"Alan Adams" wrote in message
...
In message
Bill Oldroyd wrote:

Keith Meredith wrote:
Hi

What kit would you advise a new paddler to spend money on?

Keith

Have you looked here ?.

http://www.bcu.org.uk/aboutus/gettingstarted.html

Bill

1 Cag
2 Thermals
3 wetsuit boots
4 Paddle
5 Buoyancy aid
6 Helmet

Then the order gets more difficult depending a lot on what sort of
paddling is planned, and what time of year

Car
Roofrack
Waterproof Kitbag
Boat (yes I meant this to be last).

I'd take a different approach since I teach kids, as I suspect will Keith.

1. Light footwear, preferably wetsuit boots, but something close fitting and
compact - save the complaint of feet getting stuck.
2. Cag - one with neoprene cuffs and a velcro neck seal will do initially.
By the time they get to 3 star most kids will need another one anyway.
3. Thermals

Since we provide all the boats, helmets etc there is no need for any more
purchases - but...

4. Helmet
5. Buoyancy Aid

Depending upon how comfortable the Club ones are...

Then look at a paddle and boat.

By this time they should also be looking at building up their first aid and
emergency kit. The contents of the latter being a source of much debate
perhaps they should be best left for another thread.

Of course it helps if they have some way of getting their boat to the water.
If the newbie is under 17 the car doesn't figure, here they usually have a
pre-available parent for transport. Or a club with a communal trailer.

Waterproof kitbag.... hmmm. So that the wet gear can be dumped in it and
forgotten till birds fall out of the sky when you open it :-)

Ewan Scott