Is kayaking your passion? Do you want to add it to your to-do-list for your next camping trip? If so, here are some remarkable camping kayaks you might want to consider.
Camping is an excellent way of escaping the everyday hustle and bustle of the city. You get to unwind and enjoy relaxing moments in quiet, serene environments that nature has to offer. But, there’s something even better! Kayak camping.
That’s right, combine camping and kayaking, and the experience you get is out of this world. You’ll have a great time on the water during the day, even when it seems too cold to swim, and a beautiful quiet evening at your favorite river bank or beach.
However, to get the best from your kayak camping, you need to have the right kayak, as not every kind of kayak will suffice. When choosing camping kayaks, you need to consider factors like comfort, storage, duration of your trip, camping site, etc.
So before we get into the types, let’s first see the factors that might affect your kayak’s choice.
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How to Choose the Best Camping Kayaks
Before you make any purchase choice, you must consider all the factors that make a good camping kayak. These will ensure that what you buy won’t disappoint you during your long-awaited kayak camping.
Comfort
Comfort comes first when choosing kayaks for camping. To make your kayaking enjoyable, you must have a comfy kayak. Otherwise, you might spoil your entire camping trip.
An adjustable cushioned seat is one way of ensuring that your kayak will offer comfort. If the seat and footrest systems are adjustable, it makes it even better. Remember, those long water excursions, sitting on an uncomfortable kayak might cause more harm than fun.
Storage Options
This is another crucial factor that you must consider when choosing travel kayaks. You need a kayak with enough space to store your gear and any other stuff that you might need.
For this reason, you can consider kayak models with several storage compartments, sealed hatches, or bungee-corded sections. If it’s a short one day trip, even a sit-in kayak with a spacious cockpit will suffice. But for longer trips, touring kayaks with several storage compartments would serve you better.
Stability
Stability is important, whether you are kayaking on an open lake or ocean or a fast-moving river. A kayak’s stability will entirely depend on two factors; the exterior design and the presence of an underneath tracking system.
Depending on the type of water you intend to paddle in, your choice of kayak might vary. For example, shorter, wider kayaks perform better in flowing waters like rivers, with longer, narrower models performing better in open waters.
Durability
Durability also comes into play, as you don’t want to choose a kayak that gets damaged during your first day of camping. Now, durability depends entirely on the materials used to make the kayak.
If you have the means to transport a hard-shelled kayak for your camping trip, that’s better. But, if you’ll need to buy these inflatable models, choose one made from strong material that is resistant to easy punctures, abrasion, water, oil, chemicals, or even UV radiation.
This way, you can have some peace of mind during the trip and not worry too much about what will happen to your kayak. One thing you should note, though – never forget to include a repair kit in your camping gear. You never know when you might need it.
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Best Camping Kayaks for Travel
To make things even easier for you, we have compiled this list of well-researched and tested camping kayaks that are great for travel.
Oru Kayak Bay ST
The Oru Kayak Bay ST takes the first spot on our list of the best camping kayaks. It is an impressive lightweight kayak that guarantees you an epic camping adventure with its numerous features.
Besides being lightweight, it’s also foldable, making it easy to store and travel with. And unlike some other kayak models that will take a lot of your time and energy to fold, this one is pretty easy.
When it comes to comfort and stability, this kayak’s design caters to all that. It includes amazing stability add-ons that make the experience amazing.
And when it comes to durability, its lightweight design shouldn’t worry you. This kayak is made from a strong 5mm double-layered polypropylene material that is incredibly resistant to puncture and abrasion. It’s also 10-years UV treated.
Here is a more comprehensive Oru Kayak review to give you a better understanding of this product.
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This is another incredible kayak model, especially if you want to paddle as a pair. It is strong and stable, guaranteeing you amazing moments in the water. This 15ft kayak is made from sturdy, 3-layered material that is incredibly puncture resistant.
Other features that make this kayak ideal for camping include:
- Comfortable, adjustable padded seats
- Built-in aluminum reinforcement frames
- Spacious cockpit
- Easy to assemble – all you need is to unfold, inflate and fasten the seats
- Includes triple seat slots meaning you can paddle solo or in tandem
- It spacious and offers enough storage room for more stuff that you might need to carry
- It’s also lightweight and easily foldable, making it easy to transport.
So, if you want something beautiful, lightweight, strong, and comfortable, this AdvancedFrame Convertible is an excellent choice.
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For those with budget constraints, this Intex Kayak Challenger might suit you well. And don’t think that its affordable price means low quality. Not at all!
In fact, it is as reliable as most other expensive camping kayaks. This kayak guarantees you epic adventures, whether in flat or slow-moving waters. And although small in size, it covers the storage aspect by the large storage net, made to hold your cargo secure.
Here are more features that make this one of the best camping kayaks:
- Made from sturdy material that is puncture resistant
- Includes two distinct air chambers, which add to its stability
- Ample storage space for your stuff
- Spacious and comfortable cockpit
- Lightweight and foldable, making transport easy
- Beautiful design with I-beam floors that add stability
It is most ideal for shorter trips in lakes or slow-moving rivers and canals. And with a 4.5 stars rating on Amazon, from over 16,000 reviews, it’s clear that current users certainly love this kayak.
