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Long shot but can anyone recommend a good, reasonably priced kayak?


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This would be for a fairly slow moving river, for DH and one kid at a time. I would love input about other gear as well. Do oars come with the kayak? (Shows what I know. :lol:) Are helmets necessary? There are no rapids although there are a few faster spots (but DH says nothing rapid or especially rocky). We have life vests already.

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We have three Old Town Dirigo XT Kayaks the 106, 120 and 140 all bought from the LL Bean Outlet during Labor Day end of season sale. They were used as the LL Bean Kayak School Kayaks before they were sold which made them very reasonable priced. I believe I paid 350 with paddle for my 12' Angler. We've had them for 6 years without a problem.

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We bought our two best kayaks on Craigslist for a steal. The economy is pretty bad in our area and these types of expensive toys are common on there. Dh traveled 5 hours for one of them (it is a double sea kayak so it is harder to find) but got it for less than half of what it would have been new.

 

You also may want to check out any 'outdoor stores' in your area that sell used equipment. In our area a big one is Deek and Bryan's Next Adventure On their web page it says they ship kayaks.

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We have three Old Town Dirigo XT Kayaks the 106, 120 and 140 all bought from the LL Bean Outlet during Labor Day end of season sale. They were used as the LL Bean Kayak School Kayaks before they were sold which made them very reasonable priced. I believe I paid 350 with paddle for my 12' Angler. We've had them for 6 years without a problem.

 

Cool, thanks!

 

If you live anywhere near NC, the Natahala Outdoor Center has a big fall sale and you can get great deals!

 

Look at Perception kayaks, too. They sell ones with cosmetic blemishes at good prices.

 

Sadly, no. I'm in AZ now.

 

We bought our two best kayaks on Craigslist for a steal. The economy is pretty bad in our area and these types of expensive toys are common on there. Dh traveled 5 hours for one of them (it is a double sea kayak so it is harder to find) but got it for less than half of what it would have been new.

 

You also may want to check out any 'outdoor stores' in your area that sell used equipment. In our area a big one is Deek and Bryan's Next Adventure On their web page it says they ship kayaks.

 

Didn't even think of Craigslist, so thanks! I did just look and we have both a Bass Pro Shop and a Cabela's so I think we'll have a fun weekend!

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Cool, thanks!

 

 

 

Sadly, no. I'm in AZ now.

 

 

 

Didn't even think of Craigslist, so thanks! I did just look and we have both a Bass Pro Shop and a Cabela's so I think we'll have a fun weekend!

 

Also, if you are looking for a recreational (as in, not hardcore), not expensive kayak, I've had good success with Costco. The hard part is walking out with ONLY the kayak. :D

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Check out mountainbuzz.com and boatertalk.com for used kayaks. My dc have bought and sold many a kayak there.

 

Will do! Thanks!

 

Also, if you are looking for a recreational (as in, not hardcore), not expensive kayak, I've had good success with Costco. The hard part is walking out with ONLY the kayak. :D

 

Oh, thanks for this! Yes, it will be recreational. Yes, I want it to be inexpensive. :tongue_smilie: This would be an introductory kayak, to give DH something awesome to do with the kids (alternating taking each kiddo one-on-one) as an outdoor hobby. We now live 10 minutes from an incredible recreational area (lake, river, hiking, camping, etc.) and want to take advantage. If we love it, we'll invest more $$$ in better equipment later, I'm sure. For now, we're just interested in some introductory fun. :)

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Will do! Thanks!

 

 

 

Oh, thanks for this! Yes, it will be recreational. Yes, I want it to be inexpensive. :tongue_smilie: This would be an introductory kayak, to give DH something awesome to do with the kids (alternating taking each kiddo one-on-one) as an outdoor hobby. We now live 10 minutes from an incredible recreational area (lake, river, hiking, camping, etc.) and want to take advantage. If we love it, we'll invest more $$$ in better equipment later, I'm sure. For now, we're just interested in some introductory fun. :)

 

Besides Craig's List, I would check out the stores that rent kayaks in your area. They usually purge dinged kayaks on occasion--functionally fine, just not pretty.

 

Also, you really need to do a little research to make sure that you get an appropriate kayak. You don't want white water or a surf kayak. You might want a two person. Some kayaks have rudders. We like sit-on-tops as opposed to the kind that require skirts. I would check out what other people at the recreational area are using--maybe ask them for advice.

 

A canoe might work for your family, too.

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Can anyone comment on inflatables? Some of them get great reviews. They are very reasonably priced and have the added benefit of not forcing me to buy specialized racks for my van. :tongue_smilie:

 

I am looking at this one now, thanks to Elinor. :D

 

Yes! We had a two-person inflatable, and it was great. LOVED being able to store it in a bag, easy to transport, and the kids used to have fun blowing it up by stepping (jumping, really) on the foot pedal-blower-upper-thingy. I stupidly deflated the kayak, put it in its bag on our boat dock, and then spent the morning at the beach. When we got back to the boat, it was stolen. Couldn't believe it!

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Besides Craig's List, I would check out the stores that rent kayaks in your area. They usually purge dinged kayaks on occasion--functionally fine, just not pretty.

