gear required

Question
Hi Ben,

You probably get this question all the time but what type of gear will I need to get into white water kyaking and how much will it cost? I will paddle mostly in southern california. Also, what gear is must have and which is something that can wait until i am more experienced?

thanks jack

Answer
Most people start kayaking because of a friend, so they usually borrow gear. If you don't have a friend check out americanwhitewater.org to find a local club. Most clubs will loan gear and give beginner sessions to help you get into the sport. DO NOT TRY ALONE. I can't stress this enough. If you don't know what you are doing and don't bring a friend you are taking a SERIOUS RISK. OK, enough of the scary stuff. There are 5 basic things you need to go kayaking in warm weather with decent temp water. Kayak, skirt, paddle, PFD, helmet. As you get more experienced you can go for the cold weather clothes and higher-end gear. You can find some good used gear on the east coast (where i live) at boatertalk.com. as for west i believe the site is playak.com. Cost can vary depending on what time of year you shop, and if you go used. new boats can go from $600 - $1200 with about half of that if they are used. Make sure you get one that is good for beginners! (ask another paddler) paddles go from $150 - $350, you can get the $150 at first (you can go for $75 ones used if you can find them). skirts are about $100 and often come free with a used boat. a PFD should always be purchased new and can cost from $90 - $150. Helmets should also be bought new and should not be of poor quality... usually from $90 - $140. That said, as a kayaker of about 10 years I have spend over $9000 on gear over the years. Often I sell boats and paddles as I need to upgrade. Check out a whitewater festival for good deals, and shop in the spring at NRSWEB.COM or NOC.COM for discounts. Feel free to email me ([email protected]) if you have any more questions. Maybe one day you can be doing this: http://www.iplayoutside.com/images/view.php?IMG_TAG=Events/2001/09/3545/pic-0125...

(yep, that's me!)