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Kayak Camping Checklist

So you’ve decided, today is the day you’re going to start planning the long-anticipated kayak camping trip.  That’s awesome!  Your kayak camping checklist should be one of the first steps in preparing your trip.

Obviously, if you’ve ever been camping you know how heavy your pack gets, and by the end of a weekend hike you have blisters on your feet, your legs are jello and your back is in a twisted, sore mess.  Well, at least for a 41-year-old me that’s the case. 

Kayak camping takes the stress out of lugging 50+ pounds down a mountain.  Although kayak camping does limit you to the water, you can carry just as much if not more, and still come home with a relatively unhurt body. 

This is why kayak camping is probably a quick developing, relaxing favorite of mine.

Now, because you aren’t strapping a pack to your back and feeling the amount of weight you’re carrying, don’t get too overzealous packing your kayak. 

Remember, you still need to flip it back over in the case you make an oops. 

If you take on too much water, you’ll have a very difficult time recovering with an overweight kayak.  Keep this in mind when you gather you’re final packing list and what your skill level is.  

Not sure how to get back in your kayak if you flip it?  Here’s what to do if you capsize.

Your number one priority with your gear and food is keeping it dry.  I’ve collected about a dozen waterproof bags of various sizes over the years.  The small ones are great for my toiletries or fire starting kit.  Medium size ones hold my clothes and other hygiene items.  The larger ones hold my food, sleeping bag, and hammock.  So your very first item to have on hand and ready to use is waterproof bags!  Get many and get many sizes.

Hygiene

Just because you’re on a river, at a lake, or in the Everglades, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of yourself.  You still need to brush your teeth, wash your hands, clean your utensils as well shower, if it’s an extended trip. 

Your body still functions normally when you’re kayaking, so you’ll need to be “using the little boys or girls room” occasionally.

Here are some items you should consider adding to your kayak camping checklist for keeping yourself and family clean and healthy while kayak camping.  

I didn’t include a first aid kit within hygiene because I believe the first aid kid deserves its own category.  

Towel and Washcloth	Toilet Paper
Toothbrush and Toothpaste	Deodorant
Hand Sanitizer	Biodegradable Wipes
Bug and Tick Repellant	Spare Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses
Biodegradable Soap	Lip Balm
Sunscreen	Earplugs / Eyemask
Sunglasses	Comb or Brush
Prescription Medications	Vitamins
Small Mirror	Mouthwash
Solar Shower Bag	Feminine Products
Razor and Shaving Cream	Any Other Personal Items

Kitchen and Cooking

Cooking while camping is probably one of my most enjoyable aspects of kayak camping or camping in general for that matter.   Occasionally I like to use mother nature as a means to hold my hot dogs and marshmallows, but most often I enjoy the modern conveniences like a pan and spatula. 

You can cook your food in a variety of ways so this list will cover some of the options you’ll have.

Personally, I use a rocket stove and the fire when I cook.

Sometimes I’ll use the stove for heating water to cook my MRE (dried meal) or make coffee, and I’ll throw a tin-foil wrapped potato right into the fire. 

Just a choice you’ll need to make when determining what to bring along to get the job done. 

There are kits that come with a pan, utensils, plate, and bowl all in one little package. 

For those who were also in Boy Scouts, you know what I’m talking about.

Cooking Stove	Extra Fuel
Frying Pan and Pot	Paper Towels
Plates and Cups	Utensils – I use a spork
Pot Holder	Water Bottles
Tin Foil	Can Opener
Knife	Flexible Cutting Board
Roasting Sticks	Sponge for cleaning
Biodegradable Soap	Drying Towel
Spatula	Large Spoon
Whisk	Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoons	Coffee Making
Trash Bags	Cooking Spray
Tongs	Sandwich Bags
Camp Grill	Lighter
Collapsible Cooler	Ice Pack

Not all of the items on the kayak camping checklist are needed for camping, so you’ll need to decide what is going to be required based on the foods you plan on cooking and eating. 

You may find that with the ability to carry a little more weight while kayak camping, you’ll want to cook some more elaborate meals. 