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This is another best seller camping kayak on Amazon. With a 4.4/5 stars rating, it shows just how satisfied kayak lovers are with the product. But why do users love this kayak model?
Well, here is why:
- It is made of strong laminate PVC material with a polyester core. This makes it not only lightweight but also tough and resistant to abrasion, puncture, and UV light damage.
- Comes with inflation valves fitted with high-pressure springs. High-pressure inflation offers the much-desired stability and rigidity.
- Mounting brackets (removable and adjustable). This allows you to mount various accessories such as fish finders, GPS systems, or even fishing rod holders.
- Spacious storage for your stuff.
- Includes two detachable skews for shallow and deep water.
- Two comfortable and adjustable bucket seats.
The kayak is resistant to water, gasoline, salt, or oil caused damages. This gives you peace of mind as you paddle down those canals, rivers, or even the calm lakes. It is most ideal for small water bodies.
This 9-foot long kayak offers you an incredible way to explore the water with ultimate peace of mind. If you are looking for something that won’t get you all wet, this is the kayak for you. Its cockpit is enclosed, helping you to remain dry, whether on a quick adventure down the canals or a long fishing trip on the lake.
In addition, the D-rings plus the zip-open storage compartments ensure that your stuff is also kept dry. Here are the other features that make it one of the best camping kayaks, especially for beginners.
- Comfort is great as the kayak is designed to withstand rough water excursions, giving you the comfort you need in the water. It is both lightweight and durable as it’s made from strong polyester material.
- Its design makes paddling pretty easy, which is something that beginners will consider. It includes a quick-release fin, Boston valve, drain plug, molded handle, and other stability features.
- It’s ideal for both short day trips and long camping excursions.
- Comes with a one-year limited warranty.
The kayak’s beautiful design and technology offer you a chance to have the most amazing kayak camping trip.
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If you want to paddle and cruise your favorite lakes, rivers, or streams during your next camping trip, Driftsun Voyager is a perfect fit. You get to enjoy and adventure all you want, without having to carry the heavy, hard-shelled kayaks.
This kayak is not only affordable, but it’s also easy to fit in your RV, with your other stuff, without much strain. And while you may think that inflatable kayaks are prone to damage, it’s not always like that. The Driftsun Voyager’s bottom is made from a strong PVC tarpaulin that makes it hard to scratch or tear.
Its top body is made of a strong 840D treated nylon material that is also tear-resistant. Other attractive features of this kayak include:
- Two comfortable padded seats (adjustable)
- Accessories such as two aluminum paddles, a travel bag, and a rear tracking fin
- Easy to inflate using its Boston valves and a double-action pump
- Lightweight and foldable, thus easy to transport
- Superior performance due to its excellent design (pointed nose, rocker profile, drain drug, etc.)
Your kayak camping wouldn’t get any better.
Unlike some kayaks that are only meant for slow-moving or small water bodies, this touring boat is made to handle it all. Whether you are cruising across a fast-moving river or just enjoying fishing on a quiet lake, this is your boat. Its extensive features allow it to offer you all you need to satisfy your paddling passion.
Some of the most notable features of the Navarro 145 include:
- Performance and comfort – this kayak is designed for high performance, featuring things like a quick-release fin, adjustable seat, and footrest system, ample storage space, drain plug, etc.
- Lightweight – it weighs 40 lbs, with a total capacity of 500 lbs, and can carry up to 3 people.
- Durability – made from strong material that is puncture and abrasion-resistant and comes with a one-year limited warranty.
This product is not only designed to last longer and allow for easy transport but also to ensure that your kayaking adventure turns out to be even more than you envisioned.
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This is another incredible product from Driftsun. If you want real adventure, this kayak will give you just that. It is designed for any type of water or weather.
Its bottom is made of tough PVC tarpaulin, providing enough protection against puncture, tear, and abrasion. The 1000D reinforced PVC body also ensures that the sides don’t get punctured either accidentally or when in action.
When it comes to stability and maneuverability, Driftsun Rover 120/220 takes the day. From its rigid, high-pressure bottom to the removable tracking and ample rocker profile, this kayak has features that provide unrivaled stability and control.
Whether you’re cruising through that rough river or some calm water body, you are all covered.
Other features include:
- Ideal for class IV whitewater rapids
- Fast to fully inflate – less than 10 minutes
- Includes eight self-bailing ports
- Two padded seats and two kayak paddles
All of these make the Driftsun Rover 120/220 one of the most sought-after camping kayaks on the market.
Advanced Elements are known to make some of the best kayaks in the market. And, this is but another one in their long list of quality kayaks.
This model is versatile, easy to transport, and quite resistant to puncture or abrasion damages. Also, the comfortable padded seat ensures that even your long hours of kayaking remain enjoyable.
More features:
- Easy to fold and pack into a duffel bag, making it an ideal kayak model for camping or RVing adventures.
- Comes with a tracking system from StraightEdge.
- Includes adjustable footpegs
- Drop-stitch floor
- Self-bailing ports
This kayak is ideal for both calm and rough waters.