# Pin kits and rescue gear



## unsponsored (Nov 15, 2003)

I am putting together an article for Unsponsored – UK Kayaking | Kayaking, canoeing and rafting on pin kits. I am therefore wanting as many lists as possible of what folk carry as part of their pin kit. 

I have a 4m length of untied tubular climbing tape, Spyderco knife, HF weasel 18m bag, HF Alpin Compact bag, two screw gate kerbs and 4 plain gate, prussic loop. 

So....what's in yours?


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## NathanH. (Mar 17, 2010)

6 Omega D locking biners, 3 pre-tied 12Ft. pieces of webbing (water knot), Static Line, 2 Pretied prusics (double fisherman's knot). 4 mini-me steel pullies, and of course a rescue knife.

I pre-tied all of my stuff because I feel like the time it'd take to tie those knots might make all the difference.


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## RiverCowboy (Mar 14, 2011)

There are also lots of discussions you can search on here with pretty comprehensive lists. As well as a lot of opinions, some solid and some not so much. This is a very subjective topic and it is personal preference as to what you consider the minimum.

As a mountain rescue guy, I carry my full rescue rack in a drybag, but a basic run-down for big water trips is as follows:

8 locking biners; 1 20ft. tubular webbing; 1 12ft. tubular webbing; 1 4ft. tubular webbing; 60 meters 11mm static rescue rope; 4 prussics; 2 SMC mini pulleys (<13mm sheaves); a pre-rigged 5:1 haul system w/ 10 meters 8mm static rope; and a descent control device (scarab, brake rack, figure 8, or belay device. I recommend against a climber's belay device for controlling rafts in big water). Why a DCD? For after you unpin that boat and can't hold onto it after you break down your mechanical advantage system.

With that set-up, I can throw 9:1 mechanical advantage on the 11mm rope, and act on it w/ the little 5:1 for a lot of other options. Granted, this is overkill for a kayak or a boatload of paddlers, but I run an oar raft and usually only have the woman with me. Lot of gear? Yes. Likely to run into something I can't pull? No.

I also strongly recommend Conterra's Riggers Guide for mechanical advantage information. Yes, it has a lot of steep and high angle info, and is geared towards vertical rescue, but if you turn all that knowledge on its side, it applies to the river. http://www.conterra-inc.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=21


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## unsponsored (Nov 15, 2003)

RiverCowboy said:


> There are also lots of discussions you can search on here with pretty comprehensive lists. As well as a lot of opinions, some solid and some not so much. This is a very subjective topic and it is personal preference as to what you consider the minimum.
> 
> As a mountain rescue guy, I carry my full rescue rack in a drybag, but a basic run-down for big water trips is as follows:
> 
> ...



Thats is some list of kit. How much does all of that weigh in at?


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

I typically carry the following either on me, or in a small watershed bag in the boat...

-couple of biners... two in my vest pocket, two in my drybag
-2 pulleys 
-2 prussics
-70 ft spectra bag in the boat
-salamander waist bag
-webbing loop anchor the right size to make a harness around your legs and waist
-knife on my vest (bear claw)
-skeletool multitool to fix my boat, turns screws etc.
-gorilla tape rolled on itself... maybe several feet of it for boat and gear repair
-piece of bitchithane for boat repair
-needle and dental floss for thread stuck into a wine cork (skirt repair, drain plug replacement)
-lighter, matches, couple of birthday candles for firestarter
-emergency shelter (mini silver bivy sack thing)
-water purification tablets
-energy bar
-mini headlamp
-a few meds... ibuprofen, allergy
-some minor first aid stuff... band aids, gauze, wound cleaning
-breakdown paddle

The kit waxes and wanes as I use stuff, and sometimes forget to keep it all up to date. I usually start off the season full and ready. My intent is to have enough gear to solve the common issues of: broken paddle, ripped skirt, pinned boat, minor injury, immobilized paddler who needs water, food and shelter while the rest of the group goes to get help, or unintentional overnighter.

