Sun and Wind Protection

1. •Lip Balm (Bert’s Bees Lifeguard’s Choice is our favorite) Keep a tube in your PFD pocket.
   

2. •Sunscreen-A small travel-bottle in your PFD pocket or gear bag will help those days you forget until you’re on the water.
   

3. •Hat/headcover- Those big-brimmed ‘booney’ hats look goofy, but really work well. Look for one in a light fabric and with ventilation.
   

4. •Sunglasses (on a strap- Croakies work great)
   

5. •Skin lotion- A long day of wet and/or cold will really dry the hands out. Our personal favorite- Cornhusker’s Lotion. (Manly name, guys: and industrial strength. You can use it without smelling girly)
   

Cold/Heat Protection-You’ll find that maintaining ideal temperature while paddling is a fine art to be learned. In either heat or cold, always hydrate well. It’s hard to tell you’re losing fluids when you’re paddling in cold or windy conditions, but you will be. Drink fluids often. It’s hard to beat good old water, but for a little extra energy, we’ll often carry diluted sports drinks just for a little extra energy and carbs. You’ll feel the difference on a cold day when you’re burning the calories with a chill. For clothing, always stay away from cotton fibers. Cotton will not keep you warm when it’s wet and will, indeed chill you worse as it continually provides evaporative cooling. For the same reason, wearing a neoprene wetsuit that stays wet will ultimately cool your body more than just dry skin. If you use a wetsuit, try to have a windbreak layer over it to cut down on evaporation. Synthetic fibers and clothes, sometimes made specifically for paddlers are the ideal materials. They are quick-drying and will help maintain heat when wet. Polypropylene and polyester fabrics like Patagonia Capilene are generally what you’ll find in this category. Some, woven as fleece garments do a great job with insulation when paired with a water-resistant splash top and/or pants. A simple rain jacket under your PFD or stowed in the boat can provide welcome dryness when conditions get splashy or rainy.

Drybags and Cases

There will always be something you want to keep dry in your boat: lunch, extra clothes, wallet, maps, etc. For these needs, you can’t beat a good drybag. We like good, durable ones like Sealline that will live up to the abuse of being in and out of a boat. While drybags are great, they may not be the perfect match for electronics like cell phones, GPS or cameras. For those, you really need to move to a hard case. In that category, you really can’t beat the market leader and long-time player, Pelican Products. These cases are available to fit almost any need. Be sure it will fit in your boat! As is true for any items you paddle with in the boat, be sure that they are clipped into the boat and will stay there in case of a capsize. Inexpensive clips and carabiners are great for this purpose.

Camera- Half the allure of kayaking is getting to and enjoying beautiful places with your favorite people. Bring back those memories with a good camera. While it’s possible to keep a camera in a case, as described above, there are also good water resistant cameras available that will help allay some of the fear of getting the thing wet. we’ve had good luck and results with the Pentax Optio series (SD memory card) and the Olympus Stylus SW series (XD memory card) of digital camera. These can serve the dual purpose of your paddling camera and your dry-land digital. We’ve carried both in a PFD pocket while whitewater kayaking and rolling over and over without any water problems with the cameras.

Paddle Accessories

1. •Paddle Float- If you ever capsize and need to perform a self-rescue (never say never), be prepared with the right tool AND the practiced skill of how to use it. For re-boarding a swamped kayak a paddle float is one of those tools. We recommend one with dual inflation chambers that will work even if one chamber develops a leak. There is a great amateur video of this technique here. This skill may not be too useful in today’s small whitewater boats but in sea and recreational kayaks it’s something worth learning.
   

2. •Paddle Drip Rings- Particularly when you are paddling a sit-on-top or sit-in kayak without a spray skirt, it’s annoying to have water dripping off the paddle into your lap. Many flat water paddles are sold with drip rings these days but if you don’t have them, we’d suggest getting them. For two-pice paddles, simple slip-on rings are available through most outfitters. One-piece paddles may require a clamp-on ring like the NRS paddle ring.
   

3. •Paddle leash- If you wind up letting go of your paddle a lot (e.g. fishing, photographing, bird-watching) a mechanism to hold your paddle nearby is helpful. Though relatively easy to make yourself, they are commercially available. Note: these are NOT a good idea and can be dangerous in moving water where the paddle can be trapped by fixed objects. Never use a leash in moving rivers/streams.
   

4. •Pogies- Doing some winter paddling and want to keep your hands warm? Most folks prefer pogies to gloves. Pogies are amazingly warm and let you retain your feel and grip of the paddle. Look for smooth-skin neoprene or nylon material. Stick a dry pair of light gloves in your drybag for off-water warmth.
   

Emergency Supplies

1. •First Aid Kit- It’s always good for a group to have a first aid kit on on any paddling trip (and be trained in its use!). A great solution to this is the kit-in-a-bottle idea that has caught on commercially (something boaters have been doing for a long time). If you’re out for long distances or exploring it wouldn’t hurt to add emergency shelter like an emergency bivy sack or blanket to your kit. Some simple tools like a knife and screwdriver can come in handy.
   

2. •Rope- a length (20’ or so) of braided nylon or polypropylene 1/4” rope is a great tool with a variety of possible uses in a boat.
   

3. •Bailer/pump/sponge- For those inevitable ties when you capsize (and you will) you need a mechanism to empty the cockpit of the boat of water. A bailer pump will take care of large volumes and a simple household sponge will mop up the annoying small slosh.
   

4. •Energy Food-It’s always good to have a little extra energy along in case you are out a little longer or work a little harder than expected. We like to keep energy gel like “Gu” in our PFD for that afternoon pick-me-up. Energy bars make great paddling snacks (...from experience though, eat them every so often rather than leaving them in your boat all year!).
   

5. •Spare Paddle- While no one ever thinks they’ll lose a paddle, it does happen: the paddle gets stuck between rocks underwater or separated from the paddler by wind or waves. Having an spare break-apart paddle among the group will help make an otherwise arduous paddle to the take-out a minor inconvenience.
   

Final Thought

We’re on the water to have fun, be safe and enjoy our beautiful aquatic resources. Not everyone on or near the water appreciates this natural beauty as much as we do as is obvious form the amount of litter present in our streams. I hope you will join us as and make “Trash Every Trip” your credo when paddling. Always try to carry even the simplest trash bag (plastic grocery bags work great and store in the tiniest space) with you and pick up even one piece of trash you may find in a stream or lake or at the access. Think how well it speaks for the paddlesport community when others see the care you take keeping these gems clean. If you can photograph a real trouble spot or just want to document the trash you’ve collected, we’d like you to visit www.cleanrivers.org and let us know about and publicize the great work you are doing.