How to Choose the Best Kayak Based on Weight for Outdoor Adventures

While kayaking is an exciting way to experience nature, not all kayaks are created equal. Some are quite heavy and cumbersome, making them ill-suited for recreational paddling. If you want to kayak in diverse locations from local lakes and rivers to remote backcountry hidden gems, the weight of your vessel is an important factor to consider. 

Today, we’ll share some tips on how to find the best lightweight kayak that suits your body type and recreational needs. Whether you prefer inflatable, folding, or hybrid designs, focusing on low-weight options opens up more possibilities for fun and spontaneous kayaking!

Let’s dive into what you need to know to choose a kayak based primarily on weight:

How to Choose the Best Kayak Based on Weight

In this post, we’ll first discuss what a kayak is and the different kayak types available. Understanding your options provides the foundation for selecting a boat primarily based on carrying weight rather than just size alone. Then, we’ll delve into specific considerations and advice for choosing the ideal lightweight kayak for recreational paddling bliss.

So whether you’re a novice kayaker or experienced paddler, let’s explore how honing in on lightweight designs can truly unlock your recreational potential on the water. It starts with understanding what makes a kayak and kayak and the versatile options at your fingertips.

What is a Kayak?

A kayak is a small, narrow, human-powered watercraft typically used for one or two people. Kayaks differ from canoes in that they have a covered deck and one or more cockpits for seat placement, rather than being open with seats on either side. 

Kayaks come in single or tandem varieties. Tandem kayaks allow two paddlers and are generally longer, wider boats for stability. There are also different kayak categories like recreational, touring, sea, and fishing designed for specific paddling environments and needs.

Kayaks are primarily used for recreational paddling on lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. They allow sportspeople to explore inland waterways and scenic shorelines in rocky areas where motorboats cannot safely travel. Some also use sea kayaks for multi-day ocean expeditions. Made for open water crossings, sea kayaks feature additional flotation and watertight hatches to withstand rougher conditions far from shore over multiple days.

While both are human-powered boats, kayaks differ from canoes in their decking and seating configuration. Canoes feature an open hull design with seats running along each side, making them less suited for rough waters where spray can enter more easily. Kayaks are also generally narrower with a keel for tracking in a straight line more efficiently. Their covered decks and cockpit seating provide better protection from waves and weather. This allows kayakers to explore in a wider range of coastal and inland conditions.

The Different Types of Kayaks To Know 

Recreational Kayaks

Recreational kayaks are versatile boats for casual day paddling. They come in rotomolded plastic or composite fiberglass for durability. Dimensions are 9-14ft long by 22-28in wide, supporting up to 350 pounds. Many feature padded ergonomic seats for all-day comfort. While stable, their bulky designs are heavyweight (40-60 pounds+) and hard to transport.

Touring Kayaks  

Touring kayaks are made for multi-day trips with gear. At 12-18ft long by 20-24in wide, they displace more water for stability while paddling fully loaded up to 400 pounds. Built from durable polyethylene or composite materials, touring kayaks are still on the heavy side at 50-70+ pounds and harder to car-top than shorter boats.

Sit-on-top Kayaks

A sit-on-top kayak’s unique design frees you from fully enclosed cockpits. At 9-14ft by 24-30in wide, they support up to 325 pounds while remaining lightweight (30-50 pounds) for their size. Most are rotomolded polyethylene for durability. Their flat, stable platforms suit beginners, fishing, or casual family use on lakes and slow rivers.

Inflatable Kayaks

Inflatable kayaks employ drop-stitch technology using multiple independent air chambers for all-around buoyancy and impact resistance. When folded, their portability is unrivaled for backpacking or vehicle storage. Ranging 8-14ft long by 2-3 persons capacity, inflatables support 250-400+ pounds. Deflated, kayaks weigh only 20-40 pounds for ultra-portability.

