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| Loon Lake |
Your adventure begins here...
Kayakpacking floats happily at the corner of backpacking and adventure cycling. It contains elements of both short and long distance backpacking adventures with the additional range and solitude and locations that can only be achieved by kayak. Kayakpacking is going places on rivers, lakes, swamps, oceans, fjords and waterways carrying everything you need to survive in the wild.
By Outside Adventure to the Max Guest Blogger John D'Amelio
If you already have the gear you need for an overnight campout you are 90% on the way to your first adventure. Start by using what you have, pick a short and safe flatwater route (7-15 miles) on a lake or calm river nearby and borrow or rent a kayak. You'll learn everything else as you go knowing you are never far from a bailout. The best kayak to use is the one you already have or can borrow from a friend or relative. Add a few dry bags to your kit and you'll be almost ready to paddle. Our primary focus is on 'Sea' or 'Touring' kayaks but kayak packing doesn't necessarily rely on boats with dry storage bulkheads. Additionally, you can search your local or regional craigslist for used kayaks, personal flotation devices (PFD's) and paddles.
What to look for in a Kayak
No matter the type of water your adventure finds your best bet for any multi-day kayak packing adventure is a kayak that will be comfortable to sit in, easy to steer, and has ample room for your gear to be reasonably dry and secured. Sea or touring kayaks are built for this purpose. They have a seat that you can be comfortable in for long periods of time, storage bulkheads that remain mostly dry and keep your gear secure and most have either a rudder that is controlled with your feet or a retractable skeg that aids in keeping the craft true and stable.
Other features to look for are a craft with a long length (typically 13'-16') and a beam that is not more than 24" both of which make sea kayaks easier to paddle long distances.
Other things you'll want to consider when setting up your kayak packing kit:
1. Safety
Somewhere some lobby somewhere decided that the term 'life vest' was just too inadequate or potentially litigious to fully embody its function or protect itself from financial ruin. We expect the later. Enter 'Personal Flotation Device' or 'PFD'. By whatever term you use this is not something in which to overlook but you need not spend a small fortune on either, plus there are many products that feature storage pockets that keep essential gear like bug spray, navigational aids and snacks within reach as you paddle throughout your journey.
2. Dry storage
Just assume that everything that you pack – food, cooking gear, shelter and clothing – is going to get wet. Its one of the undeniable truths of outdoor adventures and even more so true of kayak parking. Fear not, this is something we can manage through waterproof 'dry bags', ziplock bags and Tupperware. We'll help you decide what absolutely need to keep dry and those items in your kit that can go without any extreme protection measures.
3. Hydration
'Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink' bemoaned the Ancient Mariner. Unfortunately, this may not only be true of salt water routes as many freshwater routes may have unfilterable water due to AgChemical and other environmental runoff. Fear not. Filter if you can but thankfully there are many options for hauling along what you need ranging from stainless steel bottles to multi-liter bladders.
4. Accessories
There is a wide variety of accessories specific to kayak packing that will help you be both more efficient in your storage and comfortable in the cockpit. If your kayak lacks specific storage bulkheads there are deck bags that can strap to the bow and stern to expand your touring capacity. Map cases come in many shapes and sizes and help to keep them dry and close at hand. And not to mention cupholders that can keep one of the most important items – coffee – close during your morning paddle.
Camping gear
Kayakpacking shares a lot with its backpacking cousins when it comes to gear. Most certainly the lighter the better holds true when it comes to efficiently packing out your kayak, but it's somewhat less important than if you had the same items strapped to your back or bike. Sure, a lighter kit is easier to handle in upper-class rapids or on the occasional portage (when you have to drag or carry your craft overland) but there is no need to take out a loan to get everything before your first adventure. Start out with what you already own or can borrow and then update your gear as you gain more experience.
Our budget camping and gear recommendations:
Our budget camping and gear recommendations:
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| Loon Lake |
Kayak
Shelter
REI Half-dome 2-plus tent
NeoAir XLite MAX SV mattress
Streamlight 66318 MicroStream
Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleep Bag
HAMMOCK OPTION
Eno Doublenest hammock
Chill Gorillla tarp
Chill Gorilla mosquito net
NeoAir XLite MAX SV mattress
Streamlight 66318 MicroStream
Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleep Bag
HAMMOCK OPTION
Eno Doublenest hammock
Chill Gorillla tarp
Chill Gorilla mosquito net
Kitchen
John D'Amelio serves as the Executive Editor of Kayakpacking.co. When he's not dreaming about, planning or editing kayak adventures he is a freelance designer and writer. He calls central North Carolina home where he lives with his wife of 28 years.
Launched in late 2017 kayakpacking.co is a resource specifically devoted to longer distance kayaking adventures. Their goal is to give paddlers the tools and materials you need to follow published routes while inspiring you to seek out and plan your own adventures.
Kayakpacking.co's route system has grown in a very short time to over 600 miles of documented flatwater (0-II class) trails and counting with over 400 more miles currently in development. Check out their getting started series. It walks you through everything you need to know to plan a simple overnighter to a full-blown multi-week kayak packing adventure.
Kayakpacking.co's route system has grown in a very short time to over 600 miles of documented flatwater (0-II class) trails and counting with over 400 more miles currently in development. Check out their getting started series. It walks you through everything you need to know to plan a simple overnighter to a full-blown multi-week kayak packing adventure.
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