Can a cupholder change your life? Maybe not, but the Yak Attack MultiMount cupholder can change your kayaking experience.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

One of the best things about kayaking and related paddle sports is, you don’t need much to get out on the water. A boat light enough for one person to move by hand, a paddle and a PFD -- and off you go.

It would be a bad thing to lose that ease of entry, but let’s face it: There is room for improvement. Even the most basic of kayaks can benefit from a few easy upgrades. Here’s a look at a few that can make the experience more fun without making it less convenient.

Lots of kayaks have little molded-in cupholders, and they’re generally terrible. You didn’t bring along that locally crafted IPA just to look down and see it mingling with the murky water swirling around your bilge. Lots of kayaks also have rails that let you add accessories, and that’s where the Yak Attack MultiMount Cup Holder ($20) comes in. Slide the base into the track, position it where you want it, and give it a twist to tighten it up. It’s big enough to hold a beverage can even if it’s wrapped in an insulated holder. It can hold a water bottle or a phone just as well. It’s like having a third hand. You will wonder how you lived without this thing. You’ll seriously consider getting a second one.

You’re supposed to have a PFD within easy reach. Few would argue with the sense of it. But we recently heard of an encounter, described on social media, in which a person got a ticket because their PFD wasn’t easily reachable enough. It seems a little extreme, but let’s set aside the fact that “within easy reach” is a subjective term and that we don’t know what might have made that particular encounter with law enforcement go the way it did. Let’s just be honest with ourselves. If your life vest is stuffed in a cargo area back behind you in such a way that it strains your flexibility to get a hand on it and drag it out, it’s not doing you any good. You need to be able to grab it in the time it takes a kayak to flip. The obvious solution is to wear it, that’s much less of a hassle if you get one that’s specifically designed for paddling, so it doesn’t restrict your movements. Outdoor Gear Lab recently did an exhaustive comparison, and the Astral V-Eight ($140) was their Editor’s Pick. Inflatables aren’t kayak specific, but models like the Mustang Survival M.I.T. 70 Manual Inflatable Life Jacket ($120) have a barely-there feel that’s hard to beat. Note: There are models that inflate automatically when submerged rather than requiring you to yank a handle. If you enjoy the freedom to jump in the water any time you feel like it, don’t get that kind.

Dry bags have their limits, but they give you a lot of peace of mind when it comes to stashing things like wallets, keys and phones. The basic idea is a bag made of waterproof material with a roll-and-buckle closure. Some have a heavy rubberized feel. Others are so light and thin that you can squeeze out excess air. They come in a wide range of sizes and prices. The Sea To Summit Lightweight Dry Bag ($18-$30) seems to get a lot of praise as a happy medium. Do keep in mind that they’re made to withstand wet conditions, dunking and splashing, but not sustained immersion.

Do you really need a special cooler for kayaking? Of course not. Odds are you’re just going to grab the rattiest six- or 12-can cooler you’ve got and throw it in the boat. You can up your game, though. If your kayak has one of those fancy lawn-chair-style seats, you can cut down on clutter with a seatback cooler like the Perception Splash Seat Back Kayak Cooler ($77) picked as a favorite by KayakGuru.com. But if you really want to show you’re there to party, you want something like the CreekKooler PuP ($150), a 15-quart unit that you tow behind your kayak. Yes, it’s a little over the top. It looks like a little kayak drone. But you’ll never have to reach behind you to get it, or have to deal with it underfoot. Just let it drift up alongside for easy access.

If your paddling activity consists mostly of floating down small waterways in broad daylight, the idea of needing a light or a flag is slightly bonkers. But if you like the idea of catching the sunset on a river, or a nighttime trip in Mobile-Tensaw Delta waters where an airboat might come roaring out of the brush, the idea starts to make a lot more sense. Sure you can (and should) carry a flashlight. But there are better options. The Kayalu Kayalite ($60) is a mast-mounted light with an easy attachment system. Yak Attack’s Visipole II ($70) combines a flat and light on a taller mast.

We’ve all been there. You’re somewhere out in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, beating your way along against the current and/or tide, when your buddy pulls out an old golf umbrella and goes coasting downwind like some seedy amphibious Mary Poppins. Okay, maybe we haven’t all been there, but a kayak sail still seems like a fantastic toy. Not a good one, mind you. Some kayaks are built to sail. Some sail kits are designed to turn kayaks into fully functional little sailboats. We’re talking about something that is (maybe) a little better than a golf umbrella and (hopefully) even cheaper. Something like the “LoneRobe 42 inches Downwind Wind Sail Kit,” a paltry $19 on Amazon. Unlike the umbrella, it has a clear panel so you can see where you’re going. Depending on your risk tolerance, that can be a good thing. The Advanced Elements RapidUp Kayak Sail ($99) is more expensive, but also a little more substantial. Or you could just carry an umbrella.

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