Gear Guide | Sea Kayaking | The Open Coast Kit

This is the kit our instructors recommend primarily for womxn sea kayakers (but recommendations transfer to male paddlers too) who want breadth over depth. You’re building skills in all directions: touring, surfing, rock gardening, tide race, multi-day adventures. You need a kit that can make you feel confident, prepared, and go the distance in multiple venues. This is your tried and tested kit.

Note: Author is 5’7 and 150 lbs yet recommendations are taken from first- and second-hand experience from fellow female instructors. 

THE BIG 5

Kayak

We selected these sea kayaks because they combine versatility, playfulness but can still keep pace with the pod. At Cali Collective, we have a bias for rotomolded, plastic, polyethylene models which provide us with a greater margin of error when surfing and playing in the rocky coastlines of Northern California, so you can push your skills without punishing your boat. But they do tend to be heavier than their lithe composite counterparts, which is why we also offer our favorite composite model that we find provides a comparable fit and performance.

Please keep in mind that investing in a kayak is a very personal, individual choice and by no means is this list exhaustive. This is a list of our favorites which typically run between 14’5 and 16 ft for ultimate maneuverability and agility. The team at Cali Collective also highly recommends demoing and thoroughly testing these kayaks before you make your decision.

Plastic / Closest Composite Equivalent 

• P&H Virgo (Plastic) / P&H Aries 

• Nigel Dennis Kayaks Sportive / Nigel Dennis Kayaks Pilgrim

• Dagger Stratos 14.5 S/L

• Valley Gemini SP / Valley Gemini ST

Life Jacket

• Rescue Ready: Kokatat HusteR – Great gear storage, fits a wide variety of bust and body types, easy to customize, super comfortable and light. I also like how easy it is to add the Kokatat Tributary hydration system to it. Before investing in a rescue vest, it’s important to learn proper towing techniques, practice quick releasing in a variety of positions (including upside down underwater).

• Everyday Ready: Kokatat Hustle

Dry Suit / Wetsuit / Warm Day Wear

• Drysuit – Kokatat Idol or Meridian

  • For insulating under my drysuit, I prefer a wool layer next to skin and then a flexible fleece layer on top. I wear Kokatat’s Woolcore underneath their Fleece Outercore both on top and bottom.

• Wetsuit – O’Neill PsychoTech 3/4 mm for 50 – 60 degree water

• Kokatat Session Semi-Dry Top – This has become my go-to for warmish days when I want more wind protection, throwing it on top of a neoprene top or wetsuit. I won’t wear this on days I’m expecting full immersion for any long period of time, however.

• Warm weather:

  • Top: Kokatat Neocore Long Sleeve

  • Sun Protection Top: Kokatat Suncore

  • Bottom: Kokatat Neozip Long Jane Farmer Jane Wetsuit

• Splash Jacket: Kokatat GoreTex Paddling Jacket

Paddle

Bias toward high angle, aggressive paddling.

• Powerful Play & Surfing: Werner Stikine or Werner Sherpa 1-piece

• Everyday Faithful: Werner Shuna

• Distance & Efficiency: Werner Cyprus 

Sprayskirt

• Bomber Secure: Immersion Research KlingOn Empire

Helmet

• Sweet Strutter

• Sweet Rocker (for hard rock play and big wave surfing)

Shoes

• Astral Brewess or Loyak (high-top, high performance)

• NRS Women’s Wetshoe

Essential Accessories 

• VHF Radio – Icom 25

• Rescue Knife – Stohlquist Squeeze Lock Knife 

• Paddle Float: Harmony Blade Aid

• Bilge Pump: Beckson Bilge Pump (Small)

• Dry Bag

  • Sturdy & Important Items – Watershed Ocoee

  • Everyday – Sealline Baja

• Float Bags – Harmony Float Bags

• Tow Systems –

  • North Water PFD Sea Link (Short System: 4.5 ft tow tether that expands to 17 ft)

  • North Water Sea Tec Tow Belt (Long tow system: 35 ft)

• Sunscreen – Joshua Tree Organic Sunblock’s Invisible Zinc

• Sun Paws!

• Ear plugs for cold water – Mack’s Aqua Block  & Surf Ears 3.0

Nice to Have!

• Gloves for rock gardening: Wonder Grip Gloves

• Gloves for warmth: Kokatat Kozee Neoprene Gloves

• Hydration system: Kokatat Tributary

• Apres-kayak: Immersion Research Women’s Sendress

• Gear Bag – Kokatat Dirt Bag Gear Bag

• Xtratuff Deck Boots