Whats the best Kayak for rivers and lakes?

Question

Whats the best Kayak for rivers and lakes?

Answer 1

This is tough to answer, because it pretty much depends on your kayaking ability, price range, and type of kayaking you plan on.  You can get fairly cheap recreational touring kayaks that will work on flatwater rivers and/or lakes, but they won't be as efficient as some of the more higher quality and higher priced touring kayaks.  If you plan on getting one kayak that you can use on rivers or lakes, don't get one that is too long.  Some sea kayaks are extremely fast and track perfectly straight, but if they're 16-17 feet long, they won't be very good for river touring, especially if the river is smaller and has a lot of twists and turns.  Also, do you plan on going on overnight paddling trips with your boat?  If so, you should get one with enough space to store your gear, and you will also want one of the lighter-weight, narrower boats, because they will be more efficient for long-distance paddling.  Some of the better touring kayaks also have a rudder that you can control with foot pedals.  This might be something you should consider getting if you are not an experienced paddler.  It is a little hard to steer a larger kayak if you are not experienced in paddling.  If, when you ask about river kayaks, you are referring to whitewater rivers, then you need to consider what kind of paddling you want to do (playboating, creek running, etc.) and also what brand of kayak fits you best.  All kayak brands fit differently, and some will not fit you at all.  My advice is to go to your nearest specialty paddle sports shop, and ask the sales people for help.  Most paddle shops allow you to test the boats too, so you should be able to make a good decision.  Good luck!

Answer 2

It depends on what you want to do. If you just want to enjoy the lake, an Old Town is great. If you are traveling, there are faster models. If you are on swift rivers the answer is different. I would get a sit in model as opposed to a sit on model, it is more versatile, you can take stuff.

Answer 3

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