Buying one鈥檚 first kayak is a bit tricky. You haven鈥檛 boated much, so you don鈥檛 know exactly what you want. You鈥檙e afraid of making the wrong decision and getting a boat that鈥檚 not right. And you don鈥檛 want to spend too much.
There are several ways to manage these issues. The main thing to do is rent some boats. Most kayak rental places have several styles, sizes, and even brands of boat. So try several and see what features or designs seem to suit you best. After several hours of boating, you鈥檒l get a sense of what works. Talk to people as well, and get their opinions.
Then when you do buy, don鈥檛 gold-plate it. Lots of good boats are very affordable. Once you decide this is really for you, then go ahead and spend the big bucks.
Whitewater Kayaks for Beginners
The Mamba is designed to be stable and easy to drive for newbies.
The Evolution of Whitewater Kayaking
Whitewater’s brightest stars are launching bigger drops than ever.This is a fun boat: the ($1,050). It鈥檚 designed to be stable and easy to drive for newbies, but with the performance that will let you use your increasing experience to tackle tougher water. At just over eight feet long it鈥檚 short enough for great maneuverability, and its chine (the shape of the bottom hull) aids stability.
Features include easy-to-grab handles at the bow and cockpit, molded-in foam that adds rigidity, and an adjustable foot brace.
Another solid boat is the ($1,000). It鈥檚 another all-purpose boat, good for learning but also good for showing off new skills, on fast water or spinning green waves. Lots of adjustments for comfort, rugged construction, easy rolling.
Flatwater Kayaks for Beginners
On relatively still water, sit-on-top kayaks are immensely popular. They鈥檙e easy to manage, comfortable, and fun.
A great example of this type of boat is the ($700). This is a lot of boat for the money. It鈥檚 based on a touring hull, so it tracks well and has lots of stability. Then it adds comfortable padded seats, a handy drink holder, bow and day hatches to store the stuff you need for a day-long excursion. And bow and stern handles make it easy to handle.
Sit-on-top kayaking is made for sociability, so take a look as well at the ($890). It seats a pair for comfortable cruising on lakes, moderate swells, slow rivers. You can even fit in a child or a Golden Retriever. And it鈥檚 designed for easy paddling, good tracking, and reassuring stability.
Sea Kayaks for Beginners
The long-distance cruisers of kayaks
Take a 20-mile paddle across Lago L谩carSea kayaks are designed long for easy tracking, and have capacious hulls for multiple days of gear. They鈥檙e not real fast or maneuverable, but they can get you through long trips on open water.
A classic example is the ($1,550). At close to 16 feet, it has the perfect profile for good cruising speed and easy tracking. It sits low to the water to resist wind, and has good stability in surf and swells. For better control, you can deploy a rudder from the cockpit. The Squall has a comfortable padded seat for long days, and its bow and stern hatches offer enough room for overnight gear.
Or, check out the ($1,600). It鈥檚 a touch longer than the Squall at 17 feet, and its combination of initial stability (when you first sit in the boat) and secondary stability (when it starts to roll) makes it a great choice for stormier open waters. Its seat is fully adjustable, and if you need it you can drop down a skeg. Three hatches offer room for a week鈥檚 worth of gear.