Hybrid Kayaks

A hybrid kayak combines hard and soft construction for versatile performance. With a rigid polyethylene hull and inflatable floors, seats, and sides, hybrids are light and compactable while offering shape and tracking of hard-shell designs. At 8-14ft long supporting 250-400+ pounds, hybrids deflate to 30-50 pounds for easy car-topping or backpacking.

How To Choose The Right Size Kayak for Camping

Check Maximum Weight Capacity

Your kayak’s rated weight limit should always factor in your body weight plus sufficient gear carriage. Too much weight risks poor handling, instability, or sinking altogether. Look for a design allowing 30-50 pounds over your anticipated loaded mass. Check manufacturer numbers instead of general online averages since tolerances vary widely. 

Prioritize Portability

A lightweight boat means greater possible adventures away from vehicle access. At 20 pounds or under when packed, inflatable or hybrid kayaks let you paddle further off the beaten path while backpacking or hiking to remote put-ins. Factor portability highly if trips involve non-motorized transport between launch points.

Consider Cockpit Comfort 

On multi-day excursions, a larger cockpit makes a big difference. Sit-on-tops provide unrestricted freedom of movement but no splash protection. Look for ample legroom with ergonomic seats in sit-ins. Those 6’0″ or over generally prefer longer kayaks avoiding knee stress over hours in the boat. 

Choose Durability 

Materials matter more when you’ll rely solely on your kayak for days on end. Rotomolded plastics, composites, and multiple drop-stitch air chambers prove hardier than thin vinyl or single bladders potentially punctured on camp chores or sharp rocks. Dry storage away from fire also safeguards foam-core inflatables.

Consider Transport Needs

How will you get your kayak between car, camp, and water? Inflatables roll or fold for backpacking while hybrids compress. Touring kayaks, while stable loaded, are challenging to car-top. Look closely at sizes allowing roof, bed, or ground transport versus muscle power alone on multi-day trips away from vehicles.

Tips To Choose The Best Kayak For You

Now that we’ve looked at kayak types and sizing factors for camping, here are some final tips on choosing your ideal lightweight boat:

Evaluate Your Body Type

Consider if you sit lower in the water or higher based on height and weight distribution. Shorter or slightly heavier paddlers tend to prefer more volume for initial stability versus speedsters valuing lean designs. Hybrids suit a wide range of body types.

Determine Your Kayaking Style  

Recreational paddlers enjoy sit-on-top maneuverability on calmer waters while touring or sea kayaks track straighter loaded on multi-day adventures. Choose a style of kayak befitting your expected conditions and performance needs not just weight alone. 

Consider Overnight Capabilities

If you plan extended overnight trips with camping gear, prioritize designs like touring kayaks offering ample weight capacity, cockpit comfort over hours, and cargo deck space for gear organization. Storage volume makes a difference on multi-day excursions.

Research Quality Brands

Cheap imports may save money initially but provide little peace of mind on remote trips relying solely on your kayak for safety and transport. Invest in a name brand with a proven durability record for comfort knowing you won’t be stranded via a manufacturing defect. 

Demo Before Buying

Whenever possible, try different models through demo programs or rental fleets to understand varying designs, materials, and your compatibility before buying a kayak. Feel how they perform loaded while evaluating onboard ergonomics and storage over hours on the water.

Choosing the right kayak that suits your weight guarantees a blissful experience.

By accounting for your body type, kayaking style, intended use cases like camping, and transportation needs between trips, you can select the lightest possible kayak ensuring enjoyable outings away from vehicle access. Don’t be afraid to contact local outfitters assisting in your evaluation process as well. The right lightweight vessel opens up more paddling possibilities through incredible wilderness you’d otherwise be hard-pressed to access.

For more information on beneficial water therapies and all things around benefits of water, stay tuned to my blog. I’m always available to give recommendations, reviews, and health information around water. If you found this particular post helpful, you might want to check out my posts on best portable water filters!

Stay hydrated,

Shashank Varma (Mr. Water Geek).