Our recent a trip to Wales gave us the opportunity to review our kit and see if there was anything lacking. Here’s what we found:

All three of our us chose to pack our gear in sturdy North Face duffel bags; Pat chose a wheeled version, in spite of the additional weight.

When a paddling trip requires an airline flight, luggage becomes a serious concern. In the past, we’ve mostly used cordura duffel bags, which have significant down sides: they tend to wear fairly quickly, their zippers break under pressure, and they’re not easy to carry when fully loaded. So for this trip, we invested in North Face Base Camp duffel bags. The heavy, water- and abrasion-resistant laminated ballistic nylon is tough enough to survive the ravages of the cargo hold; the zippers are robust; the padded shoulder straps and hand straps and comfortable; and the “D” shaped opening makes it easy to access the gear inside. We purchased a large one (4 pounds, 90 liters) and an extra large one (5 pounds, 155 liters). We filled both and were glad to have them, though it was easy to go over the 50-pound baggage limit with the extra large.

We brought along four-piece Werner paddlers, which we carefully rinsed after each use.

We have struggled to pack our two-piece paddles on previous flights; they don’t fit in our luggage, and the cost of packing them separately is prohibitive. This time, we got four-piece Werner paddles, which fit nicely in our new bags, protected by our PFDs and other gear. We did wonder whether they would be as stiff and durable on the water, and whether the extra buttons at the end of the shaft sections would allow them to come apart unintentionally. But we found they performed just as well as our normal Werner two-piece paddles. The joints between the blades and the shaft are very tight (more tight than the central one) and would be hard to separate accidentally. In fact, our friend Pat wisely recommended that we disassemble and rinse them immediately after getting off the water so the salt wouldn’t turn them into two-piece paddles. (For construction reasons, four-piece paddles are not available in a bent shaft and are a custom order.)

The Sperry Ricochet Bungee Sneaker redefined the way we thought about this yachting-associated brand.

We continued our quest for the perfect paddling shoe. We generally prefer a lower-profile shoe, but for this trip we wanted something that would provide grip on rocks and barnacles, and give us good support while we carried our boats on cobble beaches and other uneven surfaces. Alec brought along his Sperry Ricochet Bungee sneakers, which provide great grip and drainage and have a pretty nifty, snag-free lacing system.

Our current favorite paddling footwear, the Keen Gorge Boot, has been discontinued.

Sharon brought her Keen Gorge boots, which are fantastic for comfort, support and quality. Sadly, Keen stopped manufacturing them in 2012, but some are still available in shops and online. (Alec actually managed to purchase a pair during our trip at Summit to Sea in Holyhead.) What do we like about these boots? They are sturdy, with a grippy and stiff sole and a simple, effective Velcro strap system. And like all Keen shoes, they have a generous toe box. We also found the 3 mm. neoprene kept our feet warm in the cool conditions. Keen told us they discontinued this boot because there wasn’t enough demand for it. We hope they (or someone else) make a shoe with similar qualities to replace it.

The Peak UK Open Palm Mitts were a great find on this trip.

Of course, we stopped in paddling shops along the way to say hello and check for any great gear we don’t already own. There’s not much we need these days, but we did purchase some Peak UK Open Palm Mitts. And we love them! They’re made from light, 2 mm. neoprene, providing adequate warmth in the cool temperatures we encountered (air in the 40s, water in the low 5os), while allowing us to easily withdraw our fingers when we wanted more dexterity. Sharon wore them the whole time; Alec found the upper part of the mitt a bit slippery on the paddle.

We also brought with us the new North Water Dynamic Towline Pro 35′. While we didn’t do a lot of towing practice, we did experiment a bit with this new system. We like the slim profile and pliability, and the way the wrap-around Velcro makes the “bag” easy to open and close. We will provide a full review after we’ve spent more time with it.

Go Kayaking, a well-stocked shop in Runcorn, England.