Photo from Del Likes Kayaking
With the cost of living being so high this year we have tried to keep the cost of the festive season down for you. We have picked 12 gift ideas for sea kayakers that we think give good value for money, without breaking the bank and as they are mainly from local manufactures and shops they help the paddling community too.
Tsangpo socks
£18.00
Socks are a Christmas staple and these are made from warm, soft and stretchy Italian fleece. They are designed to be worn under a dry suit. Best of all thay have Polygiene Odour Control. The Palm Shop Finder can direct you to your local retailer.
Hand knitted hat
£40.00
To go with your socks you might want a sea kayaking hat, cue Amy Goolden. A sea kayak coach by day and a hat knitter by night. These beanie's are the real deal for sea lovers with bespoke colours, wave patterns and starfish all made of 100% merino wool. For every hat sold Amy donates a pound to the RNLI. Check her FaceBook Page for designs and to message her with your order. These are very much in demand so you might have to join the queue for next Christmas. Owning a hat also gives you access to the Salty Birds and Sea Dogs Kayak Festival.
Emergency hatch cover
£20.00
These Reed Aquatherm hatch covers make great emergency covers to stash in your day hatch. If you or anyone in your group ever loses their hatch cover you can save the day with one of these. These are made by hand here in the UK and can be and can be got direct from Reed.
Bold Belt
£13.00
To most people this may look like a rather bold coloured belt but other paddlers will recognise the bright poppy colour combinations as iconicly Palm Equipment and they'll recognise a fellow kayaker in their midst. This belt provides aircraft grade aluminium trouser support with over a metre of nylon PFD shoulder webbing should the excesses of chrismas require it. You could probably belay off it if you needed. The Palm Shop Finder can direct you to your closest stockist.
Kraken Karabiner
£12.50
Sea kayakers can find multiple uses for a shiny new karabiner. Towlines, contact tows, slings etc. The Whetman Equipment Kraken Karabiner is big enough to handle with wet
cold hands yet slim enough to slide under tight decklines. The wiregate is simple to use and the nose is snag free. Are you sold yet, if so head to the Wheman Equipment website to find your nearest stockist.
Peak iTow
£29.00
The PeakUK iTow is a close contact towing device featuring a clean, adjustable length system. Twin Sea Dog clips attach to your deck lines, whilst the quick release buckle is there for an easy escape, if needed. We like its simplicity and its adjustability. The Peak UK website will take you to your local retailer.
Aquapac Waterproof Phone Case
£18.00
Staying in communication when out on the sea can be an lifesaver should you get into trouble. And a water-damaged phone is no good for anyone. House it in this Aquapac Waterproof Phone Case, however, and you can get help should the need arise. Touch-screens still function through the case, and you can hear normally too. Plus, there’s no need to miss out on action shots with the handy camera window on the backside. You can get it from the Aquapac Website or from one of our local shops, Snowdonia Watersports or Summit to Sea.
Online Sea Kayaking Subscription
£9.99/month
Online Sea Kayaking have a wide variety of detailed and progressive online courses. In addition there are lots of useful exercises to help paddlers develop their techniques. The cinematography is superb and even if you are a sea kayak coach there are lots of ideas to use while coaching. You can get Vouchers, Monthly or Annual Subscriptions.
Sea Kayak Paddle Cuffs
£22.92
Storing you spare sea kayak paddle on your deck can be a tricky business. With these paddle cuffs you secure your spare paddle shafts on the bow of your boat for quick access and with the easy velcro wrap installation one size fits all paddles including push button and metal lever lock and the larger nylon lever lock fitted on some paddles. The Wheman Equipment website can help you find your nearest stockist.
Sea Kayaking Course
£190
Whatever level of kayaker you are, a course can help take you to the next level. If you would like to give the gift of a course to someone but are not sure what level course or what date would suit them a voucher could be the answer. Sea Kayaking Anglesey offer courses from Introduction to Advanced. Simply choose the voucher you would like to buy and they will email you a voucher that you can give as a gift on the day.
IOU Sea Kayaking
If you are a paddler and you know someone who you think might like it why not give them an IOU for a days kayaking. You could take them on the sea on a nice summers day or to your local club pool session on a dark winters night. If they like it and take it up it will be the gift that keeps on giving.
You might also like:
- Video: East Greenland Sea Kayak Expedition
- Buyers Guide: Synthetic or Natural Base Layers?
- An Interview with: Nigel Dennis - Sea Kayaking Safely
By Philip Clegg
With over two decades of working in the sea kayaking industry, Phil can be found on a daily basis coaching for Sea Kayaking Anglesey. That's when he's not expeditioning, playing or putting kit to the test.