Planning a paddling trip? Whether you’re heading out for a peaceful afternoon or venturing into the backcountry for a multi-day adventure, packing the right gear makes all the difference.

Being well-prepared means staying safe, comfortable, and ready for whatever the day brings—changing weather, unexpected detours, or longer-than-planned water time. That’s why we put together this comprehensive checklist based on what we bring on every outing and what we recommend to our customers.

If you ever need help choosing gear, fitting a pack, or planning your route, we’re here to help. Swing by our shop in Arnprior or check out our online store. We love chatting gear and helping paddlers feel confident and ready.

Whether you're paddling solo, with family, or heading out with friends, this guide will help you pack smarter and paddle better.

Photo by: Fresh Off the Grid

✅ Must-Have Safety Gear

Let’s start with the essentials you should never hit the water without:

• PFD (Personal Flotation Device): We love the Onyx Movevent Dynamic Lifejacket—it has a contoured fit that moves with your body and breathable mesh back panels that make all-day paddling feel great.

• Classic Boaters Safety Kit by Fox 40: This all-in-one kit includes a whistle, flashlight, 50ft tow rope, and a bailing bucket case—check, check, check, and check.

• Navigation Tools: Bring a compass or map if you’re heading into unfamiliar areas.

• Dry bag for essentials: Our OVAP Dry Bags keep your gear dry and easy to access. Available in a variety of sizes (and colours!).

🌤️ Clothing & Sun Protection

Comfort starts with dressing for the conditions (and packing layers just in case). Here's what we pack:

• Quick-dry clothing: We’re big fans of the Level Six Athena & Coastal Sunguard shirts—lightweight, UPF-rated, and perfect for hot days on the water.

• Base layers: LIFA Merino base layers by Helly Hansen are our go-to for overnight camping, early morning and/or shoulder season paddles.

• Footwear: Level Six neoprene booties (Creek or River models) keep your feet warm and protected while launching or portaging.

• Sunglasses: Blue Coast Floating Sunglasses – We love these polarized sunnies, which are ideal for paddlers. They float, they cut glare, and they help you keep your eyes on the horizon.

   

• Hat: A wide-brimmed hat with a chin strap offers excellent sun protection and stays put, even when the wind picks up.
  
  

• Nalgene 32oz Water Bottle: Nearly indestructible, just the right size, and fits perfectly in most SUP and kayak deck bungees.

• Sunscreen: Our go-to is the Boo Bamboo SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen. This Canadian-made sunscreen is non-whitening, fast-absorbing, and unscented. Plus, it comes in a spray bottle for no-mess application!

• Bug Spray

🥤 Food & Hydration

For day trips or overnights, we always pack more snacks and water than we think we’ll need:

• High-energy snacks: Trail mix, jerky, dried fruit, bars—you know the drill. Check out this awesome recipe to make your own high-protein trail mix! 

• Dried or freeze-dried meals for overnight trips. We love the Dunord dehydrated meal kits. They are totally plant-based and made from local farm surplus in Quebec. Just add water and you've got a gourmet meal at your fingertips! 
  

• Stove + fuel + lighter (and backup lighter or matches) 

• Reusable camp mug, utensils, and mess kit

• Water filter or purification tablets if you’re not packing it all in

• Cooler bag: We love our Perception Splash Seatback Cooler. Its slim design fits perfectly behind any kayak seat and even attaches to stadium-style seats using a bungee ball system. It keeps your food and drinks cold without taking up precious deck space.

  • Pro Tip: Pre-chill your cooler with ice or frozen gel packs a few hours before packing to extend its cooling power even further.

   

🏕️ Overnight Camping Essentials

If your adventure takes you into the wild for a night or two, here’s what we rely on:

• Tent, tarp, or hammock shelter

• Sleeping bag & pad

• Waterproof barrels by Level Six: These iconic blue barrels are a must-have. Tough, secure, and perfect for food or personal items—you’ll spot one on just about every expedition we take.

• Bear spray & bear-safe storage

  • Tip: Store your food well away from your sleeping area—ideally 100 metres downwind—and use a bear-proof container and/or hang it from a tree. Never store food, toiletries, or garbage in your tent.

• Toiletries + quick-dry towel: The K5 Microfiber Towel was made for camping. It is large yet ultra-compact, super-absorbent, and feels great against your skin. It also dries fast to prevent odours and resists sand like a champ!

• First aid kit

• Multi-tool

• Headlamp Kit: A customer favourite and shop staple—it works as a headlamp, flashlight, lantern, bike light, and more. It’s the most versatile light you’ll ever own!

🎒 The Right Bags for the Job

Your gear’s only as good as how it’s packed. These are our go-to options:

• OVAP Dry Bags: Perfect for day trips. They are durable, roll-top dry bags that can house everything from extra layers to cell phones and keys.

• Atoll Overkill Dry Bag Fanny Pack: Paddleboarders, this one’s for you. It’s waterproof, smell-proof, dirt- and dust-proof, and surprisingly roomy. We wear it on SUP missions all the time. It's a top seller in our store! 

• Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack: This is the pack we grab when we want comfort, durability, and organization. Padded shoulder straps, mesh dividers, laptop sleeve—it’s perfect for paddling weekends that start with a road trip.

🛶 Packing Tips by Craft

How and what you pack can totally change based on what you're paddling:

🛶 Kayak

• Pack smaller dry bags to fit through hatches

• Keep heavier items centred and low

• Essentials like water, snacks and sunscreen should go in the cockpit for easy reach

🛶 Canoe

• Use large portage packs or barrels

• Balance weight between front and back

• Strap everything down so it doesn’t shift

• Keep a small “grab bag” handy with a first aid kit, snacks, and your headlamp

🏄 SUP

• Wear a fanny pack (seriously—the Atoll dry bag fanny pack was made for this)

• Stick to compact, light gear and avoid overloading

• Use deck bungees to secure your dry bag

• Waterproof your phone and keys—you will get splashed

✅ Before You Launch…

Lay it all out, double-check your list, and do one last weather check. Need help or want to chat about your route? We’d love to chat.

Come see us at Ottawa Valley Air Paddle in Arnprior or browse our online shop for gear that’s been field-tested by folks who love getting outside just as much as you do.

👀 Keep Exploring

Want more inspiration for your next paddle?
📝 Check out our blog on Bucket List Paddling Destinations
🛟 Read our Paddling Safety Guide before your next trip.