THE DAILY KIT: PRONE PADDLING

Tom Blake used to say “When there’s no surf, paddle.” Prone paddling has a storied legacy and continues to be one of our favorite ways to experience the ocean and push our limits day in and day out. This is the gear we use to reach for the horizon.

Sun Protection
When you’re putting the miles in & baking in the sun for hours on end, sun protection becomes essential. We love the Hooded Rashguard when it’s warm and sunny and the Windshield when it’s overcast and breezy.

Trunks
Any Florence Boardshorts will perform awesome for you, but we’ve been reaching for the CORDURA trunks for long sessions. Great added durability and comfort.

Board
“More races have been won on Bark paddleboards than any other brand. Why? Because no surf/paddleboard designer has logged more time on the water than Joe Bark.” Joe has been shaping the best paddleboards since 1983, and he’s completed the storied Catalina Classic 38 times. Hard to beat that. If you’re new to paddling and want something durable, we recommend starting off with a Surftech. Members can get 15% off using promo code: FLORENCE15. If you want to jump straight into a custom, hit up Joe here.

Hydration
We like the 24oz sport bottle from Polar Bottles since they fit perfectly in the Bark Bottle cage. We customized it to add some tubing so you can continue paddling while you hydrate. All you need is some ¼ tubing, a camelbak mouthpiece, and a ⅜ drill bit.

Waterproof Storage
Yeti just released the ultimate waterproof case. The sidekick 1L. It fits your phone, some snacks and your keys and fits perfectly on the board with a little customization. We cut off the straps and use the back velcro in combination with some added velcro on the deck of our board.

Headrest
A 1 inch (height) rubber round headrest to help comfort your neck and head while paddling.

Tunes
Hours of silence can be a bit much. Some prefer that, but we like bringing some music on our paddles for the added motivation. We recommend Shokz headphones so you can still hear what’s going on around you. If you’re in a group, we like JBL’s clip 4 speaker (Not fully waterproof, so better for the harbor or clean conditions).

Sunscreen
An essential for the face to keep the skin cancer at bay. We like the environmentally friendly face stick from Protekt.

Smart Watch / Tracking
If it doesn’t go on Strava, does it even count? A smart watch is a great addition to track your mileage, and get back to responsibilities at a reasonable time. These can also pinpoint your location if things go wrong. Join our Strava club - The Florence Endurance Project.