What I Carry When I SUP

If you’ve paddled with me before (or simply seen my pics on Instagram) you will have noticed that I never paddle without a small dry bag. 99.9% of the time that dry bag will be my waterproof waist pack (which is currently available to purchase HERE!)

So why do I carry a small dry-bag and what on earth is inside of it?

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Firstly - the reason I carry a small dry-bag is that I believe in the good ol’ Scouting motto of ‘always be prepared’. As paddle boarders, we are choosing to exercise and explore out in the wild… and therefore, much of our experience is outside of our control. The wind may pick up, our energy may start to lag, the sun could come out, we could find ourselves in difficult conditions and need to be rescued. However, to keep safe and minimise all of these risks we can… be prepared.

So what do I carry when I SUP?

  • Sunglasses (polarised to help against glare)

  • Sunscreen (applied in advance and then carried so that I can apply again mid-paddle)

  • SPF Lip balm (the reflection from the water can be tough on lips, so make sure you protect them!)

  • Mobile phone (for emergencies… and for Instagram)

  • A whistle (for when paddling with a group and the wind is making it hard to reach paddlers at the front of the group)

  • Tampons/pads ( …wouldn’t be the first time mother nature has paid me a surprise visit)

  • A snack (normally a muesli bar… Clif bars are my favourite, mmmm)

  • Water (a 500ml bottle fits into my waist bag holder but I would take 1L+ if paddling for over 60 mins.)

  • A couple of ‘hydralite’ sachets or Berroca (when out in the sun for several hours, sometimes water isn’t enough to keep you hydrated. So these sachets have added electrolytes and minerals to help your body absorb what it needs to stay hydrated.)

  • Personal first aid kit featuring the basics like band-aids, pain killers etc. (or full first aid kit in a larger dry bag if leading a group)

  • A piece of paper and a pencil (a scouting classic…those free IKEA pencils work best!)

  • A screwdriver (I know, no one can ever believe this one when I pull it out of my bag - but if you have an adjustable paddle sometimes the screws can loosen and paddling is bloody hard work when your paddle shortens every time you push down on it!)

  • A couple of pieces of duct-tape - not a full roll (I learnt this little trick training as a kayak instructor. Not only can duct tape help with temporarily fixing equipment but it can fix broken sunnies, you can make it into a sunglasses strap and so much more!)

  • A small micro-fibre towel (great for drying hands if you want to use your phone out on your paddle)

It’s not much but it means that my mind can rest assured that whatever eventuality I’m as prepared as I can be. And of course, the contents of my SUP bag varies throughout the year, in different locations and changes as my experiences broaden.

Reflect on your experiences as a paddle boarder so far. Have there been any instances where you had WISHED you had something on your during the paddle? Is it a situation that could happen again? If so, add it to your dry bag!

Let me know in the comments below if there is anything else that I’m missing from my dry bag that is a MUST for you when out on your SUP.

Happy paddling!

Vikki, Founder of She SUPs x

Vikki Weston1 Comment