Kayak Paddle Bag

A paddle bag bag isn't a necessity, but it can be useful while schlepping all the gear from the apartment to the car and to wherever else it's going.  Most often I just put the bulky items (PFD, shoes, etc) into a plastic tub, and small items (clothes, camera, etc) into a canvas gear bag.  The gear bag goes on top of the tub and the paddle gets stuffed into the sides of the tub, so I can carry everything down to the street in one trip.  The problem is that the paddle ends hang up on everything and are just a nuisance.


The paddle bag should be something that can be slung over a shoulder, holds the paddles securely, and keeps the ends near the back of my head where they aren't too likely to get into trouble.  I've tested a variety of bags (day packs, duffels, chair bags, small guitar gig bags, a junior golf caddy bag, and others) from thrift stores and junk stores, and the leading candidate is...

The Nike baseball bag

A couple of years ago I bought this heavily worn baseball bat-and-helmet-and-stuff bag that seemed like it could be re-purposed as a paddle-and-gear bag.  The bag is dirty and and the zipper is broken and it has a lot of small holes worn in it - but it only cost $1, so I thought I'd see how it worked out.


What made the bat bag useful is the pocket that runs the length of the bag (about 2.5') and is meant to hold one or two baseball bats.  The pocket opens at the end of the bag.  The rest of the bag holds everything else, so it isn't necessary to unpack gear to get at the paddles, or vice versa.   (On this bag the zipper on the gear compartment is missing the slide, and it won't really hold anything.  I was going to add snaps or some other simple fix, but haven't gotten around to it.  The bag might also benefit from a Scotch Guard or other water-repellant treatment.)

As it is the bat pocket (also missing a zipper slide) is just wide enough so that the paddle blades can be put in one at a time.  My Aqua-Bound StingRay paddle fits, but a river paddle, generic aluminum-shaft paddles, and probably any kayak paddle that isn't a skinny touring paddle or a greenland paddle will be too wide for this particular bag.  A different bat bag might hold wider paddles.

The is a plastic snap at the end of the bat pocket where one end of a shoulder strap could be attached.  I might add a grommet with a loop of cord sticking out to attach the other end of the strap.  (I might actually sew on a strap loop when I get a bag in better condition.)

The short version: the Nike bag seems to keep the paddle parts securely bundled and the ends together.  The paddles can be removed without unpacking anything else, and there's lots of room for other gear.  For paddles with skinny blades only.   Needs to have a shoulder strap added. 

The Nike bag with a 2-piece touring paddle in the bat pocket.  The gear compartment is empty.

The paddle fit in the pocket one at a time, and it seems like there's no danger of them sliding out unexpectedly.

The paddle blades are about 6.25" wide.  A wider blade won't fit in the bat pocket.

The end of the bat pocket with its broken zipper.

This is a gig bag for a small guitar and it works with wider paddles than the Nike bag, but otherwise it just isn't as useful.

The First Act gig bag with the wood paddle.