Gear Fetish

Call it a mid-life crisis, or call it a syndrome of any outdoor activity, but it seems that I'm spending more and more time checking out gear than actually getting out on the water.

There is no doubt that sea-kayaking can be an equipment-intensive sport. A casual perusal of Sea Kayaker magazine or the excellent Australian Sea Kayak Forum soon overloads the reader with gear tips, reviews and recommendations.

Part of this comes from a safety culture. The sea can be a hostile environment, and it's prudent for anyone paddling to have not just the traditional "body, boat, blade" but also a PFD, spraydeck, protection from the weather (sun or rain) and some water. But suppose you're paddling a little further? Or on a club trip? Do you need a VHF? An EPIRB? Satellite phone? Spare paddle? Towline? Helmet? Medical kit?

Then factor in the possibility of a swim and prolonged immersion (dress for the water, not the weather). Do you paddle in shorts and T-shirt? Thermals? Chillcheater gear? Neoprene wetsuit? Drysuit? How about one of those fancy new "007" NRS HydroSkin paddling jackets (actually, I have a cunning plan for a special expedition involving one of these, which I'll blog about later...)

How about if you are camping...what sort of tent? Sleeping bag? Sleeping mat and chair? A Trangia or a Jet-Boil cooking system? Dehydrated meals or roadkill? Going to take a photo? Point-and-shoot camera or dSLR? Waterproof housing or 'waterproof' camera? Don't even get me started on video...

It's easy to get bogged down in all this and I am as guilty as anyone. However, recently the topic of the ideal medical kit came up and this has forced me to re-examine my gear and fetish for always wanting more and more 'gadgets'.

It's hard to believe that twenty years ago I'd happily set off on a first descent on some far-flung European river with not much more than a low-volume slalom kayak (or C1!), a cheap summer-season sleeping bag wedged behind the seat, a bottle of water and a few Mars Bars. We seemed to manage.

Talking to some of the Kangaroo Islander's who grew up on the water, they fondly remember making makeshift kayaks out of cardboard and paddling them a few kms offshore to Busby Island from Kingscote, exploring the island at low tide then paddling back. In cardboard boats. With sharks in the water.

So I'm going to keep it simple from now on. Most of my paddling is solo anyhow. for the overnighters just a simple tarp shelter or Hennessey Hammock. Catch fish for supper. Have a spare set of thermals and some wet weather gear. Sunscreen. Leave the phone behind, tell someone where you're going and when expected back...and have a bloody good time.