How to Purchase a New Whitewater Kayak

When it comes to purchasing a new whitewater kayak there are many factors to take into consideration. Colorado Kayak Supply can assist you in finding your ideal kayak regardless of whether you are a playboater or prefer the challenges of creek boating.

Here are some important questions you should ask yourself to help determine your ideal whitewater kayak.

1. Decide what type of whitewater kayaking you are looking to do. There are five categories of whitewater kayaks:


• Rodeo/Freestyle Kayaks, sometimes referred to as Play Boats or Rodeo Kayaks are designed to perform tricks like loops, cartwheels, spins and aerial maneuvers. These freestyle kayak tricks are performed on river features like waves and holes. The main design traits of freestyle kayaks are short length, a planing hull, sharp edges, near vertical sidewalls, and centralized volume distribution. The recent surge in popularity of man made whitewater parks has increased the convenience of Freestyle Kayaking. Some of 2010-11's best freestyle kayaks include: Jackson Star series, LiquidLogic Biscuit, Wavesport Project X, and the Pyranha Molan.
• Free Running Kayaks blend the characteristics of Freestyle Kayaks and River Running Kayaks. These kaysk are for paddlers who enjoy freestyle paddling and river running and want one kayak to do both. With a free running kayak, a paddler will play the entire river while headed downstream. These boats have a planing hull, carving edge, and centralized volume. Free running kayaks have sufficient length, volume and secondary stability to produce the speed and predictability needed to navigate an intermediate river.  Free Runners have more of a beveled sidewall than freestyle boats, which makes them more forgiving and easier to roll. Some of 2010-11's best free running kayaks include : Jackson Fun series, Pyranha Zone, Pyranha Varun, and the Pyranha Rebel.
• River Running Kayaks are sometimes referred to as ‘the SUV’s of kayaks’. River Runners are the most user friendly way to navigate many diverse rivers for boaters of all skill levels. It has also been noted that River Running kayaks can be ideal for beginner paddlers. These boats are stable enough for use in rough whitewater, yet agile enough to play large river features. The planning hull features of river running kayaks allow the boat to carve smoothly in and out of eddies, track well, and surf large waves, making them great for paddling high volume rivers. A beveled side wall gives them excellent secondary stability and makes them easy to roll. Some of 2010-11's best river running kayaks include: Pyranha Karnali & Ammo, Dagger Mamba, Wavesport Diesel, and the LiquidLogic Remix.
• Creeking Kayaks are considered the best kind of boat for use on steep, technical, and challenging whitewater. High-volume in the bow and stern keep you on top of the water, and therefore in control. A rounded deck allows for fast resurfacing, and rounded edges create a stable kayak in rough water (poor for surfing, great for hucking). Safety and rescue features include a padded bulkhead foot system, easily accessible grab loops, and reinforced bow and stern pilars. Creek boats can be packed with gear for self-support overnight river trips. Some of 2010-11's best creeking kayaks include: Jackson Villain, Pyranha Burn, Liquidlogic Jefe, Wavesport Diesel, Dagger Nomad.
• Cross-over Kayaks are a new, and quickly growing, category of kayaks that operate as well on the river as they do on lakes and flat water. The hull shape is designed to be stable and maneuverable. Many of these kayaks have skegs that can be raised or lowered to help with tracking on flat water. These kayaks are ideal for rivers, lakes, camping trips, kayak fishing and more. Some of the best cross-overs for 2010-2011 are the LiquidLogic Remix XP, the Pyranha Fusion River Tour, and the Dagger Axis.


2. Select the Size: Once you figure out the type of Whitewater Kayak that you are looking for, you will be able to narrow your search to a few specific boats by weight range. Boats are paddler-weight specific; meaning that each individual will fit into certain kayaks which are designed for their weight range. By identifying the specific whitewater kayaks in your weight range, you will be able to narrow your search down to between 2 and 4 kayak models.
3. Demo a Kayak: Once you have used these criteria to narrow your options to a few specific kayaks, you may want to ‘demo’ the boats to see which one feels just right. The best way of doing this is by heading to CKS in Buena Vista Colorado; we offer a great selection of whitewater kayaks in our demo fleet. As an added incentive here at CKS we will deduct up to $75 worth of demo credit from the cost of your new kayak. Demoing a kayak will provide you with the most hands-on pre-purchase experience possible.
4. Make Your Purchase: Once you’ve decided what boat is best for you click onto www.coloradokayak.com and take advantage of our affordable shipping rates- Jackson Kayaks ship for $69.00, all other kayaks over $899 ship for only $19.95. If you need more than just a kayak then have a look at our prebuilt packages or build you own custom package and save 15% off your accessories.