The 5 Essentials for Whitewater Kayaking

The following items are necessary for all levels of whitewater paddling. Click on any item to go to that category.

Kayak. Whether freestyle, creek, river-running, touring, recreational or inflatable, your boat is the first and most obvious of the “five essentials.”.

Paddle. The equivalent of both the pedals and handlebars on your bicycle, a paddle provides your propulsion and steering.

Sprayskirt: Your skirt needs to be sized correctly for both waist and boat (don’t worry we can easily figure this one out for you). The skirt is worn by the paddler, and attaches to the kayak cockpit to keep water out.  This allows a paddler to roll a kayak and paddle whitewater even when the boat is submerged.

Helmet. While no one plans on hitting rocks and underwater objects with their heads, it’s imperative to have a properly fit whitewater helmet. Think of a good helmet as an extremely affordable insurance policy.

PFD (life jacket). Your Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is designed to keep you afloat, and aid in self rescue. This is considered a good thing by those that like to breathe.

Drytop- The unofficial ‘6^th essential’. Paddlers in all cold-water states have adopted an unofficial ‘sixth essential’ to include gear that keeps us dry and warm, and therefore able to paddle in varying weather conditions. A drytop is the most favored piece of equipment to stay dry, and often necessary to be safely protected from hypothermia.