Kayak Camping - How to Prepare for Your Trip

[@dawnjackson5556]

Thanks so much for posting this! My husband & I just went on our first kayak camping trip along a portion of the Kansas River. I used this video to help us prepare. It gave me the confidence to be in the wilderness for 3 nights & 4 days living out of a small boat. The trip was very successful. Can't wait to go again!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right On! Thats the reason I post them! Glad they were of some help to you guys. Thanks for watching!

[@georgemikodesigns]

Planning a Full Savannah Trip coming up in Spring '23, using Revlar synthetic paper is a good call...tearproof, waterproof :P Thx for the resource ideas! That solar panel is gold!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Oh that sounds like fun!!!

[@TomKirkman1]

Right on. Good preparation is the main difference between a good trip and miserable one. One other option for food on such a trip is to prepare your own meals, vaccuum bag them and then freeze them. They then serve as both a "refrigerant" and meals in your cooler. Just boil water and let them heat up, cut open the bag, dump on a plate and enjoy. Of course, you've only got about 2 or 3 days (tops) before they thaw out and need to be eaten. The Hormel heat and eat (microwave) meals are also excellent. They don't have to be refrigerated and will last for months. Just heat and eat. I usually empty them and vaccuum bag and freeze them, just to kill two birds with one stone. I hesitate to put links into somebody else's videos so will understand if you wish to pull this off, but if allowed, go to the :50 mark and watch. Again, no hard feelings if you wish to remove this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJDSZYB8o9h1gbs

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Good stuff!

[@brerrabbit4265]

I have the same hammock but I need to sleep on a flat surface so I use it as a bivouac.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

good deal Rabbit!

[@anneleppold8776]

Great video! The River Kings are very informative. But I just wanted to say that a 10-ft kayak is plenty for even a long trip. Backpackers have been going ultralight for years and gear doesn't take up that much space if you do it right. If I can fit everything I need in a moderately sized pack that fits on my back, it will fit in my 10-ft kayak, with space for additional river-specific items such as a life jacket, throw rope, bail bucket, spare paddles, etc. and even a few comfort items. I've been planning a trip down the length of the Buffalo River in Arkansas for a while now, hoping to go this spring if it doesn't flood again that is... Seven to eight days, 114 miles! The thing you really have to worry about is weight and weight distribution. If you're a heavyset guy with kayak that can carry 300 lbs max, then you're going to want to weigh all your gear, avoid dense canned food, and consider filtering/treating water rather than carrying it all. An unbalanced kayak will dump you in a heartbeat.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Anne Leppold thanks for the input! The biggest problem with a 10 footer is the absolute lack of speed in comparison to a 14 or even longer. I do agree that you can get it in a 10 footer if u pack ultra light...but why would want to on a kayak trip? Throw it in there and enjoy the comfy life is my motto! Ive done over 1000 nights of minimalist existence, time for the good life. Enjoy the Buffalo! Ive not done that one yet. I have a friend up that way and we have talked about it on occasion.

[@anneleppold8776]

That speed issue is true! That's why I prefer rivers to lakes. The kayak I have now is my first and I couldn't afford anything bigger and better. But it's mine and fit my needs, for now. I would love to get into whitewater paddling with a better one, and more gear. It's something to save for. Kayaking in winter or on higher class rivers requires specialized gear in addition what you would normally bring. Yeah, enjoy the extra comforts! Why not if you have the ability? That's awesome!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Anne Leppold all true! We have all been there! Enjoying yourself out there is what it's all about... I still have super fun memories of some of my first kayak trips in Old Town otter!

[@cathlyn205]

Anne Leppold I right there with you, mine is a 10 footer and I can pack it with no problem and still have room to spare. Any backpacker should be able to pack anything!

[@cathlyn205]

I have the hammock and tarps too, however, in Southern Texas, there aren't a lot of trees around on islands say on the Colorado and Brazos, just some scrub brush and sand so we have to have tents down here and use our hammocks when we head north.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

I ran into some of that on my trips to Alaska...esp up in the tundra. You could see 10 miles in every direction and literally no trees or shrubs over 5 feet tall. We had three cots inside a 6 man tent. It slept pretty good. We were able to fly all that gear in on a bush plane though...lol

[@johnmichaels4330]

Lol, all the guys on KZbin use an eno hammock as a throw away hammock... and that's my only hammock for backpack. 🤣 I need to get up with the times.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Oh man, the higher end hammocks are sooooo comfy!!

[@PracticalOutdoorist]

I like this series.

[@macpalmer6611]

What brand of pants are you refering to. Have seen quick dry clothing none with zippers to make shorts. By the way,we've talk just recently. Decided to use short form of middle name instead of Wayne. Go by Mac at work. One other question.... Was wathcing New River Vid. Excellent. Do you have vid of you doing the big falls?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Hey Mac, Almost all the quick dry brands have a zip off pant. No, no videos of sandstone falls...did not have a GoPro when I ran that one.

[@bramick]

1. Would be helpful to list the items in the description. 2. What about your watch?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Good call... on it. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@adventureswithacherokee8378]

Great video, enjoy the trip. As far as maps go, a cheap option is to offline download google maps for the area you will be kayaking and put your phone into a waterproof case.

[@danielsal85]

another currious question .... how much does your kayak weigh with gear and all nwithout gear ...for around 2 days 3 nights

[@RiverKingsKayak]

boat is 59 lbs. I usually take around 65 lbs of gear water not included.

[@danielsal85]

do you use walkie talkies on your trips?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Good question. No I usually do not. I have been on other types of trips where we needed them, had them, and used them often. For a river kayaking trip, I have found that separating the group far enough apart to need walkie talkies on a river expedition introduces other risks. There would definitely be some pros to having them for sure. There would really be no use for them in flat water as you should not get separated. Things happen so fast in whitewater situations that relying on radio coms at intervals is not responsible. If I cannot see each paddler at all times in a tricky situation, I cannot be sure they are ok. Seconds count in those situations. We do have some fall back plans that we establish that we call a no-coms plan (no communications) that will aid us in reconsolidating of the group. I am not against walkie talkies and can certainly cite many good reasons for having them, I just do not use them in this sort of scenario. Thanks for the question!

[@danielsal85]

River Kings awesome...thanks for the advice

[@yakkelberry214]

Another stout addition to an awesome series.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thank you my friend!

[@MonkeyNAround]

I see you use a Mac what software do you edit with? I look forward to seeing the video on this trip.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Yes, the Mac was Christmas from my wife. I just use simple iMovie. I've thought about Final Cut Pro or something, but then would spend untold hours in rendering and editing...

[@MonkeyNAround]

We did that on our trip. We zoomed in too much and had too much detail and too many pages. 19:45

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Its a learning process!