The world of kayaking is becoming more popular and accessible than ever. There are tons of great deals on boats out there allowing both new and experienced paddlers to get on the water and enjoy a number of different activities. Whether you’re into fishing, whitewater, nature viewing or just leisurely paddling, there’s a ton of awesome kayaking accessories out there to really add to your experience.
We’ve put together a top list of some neat gear that you’re going to want to add to your kayaking set-up. We’ve included some great items for kayak fishing and whitewater as well as some gear for just enjoying your day on the water.
Additionally, we included a few pieces of gear to help you get your boat from your home to the water with ease.
There’s something for every type of paddler here, so consider what your kayaking set-up might need to better suit your experience on the water.
Here’s a really neat option for adding some accessories to your kayak. Having a track system on the rails of your kayak is an awesome way to customize your boat with whatever you want to have on board.
The beauty of a track system is you don’t have to permanently mount any of your accessories, so you can swap out your gear depending on what you’re doing.
There are tons of possibilities with a mounted track system like this – you could install rod holders or get creative and build your own attachments like camera tripod mounts or a lean bar for stand-up kayaks. If you pair this track with a few uni trak accessory mounts by Feelfree, there’s no limit to what you could add to your kayak.
The mounting plates will receive all sorts of gear, so you can really customize your boat. I’m currently in the process of mounting a fish finder on my kayak using the Feelfree uni-bar dashboard and a plate mount – should be a piece of cake!
For the kayaker who wants a truly customized boat for their specific needs, there’s no better option than installing a track system and going from there.
If you can expect to get wet during your boating outings, then owning a couple of dry bags is a smart move. A simple, but effective design, the modern PVC dry bag is great for storing and securing gear during white water excursions or while paddling on choppy days.
This dry bag option by Leader Accessories is perfect for keeping your sensitive gear away from the wetness, and it comes at an affordable cost. Available in seven different colors and sizes, (5 liter to 55 liter) there’s a Leader Accessories dry bag that’s right for you.
This type of storage should not be overlooked as equally effective for shielding your sensitive electronics and other gear from fine dust or sand as well.
Leader Accessories also includes an adjustable shoulder strap on this model, so it can be used as a day-pack if you want to take it to shore with you. When kayaking out to your favorite fishing spot or paddling on more long distance, rugged trips, stowing your gear in a couple of PVC dry bags will allow you and your crew to travel in confidence knowing your belongings are safe.
If you’re interested in owning a waterproof storage unit with even greater storage capacity and portability, check out our recent post on waterproof backpacks. For paddlers who don’t have a need for a dry bag or backpack but want to ensure their phone stays dry, here’s a link to a reliable waterproof phone case.
Sometimes we could all use a little help getting our boat down to the water. If some of your favorite places to paddle require you to carry your boat more than just a few yards in order to put in, it can really be worth owning a kayak trolley.
This is a highly reviewed unit that comes at an excellent price. For a small cost, you can turn your grueling, vein-popping portage into a nice easy stroll down to the water’s edge.
This model has a 150-pound weight limit, so even with all your gear and accessories loaded up on your boat, this trolley can handle the strain your back can’t. There are foam bumpers on each arm to protect the hull, so no more dragging your kayak over the ground, reducing its lifespan. The tires are three and a half inches wide and will roll fine over sand and gravel.
Assembly of this unit is a breeze, so don’t worry about this trolley being a pain to set up. For the price, this is a great item to own for the adventurous kayaker who wants to get off the beaten path and find some new waters.
Save your back and your bank account with this one and go find some new water with this kayak accessory.
Here’s a great life jacket specifically geared towards paddle sports. If you’re a serious kayaker or looking to get into the sport, you should know that owning a life vest that’s specifically suited for paddling is underrated.
Comfort is everything when you’re paddling – wearing a lousy life vest can really take your attention off your experience while on the water. This vest by Onyx is made from heavy duty nylon fabric and is accented with SOLAS grade reflective material for added visibility.
You should always have an adequate life vest on board regardless of your swimming ability and wearing a reflective life vest is important if paddling near boat traffic after dark.
The mesh in the lower back area of this life vest is meant to sit flush against your seat instead of stuffing between you and your backrest. The arm holes are more than big enough to accommodate for full range of motion when paddling and the shoulder adjustments even have neoprene comfort pads.
This life vest furthermore has expandable zippered pockets with mesh drainage – a pretty rad feature for having a few small items on hand while your paddling.
All in all, this is a fantastic option of kayaking life vest – and it comes at a super reasonable cost considering the price of comparable life jackets by competitors. Stay safe in comfort and style with this one and never grumble about your sore lower back and improper paddling posture again!
If you’re a serious kayak fishermen, you oughta have a rod holder or two on board. This unit by Scotty is just as good as any, and it comes at a great price point.
This is the model I have mounted on my fishing kayak, and it performs great paired with my spin cast rod. I have this rod holder mounted on a Feelfree uni trak accessory mount, and I just pop it on and off my track system when I want to use it.
This is a solidly built rod holder that isn’t made from cheap plastics. It’s adjustable in an effective manner and locks a fishing pole in with good security.
I love being able to take a cast and have my hands free to eat a sandwich or work on rigging up my other rods. If you’re kayak doesn’t already have rod holders built in, then you’ll really appreciate this unit for when you’re both actively fishing and paddling from A to B.
Here’s a sweet little, easy to use fish finder and GPS unit by Garmin.
Whether you’re an experienced fisherman with lots of knowledge surrounding fish finders or a beginner to fish finder and GPS electronics, the Striker 4cv by Garmin is probably a great fit for your boat. This model is very highly reviewed on Amazon for being simple to use as well as highly effective and accurate.
