall Roche, Ireland

“I watched the Kayak Roll and taught a class using those concepts last night with great success – 5 of 7 students rolled. Then there’s me! I’ve been struggling with my roll, but for teaching and demonstration purposes, I’ve not been at all happy with the way the roll looked and felt. I tried the “no resistance” paddle position last night and came up on the first try with a “perfect finish” position. I was so excited and my students couldn’t believe that was the first time I’d tried that roll.”  – Ardie Shaffer, Instructor

How to avoid shoulder dislocations kayaking

“Nice teaching progression.” – Wayne Horodowich www.useakayak.org

Just want you to know that the dvd “The Kayak Roll” is by far the most professional I have seen on kayaking! The instruction is clear and concise; the filming is obviously done by a pro!  Marilyn Schroeder

A guide to smooth pain-free rolls! Reviewer: D. Fox  All of the reviews seem to agree that this is an excellent instructional video. I concur, I would just like to add that in addition to being an effective style of roll, it is also VERY easy on your shoulders. After a few seasons of failure and shoulder pain attempting to do a C-to-C roll I plunked down the money for this video. It was well worth it. It still took a few sessions to master (mainly just forcing myself to do what the video tells me to do!) but I now have a solid, trustworthy roll, and don’t really have pain in my shoulders. It’s true, once you have a roll your confidence and ability really starts to improve.

Roll or Die,  Reviewer: Jeff (MN) I finally picked this DVD up a year ago, watched it a couple times through last winter. Got it out in early spring, watched it again. Went out and still bombed a few attempts. Payed closer attention and within an hour was popping rolls fairly frequently. Excellent teaching tool, by the end of the summer I was rolling on both sides, fully loaded sea kayak. Rough water, cold water. Just put the boat away for the winter two weeks ago, here in MN, no open water left. Last thing I did before the end of the season, a couple of real cold rolls.

Amazing teaching guide,  Reviewer: Mark Svendsen (Seattle, WA USA) I bought this DVD after struggling to learn the roll, and finally learned it on the second pool session after watching it. It was mostly filmed in a slow-moving river with whitewater kayaks, but also shows some sea-kayak-specific scenes, and the whole video applies to either form of kayaking. It even has some pretty amazing footage of kayakers riding some pretty serious ocean surf.

It works, Reviewer: A viewer I spent MONTHS trying to learn the C-to-C roll, including classes, books and pool practice sessions. At best my roll was 50/50. I got this video, which teaches the sweep roll as opposed to the C-to-C roll, and after really studying it (i.e., watching attentively at least 5 times, all the way through), I was able to successfully do a sweep roll on only my second attempt, and it’s only been getting better since then. This video is a good explanation of a good technique for rolling the kayak.

One of the best instructional dvds out there., July 26, 2010  By Philip Russo “moseseatonjr” (Philadelphia,PA)

This video is fantastic in it’s presentation of the kayak roll. It is clear, concise and well documented, reinforced and illustrated. All of the presenters are qualified instructors, and this is the first dvd I have seen that slows the process down and even breaks down each step into a practice. I highly recommend it to anyone who kayaks. You will not roll overnight but you will NOT roll at all without this dvd.     It’s all true,  By David Beltran-del-Rio “DekeBdR” (Washington, DC, Our Nation’s Capital)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that all the good reviews of this product were true. This roll worked for me pretty much right away, albeit with some paddle float practice first.  I also found that I had to move fairly slowly in order to get my sea kayak to come up. This roll still works if you slow down quite a bit.  Trust the sweep – water becomes like rock when that paddle is moving.  very clear presentation,  By Paul Bianchi

When learning the kayak roll, one of the most difficult things is to visualize what your body is supposed to be doing in 3-d, while your reference frame is turning! The video really helps with that. I flailed around for two days of rolling lessons in a pool until I got the idea that your knee is really the thing that helps you perform the “hip-snap” to turn you over, which my teachers weren’t telling me but which the video stressed. Recommended.

Safe and low effort roll, May 9, 2008 By yojimbo  I saw this video at a roll tune-up class and then bought my own copy for review. They teach the “twist-sweep” roll which seems safer and more protective of your shoulder than some others. The learning progression is effective and the roll technique focuses on the strength of your torso rather than your arms. I had degenerated from a solid c-to-c roll to something pretty sloppy and this video and a tune up class are helping me get back to something fluid and reliable.

The second half has a lot of diagnostic and corrective hints for ironing out weaknesses in your style.  It definitely helps to have an instructor to help manipulate the paddle and get you to relax your arms and hands on the paddle. The paddle is used mostly as a guide, not as a lever.  This DVD did it for me,  By David Underwood (Bedford, NH USA)

I’ve been paddling for a number of years and my only option on a flip had been a wet exit. Last year I bought my first whitewater kayak (Dagger Mamba 8) and had been using it a lot in the ocean to play in waves. I then got a sea kayak and had started adventuring more and more out into the ocean, down the beaches, etc. I had practiced a self rescue using a float and pump so I had that down, but still, a wet exit is just such an ugly option, I had to get my roll down. It was becoming a real safety concern. I brought my kayaks to a friend’s pool and armed with many hours of Youtube videos and research under my belt I was only able to fully confuse myself and get very angry. Rolling is impossible! That was it, I was all ready to sign up for a LL Bean roll clinic, $240. They pretty much guarantee that by the end of the 4 hour private class, you are gonna have your roll down.  Then suddenly as a gift this video was given to me. I watched it fully, took what I learned and went into the ocean on a very calm day later that week. In shallow waters I had a partner do as I instructed (if I tap on the bottom, flip me back up) and I was still having trouble. I finally said to myself, “Fine, I’m going to do EXACTLY what they said in the video!” Bang, I did my first roll. Then again. Then I got my 16 foot sea kayak out, first try rolled it.  This DVD not only contains the exact concepts but does a super job at teaching them. They pound into you over and over the same thing but present these ideas from different angles. Getting a roll down is just so very counter intuitive, and in the video they say that and then show you what EXACTLY to do. There are different instructors and they use many different techniques to get the message into your head. This is the same company that puts out a good Ocean Kayak Surfing video which I already found helpful, this video is even better. Not only did this DVD save me a bunch of money, it’s saved me from many horrid wet exits and who knows what else!

This Kayak Roll production is nearly new, and has taught over a thousand sea kayakers, touring kayakers, recreational kayakers, and white water river kayakers.  “Rolling a kayak” teaches the fundamentals of a quality “bomproof roll”, often refered to as  ” the combat roll”.   We would love to hear comparisons of our title with Eric Jackson’s “EJ’s Rolling and Bracing”, Ken Whiting “Rolling a Kayak” or Justine Curgenven and Cackle’s “This is the Roll.”  We know our title stands the test of time, and despite competition remains the industry leading rolling instructional film on the market.  Originally named “Whitewater Instruction” our company has been producing industry leading instructional films since our first title 25 years ago.