New but may be next year I would need some. When I picture a sleeping bag it is BIG. What is the new development in bags vs what is in my old fashion mind?

Also tents what is good? Single or double tent?

Thanks.

OK I'm assuming you mean gear for kayak self supported camping, not base-camp car camping while paddling daytrips.

The old standard for light/compressible/warm is duck down. Polys approach down for warmth but are bulkier. Protect your sleeping bag in a high quality drybag like SealLine or NRS, but realize that NO drybag keeps water out if totally immersed for any appreciable amount of time.

Sleeping pads range from the old standard Thermorest which I find overly bulky to the inflatable core insulated ones like BigAgnes which packs down to Nalgene bottle sixe. Newer designs are the Exped mats which get very good reviews but are very pricey.

If you want more room stay away from mummy style. In your area a 3-season rated bag is fine unless you are doing true winter camping. Same goes for tents. A flannel sheet inside or a designed sleeping bag layer will extend a 3-season bag somewhat.

Thermorest and Kelty both make compressible, fairly light camp pillows if you want/need one.

Tents - well here is the first thing about sizing LOL:

1 person - translation small, very small. OK if you don't move
around much while you sleep and have minimal gear.
Sierra Designs Cliplight is an example, MSR Zoid etc.
2 person - 1 person + his/her gear
3 person - 2 persons + their gear.

Tent features I like:

sil nylon for tent body - light, admits ambient light well

bathtub type floor - edges come well above ground keep you dry

Footprint - always use one, saves wear.

aircraft grade aluminum tent poles - very light, yet strong.

FULL tarp overhangs - esp in windy rainy weather. Having two is better than one. I store paddle gear (often wet) under one, and shoes, personal care kit, morning grab n go stuff under the other, leaving an interior for nice dry sleeping bag and land clothes.

If for two people, two exits so one person can enter/exit w/out climbing over the other one.

Side pockets for small things like keys, wallet etc. Gear loft or side hanging bag like the Marmot taco uses wasted space for more small gear storage.

BIG zipper pulls (so you can find them easily) that slide smoothly and are bright enough to contrast w. tent body.

Titanium stakes. Sand stakes where needed.

I've been camping for some 20 years, mostly base camping but much of what I use has adapted to kayak camping because I bought light, strong and compact:

North Face Blue Kazoo downbag (the original North Face, not the
cheap Chinese fakes circulating the interwebs)
Big Agnes insulated core inflatable pad
2-person tent: Eureka 2XT Mountain Pass - for solo trips
3 person tent (when I can split gear w. a partner) Marmot Hoot
Stakes: MSR Groundhog and Vargas titanium

the tents (both of which got awesome reviews and are timetested and proven in my own use) are unfortunatel no longer made which is why I listed features not brand names.

Go to some other outdoor sites and check reviews. Top tier names are Mountain Hardware, MSR, Marmot, Sierra Designs, to name some. Good middle tier are Eureka, Kelty and the REI Models which often go on sale and are excellent values. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

You really need to research for yourself and find the tent that best fits your intended use, your priorities and price range.

I'll assume you mean single wall vs. double wall (tent + fly).

Not one person I know uses single wall - not as warm, don't ventilate as well. More popular in the Far West for dry climates with far less humidity & precip than the eastern or southern parts of the U.S.

Also, if you get a double wall, you can choose a tent w. big double mesh windows and/or lots of mesh on the sides and of course on the door(s). During nice weather you can flip the fly back and enjoy the breeze and stars (w. the fly at the ready folded so that it can be quickly deployed). When weather promises rain, wind, sleet, etc you have the benefit of a fly and a dual layer of protection.

Thanks for the wealth of knowledge you have shared.

you're welcome, it's just a start.

Fall is a great time to buy this gear, a lot of it goes on clearance. If you aren't already on the mailing list for these retailers you should be: Austin Canoe and Kayak, Campmor, Backcountry.com , REI, MooseJaw, Mountainman Outdoors, Clavey River Co. to name a handful of those I use. You get early dibs on sales, special coupon codes, etc. These are all very good companies w. excellent customer service and secure websites for online purchases. I'm also on the email list for my three local paddleshops so as to get first word on sales and demo days... so they get my support as well.

Do some searching and read a lot of reviews in the outdoor forums and the outdoor zines -particularly by people who have used their bags and tents for a while. People all giddy over their new gear do not write the most useful reviews... sorta like the boat reviews over at paddling.net where most of the boats are 9 or 10 out of 10 LOL.