This summer has been a scorcher, so what’s a fun-loving person to do for recreation and relaxation when the golf course is a desert, bicycling is a death march, and the tennis court is a patch of hell?
When the weather cooks, nothing is better than spending some time on the water. Flat-water kayaking (where you don't have to worry about being dumped into swirling water by a nasty rapid) can be invigorating, relaxing, and cooling. And thanks to some special deals we've located on the necessary gear, you can try your hand at the sport at a discount.
The Boat
Of course, kayaking starts with the boat. Kayaks come in a number of styles for different purposes: whitewater running, fishing, sea excursions, flat-water paddling, and just plain goofing off. For a new paddler, a sit-in model, like the Emotion Edge Kayak, works best. It's light in weight, roomy, and stable. At 10 feet long, it's nimble enough to navigate around deadfalls in the water, yet spacious enough to hold your gear, including food, clothes, and beverages. The cockpit measures 51x19", so there's also plenty of wiggle room for travelers up to 350 lbs. Itself only weighing 37 lbs., the average adult can haul it out of the water and lift it onto a car rack. Last, but certainly not least, it comes with a padded seat for your paddling comfort.
Happily, Cabela's offers the Edge for $339.99. Register your email to receive a set of codes that will drop it to $319.99. Even with $37.95 for shipping, that's a fantastic price low by $42.
For some of the accessories, we turn to REI-OUTLET, which takes an extra 20% off one item at checkout. The company has also compiled an excellent kayak day-touring checklist that will be very useful as you prepare to head out on the water.
The Paddle
Of course, kayaking requires more equipment than just the boat. A paddle and two arms are required for propulsion. An excellent choice for the former would be the double-bladed (a blade at either end of a shaft) Riot Distance Paddle from REI ($38.33 at checkout with $6 s&h, or opt for in-store pickup, $22 off). This fiberglass-reinforced polymer blade is light, stiff, and breaks down into two sections for transport. It weighs only 2.5 lbs. and has an aluminum shaft. Spend a day paddling yourself around a beautiful lake and your arm and shoulder muscles will tell you you've managed to include a workout in your play.
The Personal Flotation Device
There's no denying that kayaking is best enjoyed from the surface of the water, and your personal flotation device is designed to keep your body bob-bob-bobbing along in the event that you have a close encounter of the wet kind. REI offers the vest-style MTI Current PFD ($39.93 at checkout with $6 s&h, or opt for in-store pickup, $30 off), which weighs only 1.5 lbs. It's made of water-shedding polyester, and it's cut to fit either sex. For the fashion conscious, the red color will pair nicely with the red Edge kayak.
The Dry Bag
You'll want to haul things with you when you make your watery expeditions, like extra clothing, sunscreen, food and drink, electronics, etc. But many of these items are no use if they get wet, so be sure to invest in a dry bag. These leak-proof bags seal securely to keep the contents high and dry when you aren't, and they can be stuffed into the bow or stern of your kayak.
The SealLine Black Canyon Dry Bag comes in 5, 10, 20, and 30 liter sizes. A nice intermediate size is the 20 liter, which is available in our previously established color scheme of red ($20.93 at checkout with $6 s&h, or opt for in-store pickup, a low by $6). The bag is made of coated nylon, with science-fiction sounding "radio-frequency welded seams." It has a roll-down closure to keep out water. Be sure to check Meritline too for inexpensive waterproof cases and bags for important electronics, like this Waterproof Pouch for Digital Cameras ($4.74 plus free shipping, a low by $2).
The Deck Caddy
One thing you'll find as you begin paddling is that there isn't a particularly convenient place to keep the stuff you might need at hand; sure, you have the waterproof stuff sack safely stowed away, but what if you want to quickly grab something, like snacks, a GPS unit, sunscreen, map, or water bottle? For this, you'll want a deck caddy, which is a fabric harness that attaches to the deck of your kayak, within an arm's reach.
Cabela's offers the Tempress Cockpit Deck Caddy ($59.99 with $11 s&h, or opt for in-store pickup) at the best price we could find for this type of item. The Tempress has pockets for your water or soda, a clip-on electronics pouch with a clear window for your phone or GPS (in case you skipped the aforementioned Meritline pouch), a mesh trash bagger, a waterproof chart pouch, a clip-on water bottle sleeve, and an insulated pocket for food and beverages.
These one-time expenses can lead to many, many hours of fun and relaxation, regardless of the heat. Even so, it's easy to love the summer when you're able to spend it on the water.
Photo credit: Aaron Alexander via Flickr
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