Beginner kayakers should not cut corners as the gear you need is all about your personal safety and possibly even survival.

You obviously need a kayak which should be a given since you are now a kayaker. The second most important is your paddle. The paddle is twin bladed and usually, you need a paddle that matches your height while most paddles are around two meters long. The width of your kayak and your paddling style also plays a role, thus get professional advice as to which paddle would suit you.

A wet suit is one of the first things you want to get too since you are going to get wet. The standard style for wetsuits is 4:3 which means that the body thickness is 4mm while the arms have a thickness of 3mm.

Next on your list of gear is a buoyancy aid. If you want to argue that you are a strong swimmer, think again as experienced kayakers and professional swimmers also wear one of these when kayaking. Choose a model that fits tightly, is low cut and gives you enough freedom to move your arms comfortably. Lastly, you need a spray deck as you want to seal yourself into the kayak cockpit rather than getting wet.