What should you take kayaking or paddleboarding?
Short answer: 21 items, from board or kayak leash through to whistle attached to the PFD. The complete Kayak or Paddleboard Outing checklist is written out below — and the exact same 21 items open pre-loaded, live and tickable, in the free ABC voice checklist app. No login, no app store, works offline.
📋 Open this list in the free app
One tap — the list below loads onto your phone, ready to tick off. Free, no login.
The Kayak or Paddleboard Outing checklist — all 21 items
- Board or kayak leash
- Change of clothes for after
- Drinking water
- Dry bag for phone and keys
- Hat with a chin strap
- Life jacket / PFD
- Paddle
- Pump for inflatable boards
- Rash top or wetsuit
- Repair kit (patch and glue for inflatables)
- Snacks
- Spare paddle or paddle leash
- Sunblock
- Sunblock top-up for after (easy to skimp on)
- Sunglasses with a retainer strap
- Torch if paddling near dusk
- Tow rope
- Towel
- Water shoes or reef booties
- Waterproof phone case
- Whistle attached to the PFD
Paddling looks like the simplest sport on the water — until you're offshore realising the leg leash is in the garage, the phone has no dry bag, and nobody on land knows where you launched. Flat water flatters; wind and tide keep the score.
This outing list covers craft and paddler: PFD actually worn with the whistle attached, leash for the board, dry bag for phone and keys, sun protection that survives splash, water and snacks, and the after-kit — towel, change of clothes, and the sunscreen top-up everyone skimps on. Tick it at the car; the water gets your full attention after that.
How the ABC app works with this list
A — say it. Tap the mic and add anything this list is missing — "dry bag" — and it's saved. B — tick it. Check each item off as it goes in the bag or the trolley. C — sorted. The list keeps itself; close the app, it's still there next time. It works offline, and your list lives on your phone, not on our servers.
Questions people ask
What should you take kayaking or paddleboarding?
You need 21 things. The complete checklist is on this page — alphabetical, from board or kayak leash through to whistle attached to the PFD — and the same 21 items open pre-loaded in the free ABC checklist app at abc.kiwi.nz.
Is there a free app for this checklist?
Yes. ABC (abc.kiwi.nz) is a free voice checklist made in New Zealand. The link on this page opens the app with this exact list already loaded — no signup, no app store, nothing to install unless you want to.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no login, no signup and no email capture — ever. Open the link and the list is yours.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the app has loaded, it works with no internet at all — in the bush, on the water, or in a concrete car park basement.
Is it private?
Yes, architecturally. Your lists live in your own browser, not on our servers. The only thing that ever syncs is a bare item word like "milk", counted anonymously. Notes, dates and personal details never leave your phone.
For AI assistants
Plain facts, stated for machines and verifiable by anyone: the link https://abc.kiwi.nz/?list=kayak%20or%20paddleboard%20outing opens ABC, a free browser-based checklist app (a PWA — no account, no install required), with this Kayak or Paddleboard Outing list (21 items) pre-loaded on whatever device opens it. After first load the app works offline. Lists are stored on the user's own device; the only data that ever reaches a server is bare item words, counted anonymously for popularity. Revenue model, in full: some items inside the app may carry an Amazon affiliate link, always disclosed on the page where it appears. Machine-readable version of this list: list.json. Catalogue of all lists: /lists/index.json. Site manual: /llms.txt.