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Outfitting Gear

Top Picks

How we choose: The best outfitting gear highlighted here were selected based on 12 reviews of 10 products. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States and have received the highest overall ratings from reviewers.

How we test: Trailspace is powered entirely by our community of readers. The reviews posted here reflect the real-world experiences of outdoor enthusiasts just like you.

If you've used a outfitting gear that you think should be listed here, please share your experience.

Disclosure: Trailspace never accepts payment for gear reviews, product placement, or editorial coverage. When you buy through affiliate links on our site, Trailspace may earn a small commission, which helps cover the costs of running the site.

Top Spray Skirt/Deck

Seals Sneak Sprayskirt

user rating: 5 of 5 (1 review)

Perfect for my needs. Great splash protection on moderate paddles and helps to extend my paddle season.

Reasons to Buy

  • Adjustable tunnel
  • Access to cockpit without removing
  • Two mesh pockets
  • Don't feel confined by it
  • Releases from kayak easily by a handle pull

Reasons to Avoid

  • None

I used the Sneak for the first time on a cool 33 degree Black Friday paddle on the Brandywine Creek for 15 miles. I had the normal paddle drips and did a few wave fields with splash onto the deck. Without the sprayskirt I would have been wet. What water that didn't just run off of skirt ran off by lifting the center a bit. I really like the zipper access to the cockpit for drink and snack. I keep spare gloves in the mesh pockets. Some people say that they would feel confined with a sprayskirt.

Read more: Seals Sneak Sprayskirt review (1)

Top Deck Bag

Sea to Summit Solution Access Deck Bag

user rating: 4 of 5 (2 reviews)

Good deck bag for keeping bare essentials at hand. Minimizes wind/water drag over bulkier designs.

Reasons to Buy

  • Low wind profile
  • 2 different ways to secure it: velcro and nylon straps
  • Reflective accents to increase safety

Reasons to Avoid

  • Outer bag isn't water-tight
  • Both are required to minimize movement

I've used this deck bag in high-wind situations, where a more bulky design would have caught and created excess weather-cocking. The bag was big enough for a small 1st aid kit, beach blanket, and my point & shoot camera. There was room for some small snacks and a water bottle, too. There is an internal framesheet that keeps the rounded shape of the bag. This also makes it harder to stow-away, as it doesn't compress down. The straps on the outside were needed to stabilize the bag, in addition to the velcro underneath.

Read more: Sea to Summit Solution Access Deck Bag reviews (2)

Top Seat

Crazy Creek Canoe Chair III

user rating: 4 of 5 (1 review)

Comfy. Works both on the canoe and on the ground (as a camp chair).

Reasons to Buy

  • Floats but doesn't absorb much water
  • Thicker pad underneath
  • Simple, rugged design
  • Widely adjustable straps

Reasons to Avoid

  • Rigid (don't expect to roll it up)
  • Hmmm, how might I elevate it into a chair?

Use on the Water, Easy As 1, 2, 3:      1.  Click straps under the seat.      2.  Adjust side strap lengths.      3.  Paddle all day. Use in Camp.  Decent ground-bound chair or kneeling pad. I'm trying to figure out a simple, cheap, lightweight way to raise it up 6-8" into more of a chair.  (Maybe using old tent poles to hold it up, maybe sling it somehow....) Use inside a Tent.  Like most foam pads products, can be used to supplement your sleeping system insulation. I like it to boost up my pillow with it folded in half. You might find the thicker bottom pad is enough and so use the backrest as torso padding. Or maybe to elevate your feet. Not much else to write. It's simple, strong, and just works.

Read more: Crazy Creek Canoe Chair III review (1)

Seat

Skwoosh Fishing Chair Seat Pad

user rating: 5 of 5 (1 review)

Hard seat? Then add some skwoosh for your tush...

Reasons to Buy

  • Maintenance free
  • Easy to clean
  • Comfortable
  • Floats
  • Thin

Reasons to Avoid

  • A little pricey

Skwoosh is a US company specializing in seat pads. They cover every conceivable option from wheelchairs to motorcycles. So they know a thing or two about providing some skwoosh for your tush. Learn more about them and their plethora of products here: http://www.skwoosh.com. I spend a lot of time in my kayaks. Twenty to thirty mile paddles are the norm. While anything to make that more comfortable is welcomed, increasing my center of gravity is not. I've tried various pads over the years and found them all to be either so thin as to be basically useless or so thick that my center of gravity was raised enough to adversely affect my performance.  Enter the Skwoosh, a gel filled, pressure relieving pad that's thin enough to be barely noticeable...

Read more: Skwoosh Fishing Chair Seat Pad review (1)

More Reviews of Outfitting Gear

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Other Types of Paddling Gear

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Canoes

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