Rigged to Flip

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Rigged to Flip

By Paul Clark (SUPPAUL), aka “The Duffle Bag Paddle Boarder”

Getting Your Gear Strapped to Your Paddle Board for a Multi-Day SUP Trip

Planning a multi-day paddleboard trip? Rigging your gear correctly can be the difference between a smooth, safe adventure and a frustrating—or even dangerous—journey. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to rig your Hala paddle board for maximum performance, safety, and fun.

Why Paddleboarding?

As someone who’s paddled the 1,000-mile Sea of Cortez—twice—and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, I came to stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) drawn by the promise of minimalist adventure. I loved the idea that you could strap a backpack’s worth of gear to a board and head out on a multi-day trip. Yes, please, sign me up.

I started on local lakes with overnight gear. That evolved into open water paddles in Alaska and Panama. But the real breakthrough came when I discovered rivers. Living in Central Oregon, if you’re going to paddle long distances, it’s going to be on rivers.

Twelve years and over 170 rivers later, I can honestly say river touring on a paddleboard is one of the most rewarding ways to travel—light, fast, and low impact.

The Five Rules of Rigging for Multi-Day SUP Trips

Whether you're gliding across alpine lakes or running multi-day river expeditions, these five rigging principles are critical:

Balanced Weight Distribution
Avoiding Foot Entrapment Hazards
Using Cam Straps Effectively
Using Bomber Bags
Choosing the Right Hala Board

1. Balanced Weight Distribution

Your board should feel neutral and balanced, both front-to-back and side-to-side. Think of it like packing a backpack.

On rivers, rig only in front of your stance area. This keeps the back clear so you can step backward to pivot or drop into a rapid. Heavier bags closer to the toes. Keep low profile bags closer to the tip of the board for being streamlined through wave trains.
On flatwater, you can load gear in both the front and rear for even tracking and stability.

All Hala boards are built with seatbelt-strong gear loops that are intelligently placed to keep your gear low and centered—something most brands don’t offer with their standard D-ring setups.

2. Avoiding Foot Entrapment Hazards

Foot entrapment is one of the most serious hazards in moving water. Avoid creating any trap points near your feet.

Keep the deck clear where you stand.
Don’t route cords or straps near or behind your feet.
Choose low-profile, flat dry bags in front of your stance.

Hala’s centered loop placement naturally avoids these hazards by helping you keep gear contained and organized.

3. Using Cam Straps Effectively

Bungee cords are fine for a short trip with a light load—but for multi-day expeditions, cam straps are the only reliable option.

Hala boards feature coated nylon gear loops that outperform plastic or awkwardly placed metal D-rings. They’re built to take abuse without becoming hazards themselves.

How to Use Cam Straps Safely

Girth hitch the strap through the gear loop for a low-profile connection.
Use locking carabiners to clip the cam strap ends to the gear loops. This makes gear removal fast at camp.
Avoid friction burns: Don’t drag dry cam straps directly through gear loops.
Always use locking carabiners—non-lockers can unclip under tension or tangle dangerously in other gear.

Pro Tip: Rig to flip—meaning, assume your board could go upside-down and rig gear accordingly. If it’s not secure enough to survive a flip, it’s not secure enough.

4. Using Bomber Bags

Not all dry bags are created equal. A soaking wet sleeping bag before camp is a lesson you don’t want to learn the hard way.

My Go-To Dry Bags:

Watershed Drybags:

Ocoee – for small gear, cameras, or snacks
Colorado – my go-to for multi-day missions

Sea to Summit Evac Dry Bags – Excellent for dry compression inside the bigger bags.
https://seatosummit.com/products/the-evac-dry-bag

I like to keep everything in as few bags as possible. This makes rigging easier, maintains balance, and simplifies packing/unpacking. For daily essentials (snacks, maps, sun protection), I add a deck bag on top of my main bag.

Note: The STS Solution Access Deck Bag was my favorite—but sadly discontinued. Still available in places like Amazon:
https://www.amazon.ca/Sea-Summit-Solution-Access-Deck/dp/B005OCF2V6?th=1&psc=1

5. Choosing the Right Hala Board

All Hala boards are built for adventure—but different models suit different missions.

Adventure Series – For covering miles and navigating rough water

Rado and Radito are perfect for overnight river trips.
Equipped with the StompBox retractable fin for better control in whitewater.
Updated 2025 shapes offer improved rocker and stability in chop and rapids.
Gear loops front and back, including kayak seat compatibility.

Charge Series – For technical whitewater fun

The Atcha line is built for technical whitewater, park-and-play, or short overnights.
Ideal for raft-support trips or if you want to mix paddling with play.
Also features the StompBox fin system for running shallow and rocky rivers.

Cruise Series – For deep rivers, lakes and flatwater missions

Excellent tracking with a removable, unbreakable fin.
Great for carrying well-balanced loads in various conditions.
Gear loops for both front and rear packing, plus kayak seat options.

Final Thoughts: Keep It Light, Keep It Simple

I treat SUP touring like ultralight backpacking. The more minimalist your approach, the easier it is to paddle, carry, and camp.

You’ll cover more miles, move faster, and have a lighter footprint—both on the water and the land.Bring the gear you’d hike with. If you want the kitchen sink, bring a raft.

About the Author
Paul Clark (aka SUPPAUL) is a paddleboard explorer, photographer, and river runner with more than a decade of experience paddling rivers around the world. Known as “The Duffle Bag Paddle Boarder,” Paul specializes in multi-day SUP expeditions using minimalist gear and creative rigging solutions.