The three and a half inch color screen has a 480 by 320-pixel display resolution and provides a nice visual for what’s swimming around beneath your kayak. High sensitivity GPS is built into this unit, so you can find your way back to the dock with this model as well as find fish with it.
Perhaps the best feature of a fish finder like this is its ability to mark and relocate fishing spots you want to return to. When you’re on the open water and you find some nice structure that holds fish, you want to be able to find it again.
There’s a transducer included here, so you have everything you need to mount this bad boy up and get fishing! Although this model Garmin is inexpensive, don’t let the low price tag fool you into thinking it’s an inferior unit – a lot of boaters and fishermen praise the GPS and sonar for being more than adequate for their needs.
Even if you’re not an angler, being able to see the topography of the sea floor, lake bottom or river bed can be seriously interesting, and the GPS component of a unit like this could get you out of trouble if you’re embarking on some more rugged and remote excursions.
Having good quality lines on board your watercraft is always a wise choice. Depending on what you’re up to on and off the water, owning a few good lengths of rope can prove itself super helpful.
This double braid nylon dockline by SeaSense is a highly reviewed, affordable option for lashing up your vessel, tying an anchor line, securing a tow line or tying your kayak in or on your vehicle for transport. This line is available in 3/8 to 5/8 inch thickness and 15 to 25 foot length, so there’s options that support medium to heavy loads.
There are several color options available (black, blue and gold/white) but I would recommend the blue line for greatest visibility in low light. Customer reviews insist this line both has a soft feel and holds up to salt and sun. It won’t fray after just a season of use assuming you’re using the line properly.
This product is very reasonably priced considering the quality of the materials used and potential to last for years – it’s an overlooked item that is really worth owning for the novice or experienced kayaker.
This portable, weatherproof speaker sounds phenomenal for the size and cost – and you won’t be disappointed with how bullet-proof this little boom-box is.
I’ve featured this portable speaker in several of my reviews because of how versatile, inexpensive and resilient to water and impact it is! I purchased this speaker almost three years ago, and it has played countless hours of music for me.
The powerful clip on the backside of the speaker makes it easily mounted on whatever you’d like! I take mine fishing and to the beach on a regular basis and it sees a lot of splash and a lot of sand, but nothing has stopped it yet.
On a full charge my Boombotix will play music for around eight hours – pretty killer battery life if you ask me. If your favorite music device doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilities then fear not, you can use the auxiliary plug. This speaker can even be “daisy-chained” to other Boombotix speakers for more volume output.
All in all, if you want to bring some music along on your paddling excursions this season, definitely check out this tough, dependable and LOUD speaker by Boombotix.
For a truly powerhouse, top-quality waterproof speaker option with stupendous battery life, check out the DemerBox. It’s a good bit larger than this option by Boombotix, but boy oh boy can it pump some tunes!
A good flashlight is always a must-have on any kayaking outing where you can expect the sun to go down. When you’re out of day light paddling back into the landing after a day on the water, you’ll require a reliable light source.
I have always opted for headlamps over conventional flashlights because they keep your hands free – because how else can you paddle and point a flashlight? Furthermore, I prefer rechargeable headlamps over battery powered lamps because packing loads of batteries is no fun.
The Black Diamond Storm Headlamp is a well reviewed, high quality waterproof and shockproof headlamp that’s perfect for kayaking applications.
This is a lightweight, ultra-durable option that you’ll own for years of paddling. It wears very low profile, features impressive brightness (85 meter range) and includes green, red and blue single power LEDs for effectively maintaining your night vision.
Black Diamonds ‘Power Tap Technology’ enables you to switch between dimmed and full power instantly when you need to illuminate the scene in a jiff. There is furthermore a strobe setting in case you get into trouble and need to signal help.
The Storm is waterproof for up to an impressive 30 minutes submerged in one meter of water and also impervious to dust which makes it fantastic for outdoor use in general. Why buy a kayaking headlamp that’s not fully waterproof?
The Storm is also designed to provide better than average peripheral lighting compared to the competition which makes it great for close-range maneuvering through tight waterways.
Black Diamond claims 120 hours of runtime with the Storm on just four AA batteries – now that’s a lot of bang for your buck!
Owning a nice kayak paddle is another piece of gear that’s seriously underrated. It might seem a little excessive to spend over $50 on a single paddle, but when you consider the fact that your paddle is the motor for your kayak, it’s totally worth owning a nicer unit.
I work as a kayak wilderness guide out of the salt marshes on my native Cape Cod, and let me assure you when you’re paddling against the current or tide having an effectively designed, nice quality paddle is EVERYTHING. There’s a huge difference between the comfortability and response of a cheap paddle and a nicer quality paddle – you’ll never want to own a hunk of junk paddle again after feeling the power and grace behind a nice blade.
The Escape E Kayak Paddle by Cannon is the unit that I own and use almost daily. It’s a great entry level paddle that will work well for just about any type of kayaking. I’ve owned this paddle for over three years now, and I really enjoy the pull it generates in the water – you can really crank with this one.
It’s only 39 ounces in weight, and the balance on this unit is quite nice. The shaft is constructed from heat treated aircraft grade aluminum and feels great in your hands. This is a great quality paddle without having to spend a ton of cash (trust me you could spend a LOT on a premium paddle that would be very comparable to this unit).
This is a two-piece paddle with three blade offset angle options, so you can adjust it to stroke evenly or feather the blades if you prefer.
All in all, this is a solid choice for a nice quality kayak paddle that come at a more than reasonable price point. If you’re interested in a really top-notch paddle, then check out this adjustable fishing paddle also by Cannon.
