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7 Best recreational kayaks for beginners in 2024
If you're keen to dip your paddle into the world of recreational kayaking, you've come to the right place. We've rounded up the 7 best recreational kayaks on the market right now for beginners, taking into account all the important factors for beginners like affordability, comfort, ease of use, and stability.
Whether you're looking to paddle calm lakes, explore serene rivers, or even try your hand at fishing, we've got you covered. We believe that recreational kayaks are the epitome of versatility, offering a comfortable and adaptable experience no matter where you choose to paddle. So, let's dive into the best recreational kayaks and find the perfect boat that suits your style and preferences.
WILDERNESS SYSTEMS PUNGO KAYAKS
MOST COMFORTABLE AND EASY TO PADDLE
When you're starting out, comfort and ease of use are essential to consider. Luckily, the Wilderness Systems Pungo Kayaks series is the perfect choice for those seeking a comfortable and effortless ride. With their spacious cockpits, adjustable seat, and padded thigh braces, this kayak ensures maximum comfort during long paddling sessions. The Pungo series features a stable and easy-to-handle design, making it ideal for beginners. The exceptional tracking capabilities and efficient hull shape provide smooth and effortless maneuverability on calm lakes and slow-moving rivers. Whether you're a novice or an experienced paddler, the Wilderness Systems Pungo 105, 120, 125 guarantee an enjoyable and stress-free kayaking experience.
Wilderness Systems Pungo Kayaks Full Review >
PERCEPTION HI LIFE
BEST COMBO KAYAK AND SUP
Are you torn between choosing a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard? The Perception Hi Life is the ultimate solution for beginners who can't decide. This versatile watercraft offers the best of both worlds—a kayak and a stand-up paddleboard combined. The Hi Life's hybrid design allows you to paddle like a kayak or stand on its spacious deck and use it as a stable SUP. It features a comfortable seat with an adjustable backrest and footrests, ensuring a relaxed and enjoyable paddling experience. With its stable and beginner-friendly design, the Perception Hi Life is perfect for exploring calm lakes, slow-moving rivers, and even coastal waters. With the Perception Hi Life there's no need to limit yourself to just one activity!
Also Read: Essential Recreational Kayak Gear >
Perception Hi Life 11.0 Hybrid Kayak/SUP
Recreational and Touring Kayak Buying Guide
Which is Best for Lakes: Recreational or Touring Kayak?
Beginners Guide to Recreational Kayak Gear
The award-winning Perception Hi Life 11.0 Hybrid Kayak/SUP is the most versatile boat ever built, offering a sit-on-top design that can be paddled like a kayak or a stand up paddleboard. The Perception Hi Life 11.0 Hybrid Kayak/SUP maximum stability and unique features create an experience that is unlike anything else perfect for sharing the water with kids and pets. Unique cushioning across the entire top surface keeps feet happy all day. The low-profile rear swim deck with handles makes it easy to get back on board after swimming, while the large open front area is the perfect perch for small children or a dog.
Fun for all ages and skill levels, the Perception Hi Life 11.0 Hybrid Kayak/SUP is up for any adventures whether that means cruising, swimming, fishing, or simply relaxing with your favorite beverage.
Specifications
- Length: 11' / 3.35 Metres
- Width: 34" / 86cm
- Max Capacity: 280lbs / 127Kg
Features
- Comfort carry handles on center, front, and rear for easy transport
- Convienent drink holder keeps your favorite beverage from spilling
- Deck cushioning throughout provides a soft and grippy surface
- Built in gear track for mounting phones, cameras, fishing gear, and easy side carrying
- Under seat cooler recess with drain keeps food, drink or accessories close by.
- Elevated seat with supportive, fold-down backrest and thick padding throughout
- Front and rear swim decks with low sides and hand grabs make getting in and out of the water easy.
- Removable, flexible fin for smooth straight-tracking control.
DELTA 12.10 KAYAK
LIGHTWEIGHT DAY TOURING AT ITS BEST
When it comes to lightweight day touring, the Delta 12.10 kayak is one of our favorites for beginners. Designed for comfort, stability, and performance, this kayak is perfect for those looking to explore rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Its lightweight construction allows easy transportation and maneuverability, making it a breeze to paddle all day. The Delta 12.10 features a spacious cockpit and adjustable seat with excellent back support, ensuring a comfortable and ergonomic paddling position. Its stable and responsive hull design provides great tracking and maneuverability, making it suitable for beginners venturing into longer trips and day tours.
How to Choose the Right Recreational Kayak for you >
OLD TOWN LOON (ALL SIZES)
THE MOST FUN TO PADDLE
Looking for a recreational kayak that delivers pure fun on the water? Look no further than the Old Town Loon in all its available sizes. Renowned for its exceptional stability and user-friendly design, the Loon series is perfect for beginners seeking an exciting and enjoyable paddling experience. Whether you choose the Loon 120 or 126, you can expect a kayak that combines excellent maneuverability with unmatched stability. The Loon features a comfortable and adjustable seat, a spacious cockpit, and plenty of storage options for all your gear. With its unique hull design and responsive performance, the Old Town Loon ensures endless hours of fun and exploration on any waterway. We can guarantee this boat will put a smile on your face, and that's why we're voting it the most fun-to-paddle recreational boat for beginners out of the lot!
Old Town Loon 126 Recreational Kayak
Recreational and Touring Kayak Buying Guide
Which is Best for Lakes: Recreational or Touring Kayak?
Beginners Guide to Recreational Kayak Gear
The Old-town-loon-126-recreational-kayak is an all-round recreational kayak for medium or larger paddlers. The Old-town-loon-126-recreational-kayak has all the standard features you would expect in a rec boat such as great tracking, excellent stability, and comfort. The Old-town-loon-126-recreational-kayak lineup also includes industry-leading seat technology and a removable console that includes dry storage, camera storage, and more.
