Kit & Gear Lists
Choosing your sea kayaking kit & clothing is a very personal affair - often choices made depend on attitudes to risk, but there are also lots of trade-offs in all gear choice. In the commentary we'll try to give a flavour of the arguments and positions paddlers adopt.
In respect of gear requirements for participating in Atlantic Shores events we've tried to make clear what is mandatory, what is recommended and what is completely optional.
In respect of gear requirements for participating in Atlantic Shores events we've tried to make clear what is mandatory, what is recommended and what is completely optional.
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CommentaryThis is a gear list I have been using for quite a few years. The trouble with lists is they can organically grow, become increasingly idealistic & lose practicality. So I have gone back & removed things I no longer carry - mainly because I just never used them & they couldn't be justified as essential. Despite paddling a Taran, with masses of storage space, I hate carrying anything unnecessary as a matter of principle & also really like stuff that can be used for multiple purposes... I am also a great believer in the pleasure of managing with less when travelling in the wild, so although I like to have some small comforts when expeditioning - good coffee, whisky, a chair and a decent sleep mat, I am happy to do without lots of things I'd have at home...
Also what I carry is very situational, different depending on the group, the worst weather & sea conditions and the challenge of the trip I'm likely to face, the duration, remoteness etc... So if I'm with a group that is aiming to get a lot of distance covered I may jettison all comfort stuff and resort to a 'backpacking' superlight configuration; If I'm in France in the summer I may take very little in the way of shelter, essentially bivouacking, but with nice wine and food - I think you get the idea! Most of these decisions are driven by common sense, but different guides and leaders do hold opposing views on these type of risk management calls and it still is amazing how much contention things like flares can generate on social media! So although this is a list, it should be read in conjunction with the notes and not seen as a prescription to be followed blindly. For any piece of gear you do or do not carry you should feel comfortable in your own mind as to why that is the right decision for you in a particular paddling situation. The list also indicates a possible preferred position to pack gear in the boat. Again this is a general recommendation, and reflects the two primary drivers for where to put stuff - one is in relation to accessibility on the water, or if separated from your boat, the other is to minimise the effect on trim and handling of the boat - so dense & heavy stuff should be kept close to the centre of rotation of the boat and carefully balanced between the front and back. Really light stuff like sleeping bags, camping mat and tents can go to the ends. In some boats the rear hatch is the only one which will allow you to place bigger items - eg some larger cooking equipment, trolley etc. which may constrain things further. Gear also changes, so specific brand or item recommendations soon age... If you have any feedback please let me know - always keen to hear other opinions. SafetyIdeally a lot of safety equipment should be carried on your body, but if you've seen some leader's PFDs loaded up, they may be carrying all the safety gear on them but they no longer have any buoyancy! You also have a lot of stuff that limits your flexibility for paddling efficiently. So I personally only carry essential safety communication (VHF, phone & PLB) in my PFD, the rest is in what I call a jump bag that lives behind my seat with my paddle float. If the shit hits the fan then the plan is to take this with me.... Yes, there is a risk of being separated from my boat, especially in very strong winds, but in conditions like that I will clip onto the boat decklines with my contact short tow if I'm in the water attempting self rescue.
I carry my phone as well as a VHF because phone reception is sometimes available when VHF isn't. In addition the reality is that VHF reception when you are in the sea, or beached under a cliff is very limited - basically line of sight. I have MMSI and GPS on my VHF, and yes this affects battery life and the size of the handset, but having a pushbutton automatic resending mayday arrangement is reassuring. On exped I will turn my VHF off in gentle conditions to save battery life. I also carry a PLB, and a Spot satellite tracker / communicator if on remote exped; the trouble with these is that they are one way comms devices, so you don't know if anyone has the message till the cavalry arrive... I also have a wired extension aerial for my VHF - allowing me to hold this up on my paddle to get an extra couple of metres worth of reception - not had to use this in anger yet - but it certainly helps reception & transmission when I have tested it.. Some leaders carry some elements of their repair & first aid kits in their PFD to have them easily to hand. The argument is that this allows you to quickly address a holed boat or an immediate small injury. Of course the hole would need to be reachable and you would likely need two paddlers supporting each other to get a repair done - same for treating a casualty in most cases. In that case I would argue that the assisting paddler or even casualty can get your repair or first aid kit from a remote hatch, although normally I would keep both in an accessible day hatch. Carrying & using incendiary flares is becoming less common, with a lot of leaders relying on VHF & PLB alone or with an additional electronic beacon flare & pointer torch. Nevertheless the visibility provided by smoke or parachute flares, and their ability to elicit a response from spectators, and for indicating position to the rescue services is very valuable. The problem is few kayakers have ever fired a flare even in a test situation, and sitting in slightly damp conditions as they do, they can become unreliable - even when they are still in date.... ClothingSome people swear by the utility & coldwater safety of a drysuit and use one whenever they paddle, whilst others will only wear a dry suit in extreme conditions or when they believe there is more than a remote chance of them ending in the water... I personally very rarely wear a drysuit, preferring the flexibility of dry bib trousers & a cag. I also often carry a spare cag, either a lightweight, shortsleeve or heavyweight, e.g. opposite to what I set off wearing, and I often change if the weather improves or worsens.
