30 IMPORTANT ITEMS to bring when kayaking | Paddling gear for a well prepared and safe kayak trip

[@jm-bv1wh]

Great list! Thought you were going to miss tow rope, but it just snuck in at the end. I think that it's very important. There have been several occasions when I had to get out of the kayak and tow it. Once the wind was too strong to paddle against, so towed the kayak about a mile in knee- deep water back to the launch site. Another time the wind and tide were too strong to paddle against, so got close enough to shore to tie the kayak to an overhanging tree branch and wait until I had the chance to rest and conditions improved. Of course, you need to be close to shore to use these options.

[@AirOnTheWater]

Thank you! I have towed a few other kayakers and used the tow rope to secure a drybag floating with beverages in cold water 😀, but other than perhaps securing the kayak to something on land while on briefly on shore haven't thought of it so much as a single paddler resource, e.g. when you're not paddling with others. You make a good case for how it can be useful though, in shallow waters or close to land. When not in those conditions, having a length of rope available at least as some kayakers do might be helpful. Then again, even if paddling solo, you never know what other paddler you might run into who might be in trouble and need a tow!

[@jm-bv1wh]

@@AirOnTheWater And it doesn't need to be anything fancy or expensive - a dog leash will do in a pinch!

[@AirOnTheWater]

@@jm-bv1wh Indeed. If there isn't a lot of flow in the water, so not a lot of "pull", I've sometimes used my paddle leash to temporarily secure the kayak to land.

[@PaddleAdventurer]

Well done 👏🏼Great list!

[@AirOnTheWater]

Thank you!

[@nostalgiainfinity]

Thanks for the shopping list, As happened Ive ordered the following last week. 1. Good phone pouch 2. 3 Drybags 3. Good rope 4. Paddle leash 5. Sunglasses with straps 6. Additional headgear And getting the decathlon PFD next weekend. 😊 Still got the skirt and drysuit on the wishlist.

[@AirOnTheWater]

Sounds excellent! Yes, the gear really adds up when you go for a lot of paddles and need the whole kit 😀 Sounds like you have things well in hand there!

[@didierwaefler3651]

Thanks you so much for your great job. God bless you and your family + your channel

[@AirOnTheWater]

Thank you very much for the kind words! Best wishes for you and yours as well 😎

[@marie-claudelariviere1092]

Enjoyed that. We have almost the same list. You made me laugh; I also make sure to tie my glasses! 😅 A few additional items for me: security blanket (thin foil like one), basic compass, VHF radio set on emergency channel, 5 m floating rope. I kayak solo most of the time.. 😉

[@AirOnTheWater]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it - thanks! Yep, I lost a couple of glasses in a lake on my first ever SUP paddle when the fin got caught on underwater vegetation while paddling at speed a few years back. Lessons learned. The video mentions compass and VHF radio, but not the rope or security blanket (which I mention in my more specific safety video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5WTh5msbLOEl7s). Nice to hear you're also safety aware!

[@garzapedroa]

Do you recommend the X500 for novices, to be used in lakes?

[@AirOnTheWater]

Good question. It depends on the paddler, really, as it's a kayak that's intended primarily for paddlers with a bit of experience, I'd say. I personally find it quite stable, but I had paddled other more stable inflatable kayaks before starting with the X500. For a complete novice to kayaking, the X500 could be good if they have good balance or are willing to practice a bit in the beginning to make sure that they get comfortable with the balance of the boat. For someone who would want a kayak that's highly stable to begin with, something like the Itiwit X100+ 2P could be an option... or, for a bit of a faster kayak, the Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame which is quite stable.

[@AirOnTheWater]

PLB in the video stands for Personal Locator Beacon (transmits distress signals in an emergency).

[@ralphmammen]

Tolles Video - ich für meinen Teil hab anfangs auch viel dazu gekauft aber nutze das gar nicht mehr wie z.B. Paddle Leash ( kann man sich drin verwickeln beim Kentern, Bilgepumpe ( ich kann mein Kajak entleeren - den Rest mit dem Schwamm) Paddle Float...( kann ohne Einsteigen ) - wenn ich auf der offenen See fahren würde, dann habe ich diese auch nicht dabei, außer vielleicht die Pumpe. Na ja, aber das muss jeder selber entscheiden und ich bin da kein Maßstab.

[@AirOnTheWater]

Danke! Na ja, du hast ja da viel Erfahrung und weisst, was du brauchst und wo. In starke Wellen würde ich selbst nicht ohne paddle float rausgehen z.B. Paddle leash war ich froh mit zu haben, als wir im dunkel mit viele Kajaks waren - jemand hat mir was gegeben und das Paddel ist im Wasser am andere seite gefallen und war nich mehr zu sehen (100+ Kajaks). Ist auch noch jemand passiert. Glücklicherweise hatte ich mein leash dabei - es gab -5 Grad 😀

[@grachoderunwiderstehlichen]

👍 , also a JBL 30watt speaker for overlaying all bad noises

[@AirOnTheWater]

Good point with the speaker! I've actually used a JBL speaker on some trips, though a smaller one than the 30W 😀 Another paddler had the 30W with him on a holiday paddle with 100+ kayaks last year though and "DJ":d and played xmas songs!

[@grachoderunwiderstehlichen]

@@AirOnTheWater if it is NOT a nature reserve - it could be ok to enjoy two/three songs lounder as usullay

[@AirOnTheWater]

@@grachoderunwiderstehlichen Yep! On longer paddles and open waters where you're not disturbing anyone, some music can be nice to pass the time.

[@THE-RIVER-RAT]

GREAT information video Patrik. I kept saying to myself bloody hell I should have mentioned that lol We both have the same emergency repair kit (GORILLA TAPE) it's good stuff.

[@AirOnTheWater]

Thank you very much George! It's a bit funny because in Swedish "gorilla" also sounds like the two words "går illa" which essentially translates to "things going wrong". Of course it's very good to have "things going wrong tape" with you when things go wrong.

[@THE-RIVER-RAT]

@@AirOnTheWater OMG stop using it, you don't want to tempt fate, hehe

[@AirOnTheWater]

@@THE-RIVER-RAT Haha!

[@DustinRea]

I keep a half roll of gorilla tape in a bag. It's good stuff. I think it could repair a hull well enough to get home. And I realize now that I definitely want to get an ultralight (small size) sleeping bag. I have a nice -40 bag but it's wayyyy too big to pack on a kayak

[@AirOnTheWater]

Fair enough! And yes, ultralight / minimal size gear is a paddler's best friend, to extent possible :) Last year I slept on an archipelago island in my minimal 1-man tent, lightweight but it really feels like half a tent :D

[@jaysigler4340]

Definitely this. I punctured my kayak last trip. I stopped and was digging for my gorilla ductape. A fellow paddler had waterproof T-rex tape and it got me to the takeout! All of the suggestions in video were great. Was a rope throwbag mentioned?

[@AirOnTheWater]

@@jaysigler4340 Ouch! What kind of kayak was it? Good you had resources for a quick repair. Thanks for the positive feedback. Yes, a throw rope is mentioned briefly in text in the video 🙂

[@DustinRea]

@@jaysigler4340 I believe so? Throwbag was the first thing I got. Been practicing with it a bit. My shoulder is toast so ive been getting pretty good with an underhand spin and toss

[@jaysigler4340]

@Air On The Water wilderness Aspire. Not really fault of the kayak. I've been on quite a few rocky rivers and creeks. Going to try my skills at HDPE plastic welding soon. I have a spare yak for my upcoming week long Buffalo River trip. Safe paddles everyone!