Old Town Loon Kayak Review
This video and article is a quick rundown of the Old Town Loon recreational kayak's key benefits and features, to help you decide if it’s the right recreational kayak for you.
The Old Town Loon recreational kayak is ideal for people looking to:
- Paddle sheltered lakes
- Paddle really slow moving rivers
- Want a comfortable and easy boat to paddle
If you’re keen to cruise around lakes on lazy summer days, want something simple and comfortable enough to splash around in all day, and even if you want to do some simple kayak fishing, the Loon kayak should be a top choice.
Old Town Loon Kayak’s Easy Paddling
The Loon has a great keel line on the bottom -- when you put it on the water and paddle, it wants to go in a straight line. No more spinning around in circles. This helps save your energy, because you can focus more on paddling forward vs having to steer.
The drawback to a keel is you loose some maneuverability. For lakes, this is a non-issue as you’ll spend most of your time paddling in a straight line. But if you want to go on really slow moving rivers, it’ll be a bit more work to steer the boat and get it pointed where you want to go.
Old Town Loon Kayak’s Comfort
One of the first things you’ll notice when you sit in this kayak is the very comfortable and adjustable seat. A kayak seat plays probably the single biggest role in how much you'll enjoy your day on the water, since you’re sitting on it the whole time!
This seat, which prioritizes your comfort, enables longer, more comfortable days of paddling.
Old Town Loon Kayak’s Additional Features
The Loon has an adjustable and removable pod to keep everything you need close at hand when you’re on the water.
It has a drink bottle holder, dry storage, and track mount for fishing rod holders and electronics. If you want to do some simple kayak fishing, the Loon helps you do that in comfort.
The Old Town Loon recreational kayak also has a very easy to use dry hatch in the back for extra storage. It’s easy to stash lunch, extra clothes, or even the fish you catch.
There's also a bulkhead in there which is sealed off from the main compartment which basically makes this boat unsinkable. If it flips, no water's gonna get in the back there, so it'll stay afloat.
The Old Town Loon kayak is a great choice for anyone looking for a simple and comfortable day out on a lake or slow river, with extra features to enhance your experience.
If you have any questions about the Loon, or any of our other recreational kayaks, please feel free to contact us or visit us in store.
Features
- Active Comfort System 2.0 (ACS2) Seat
- Removable Workdeck with USB
- Thigh Pads - Match ACS2 Padding (Not Shown)
- Support Track Foot Brace System
- Click Seal Hatch with Bulkhead
- Bow and Stern Deck Bungees
- Bow and Stern Carry Handles
- Paddle Clip (Not Shown)
- Drain Plug (Not Shown)
- Sharp Keel Line for Performance
Specifications
| Product Weight | 59 lb |
| Colours | Photic, Black Cherry, Sunrise, Lemongrass |
| Activity | Recreation |
| Style | Sit-Inside |
| Number of Paddlers | 1 |
| Propulsion | Paddle |
| Material | Three Layer Polyethylene |
| Seat Type | Active Comfort System 2.0 (ACS2) |
| Length | 12' 6" | 3.8 m |
| Width | 31 in | 78.7 cm |
| Cockpit | 56 in x 23 in | 142.2 cm x 58.4 cm |
| Deck Height | 17.25 in | 43.8 cm |
| Weight Capacity | 450 lb | 204 kg |
JACKSON STAXX SIT-ON-TOP
BEST PRICE POINT SIT-ON-TOP KAYAK
For beginners looking for a sit-on-top kayak that offers exceptional value for money, the Jackson Staxx is the clear winner. Designed with affordability and quality in mind, this kayak provides a stable and user-friendly platform for paddlers of all skill levels. The Staxx features a comfortable, adjustable seat, and its open deck design allows for easy entry and exit. With its wide and stable hull, it offers excellent primary stability, making it perfect for beginners getting used to kayaking. The Staxx also comes with ample storage options, so you can bring your essentials on your paddling adventures. Whether you're exploring calm lakes, slow rivers, or even venturing into light surf, the Jackson Staxx offers great performance at an affordable price, making it the best price point sit-on-top kayak for beginners.
Also Read: High-Back Vs. Low-Back PFDs >
DAGGER AXIS 10.5
BEST ALL-WATER RECREATIONAL BOAT (UP TO CLASS II)
If you're a beginner who wants to explore various water conditions, the Dagger Axis 10.5 is the ideal recreational kayak for you. This versatile watercraft is designed to handle everything from calm lakes to mildly moving rivers and even up to Class II whitewater. The Axis 10.5 features a responsive hull design that offers excellent stability and maneuverability, allowing beginners to navigate different water conditions with confidence. Its adjustable seat and thigh braces provide a comfortable and secure paddling position, enhancing control and stability. With its ample storage space and added outfitting options, you can bring along all the gear you need for your outdoor adventures.
DELTA 12-AR KAYAK
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT RECREATIONAL KAYAK
One of the coolest things about the Delta 12-AR is its feather-light construction. Seriously, you won't break a sweat lugging this baby around. For beginners who value portability and lightweight design, this boat is an excellent choice. The kayak features a comfortable and adjustable seat, providing optimal support for long days on the water. The Delta 12-AR is also built with a stable hull design that'll have you feeling like a pro in no time. It's all about smooth sailing and effortless maneuverability, especially on calm waters. So, whether you're planning a serene day at a nearby lake or a leisurely exploration of slow rivers, this kayak will be your trusty companion, making every paddling adventure a breeze.
Also Read: Where to Paddle in Calgary >
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