How to determine the best Touring kayaks for you
There are a few choices you can make that will help to thin your selection pretty quickly. For many people, price is a factor so it may make sense to consider the hull material first because that has the biggest shock on the price of your kayak. Knowing how to choose the best sea kayaks is important in order to have a touring kayaks with the right specifications.
Hull Material
Touring kayaks are generally made of either some sort of plastic (usually polyethylene) or some type of composite (with fiberglass being the most ordinary). Composite boats are usually more expensive than their plastic counterparts. But, the composite boats can weigh a bit less, which can be a big advantage if you have to lift your kayak onto the roof of your car by yourself. Composite boats almost always have wonderful glossy exteriors and some people claim that the fluid finish increases their speed through the water.
The composite hulls are also usually more rigid that the hulls of plastic boats and that harshness should equate to a more responsiveness kayak in theory. But, there can be a disadvantage to the rigidity too. The more flexible the plastic hulls are also more forgiving should you paddle a little too close to rocks during rough conditions or if your kayak falls while trying to load your vehicle .
Plastic kayaks handle those situations with relatively less damage (although it can not feel minor if the kayak is new), and deeper marks can even be repaired relatively simply(like filling scratches in the bottom of skis or snowboards). Composite kayaks may not fare the same and can crack due to their more rigid nature. Fixing them can be more difficult, and more costly. There is no right or bad choice, so make a choice maked on your budget, intended use (i.e., possible risks to your kayak) and care.
Rudder vs. Skeg
The next thing to decide is probably whether you need a rudder, a skeg, or neither. This can appear a pretty hot debate among kayakers, so I’ll just briefly touch on some of the cons and pros. Kayak rudders, just like the rudders on larger boats, can be used to control the direction of your kayak. Foot pedals inner the cockpit allow the rudder to move from right to left, and a kayak rudder can be pulled out of the water if you don’t need it.
A skeg, on the other hand, is essentially a tractable keel that can be lowered or raised from the bottom of the boat. Skegs are primarily meant to assist with during windy conditions but, since the skeg can’t be moved from part to part like a rudder, you’re going to have to turn your kayak using only your body and your paddle. You may hear claims that rudder system, due to their relative difficulty compared to skegs, are more prone to technical problems.
Another claim is that when a rudder is not accessible, and is up on the back deck of the kayak, that it presents a significant surface for side winds to push on. I personally think that the increased surface is relatively small when compared to that of the entire kayak and paddler taking an extended trip. There are even kayaks that have neither a rudder or skeg, but controlling such kayaks in windy conditions will definitely prove harder than with either a rudder or skeg.
Best Touring Kayaks and Sea Kayaks
| Model | Rating | Type | Seats | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perception Essence 16.5 | 5.0 | Intermediate | Single |  |
| Riot Kayaks Edge 14.5 | 4.9 | Beginner | Single |  |
| WILDERNESS SYSTEMS Pungo 140 Kayak | 5.0 | Intermediate | Single |  |
| Hobie Mirage Island Tandem | 5.0 | Professional | Double |  |
| Necky Eliza | 5.0 | Professional | Single |  |
| Tahe Marine Reval HV Composite | 5.0 | Professional | Single |  |
| AirFusion Elite | 5.0 | Intermediate | Single |  |
| Tahe Marine Wind 555 | 4.1 | Professional | Single |  |
| Dagger Alchemy 14.0S | 4.0 | Intermediate | Single |  |
| Riot Kayaks Brittany 16.5 Flatwater | 4.0 | Professional | Single |  |
| Eddyline Skylark Kayak | 4.7 | Intermediate | Single |  |
