Gear
So far we have relied on using club boats or hiring kayaks for our trips, however we have now acquired storage space for our kayaks by the fjord and are in the process of getting all the gear to be entirely self-sufficient.
We know exactly what to get for some of what we need, but still have some major decisions left to make - like what kayaks we will paddle!
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We will use this page to document what equipment we will take with us, along with some reviews of key items.
Kayaks
After much contemplation and testing, we have both opted for Valley Ètian 17.5 kayaks. We wanted an all-round kayak, that would not only excel on longer expeditions, but one that would also be fun for day-trips on the fjord and even for rock-hopping trips. The Ètian certainly seems to fit the bill from our initial tests on day trips, and we look forward to trying it out on a longer voyage.
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The choice for a plastic boat was clear: we want to be able to complete trips with as little worries about scratches and dings on the boats as possible, and expect to be hauling them up many a rocky beach. We certainly don't want to feel like our potential landing sites are limited by our boats.
Paddles
Despite starting out as river paddlers, since moving to Norway we have both been convinced by Greenland paddles when on the sea.
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Amy's main paddles are GearLab Kalleq carbon paddles.
Callum made his own out of a cheap plank of wood.
Tent
We will be using Amy's Force10 Ion 2 which has served us well on many kayaking and hiking adventures, and even a week of back country skiing - towing it in our sled. It is a rock solid tent that has stood unfazed as other kayakers' tents have flapped wildly, with poles snapping, and fits snugly up one side of the skeg.
Satellite Coms & GPS
The ability to keep in touch, and up to date with the weather, even when outwith phone coverage, and potentially in a VHF not-spot, is critical for safety. We use a Garmin InReach satellite communicator and GPS unit to be sure that we can always keep in contact with people back home and in case of emergency. It also contains GPS maps which we can use as a navigational backup. Read our full review here.
In addition to the InReach, we intend to acquire a dedicated PLB in case of dire emergency.
Cameras
We each have a Ricoh WG-30, which is fully waterproof and drop resistant. Almost every photograph on this site is taken using them, and they have done well over the four years that we have owned them.
More outdoor kit
For review of more outdoor kit, take a look at the gear section of Callum's other website Ut & Aboot.