My advice is to get your menu together first, then decide how you’re cooking it!  

Food for Meals and Snacks

I know I like to eat and I don’t really want to be limited on what I can enjoy just because I’m camping. 

There again is another added benefit of kayak camping.  With the ability to carry things a little easier, you CAN bring that extra couple pounds of bacon and sausage without the worry of being weighed down. 

By no means is this list an end all, be all when it comes to food choices.  This is just a basic guide for what you could need while paddling down the river for the weekend.  

Adding a variety of foods to your kayak camping checklist is the easiest way to feel like you’re at home on the river.   

Coffee and/or Tea	Powdered Creamer
Sugar	Granola Bars
Salt / Pepper	Herbs and Seasonings
Eggs (make sure to get a little carrier)	Powdered Pancake Mix
Syrup	Butter
Peanut Butter	Bread
Freeze Dried Meats	Powdered Drink Mix
MRE’s (Meals Ready-to-Eat)	Protein and Energy Bars
Marshmallows	Chocolate
Graham Crackers	Hot Dogs
Burgers	Trail Mix
Potatoes	Bacon
Sausage	Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Again, this list is truly endless on what you can bring and cook on your kayak camping adventure. 

Remember to plan how many meals and snacks you will need and if you’ll be packing for others. 

Make sure your company doesn’t have any restrictive diets or allergies that you need to be aware of.  

Make it fun!

The last time I went was a Friday afternoon until Sunday mid-morning. 

So I knew I needed dinner and snack for Friday. 

I also needed breakfast for Saturday and Sunday, lunch and dinner for Saturday, and a few snacks. 

Of course, I needed multiple cups of coffee and almost always at each meal.  I did bring some energy bars as snacks and some homemade trail mix with extra chocolates and pistachios.  

Another option if you aren’t the cooking type is MRE’s.  MRE’s are ready-to-eat packs that typically only need hot water to rehydrate the meal.  

Gear for Around the Campsite

Now we have our kitchen stocked and our bodies cleaned, let’s talk about our campsite.  

There are certain things we’re going to need to really function around the camp.  This includes where we sleep, how we get our drinking water and how to dispose of waste. 

I haven’t slept in a tent for a number of years, I’ve been using a hammock and absolutely loving it. 

Tent	Tent Stakes (also for tying down tarps)
Hammer or Hatchet for getting the stakes in the ground	Hammock
Sleeping Bag	Sleeping Pad or Air Mattress
Pillow	Tarp
Flashlight, Headlamp, and Lanterns	Fire Starting Kit (Petroleum Jelly soaked cotton balls, starter sticks, matches, lighters)
Shovel	Multi-tool and/or Knife
Fishing Pole and Tackle (Don’t forget your fishing license)	Waterproof Bags (You really can’t have too many of these)
Saw or Axe	2 Way Radios for making it easy to communicate
Extra Batteries	Solar Battery Charger (great for keeping your cell phone charged all day)
Water Purification System (filter bag, straw filter, filter pump, iodine pills)	Disposal Bags for Human Waste
Compass	Paracord or Rope

Clothing and Footwear

You can’t wear the same outfit for the entire outing.  

Well… I suppose you could but if you aren’t alone you may offend friends or family.  

You will also need some spare clothes in case you get a little wet.  I’d advocate for some quick drying shorts or swim trunks. 

It’s probably a wise idea to put on a tee shirt or sunscreen.  Neither of which I practice faithfully, so do as I say, not as I do.

The quantity of each item you need will be determined by the length of your journey so keep that in mind when packing.       

Socks	Underwear
Bra	Long-sleeve Shirt
Short Sleeve Shirt or Tanktop	Sweatshirt or Light Jacket
Rain Gear (Poncho or full rain suits)	Shorts (Quick drying is ideal)
Pants (Quick drying as well)	Flip Flops, Crocs or Sandals for lounging around the campsite
Sneakers or Hiking Boots if you plan on exploring	Gloves
Hat	Sleep Clothes
Laundry Bag	Belt

Extras and Activities

You can certainly have a bare-bones camping trip that entails nothing but kicked back floating down the river.  

