Experts’ Guide to Paddle Sports
Experts’ Guide to Paddle Sports
Choosing your watercraft
Step one is choosing the watercraft and the water activity. Brands on ExpertVoice offer a variety of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards (SUP) and canoes.
SUP
“Stand-up paddle boarding is a great way to be on the water, work on core strength, lower and body muscle development, and balance, and just enjoy water sports at a low-cost entry point, and easy to get on and off the water with little work and to take advantage of shorter windows of time.” — Dan
Kayak
If you’d like to feel more stable or have more than one person using a watercraft, go with a kayak or canoe as those have options for bringing more people in one watercraft.
Canoe
Canoes are a great go-to for longer adventures — because of their extra space, you can not only fit more gear, but move around and adjust your sitting position more easily.
Considering inflatable?
“Inflation is easy and you can go from packed in the car to out on the water in 10-15 minutes.”
“I live in a condo on the third floor where having a hard shell kayak just wouldn't be practical, but I live in the Ocean State (RI) and wanted a way to get out on the water with my girlfriend.”
“Super easy to inflate, store, and a sturdy ride.”
What you’ll need (if you want to upgrade from the hand pump that comes with your watercraft): Electric pump
Rob Blanchard
11 reviews (9.5 avg.)
12 helpful votes
Sea Eagle
BP12 Single Stage Electric Pump
Awesome Pump!
This pump is a life saver. I have had it for a couple of years now and it performs flawlessly. We have a SUP that needs to be inflated to 14 psi. With this pump we attach the leads to my trucks battery, attach the howe to the SUP, turn the dial to 14psi and turn it on. It runs until it hits the desired psi then turns itself off. I love when a product does what it is supposed to.
All in on hard shell
If you choose a hard shell model for its ease of use and performance, you’ll need a tie-on or car rack.
Malone Auto Racks
Stax Pro™ 2 (2 boat carrier)
Kayak Carriers
The Stax Pro's attached easily to my Original Equipment Crossbar Rails and have worked flawlessly for carrying all three of our Kayaks on numerous multi hundred mile trips. They also fold down simply so you can leave them attached to your vehicle until you need to use them again. I would definitely recommend this product.
Pick your paddle
All set with your boat? If you don’t have built-in propulsion, here’s how to pick the right paddle.
Canoe
“Your paddle shape should be determined by your main body of water for activities. Beavertail paddles (long skinny blades) are good for cruising lakes, while Ottertail paddles (wider short blades) are better for shallow water and rivers.” — Megan Castro
Kayak
Pick your paddle based on your height and your boat’s width. The wider your boat, the longer your paddle should be. The taller you are, the longer your paddle should be, too.
SUP
Your paddle should be about 8-12 inches taller than you. When you stand next to your upright paddle and raise your arm above you, the handle should sit at your wrist.
Watercraft checklist
Whichever your watercraft, have these accessories in your basic kit.
Life jacket/vest
Dry bag
Waterproof phone case
Whistle
Sun hat
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Water bottle
Snacks
Life jacket/vest
Expert tip: “Make sure the gear you buy is comfortable, especially your life jacket and seat. Make sure both allow you to move around well and actually paddle your craft.”
Dry bag
Expert-recommended Dry bag:
Outdoor Research
Dry Ditty Sacks PAK-3
Made it down the Grand
Got this set to organize all the little items I brought with me on a 25 day private trip down the Grand Canyon. It helped me stay perfectly organized, which is not a common feeling for me! The biggest size perfectly fit my guidebook so I could keep it out and dry while we were on the river. I used the two smaller bags for toiletries, sunscreen and cross-stiching! and it was simple to grab just the small bag I needed at any given time.
Waterproof phone case
Expert-recommended waterproof phone case:
Definitely Waterproof
I bought a few of these for an adventure in Iceland to hold my phone, passport, and wallet. I tested these out in the hot Blue Lagoon waters and the cold glacier runoff, and they're definitely waterproof. It is a bit hard to flip the little levers to open the case, but it seals very well.
