If you love the outdoors and water, you should combine the two of them and buy yourself a kayak. Kayaking is a great way to spend some time on the water, and with all the modern upgrades and technology, it is safe. However, before you set your feet on a kayak, you need to know
What to wear when kayaking?
For most people, simply jumping on a kayak is the way to go, and if you are in calm waters and have some good swimming skills, it might be worth it. However, safety is important, and you will need to make sure that you wear the right clothing and gear that could make life that much easier when you go on a kayaking trip.
- Life Jacket
- Kayaking Clothing
- Shoes
- Waterproof back
- Hat
You must understand what to wear, and we have decided that creating an essential guide to show you some of the important clothing will make life easier. We will look at the special features of kayaking gear and show you what you might need to buy when going on your first ever kayaking trip in open waters.
What To Wear When Kayaking?
Kayaking is a fun way to spend some time on the water, but many people have made mistakes and capsized kayaks or even fallen off them. It is important that you are efficiently prepared for these things to happen, which means having a life jacket. The life jacket is one of the most important things to ensure that you will always be floating.
Your clothing is also a point of concern, and you don’t want to be trapped in sticky or warm clothing while kayaking. It is much better to have something breathable and will allow the air to pass through efficiently. While clothing is something we all love to buy, we would like to emphasize that your focus should be on safety.
Key Items To Have When Kayaking
The following section will allow you to see all the important gear items that we would recommend. These gear items are designed to help you stay safe and make your trip as enjoyable as possible. We will recommend the following options for those that have never gone kayaking to buy for their first trip.
Head Protection
Price: $20
One thing people might often forget is to protect their heads. When you are on the kayak, you will be in the sun, and even when you have sun protection, you should consider a hat or some form of protection for your head. No one wants to be left with a nasty sunburn when spending some quality time out on the water.
Life Jacket
Price: $50- $100
If you like kayaking, you might already know the importance of the life jacket. It would be best if you bought a high-quality life jacket to protect your life when the kayak flips or when you accidentally fall over. Keep in mind that we would only recommend going for life jackets that the United States Coast Guard approves.
Check out our guide for the best life jackets for kayaking!
Upper Body
Price: $20 – $50
Going without a shirt might be comfortable for many men, but once again, you run the risk of sunburn. Sunblock might offer some protection, but having a comfortable shirt should be that much safer. We would recommend that you find a shirt that drains water rapidly. It should also offer you decent ventilation.
Lower Body
Price: $50
The lower body around your legs is not as important as some of the other parts of your body that will need some decent protection. However, you should have pants that are comfortable and allow the water to pass through. Once again, we recommend something that rapidly wicks away the water, and swimming pants might be the perfect option.
Shoes
Price: $0 – $100
Choosing what to wear on your feet is important when you get into a kayak. While you don’t need to wear any shoes, you always run the risk of slipping on the wet floor. Flip-flops are by far some of the worst things you can wear around your feet. We recommend waterproof shoes that offer extra grip and traction on the outer sole.
Emergency Equipment
Price: Depends on what you use
While this does not directly pertain to what you are wearing, it is something important you will need to have in the kayak. Medical equipment and other things that could save your life will be vital when you are kayaking.
Key Features Of Kayaking Clothing
Kayak clothing is not a thing, and you will be looking for clothing with features that are great with water. We have determined a couple of important features that you can rely on when choosing the right clothing. Here are some of these vital features:
Water Resistance
One of the first things to look for is water-resistant clothing. If your clothing can dry out rapidly and be resistant to water, you don’t have to deal with wet clothing. Your shoes are also one of the things that need to be waterproof as much as possible.
Durable
Nothing can be more frustrating than having your clothing be damaged while you are on the kayak. It is important to make sure that all of your clothing is durable and use them in rugged situations.
Comfort
The final thing to look for is comfortable clothing. You will be spending plenty of time on the water, and it is important that the clothing you select is comfortable. We recommend spending some time in the clothes to make sure it does not hinder you in any way before going kayaking.
Kayaking Gear Summary
If you like kayaking and want to have some fun on a sunny day, you should put some effort into finding the right clothing for your trips. This guide should give you a brief idea of what you need to look for and what is deemed important. However, let us know in the comment section if we have missed anything you choose to wear kayaking.
