Everything I Wear (and Bring) When I Go Kayaking

Paddling is about performance apparel, not about fashion.Columbia’s Low Drag Offshore shirthas sun protection rated at UPF 40, it’s lightweight and breathable, and it dries fast when splashed or soaked with sweat.

My legs are often in a kayak cockpit and pretty hairy anyway, so I don’t worry about the sun as much on my lower half. I usually wear a pair ofCatch Surf Waikiki Heritage Trunks, which are basically classic board shorts, but not quite as long as those from most brands, but you can wear whichever you’d like fromOrlebar BrownorPatagonia. In case you were wondering, my wife likes aBody Glove Paddle Suit, which is essentially aone-piece bathing suitwith long sleeves, so she’s covered from waist to wrist. As for our son, he wears aSnapper Rock Long Sleeve UPF 50 Rash Guard.

Out on the water, there’s nowhere to hide from the sun, so a hat is critical under all paddling conditions. I use aHeadsweats Boonie Hatbecause its large brim provides me plenty of shade and because it’s light and breathable, which is important for me, as my head definitely sweats when I’m hard at the paddles and pedals. I also occasionally wear one of theirUltra Bandsfor added sweat catching, or I’ll slide it down over my neck to block the sun there.

Forsunglasses, I wear the same things on the water as I wear back on land, which are the Sunski Classics. The lenses are polarized, which is a necessity for glare reduction, and they’re not bad-looking to boot.

As far aswater shoes, I wear my trustyAstral Brewer 2.0’s. They dry fast, they’re comfy without socks, and they even have built-in drainage holes to let water run out after I step into the Long Island Sound or dive off the yak on a hot day.

If you are participating in a water activity that brings you any appreciable distance offshore, you should be wearing a life jacket. I don’t care if you’re an Olympic swimmer — if you get injured or sick, your swimming chops are gone, and a personal flotation device is all you have to count on to keep you above water. I own a few life jackets, but theAstral Ringo PFDis my current favorite for paddling thanks to the wide range of motion it allows for my arms.

The other piece of kayak equipment I always have on hand is a smallair horn, and the first time you see the bow of a cabin cruiser coming your way fast, you’ll know why. You can’t take it for granted that other boaters will see you, and you can’t always paddle fast enough to avoid danger.

If you spend a long time out on the water in hot, sunny weather, eventually thatsunblockyou applied before launching will wear out. I don’t like the greasy feel of sunblock on my hands, so when I can’t easily wash them, I use aBodyGlide Sun Sunscreen Stick. The container looks and works just like a stick ofdeodorant, but instead of rolling it under your pits, you roll it just about everywhere else.

You should expect a fair amount of splashes and drips and such when kayaking, but in the event of an accidental full-scale soaking, I recommend you have atowelonboard. I always paddle with aRumpl Shammy Towelat the ready because it rolls up and packs away easily when I don’t need it, and it absorbs a crazy amount of water when I do.