I already commented on the amount of kit some people carry in their buoyancy. I carry only my radio, phone and a couple of karabiners. If I'm paddling alone I use a manual cylinder inflatable life jacket, and have added on some pockets to allow me to carry the items above. My reasoning is that in the sort of conditions that will end up with me in the water and unable to self rescue or land, then I am going to need the extra safety of a lifejacket with a storm hood. In addition a life jacket of this type is much less restrictive for paddling in than a buoyancy aid. I'm a great believer in merino for comfort and versatility, but it can get wetted out and then is harder to dry than synthetics. Aclima, Brynje & Devold do mesh style merino base layers, and for me at least these tend to be easier to keep dry (but they don't stop you getting sunburnt or bitten by midges, and they are not necessarily flattering on the older paddler!). Navigation / PlanningI carry A3 laminated personalised maps in a waterproof map-case on my deck. I assemble these from OS or local terrestrial maps and add navigation and tidal information from the relevant charts using Memory Map. I like using the A3 format as I can decrease the scale (i.e. redrawing 1:50k maps at 1:30k) so that the information is easier to read in the boat. The downside of this approach is that you need to carry more maps and also a wider area map at a bigger scale (and more maps) if you want a more complete overview. I rarely carry charts except in some ‘interesting’ locations where understanding the detail of what is below you helps (e.g. The Skerries Anglesey). I use my handheld compass rather than carry a modified Douglas protractor these days, often I will pre-mark the chart with relevant bearings. You can download some of the maps to areas we visit in our map resource section.
I very rarely use GPS either my SatMap Active 20, the Memory Map App that I have on my phone, or the GPS on my VHF handset - but it is nice to have them available as back-up, especially if you need to give a very accurate position to rescue services. The issue with all these electronic devices is keeping them charged if you are on remote expedition for longer periods. Most VHFs need 12v to charge – although there are a few lately adopting the 5v USB standard. I do a lot of paddling in Scotland – the good thing is that the hours of daylight in the summer are long – but the sunlight intensity may not always be. So I haven’t resorted to solar charging. I have invested in a power bank – one that will start a car – so that you have a 12v output that I rewired to the charging cable for the VHF! ShelterChoice of tents for sea kayaking tend to come in a couple of main varieties and forms. Some people like to have an extension area for gear storage & potentially cooking/ sitting in in horrible weather, and are happy to carry a bigger tent to achieve this - often a cycle touring type, and obviously easier if you're sharing. Others are happy to take a much smaller tent that is basically little more than a sleeping capsule, keeping gear outside in bags or left in the boat overnight, and using a tarp or braving it for cooking if the weather is bad... the other key issue is whether any tent or tarp is any way self supporting, as shoreline pegging out in windy conditions can be a challenge.
I personally have a few tents and tarps to choose from and my choice will depend a lot on the weather outlook. A personal recent favourite of mine is a hooped pole tarp to shelter and cook under. Easier to manage than a regular tarp in windy conditions, and sociable for up to three people.... If I'm guiding a group then I'll carry a larger tarp and dedicated poles. A revelation for me has been the new varieties on small camping seats (chinese fighting stick variety!) They take little room but make life in camp so much more comfortable. A recent change for me is going back to synthetic sleeping bags ( and insulated clothing too) if I'm out for a while and it is likely to be wet. Synthetic fillers have improved a lot recently & although not as good as down by weight & size when dry - they win everytime after many days when you're unable to keep your gear dry. ProvisionsI suspect this is an area with the greatest variability amongst paddlers. Some people regard food as fuel on exped and treat is as such ( I have paddled with an ex marine who lived on corned beef and smash instant potato day after day and meal after meal, and also those that swear by prepacked army rations (mainly because they get them cheap close to end use date!). I personally find expedition cooking, whether just for myself, or with a group a really important part of the experience, and as I like interesting food and cooking I carry as much fresh stuff and spices as will survive in the boat, but of course after a few days away that gets more difficult. Have a look at the sample menus for our catered trips to see some of the meals we are able to offer even after many days away, usually based on dried bulk ingredients, but then with added interest from dried or canned veg/fish/meat/mushroom and spicing/stock cube etc. Some fresh things can survive surprisingly long e.g. certain hard fruit & root veg, very hard cheese (parmesan), eggs (if you don't like the bulk of a carrier you can crack a dozen into a nalgene bottle!)... Remember to pack some treats, and favourites, for example I always carry coffee beans and a grinder!
There may well also be foraging, fishing or other opportunities to supplement your rations. There are a number of books listed in the resource section covering this. CookingI usually carry a 10 litre water bladder on exped. I use a tough reinforced one so I can secure it stuffed behind my seat in the boat, as it is so heavy I want it as close to me as possible. I rarely carry a filter or purification tablets, preferring to rely on boiling if I have to use wild sourced water.
I've tried a lot of stoves over the years, and eventually now migrated to a multifuel, that I usually use with white fuel. For me having the ability to simmer is valuable and a lot of stoves just don't allow that. I usually stock up with a couple of litres of fuel which is good for a lot of personal cooking for a week. On the pan front I am a minimalist - mainly because I like having a good solid steel pan that I can use either on a stove or on the fire, and carrying two of those would be too heavy! If I'm with a group there will be bigger pans and fire cooking stuff to spread around to get carried. OtherA various few things listed here. I won't always take all of these, apart from the spare batteries, charging leads & safety kit. I will usually take the firemaking kit, my bush knife & camera.
First Aid KitIf I'm looking after a group this is the first aid kit I will carry. I did try to reduce the kit size by removing stuff I never used, but frankly I use bits of my first aid kit so rarely that I would have nothing in it if I followed that logic through. I carry a much smaller kit if peer or solo paddling.
With the current Covid situation I now also carry alcohol hand gel & an anti viral spray, as well as a personal mask. We ask all participants in events to have their own small first aid kit and masks. Repair KitIf I'm with a group this is the repair kit I will carry. Again I find I very rarely have to use bits of this kit - but I like having the security to cover a number of eventualities if I'm looking after others. Again I'll carry a much smaller kit if peer or solo paddling.
Group KitThese are items I'll take some of on exped looking after a group that is group catering. There is a lot of weight here so it needs to be distributed among participants. You can find copies of some of the song, quiz & game sheets in the guide and leader resources part of the website.
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