By Richard Chapo 
Finding good Christmas gifts ideas is easy if you think about a persons hobbies. If you are buying for person who enjoys kayaking, here are a few ideas for kayaking gifts.
Kayaking is a sport that appears to require relatively small amounts of equipment. In truth, it is much more than a paddle and a kayak, which provides you with a lot of potential gift ideas.
1. Drip Rings – Drip rings are placed on each end of a paddle and keep water from running back up the paddle to your hands. While this may sound odd given that you’re sitting in water, it is incredibly annoying to have water running over your hands all of the times. Drip rings stop this, which makes them very useful. They are also incredibly cheap, costing no more than a few bucks. Aqua-Bound is as good a brand as any.
2. Alaska Sea Kayaking Adventures – If you’re looking for a big ticket item, why not give an Alaska Sea Kayaking trip as a gift? A number of companies in Alaska provide sea kayaking tours in Prince William Sound and other locations. There is nothing more impressive than paddling up to one of the glaciers overhanging the sea. The pure beauty will leave you astonished. The cost of trips varies, but most of the expense is getting to Alaska. Do an Internet search for “alaska kayaking” and you’ll find the providers.
3. Back Bands – Sitting in a kayak for a few hours is not easy on the lower back. Back bands are devices that fit into the seat area and provide lower back support similar to those you find for car seats. Back bands are a must for long crossings. A back band of good quality will set you back between $30 and $40. SealLine and Ocean Kayak are good brands.
4. Underdeck Bags – Underdeck bags act like a little glove compartment for kayaks. Watertight, they attach to the roof of the interior space on kayaks and act like a glove compartment in a car. Makes storing valuable such as car keys, maps and journals a breeze. North Water makes excellent underdeck bags and you can expect to pay roughly $40 for one.
5. Nomad Paddle Sports Journals – A bit of self-promotion here. Nomad Paddle Sports Journals are waterproof writing journals that let kayakers keep notes during and after their trips. Really great for writing down impressions, routes taken, things seen, people met, alternative routes to be tried in the future and so on. You can click the link at the bottom of this article to see the paddle sports journals which cost $8.99.
Whether shooting the rapids of a river or cruising scenic bays, kayaking is a great sport. If you’re buying gifts for a kayaking enthusiast, the above list is a good place to start.
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. Paddle sports journals are great kayaking gifts and Christmas gifts for him or her. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read outdoor adventure articles and stories.