Personally, I like to video my kayak trips.  I usually use the GoPro that I mount with some double-sided tape to the front of my kayak.  It gives a nice perspective if you get into some rapids.  

Because of this filming hobby, I need to be sure to have the batteries charged, and memory cards ready.  I do bring a solar power battery pack, which I can then use to charge my phone and camera batteries.  

Here’s a video of the lake we live near and paddle around all season.  I shot this with my drone last spring.

While I’m kayak camping or camping in general, I don’t like to be on my phone unless it’s an emergency or taking pictures.  

I do try to bring some entertainment that doesn’t require technology though. 

However, if I go kayaking alone I usually bring my Kindle. I like to read in front of the fire while hanging in my hammock.  

If you like to color, bring some crayons and a coloring book.  My daughter brought word search book and her DSLR camera.  

It really depends on what your hobbies are and what would interest you while you’re out on an island.

GPS	Whistle
Camera with battery, film or memory cards	Candles
Maps (maps of the river your kayaking on are great. They can show you where to avoid and where to camp)	AM/FM Radio
Harmonica	Binoculars
Safety Pins	Cash
ID and Credit Card (keep inside a separate waterproof bag)	Travel Alarm Clock
Small Sewing Kit	Guidebooks
Field Guides to birds, trees, flowers or insects	Star Chart (most smartphones have stargazing apps)
Notebook and Pencils	Mounts for any cameras you’ll be using
Deck of Cards	Notebook or Journal
Book, Magazines, or Kindle	Small foldable pocket games (chess, checkers, tic-tac-toe)
Handheld Amateur Radio Reciever (need to be licensed)	Fishing Pole and Tackle
Solar Charger for Phones and Camera Batteries	Dog Toys (if you brought your pooch)

First Aid

A good First Aid Kit is truly a matter of life and death.  When on an island and an injury occurs, you need to be prepared.  *

In an emergency, remember, you are not just a phone call away from an ambulance ride to the closest medical facility.

Even though you may have cell phone service, and you are able to phone for help, it’s going to take them some time to get to you.  For these reasons, being prepared with the right equipment, and the knowledge to handle an emergency medical situation is paramount. 

*It’s always recommended and encouraged for you to take a first aid course with your local ambulance or fire company.  Not only will you gain the knowledge of what to do, you should gain the confidence to respond if needed.

Personal Medications	Roll Bandages
Medical Adhesive Tape	Antiseptic Wipes
Gauze Pads	Cotton Swabs
Bee Sting or Snake Bite Kit	Feminine Products
Aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen	Hydrogen Peroxide
Emergency Blanket	Antibiotic Cream
Antibacterial Soap	Butterfly Bandages
Thermometer	Sterile Latex Gloves
Hot and Cold Compress	Eye Drops
Burn Cream	Mole Skin
Nail Clippers	Tissues
Iodine Tablets	Band-Aids of assorted sizes
Pocket First Aid Manual	Coins and Cash

That’s my gear packing list for now.  Obviously, I won’t be packing all of these items in my kayak, but I will be using this guide as a starting point. I’ll begin gathering the gear I need to enjoy my next kayak camping trip.

Before you head out on the water, here are 7 Kayak Camping Survival Tips just in case!

7 main categories for planning your kayak camping list

1. Hygiene – toothbrush, soap, medications
2. Kitchen and Cooking – pots, pans, plates
3. Food – chocolate, hot dogs, snacks
4. Around the campsite – tent, stove, sleeping bag
5. Clothing and Footwear – rain gear, shirts, gloves
6. Extras and Fun – cameras, book, maps
7. First Aid – bandages, nail clippers, antibiotic cream

Keep these 7 main categories on your mind while packing and you won’t forget a thing.  

If there are items not mentioned in this kayak camping checklist, please feel free to comment below with your tips, ideas, and suggestions.  

FREE Downloadable and Printable PDF coming shortly…

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