Kayaking Gear Reccomendations

Boats, paddles, and more

I’ve been a fairly serious Lake Superior sea kayaker for almost four years, and a recreational paddler for even longer. In fact, I just got back from a 20 day paddling expedition (which you can check out on @natgeointhefeild).

After spending 20 days on the water, I’ve got some updated gear opinions to share!

Before we get started, here are some paddling terms to know:

Sea kayak/ing: kayaking open water such as the Great Lakes in a 15+ foot boat with sealed bulkheads (pockets of air), a VHF marine radio, and the ability to reenter your boat in deep and choppy water. You can read a sea kayaking Q&A here.

Touring/tripping: Overnight paddling.

Recreational kayak/ing: Paddling a boat that is neither a sea kayak (see above) or whitewater boat on flatwater; for example taking a 10 foot boat on a small lake or river.

Conditions: A general term referring to waves and wind that can make paddling more difficult or dangerous.

From boats, to paddles, to layers, here’s some of the best gear for your list and why:

What boat should I buy?

That’s a tough question! Asking me what boat you should buy is sort of like asking me what pants you should buy— I don’t know your size, preference, wether you want shorts or not, whether you’re going to be in rainy SE Alaska or baking on a beach in Florida. I just need more information than that.

That being said, I’ve paddled a lot of boats. Here are some good ones:

Wilderness Systems Pungo 120

A beginner recreational boat, the Pungo 120 is a stable recreational kayak that is easy to manage in the water and easy to transport. I’ve actually tripped out of a Pungo on flatwater lakes in Northern Michigan, and while it’s absolutely not a touring boat, you can easily do 1-2 flatwater nights out of a Pungo.

Current Designs Danish Boats

I’ve paddled a Sisu LV and a Prana LV. The Sisu is the choice boat for a lot of Great Lakes paddlers, and a good compromise between a surf boat and a boat you can trip out of. The Prana is a slightly longer than the Sisu, and has more volume in the hatches. Both of these are really great boats. If I could get any boat new, I would probably get a Prana LV.

Wilderness Systems Tempest

A fiberglass Current Designs boat is awesome if you already know you love sea kayaking in conditions, but if you’re looking for the Swiss Army knife of sea kayaks, I recommend the plastic Wilderness Systems Tempest. It’s one of the best boats you can get for the price, and beginner friendly while still playful.

Remember! I don’t know the best boat for you, but this is a good place to start!

Paddles:

Paddles are important. The weight matters, the feather angle matters, and the surface area of the blade matters. If you kayak frequently, I recommend investing more money than you might expect in a really good paddle, even if you exclusively recreationally kayak.

All of the paddles I recommend are a little more expensive; if you’re choosing to buy a cheaper paddle, you honestly won’t notice much difference between style/brand, so I didn't include any recommendations.

Aquabound Tango

At $315, the Aquabound Tango is one of the best quality paddles you can get for the price. It has a fiberglass blade and carbon shaft, making it more lightweight than an entry level paddle. This is a low angle paddle, good for casual paddling or long distances.

One thing that Aquabound paddles have on Werner (see next) is that locking system for the two halves of the paddle is sand resistant, lasts a long time, and doesn’t tend to get the wobble that Werner paddles will get after heavy use.

That being said, I’m still team Werner.

Werner Cyprus

The Werner Cyprus in carbon is the lightest, probably best paddle you can get. It runs a stiff $500 new, but it really is the best all around paddle on the market. This is the paddle that I use pretty much 9 times out of 10.

This paddle just feels natural. It’s the paddle most of the best paddlers I know either currently use, or did use for a very long time.

Shoes/footwear:

A lot of people recommend paddling booties or wet shoes. Unless it is fall/winter, or I’m in Alaska, I truly hate this type of paddling shoe. A wet shoe means your foot stays wet, and your skin will become vulnerable to foot fungus (yes, I am serious).

Here’s what I recommend instead:

Strappy sandals you can hike in:

Like Chacos or Tevas. The benefit of a shoe like Chacos or Tevas is that they dry quickly and you can still hike in them. I like these for places with beaches, or anywhere where not having a closed toe shoe is no big deal.

Trail Runners:

If you need a close-toed shoe, honestly the best thing to paddle in is a pair of trail runners that dry quickly and you don’t mind getting wet. This isn’t something you need to buy new; there’s no reason your old running shoes can’t become your new paddling shoes.

That being said, I’ve had good paddling experiences with the Oboz Arete, and heard good things about the Salomon trail runners like this one.

Wetsuits

If you paddle cold water (like that on Lake Superior!) you need a wetsuit or drysuit! A wetsuit keeps you wet and warmish, a dry suit keeps you dry and warm.

A good old farmer John/Jane style wetsuit is designed for paddling and should do the trick. Currently I use this wetsuit pant with this full length zip up top. I think I would be just as happy in a traditional Farmer Jane.

Baselayers

The best piece of gear is a good wool long sleeve shirt. Wool keeps you warm in a way that cotton just can’t, plus you get to smell like a sheep all day. Win!

I’ve beaten this exact Smartwool base layer within an inch of it’s life by dragging it out on countless paddling trips, ski trips, backpacking, winter camping, you name it, it’s a winner. It’s lasted through unspeakable abuse and I haven’t even had to patch it once. Love this shirt.

I’m also a big fan of this Woolcore shirt by Kokatat for a thinner base layer that fits nicely under a dry top or wetsuit.

Some paddling shots to get you 💫Inspired💫