The discussion topic for the next kayak club meeting is, "What do you take to munch on during a paddle? Two hour paddle? Day paddle? Extended paddle?
So what say you folks? What do you take to eat on a paddle?
On a day paddle I’m partial to a ham sandwich and a Coke classic, the original energy drink, for lunch. Since I have the “high volume” boat" I’m usually carrying the soft sides NRS cooler. The value of ice cold drink/snacks in hot Florida is unappreciated until you take that first sip/bite.
Jerky, granola bars, slim jims, hard candy, almonds, dried fruit, and real fruit before it is dried. I often make a sandwich with those sandwich rounds, the individually packaged spam slices and fast food packs of mustard, relish etc. no ice required. That’s not to say that I don’t take a cooler for stuff too when it is hot. I just am used to backpacking so light and easy are second nature.
Basically same as string. Two drinks, usually water and sometimes in a soft cooler with blue ice. I once was able to give a cold G2 to someone’s grumpy kid and save their day. PB&J. Dried fruit, usually raisins. Granola bars that I never eat. Glucose tablets in case my diabetic paddling buddy goes into a coma again (had to tow him and his Starfire off a chain of lakes with my Peregrine once).
Two-hour paddle: Water bottle. I’ll have protein bar in my PFD pocket but have never used one for that short a time.
Four hours: 1.5L reservoir hydration pack with water, maybe mixed with Gatorade. High-protein bar. Sometimes cashew or pistachio nuts.
I plan to experiment with Gu energy gel this weekend as I have a six to eight hour nonstop paddle in a couple of months and need to figure out fueling. And a few other things.
For a normal summer morning three to four hour paddle:
Two bottles of water and a Thermos of skim milk with Carnation Instant Breakfast added (100+ calories, sugar free chocolate flavored). During the summer I add three or four small ice cubes to the Thermos to help keep things cold.
Along with that, stashed in my dry bag; Kashi snack bars, which are rarely needed.
Mark L.
Often just lunch stuff with snack bars/trail mix available. Many times I’ll eat at lunch and then dinner. If there are portages involved I may snack at the end. A Cliff bar at about 1/4 a time got me through the last 2 hours of the 50 mile paddle in April. It’s generally easier when I’m in a canoe as I have a good sized thwart bag. Still sorting out kayaks though - I don’t like stuff on the deck other that a water bottle & I don’t have much in the way of pockets on my PFD. I have been testing using my Osprey hydration pack over my PFD. It has worked pretty well & isn’t uncomfortable.
@rival51 said:
. Still sorting out kayaks though - I don’t like stuff on the deck other that a water bottle & I don’t have much in the way of pockets on my PFD. I have been testing using my Osprey hydration pack over my PFD. It has worked pretty well & isn’t uncomfortable.
An underdeck bag solves stuffage issues for things like sunscreen, protein bars, etc… I continue to be amazed how handy that bag is. Sometimes I’ll carry my hydration bag behind my seat and run the tube under my skirt or stick it in my Tactic pack which attaches to my PFD.
A lot of the paddles we do are destination based (island, beach, campground, etc…) so we like to make lunch or a snack the focal point/halfway point of the trip. My favorite is a nice PB & J with sliced banana & sunflower seeds on hearty 7 grain bread, pretzels or pita chips, sliced apples & a small piece of chocolate or cookie. I like to bring a thermos of herbal tea (hot or iced depending on season) on every paddle, as well as a water bottle & MAYBE a ginger ale if time/weight permits.
I always have some hard candies or mints on me, those make for a refreshing treat while paddling as well.
2 hrs by myself – water, but carrying an energy bar if needed
2 hrs with husband – water, nut mix or a PB sandwich or jerky stick or energy bar
4 hrs – water, nut and dried fruit mix or PB sandwich, plus potato sticks or Fritos or some other salty snack plus energy bar
Longer than 4 hrs – just more of the above
I haven’t paddled more than 3.5 hrs this year, but in the past I followed the above. In some places we could buy lunch but we always carried some food also.
Preface: The length of the trip, time of year, and expected weather conditions are always considered.
Some of my preferences:
Smoke ham, or hard Salami sandwich on rye, with lettuce, tomato & mayo sandwich.
Cheddar, Gouda, or Swiss cheese
Chips or pretzels
Olives, pickles(Clausen dills), mixed nuts.
Cookies, or sweet/salty Grainola bars
Apples or grapes
1 can soda
Multiple canteens of water
Might have a small flask of Toulamore Dew handy; might never see daylight, but probably will.
I remember the “good old days”; a canteen of water, a can of Beanie Weinie, and 8 or 10 crackers for lunch. Or a can of Dinty Moore beef stew if we really splurged. Also remember eating more than a few C rations; all of which basically sucked.
The"good old days weren’t really that great; I been there, and done that.
I “never” miss the good old days when it’s time to eat.
The thing I DO miss about the good old days?
The scarcity of drunken “river dorks” & “bozos” on the rivers.
Help you get your canoe, or kayak out from under that nasty strainer you floated into?
Surely you jest!
something that won’t melt well sealed low calorie. Two water bottles one frozen one partially frozen wrapped is small towels in Seals deck bag. Also have hydration bag but rarely use it.
For a typical 4 to 7 hour day outing: 2 quarts of water (3 if temp is over 80 F), 12 oz can of V8 juice, baggie of Wheat Thin or Triscuit crackers, several mini Baby Bel cheeses, slices of uncured hard salami, Trader Joe’ fig bars and dark chocolate covered almonds, some of it packed in empty Talenti sorbet screwtop jars. I freeze wet washcloths in ziplock baggies to keep stuff chill and to wipe off my hands before and after eating.
Assuming a longish day trip and no camping… granola mix (Quaker granola, cashews, mixed nuts, dried cranberry), summer sausage, wedge of Parmesan cheese, and usually two quarts of water. The longer you’re out in hot weather - best on day three or four - the “tarter” the Parmesan cheese gets. It makes you smile. Lesser cheeses just get oily.
That gives me enough stuff to share. If I take some back, its OK, I’ll get around to it tomorrow.
