Advice for buying a kayak, paddle & pfd

Epic
Epic makes a good one…



https://www.epickayaks.com/product/product/epic-relaxed-touring-paddle



…with a 205-215cm adjustment range.



Of course, the trade off is a more complex locking ferrule that adds a little weight and some bulk.

PS: Woo GP are not adjustable but can be
easily shortened with a saw and some sandpaper.

MsFit

– Last Updated: Oct-25-16 7:13 AM EST –

I'm a full figured gal and I like the MsFit. PFDs are just something you have to try on to see what works for you.

I'd be sunk without my cart. My first one had inflatable tires & only lasted one season. Now I have the one with the never flat foam wheels and it's great. They make sand tires now, so look for those if you will transport in sand a lot.

Thanks!
Thank you, everyone for your great suggestions. Here are my final picks:



Kayak: Zephyr 155. I sat in one today and love it. I’m just shopping around for the best price now. Any recommended vendors in Texas or southern OK?



Paddle: I’m going to go with the Werner Cyprus 210. Amazon has it for $319.96.



PFD: After trying on what felt like a zillion, and then sitting on the floor to try to emulate sitting in a kayak, I bought an NRS Ninja. Love it.



I cannot wait to get started. I feel really good about my choices, because I think they will both fit me well and last a good while. Thanks again for taking the time to help me. I appreciate y’all!

Great price!

– Last Updated: Oct-27-16 9:13 PM EST –

That's a great price on the Werner Cyprus and I'm sure you'll love it. It's a great paddle. I see from Amazon that it ships from Backcountry, who are a great shop to do business with. In fact I bought my Cyprus from them.

You do know that the Cyprus comes in a standard diameter shaft, and a small diameter shaft aimed at women paddlers? But unless your hands are quite small - as my wife's are - you should be fine with the standard.

The Ninja is also a very nice PFD. I have one myself and I like its simplicity. I do switch between it and a Kokatat if I want to carry a VHF radio. A whistle is a must safety device for your Ninja's pocket, and a decent knife isn't a bad idea too.

Good luck with your "stuff".

It’s good to decide
Those sound like good choices.Welcome to the endless world of paddle craft and gear.

Here it is! I love it. Thanks everyone!

The only thing is, I wish it had kneepads on the sides. I feel very bowlegged. Are those easy to install? Any suggestions on where to buy/how to do that?

Looks wonderful & I’m a bit envious as we in Michigan tend to dress a bit different when paddling this time of year. On your fit question: first, welcome to the wonderful world of kayak outfitting. There is lots that you can do with mini-cell & other closed cell foam or some neoprene scraps. My first thought though is to wonder if your foot braces need to be shortened up a bit. That kayak should have decent thigh braces. You want the foot braces set to allow you to lock into the thigh braces or to relax your leg and allow it to drop down. I wouldn’t recommend doing anything permanent yet. You and the kayak need to get to know each other better. I would also suggest that you find an opportunity to spend time at a symposium and/or with a good coach. A good coach should be able to help with the fit.

Some information here: https://sites.google.com/site/kayakfit/instruction

For knee pads, get some closed cell foam and fashion whatever you want and stick them to the boat with any good water proof glue. Any good kayak store should have the foam, the glue and maybe even a band saw to cut the foam.

I can’t tell for sure, but it looks like you got a two piece paddle–if so–good for you. If you don’t know already, you will eventually find out what “feathering” is and why, when and when not to use it.

By the way, that’s a pretty big blade you’ve got there. It is absolutely essential that you learn and use a proper forward stroke and your core muscles–no arm paddling. Don’t be surprised if you someday find yourself wanting a narrower blade. I would suggest a Werner Camano.

If that’s a Werner Cyprus, it’s a wonderful paddle with a mid-sized blade. For a narrower blade, go with a Lumpy. :slight_smile:

Thanks Rookie… If I had to have a new Euro blade, the Cyprus would be it… I’ve got a Werner Ikelos that I carry around from time to time and the blade is absolutely huge… I call it my Icky paddle…

@Queenoswords said:
"Here it is! I love it. Thanks everyone! "

Nice boat and paddle too… Enjoy learning to use them well…

Bill