I haven't weighed it all specifically, but its probably 3-4 lbs for the breakdown, and maybe 4-5 lbs for the watershed bag with gear.

I carried a SPOT tracker with me for a while last year, but it crapped out on my in my drybag some time during the season... never had to use it. I want to replace it, and like the idea of having a rescue alert capability when I get away from the road. Since the SPOT crapped out (kept it in the drybag 100% of the time), I'm not sure its as reliable and bombproof as I would like.


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

I pre-tied all of my stuff because I feel like the time it'd take to tie those knots might make all the difference.[/QUOTE said:


> I disagree. A water knot, clove hitch, or an overhand knot should take well under a minute for anyone competent enough to use the equipment suggested. The versatility of untied slings in the sorts of anchors that you build in river environments outweighs the moment that it takes to tie a water knot (or overhand Yosemite Death Knot with 12" tails if you want to save a few seconds). So often that sling needs to be _tied around_ a tree, and girth hitching slings together uses twice the material and just as much time. Prussiks that are intended to only serve as Prussiks is a situation where I can see some convenience with pre-tying knots, but I still use that cord as anchors, to tie boats together, to fix things, etc. so I still prefer it untied for convenience.
> 
> Most people I know tend to pre-tie their slings and such, and I guess it's a matter of preference, but I think rescue is generally more efficient with anchor webbing left untied and quickly accessible.
> 
> ...


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

And the bowline knot. Everyone should know the bowline knot.

Also, SPOT has worked really well for me, but I would prefer this:
http://www.acrelectronics.com/products/catalog/personal-locator-beacons/aqualink-406-gps/

Pro deals are available for raft guides.


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## Kendi (May 15, 2009)

Yosemite Death knot? Is this a Colorado thing?


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## RiverCowboy (Mar 14, 2011)

unsponsored said:


> Thats is some list of kit. How much does all of that weigh in at?


10 to 15 lbs. Have never weighed it. The heavyweight item is the 11mm static rescue rope, at about 7 lbs. You could easily use your throw ropes if your prussics are the appropriate size and you have a rope with a high enough minimum breaking strength.

MBS is what concerns me, as most poly ropes are </=4KN. Subract 33% once you tie a knot in the rope. 11mm static is a minimum of 27KN, depending on construction. Broadside rafts in fast moving current weigh about as much as a diesel pickup. It's a mathematical equation of surface area X water speed, by which the working load increases exponentially.


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

Kendi said:


> Yosemite Death knot? Is this a Colorado thing?


I think it's a California thing, given the name.


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## slamkal (Apr 8, 2009)

I keep my 150' static line (from nrs zdrag kit) in a clear drybag right under my oar tower. The rest of my gear (prussics, webbing, *******, 3:1 premade zdrag haul kit with 50' of 9mm rope) is in a pelican next to side handle of my drybox


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## N. Wigston (Nov 5, 2003)

I'm a River Rescue instructor and have been teaching classes for 11 years. I still try to keep my kits simple though. here is what i bring

for a full expedition run: 

pin kit: 
5 non locking biners
1 or 2 locking biners
2 12' lengths of 1" tubular webbing, 1 tied into a loop and one at full length
3 or 4 prussik loops 
folding knife in pocket, not in sheath. seen too many people roll up to a missing knife. 
1 pulley
two throw ropes. one 60 footer around the waist, and one 75 footer in boat. 

other safety gear: 
goretex patches for drysuits
bitchathane tape for boat repair
extra bolts and parts for kayak
simple first aid kit - gauze, super glue, gorilla tape, lighters, fire starting sticks, ibuprofen, iodine
water filter
spare paddle (1 for every two paddlers)


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## unsponsored (Nov 15, 2003)

I have updated my kit and post on Pin Kit | Unsponsored some interesting comments being made.


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## TheFlophouse (Apr 1, 2012)

*Adam Johnson has some great advice*

Carabiners, Safety Gear, & Whitewater Kayaking | Whitewater Freestyle


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