Keith Meredith wrote:

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

How new is new?

First thing I'd advise is getting enough experience to get an idea of=20
what you'll want, c/o a club and/or paddling pals. A couple of folk I=20
know spent ~ =A34K before they'd even done any real paddling, which I=20
regard as frankly insane. I don't want to discourage this sort of thing =

as it should mean a very healthy second hand sea boat market in a couple =

of years, but it really is Quite Mad buying before you can reasonably be =

sure what you want *and* you can borrow until you find out.

Having borrowed stuff from club and friends to start with, first stuff I =

got for myself was a BA and a cag, because at least sea paddling these=20
are the items that make the biggest comfort difference (if you're 10=20
miles between landings then pockets on a BA make a /huge/ difference!).

Wet suit was next, for forays into rivers and surf. As with the wet=20
suit, one's own helmet means a selection can be made for personal fit=20
rather than the nearest you can get from the club's store.

Pete.
--=20
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/