Sun hat
“Sun protection! SPF clothing, environmentally friendly sunscreen, SPF [lip balm], all the protection from the sun’s rays. Even if you’re normally sun-proof, the reflection off the water is powerful and you will burn.”
Expert-recommended sun hat:
Tahoe Blue Gear
Tahoe Boonie
What I've been waiting for
I have been looking for a hat that will hold up to the elements and high wind speeds when boating - and I finally found it! The adjustable fit is great, the brim is sturdy, wide, and can be flipped back, the strap is removable, it floats... it checks all the boxes. So excited to finally be done searching for a good hat for long work days doing research on the water.
Sunglasses
Expert-recommended sunglasses:
Unsinkable® Polarized
Seafarer Unsinkable®
I bought these to be my active wear sunglasses. I’m pretty new to the sunglasses game but I have really enjoyed these. They float as promised. The biggest thing I notice with these is that they fit comfortably on my face and the lens has stayed crystal clear. I wore them on a deep sea fishing trip and hardly noticed I had them on. They’re also just a great looking pair of glasses in my opinion.
Sunscreen
Expert-recommended sunscreen:
Applies easy and provides needed protection when needed
NAAWK is my go-to for skin care products, and this product is my first recommendation to anyone who is interested in using this brand for protection from the elements. The sunscreen applies easily, absorbs quickly, and is good for protection from any hours outside on a bright summer day. I highly recommend.
Bug spray
Expert-recommended bug spray:
Sawyer Products
Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent, 24 oz Trigger Spray
Fantastic product. Applied to family's clothing prior to canoeing in the Border Waters (MN/Canada). When treated clothing was worn, no one was bitten by mosquitos or ticks. When untreated clothes were worn, mosquitoes bites were noted. If I have the prep-time, I will definitely treat my field gear and clothes.
Water bottle
Expert-recommended water bottle:
Nalgene
NARROW MOUTH 1 QUART
Fantastic Prodcut
I have used Nalgene's but we have been in short supply as our children grow older and need more water. I purchased this and have used it on a canoeing trip and backpacking trip. It doesn't leak, holds water, and is nice and bright so I don't loose it!
Expert-recommended snacks:
Talty Bar
Variety Case
Very tasty!
Very good protein bars. Apple strudel is probably my favorite but everyone of them is delicious. Handy to load on your pack for a ride or hike but also great to have in your lunch. Highly recommend you should try them.
BRANDON KING
1 reviews (10.0 avg.)
3 helpful votes
White Macadamia
White Macadamia is a great tasting bar that goes well w/ a banana or morning cup of coffee to give you energy before you get activated for the day. Highly recommend this or Chocolate Chip to someone who is trying Clif Bars for the first time.
Expert Tip: Keep your gear and accessories in a box to make load-in easier
“My spouse and I have SUPs that we [use] 2-3 times a week at a lake nearby. We keep all our gear minus the inflated boards in our car so we can do a quick load and go — takes about 3 minutes to load the boards. We are 20 minutes from the lake so this rapid load allows us to get an hour-long paddle in in under 2 hours. To make this effective, we keep everything we need (straps to tie down boards, dry bag, sunscreen, whistle, removable fins, hand pump, water bottles, energy bars, etc.) ready to go in a storage tote. This saves us a ton of time.”
“Don’t spend top dollar getting into the sport unless you have money to throw away. Start with better-than-beginning gear, though, so that you are not disappointed with subpar gear while you are trying to learn a new sport — nothing can be more frustrating than crappy gear while you are also challenged by just learning a new sport.
“Intermediate gear can last years, and then when you are ready from an experience and skill perspective, you’ll know what you really need and want for your upgrades. We have spent four years on our initial SUPs, including three Mexico trips, and are getting close to buying new and better performing gear. So, we’ve got a ton of use out of our intermediate-level gear, and now are ready to spend a little more for better quality gear.”