This article will help you choose a touring or recreational kayak. For information on whitewater kayaking, please visit our whitewater page.

Sea Kayaks, Touring Kayaks, Recreational Kayaks, How to select the right boat for you.

If you are looking for a touring kayak, sea kayak, expedition kayak, recreational kayak or inflatable kayak, you have come to the right place. CKS’s staff of dedicated experts is available to help you choose the boat that will give you the greatest pleasure and performance on the water. We suggest reading this article as it will give you a start in considering what a kayak buyer needs to consider when choosing a recreational kayak, touring kayak, or sea kayak. The article also highlights the different types of kayaks as well as the style’s of paddling and matched them with the types of trips they can be used for. Once tuned into some of these basic considerations, call one of CKS’s expert staff members for advice on the optimal kayak for you and your friends or family.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to the places you can go and see in a kayak. Paddling through the canals of Venice, expedition paddling with orcas off the northwestern coast from Seattle to Alaska, surfing a gentle ocean wave, getting some exercise on the lake behind your cabin and an unlimited number of other adventures all come to mind when one thinks of kayaking.

Contents of the article:

• The 4 types of mild water kayaks to consider
  
• Deciding on what kind of kayak is right for you, based on:
  Skill
  
• Your paddling plans and preferences
  
• Your size
  
• Storing and transporting the kayak
  

The 4 Types of kayaks

A. Day Touring Kayaks for general touring.

This general touring kayak category includes boats designed for day touring, light overnight touring, fishing kayaks and high end recreation boats. Day touring kayaks at 13 to 15 feet in length are perfect for those seeking a nicely outfitted, full featured boat. With a slightly wider hull, Day touring Kayaks offer a bit more stability than expedition touring kayaks, yet still provide efficiency and speed. Day touring kayaks with their watertight storage capabilities are ideal for day trips and an occasional overnighter. The day touring kayak will excel in your local bay, down a slow moving river or on a inlet or lake. Day touring kayaks are easier to handle off the water and are a good option if storage is an issue. These boats are ideal for beginners through experts. Examples of day touring kayaks include the Prijon Calabria, Prijon Motion and Prijon Capri.

B. Multi Day & Expedition Touring Kayaks.

Multi day touring and expedition kayaks, at 16 – 18 feet long are ideal for the person with more advanced paddling skills or those with the desire to learn. The narrow width of the boats allows for faster hull speeds and is ideal for long days of paddling when it is necessary to cover long distances. These boats track straight and maneuver efficiently through the water, making them perfect for longer trips, island hopping and bay crossings. They hold enough gear in their watertight compartments for weekend camping trips and weeklong adventures. Most touring kayaks have the option of a rudder to aid in the ease of steering and maneuvering. Examples of expedition touring kayaks include the Prijon Seayak, Prijon Touryak and Prijon Kodiak.

C. Recreational Kayaks.

Recreational kayaks are ideal for individuals looking for a low impact recreational experience that can be done on ponds, lakes, slow moving rivers and calm coastal areas. These kayaks are generally very stable, and have a large cockpit opening making them easy to enter and exit. Some recreational kayaks are open, sit on top models which are often the choice for paddlers who want to fish from their kayak. The shorter length of recreational kayaks makes them easy to maneuver, and somewhat easier to store and transport compared to touring kayaks. Examples of recreational kayaks include the Jackson Day Tripper series, the Liquidlogic Tuxedo and Manta Ray and The Wilderness Systems Pungo series.

D. Inflatable Kayaks.

Most inflatable kayaks are suited for both flatwater as well as whitewater. Inflatable kayaks are very stable and easy to maneuver. While not well suited for traveling long distances on flatwater, inflatables are a great way to enjoy your local river, lake or coastal area. Many can be packed with enough gear for an overnight trip. Inflatable kayaks are the easiest to store and transport as they can be rolled up and put in the trunk of a car. Examples of inflatable kayaks include the NRS Bandit and the Aire Tomcat.

Selecting Which Kind of Kayak is Best for You

Now that you have a basic understanding of the most commonly paddled types of kayaks, it’s time to ask yourself a few key questions to begin determining what kind of boat is right for you. Think about these questions and then give us a call. If you don’t know exactly which boat is right for you, your answers to the following questions will aid our expert staff in helping select the perfect kayak to match your skill, paddling goals and needs.

Ask yourself these questions:

What is my skill level?

Beginner: Look into a day touring, recreational or inflatable kayak.
Intermediate: Look into a day touring, recreational or inflatable kayak. Progressive intermediates aspiring to do extended trips will have no problems with expedition touring kayaks.

Advanced: Any of the 4 main types of mild water kayaks are appropriate for you, and your ideal boat will depend on your paddling preferences (see below).

Expert: Any of the 4 main types of mild water kayaks are appropriate for you, and your ideal boat will depend on your paddling preferences (see below). However, you will find the most dynamic paddling experience to be in an expedition touring boat.

What are my paddling preferences?

Are you going on wilderness expeditions, paddling several miles of coastline and stopping at B&B’s each afternoon, or casually paddling for up to a few hours in an outing? How much gear, if any are you looking to bring on your trip? Are you day tripping or self supporting for multiple days or even weeks? What size and length of boat will you be able to store and can you unload a 30-60 pound kayak off your roof rack? These are all questions a kayak buyer must ask themselves. Check out some hypothetical boat selections below, which are based on typical paddling preferences.

Inflatable Kayak: “I want to have a boat that’s affordable and easy to store and transport. The boat should be very stable and easy to maneuver. I will be floating and paddling around on a lake and do not plan on needing to cover long distances. Sometimes, I may even paddle whitewater and a boat that can handle these rivers would be great.”

Recreational Kayak: “I don’t want to squeeze into a kayak with a small cockpit, or be sealed into my kayak with a sprayskirt. It should have a large opening and be easy to transport while on land and maneuver while in the water. The kayak must be very stable. I plan on paddling for a few hours at a time and covering several miles, but don’t need to go too far. I may want to do some kayak fishing. I don’t have a ton of storage room at my house so it can’t be too long, and I don’t need to spend a lot of money on the boat. It should be a kayak that is fun for the whole family and still performs well in a variety of water situations.”

Day Touring Kayak: “I’m going to be spending the better part of my day paddling and want to be able to cover some ground in varying conditions. I may be covering from 3 to 10 miles of coastline checking out wildlife or paddling across a fairly large lake. I want a fully featured boat that can occasionally be packed for a few nights of camping. The boat should be stable, fast, smooth and user friendly.”

Expedition Touring Kayaks: “I will often be day touring, as well as living out of my kayak for multiple days while covering distances from 5 to 15 or more miles a day. I want the fastest, smoothest boat available, and one that can handle flat to choppy water conditions and stays online even in windy conditions.”

Now that you know about the main types of kayaks and have thought about your abilities and paddling preferences, it’s time to get a kayak, get the accessories you need and get on the water! Colorado Kayak Supply offers an extensive selection of kayaks as well as all the accessories you need, whether you’re just getting started our outfitting for a major expedition. CKS even offers fast affordable shipping as well as 15% off accessories with your boat purchase. Check out our accessories page or give us a call at

1-888-CO-KAYAK with any questions you may have on selecting a kayak or kayak accessories.