No question, paddling gear is expensive. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by lists of must-have gear and to feel that everything must be new. However, it is possible to find reasonably priced paddling gear with a little more effort and patience.
Remember that for many types of gear, you don’t need to go with the paddling-specific version. Tennis shoes work just as well as fancy sandals (well, almost), and you don’t need special shorts or shirts (as long as you’re not wearing cotton—synthetic-fabric running shorts and shirts work great). Ammo cans make a great substitute for an expensive dry box.
By getting creative, you can minimize the amount of paddling-specific gear you need to buy and target your funds toward the most important pieces. (Note: This post contains some affiliate links, meaning we might get a small commission if you buy something—at no cost to you.)
What paddling gear to buy new
There are only a few pieces of gear that should really be purchased new, for safety reasons.
The very first piece of gear to buy is a well-fitting PFD. While you can get a PFD used, I recommend buying a new one so you can get one that really fits and is comfortable.
Helmets for any sport should be bought new and replaced whenever they are damaged or when the padding starts to degrade. Several paddling helmets, such as the NRS Havoc Livery Whitewater Helmet, are only about $50 (top-of-line brands like WRSI go for three times as much), so plan to grab a helmet as soon as you are looking at paddling whitewater above class II or so. Always wear a helmet if you’re in a kayak or on a SUP, and consider a helmet even if you’re in a raft, particularly if you’re in Class III or higher water. If you’re SUPing, remember “SUPing is swimming” and if the riverbed is rocky. If you fall off your board, it’s easy to hit your head.
Where to find used paddling gear
- Local consignment stores. Scour your town for used gear (saves on shipping!). Many cities have dedicated gear consignment shops—I scored a brand new dry top at the Gearage in Fort Collins for less than $100. In Denver (where I live), I’ve found that the available consignment gear leans toward climbing rather than paddling, but everyone needs insulation and base layers, so it’s still worthwhile to check out your local stores.
- Online used gear and swap sites. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, and other buy/sell/trade groups that connect you to local purveyors are great resources. If you’re looking for something specific, it’s worthwhile to set up a Craigslist alert, so that new listings will be emailed directly to you. There is always a lot of competition for outdoor gear, so you want to be able to quickly jump on anything you see. Also, join Facebook paddling groups, as members often post gear here rather than in the typical marketplace sections. Used boat buying tip: When buying used boats privately, bring a pump and make sure the boat holds air. For rafts, you especially want to check the floor, which on most boats is the first part to fail and is an expensive replacement. The best places to find gear offered by individual sellers are sites like GearTrade, which makes it easy to buy and sell used gear, offers a rewards program, holds some massive sales, and features a fair amount of paddling-specific gear. (And is a place I would look first when shopping for a dry suit. Dry suits are expensive!)
- Online outdoor gear sites. You are likely already familiar with most of the big online camping gear sites, such as REI, Campmor, CampSaver, etc. But if you’re thinking they only carry tents and backpacks and bikes, you’d be surprised. They carry varying amounts of paddling gear, and often have huge sales, offer discounts for first-time orders, offer free shipping, or have membership programs. A few examples:
- REI carries a surprising amount of paddling gear, including some core NRS paddling items that we highly recommend (cam straps, NRS Co-Pilot knife, and NRS boater’s gloves, to name a few). REI often has sales, and as an REI member, you’ll earn a dividend that you can apply to gear. (I love the fact that it’s so easy to use the REI dividend: They will ask you at the cash register whether you want to apply your dividend to a purchase, so you don’t have to remember anything.)
- CampSaver carries the full gamut of Sea to Summit river dry bags (see our post on dry bags for a full discussion of various types), Astral shoes (cheers for the Astral Brewess women’s shoes), and Astral PDFs, among other paddling gear.
- CampMor doesn’t have a specific paddling section, but it’s a great source to check pricing on miscellaneous gear, including sunglasses, camp furniture, and water containers (check out our post on water filters and containers for a detailed discussion of this critical river camp equipment).
Check the river gear online store used gear sites
Many major river gear online stores have used gear for sale:
- NRS has a constantly rotating selection of used gear, especially some sweet apparel (strongly recommend you check this site if you’re looking for a dry suit!).
- 4Corners Riversports in Durango, CO, frequently features used kayaks, paddles, and PFDs.
- Down River Equipment in Denver, CO, has raft rigging gear galore, including our favorite drop bags.
- REI (while not paddling-specific) has an extensive used gear section, so it’s always worth checking.
- Patagonia—if ever a site was worth checking for used clothing such as base layers or rain gear, it’s this one. We can show you Patagonia apparel we’ve worn on paddling (and skiing, and hiking, etc.) excursions for literally decades. The stuff holds up.
Also, follow outfitters on social media. Outfitters will often sell off used gear at the end of the boating season, and you can score great deals on used boats this way. I’ve seen good deals from commercial rafting companies and from local gear stores that rent out boats and paddling gear, so check both.
Taking Care of Gear
To ensure your gear lasts longer, you’ll want to take care of it. How to ensure your gear lasts depends on the type of gear, but there are some general tips that apply to all types of gear.
- Make sure that everything is clean and dry before storing it—dirt wears on tech fabrics and boat surfaces alike. Moisture is the enemy of any fabric.
- Keep gear out of the sun while it is being stored, to avoid UV degradation.
- If you have space, store everything unrolled, out of stuff sacks, and partially inflated (where applicable).
How to try paddling gear before buying
In order to avoid buying the wrong kind of boat, or any other paddling gear that requires a big investment (like a particular oar frame or seat configuration), it’s a great idea to try it out first. I did this when I was choosing which SUP to buy, and it really helped me figure out which boards I felt most comfortable on. Here are some places to look for rentals:
- Outfitters. Your local outfitter is likely to have the biggest selection and will typically have the newest models.
- Local colleges and universities. The recreation centers at local colleges often have a big selection of tried-and-true gear that you can rent for very low cost. (Keep college rentals in mind if you need extra sleeping bags, camp kitchen gear, or backpacks for river trips, too, as they typically have an abundance of general outdoor gear.) They might not offer the most cutting-edge kayaks, for example, but you can at least try different styles of boats to help narrow your choices.
- Local gear libraries. These are great sources of gear that you can borrow to test out. For example, in the Denver metro area you can borrow gear from Always Choose Adventures if you’re a member.
- Paddling groups. Regional or local paddling groups typically have gear you can try. Or you can track down specific gear from individuals on Facebook paddling groups or paddling forums to see whether anyone near you has the type of boat, paddle or other gear you’re looking for.
Curate your paddling gear over time
When you’re looking at gear, remember that you don’t need to have everything right away. You can buy a boat, then slowly outfit it as you figure out what you like and don’t like. Patience also pays on the used market—just keeping an eye out for pieces of gear will help you learn the market and be able to recognize a good deal when you see one. So don’t feel like you have to drop thousands of dollars right away to get into paddling.
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