Top products from r/kayamping

A big thing for me is fire. I love me some fire, but the question is always how to make it. There are all kinds of things to make your life easier, but two of my favorite things are 1.) The Sven Saw which is a collapsing saw that is good for brances/trees up to about 6 or 7inches (in my opinion) and 2.) Candle Firestarters along the lines of these. To be fair, I havent bought any candle firestarters in a while, since I made about 60 of them myself and decided it wasn't worth it to try that again. I'm just about out of them and will have to find a suitable commercial product.

Some of the other things that I lug along are as follows:

Cooking:

• Jet Boil - for hot beverages and simple meals
  
  
• Instant Coffee - Not nearly as tasty as the good stuff, but significantly less hassle
  
  
• Boullion Cubes - Easy source of salts, while providing a simple base for soups
  
  
• Small Tupperware cup w/ sandwich baggies of spices - Nothing makes a bland meal much better than a concoction of spices. I use a small 2"x2"x2" cup that keeps enough spices packed and dry to give me plenty of options.
  
  General
  
  
• Some lengths of rope and a few carabiners - useful hang stuff to dry, or secure a kayak to the shore
  
  
• Camp Chairs - Depending on your kayak, this may mean different types of seating. It can range from a full size comfortable chair, to a 3 legged ball-buster, but whatever it is, it beats sitting on the ground.
  
  
• Quality dry bags - I've found most dry bags will keep water out when new, but the material used for construction makes a lot of difference. My rule of thumb is 'the thicker the better'. My bag of choice is the Sea-to-Summit Big River Dry Bag due to the fabric (durable but not as stiff as the PVC bags) and the lashing loops that let me strap it down on top of my kayak without having second thoughts.
  
  Some things to consider
  
  
• If you're planning on cooking your own food from scratch, cook it at home first using the same equipment you'll be using on the river. I keep bringing rice with me to add to some basic broth, and I keep underestimating how long it actually takes to fully cook it. I'm sure there is a work around, or a better choice in rice, but I suck and don't plan ahead very well
  
  
• Bringing a tent? separate the poles from the rest of the tent, this will make the fabric part much easier to manipulate into a storage compartment.
  
  This is all I have off the top of my head, if something else comes up, I will post it.

I use this folding saw and a machete. Saw is for wood mostly, machete is for vines/whatever piddly defense it'll give me against raccoons or gators.

I haven't camped in the summer yet, but I prefer hammocks because they stay cooler than tents. With a basic under quilt and top quilt, I was comfortable when it got down to the 40s. A kid might do better with a tent though, my kids move a lot while they're sleeping. Warbonnet Blackbird is what I use, they're actually on sale today(7/4) I believe.

Here is a really different perspective. A few years ago i bought this little inflatable model for about $70 from a big box store. I replaced the paddle with something better from a local sporting goods store. It performs much better than you would think. I am smaller than you at about 6' 220lbs. But it holds me with room to spare, so I think it would fit you well. It works great on small lakes and lazy rivers, and when I'm done it folds down to backpack size, and I can just throw it in my trunk. It wont get you on the big water or handle the over night trips. But will get you started for very little investment in money or space while you shop for your ultimate rig.

I've found the various state "Atlas & Gazetteer" books to be very useful as an initial planning tool. See here: http://www.amazon.com/Mississippi-Atlas-Gazetteer-David-Delorme/dp/0899332234

I also recommend contacting your state fish and wildlife or park service to see what they have to say. Even if they don't have any state campsites where you're looking, they may be able to put you in touch with a guide who has knowledge of that area and can help you out.

Ended up ordering this guy and towed it around for about half an hour today. There's a noticeable difference but it didn't kill me. I think for shorter distances it'll work.

I've looked for a knife ever since I've had my yak and couldn't find one I liked. Thanks for turning me on to Mora. I just ordered this knife.

This was just posted as well, I'm also in florida for a time being, perhaps I'll pick one up

This is what I kept the camera in on my deck. Seahorse SE300 Protective Case with Foam (Orange) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001A1PT9A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_29dUub0N6CXCE

They are small and can only cook one thing at a time, but you might look into pie irons - I've seen some people cut and shorten the handles on them.
https://www.amazon.com/Rome-Industries-1705-Sandwich-Cooker/dp/B000FNLXWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478198213&sr=8-1&keywords=pie+iron

http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Explorer-2-Person-Inflatable-Boat/dp/B000RZFBKW

I just got this yesterday to tow behind my kayak with a cooler and some gear. I haven't taken it out of the box yet, but people have used it for this in the reviews with no problems. So fingers crossed, I'm taking it overnighting this weekend on the Chattahoochee south of Atlanta.