Whether a long day trip, or kayaking multiple days back to back, this list of must haves and must dos should have you covered for any kayak touring adventure on lakes or calm rivers.
If you are a beginner kayaker, and you need information about the basic essentials of kayaking before embarking on a longer trip, see my GearJunkie article, Kayaking for Beginners: An Essential Checklist. Also, please read the companion piece on my blog, Kayaking Safety Tips.
This long distance kayaking guide is based on the learnings from a solo kayak circumnavigation of Lake Tahoe. The original trip was supposed to be five consecutive days, but the itinerary was modified to three individual day trips.
1. Gloves
In order to paddle for many hours in a day, you must have gloves with some padding in key areas. I had never used gloves before this trip, but now I will never leave home without them! It’s best to try on the gloves in store (make sure to wash your hands right before) to ensure they are nice and snug.
Options are fingerless, or full finger gloves. If you will be paddling in colder temps (even at sunrise), or during shoulder season when the water is cold, the full finger will help keep the chill away. For fingerless, make sure the glove goes to at least the first crease/bend in your finger because that spot gets a lot of friction.
Bonus – wearing gloves makes carrying your boat and your gear more pleasant!
2. Phone Waterproof Case & Lanyard
Having your phone handy is important for two reasons. First, in case of emergency (if you are paddling in an area with reception). Second, unless you are paddling somewhere that is not beautiful (not a thing), you will want to take photographs regularly.
I highly recommend the Lifeproof Case FRE Series. Make sure to choose the correct one for your phone. I’ve had my phone in the snow on the chairlift, the dirt while camping, and with more than one big splash in the cockpit while paddling, and the phone is safe.
This case also has a spot to look through a lanyard, which is another important item for a long distance paddle so you can pull out your phone from your PFD pocket over and over again, worry free. The lanyard I used is only available in bulk, but most outdoor stores should have something like this to work with your phone.
A more affordable option is what most kayak rental operations have available to protect and attached your phone while paddling.
3. PFD – Comfortable with Pockets
My PFD is not comfortable for my body shape, and therefore I was constantly tugging and adjusting. Invest in something you want to wear all day long! Make sure it has pockets for key items – snacks, phone, camera, radio, whistle.
I’ve had my eye on this PFD for a while due to the bright colors and numerous pockets, even a dedicated radio pocket. Another feature to consider is upper back padding only, allowing you to comfortable rest against your seat back without needed shifting.
4. Water Bottle – Soft & Accessible
I am obsessed with my Hydrapak Stow 1L. It’s a good size, has a loop to use a carabiner to connect it to your boat, it lays perfectly flat, and it’s easy to open and close for quick drinking. The Hydrapak Flux 1.5L is my second bottle. For the extra long days, and for at camp if you are enjoying an overnight, grab a tough and insulated storage bag.
5. Map with Public Beaches
Thanks to the Lake Tahoe Water Trail Map and Guide I knew ahead of time where I would be able to come ashore during each leg of my trip. This is highly important because most of the shoreline is privately owed (57% as of 2016).
Each morning, I took a photo on my phone of the sections I would be covering, so I could quickly glance and see how many miles to my next leg stretching and pee break. Sometimes, the distance to the next beach was so long, that I contemplated just letting it go in the boat. And if you do, no judgement.
6. Snacks – Loads of Them, Compact, & Accessible
Speaking of the high percentage of shoreline being privately owned, I quickly realized that going onshore each time I needed to fuel with food was a pain in the ass. Thankfully, I’ll my food was already in snack form, and I could fit a lot in my PFD pocket.
Do yourself a favor and rather than relying on large normal meals, eat a energy snack every 30 to 60 minutes. Some of my favorites: RX Nut Butters (taste like raw cookie dough it’s awesome), Clif Nut Butter Bars, GU Energy Chews (tastes like candy and strawberry is the best), or just good ol’ fashion mozzarella cheese sticks.
7. Dry Bag(s)
One or two small dry bags will have you covered for a day trip. Overnighters will require more (tent, sleeping bag). For my supplies, like my first aid kit, headlamp, parachord, pocket knife, map, I used my trusty Osprey Ultralight 6L.
For my extra clothes, I used the my Sea to Summit Compression Dry Sack. Note that both of these dry bags are ultralight style because I used them for backpacking. If your boat gets filled with water or these items go overboard, some water may seep inside. For a more tight and sturdy seal, go with the Sea to Summit Big River line (various sizes).
Having all of your items in a dry bag provides a sense of worry free ease (at least for one of the few factors that are in your control).
8. Layers
For a long day of paddling, you could be starting out in near freezing air temperatures at sunrise, and getting to 70 or 80 degrees at mid-day, depending on the time of year and the local climate.
Even for a day trip, I had all of the following layers, either on my body or in the dry bag at any given time: wool socks, shorts, long pants, long sleeve breathable shirt, mid-layer jacket, rain-jacket/windbreaker, full-finger wind blocking gloves.
9. Paddle Leash
This was a another new investment that I previously did not think was necessary, but after using it have realized its importance on long days. Since you will be eating snacks, drinking water, and taking breaks while sitting on the boat (limiting amount of times you go onshore), the paddle leash allows you to do all these tasks without worrying about a crucial piece of gear floating away.
The velcro end goes around your paddle, and then the other end can be either attached to your PFD or to the boat. This is the Sea to Summit leash that I used.
10. Good Posture & Strong Abdominals
You may be wondering why these are included on this guide. The problem is, most people think that kayaking is all in the arms. Honestly, except for on my last leg, which was 25 miles with 8+ miles in extreme boat chop, I did not feel much strain in my arms.
My neck, fingers, and abs were where all the tension builds. I highly recommend a regular regiment of yoga to cross-train, as this will be crucial in focusing your attention on your posture (to reduce neck pain) and utilizing your abdominal muscles at all times.
11. Weather App
To check the wind speed and direction, air temperatures, sunrise time and air quality, I used the Wunderground App on my phone. All of the forecasts available on here guided many details of my trip – what time I woke up, what time I launched, what I was wearing at the beginning of the day, what type of face mask I packed, when I needed to finish the day by, and if I needed to pause trip.
Usually, your best paddle window for wind (and boat traffic) is sunrise to 1-2pm depending on the day. Some days, 11am is when chop gets bad, or air quality diminishes. Some mornings, I tried to avoid getting my feet wet since it was near freezing temperatures outside (or invest in socks or booties).
12) Flexible Itinerary
The most important “must do” item I learned on this experience is that having a flexible itinerary makes everything better. The beauty of paddling, similar to backcountry skiing, is that your adventure is 100% reliant on the weather. For safety, and to avoid disappointment, you need to have a plan b and c ready and available.
Day trips/section paddling make this easier to achieve. Since all accommodation around the lake is either a campground that fills up quickly, or expensive hotels, there is little to no room for impromptu changes during an multi-night overnight trip. If, however, you are paddling in a place with open camping (like National Forest or Wilderness) then you have more wiggle room.
Also, being in control of your own transportation – having a way to get back to your vehicle on your own, willing to call a taxi, or access to public transportation. (Unfortunately, now is not a great time for hitchhiking due to Covid-19).
I hope this guide helps you prepare for a paddle tour. If paddling around Lake Tahoe, whether day trips or multi-day trips, please utilize the vast and in depth information on the Lake Tahoe Water Trail website.
If you have any follow-up questions, do not hesitate to email me at dirtandtears@gmail.com.
