Not a lot
Whistle
Light
Knife (Benchmade River Knife)
Chapstik
Other essentials are either lashed in the canoe or in a small dry bag belt pack that I wear from put in to take out.
It is interesting that some describe their knife and nothing else. To me it is my primary outdoor tool and warrants that kind of spotlight.
for me
Multi-Tool taped to a shoulder strap
Whistle and fishing line snip
Scuba knife
8-20 monocular (waterproof)
camera (waterproof)
compass
scuba flashlight
snack bars
sports-drink tablets
reflective mirror
swiss army knife with corkscrew… cute story there…
…got woken up at 4am by a female friend who was drunk and complaining that she had just had a really bad sexual experience and needed to go paddling.
2 hours later, we were on the road along the lake and she asked “did you bring a corkscrew?”
I replied “Couldn’t you have asked me that while we were still in town?”
Then, “If you are willing to paddle topless, I can get that bottle open!”
She agreed to go naked so I pulled my swiss army knife from my PFD at the put-in and we spend the day paddling naked.
8 shot .357 magnum revolver.
Jet Skis, keep your distance.
My list
For me the #1 item I keep in mine is ME. Attached I have a strobe, knife, whistle and VHF.
PFD pocket
Only a whistle tied fast.
Maybe I should have said
Maybe I should have said if your on a multi day trip what do you carry in or on your PFD.
I can see carrying less on a day paddle were your paddling not very far away plus civilization is close by. But if out in the wild were you could get caught out for at least a night or two. Then what do you have on you? My list was what I carry on a multi day trip not a simple day paddle for a few hours.
.357 Magnum ???
What company makes an “8 shot”, .357 magnum “revolver”?
BOB
google is your friend.
I don’t do wilderness overnights where
there is any significant risk of being separated from my boat. Only once in the last 30 years have I gotten separated from my boat and paddle after an upset.
I can’t carry the 10 essentials or anything like it in a life jacket that permits me to swim effectively. I don’t think you should try to carry that stuff.
You can wear a lightning rod, or you can accept that it’s extremely rare for a paddler to be struck by lightning.
I agree some what
Well what I listed in my original post to start this thread I don't consider it too much to carry or slow me down swimming.You cant carry everything but I would think what I carry as a good amount of safety equipment.
Getting separated from your boat isn't that hard.I tried last summer testing to see how windy it has to be to not be able to catch my kayak. That sucker can take off with a little wind. Swimming with paddle which takes practice allows me to swim fast enough to catch a runaway kayak but still it can get away from me depending on wind. Hence my question about what you carry on or in there PFD.
I guess I should stop reading Sea Kayaker Deep Trouble and Deep Trouble 2 books.Too many stories like, I had my VHF in day hatch but kayak took off.
Quote
"I can't carry the 10 essentials or anything like it in a life jacket that permits me to swim effectively. I don't think you should try to carry that stuff.
You can wear a lightning rod, or you can accept that it's extremely rare for a paddler to be struck by lightning."
Hmm
Whistle, knife, nose-plug, metal dogtag-style ID.
Off the top of my head …
here is what I carry in/on my pfd or body. Basically, there are things to signal, things to save me (or someone else), things to fix me (or someone else). I carry these all the time when in coastal environment.
VHF radio
Whistle
EMT shears
Compass
Strobe light
Hydrator
Tow belt
38" x 65" 4 mil blue garbage bag emergency shelter
Orange smoke flare
4 Skyblazer red flares
2 Clif Shot energy gels
Ginger gum
Electrical tape (for blisters)
First aid gauze and bandages
Aspirin/Tylenol
Lip balm sunscreen
Manual fog horn (when foggy)
For longer trips I might add: metal match and cotton balls for emergency fire starting (should I be able to get to land)
Think that’s pretty much it.
~wetzool