 

Also, you really need to do a little research to make sure that you get an appropriate kayak. You don't want white water or a surf kayak. You might want a two person. Some kayaks have rudders. We like sit-on-tops as opposed to the kind that require skirts. I would check out what other people at the recreational area are using--maybe ask them for advice.

 

A canoe might work for your family, too.

 

Yes, I've been researching to find the right type. We definitely want a two person kayak. I think I'll let DH go this weekend and sit in a few. I will probably also call the river folks to see what kind of rentals they have so he can have a test drive of sorts.

 

Yes! We had a two-person inflatable, and it was great. LOVED being able to store it in a bag, easy to transport, and the kids used to have fun blowing it up by stepping (jumping, really) on the foot pedal-blower-upper-thingy. I stupidly deflated the kayak, put it in its bag on our boat dock, and then spent the morning at the beach. When we got back to the boat, it was stolen. Couldn't believe it!

 

Thanks for the info! That is rotten about yours getting stolen! The very same thing happened with my much beloved Maclaren double stroller after a t-ball game years ago. I'm still :glare: about it.

 

I am very attracted to that one, and the price can't be beat...not to mention the portability. And the fact that my parents love Costco with a purple passion and would probably buy that one for his birthday if I put it on his wish list. That's sure attractive. :tongue_smilie:

 

I saw kayaks at our walmart the other day. They were $249 I think.

I believe it was this one.

 

Interesting, thanks! I'll have to keep researching and then look to see what their prices are like. I bet they are pretty competitive.

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Definitely try to get the right type of kayak for your intended use, since the wrong one won't perform as well and will be much harder to use, so could result in your dh/ds not liking it due to equipment issues.

 

We have tried several brands, Pelican, Old Town, Perception, Future Beach, etc. as well as the inflatables. IMO, I would only get an inflatable if you are going to be using it on a fairly swiftly flowing river. They can be very tiring to paddle on flat water that has little current. I think the tandem kayaks are a little more expensive than the singles.

 

Whitewater kayaks tend to be short, little snubnosed boats with not a lot of pronounced keel. They are great for that application, but not so great on flatwater long paddles. Also, if you do ANY whitewater, be sure to get suitable instruction. That can be very dangerous for inexperienced paddlers. We use our own kayaks on the lakes and calm rivers but rent the proper equipment and go with guides when doing whitewater.

 

With the other boats, in general, the wider the boat, the more stable and less likely to tip it will be. Unfortunately you also sacrifice some ease of paddling and responsiveness with the wide boats. IME, the longer hull boats track straighter (glide when you stop paddling in the same direction you were going), but are more difficult to turn. There are various trade offs, so it is good to have an idea of what you want to do the most of and select a boat that will do that best.

 

There are also sit on top boats and sit down in boats (more traditional style), some with moveable rudders, etc. The SOT boats are easier to get righted, drained, and get back onto if you fall off/out. They also allow for more freedom of movement and rearranging sitting position during long trips. However they don't offer much in the way of storage or hull protection from wind, waves, tree limbs, etc.

 

We use our kayaks mostly for lakes and flatwater rivers. They fall in the recreational category rather than sport or professional. We got 2 Future Beach 124's and 1 Potomac (made by Pelican). We love the FB's. They tend to be a low profile so don't pick up nearly as much wind resistance when crossing lakes, etc. My dd wanted the Potomac, but after a year with it, she says she doesn't like how it handles, that it is too noisy cutting through the water, hard to turn, and doesn't track well. I tend to agree with her. Also, we noticed that it was missing one little screw for the footpeg. The Pelican company was terrible to deal with, the person answering the phone was a jerk and I would never buy anything else from them. Due to both the low quality and poor customer support. They do, however, make one of the cheapest kayaks available. We paid around $175 for ours.

 

We love the Future Beaches. They have a nice keel shape that makes them track really well and they paddle easily. The back rest could be a little higher for better support, but we are making do with other seating. We paid around $199 each for them.

 

You will need the double bladed paddles for your kayak. They range from around $25 each to several hundred. I prefer the really good quality shaft or a cheaper one that does not collapse down. Nothing worse than your paddle shifting with every stroke. Many of the blades have a curved shape - some people say it really matters. I have used both and IMO, I think it is just what you are used to. For recreational purposes, I would not pay a lot extra for the curves. One thing that is nice on paddles is the little round splash guards that go one on each side to help keep water from dripping down the shaft and onto the paddler. (No big deal in summer, but nice to stay drier when it gets cooler.)

 

I assume states differ in their requirements for young paddlers. Some require all children under a certain age to have and wear PFD's/life jackets, some require everyone else to have them available in the boat but not necessarily on, and I assume some might not have any requirements at all for nonmotorized watercraft. In Ohio, our kayaks must be licensed. That costs about $25 for a 3 year tag, which must be displayed on the boat.

 

The only reason to wear a helmet would be if you were boating in areas where there were lots of rocks or low tree limbs that you were likely to run into. We always wear them for whitewater rafting, kayaking, but never when on the lakes and calm rivers.

 

The best places we have found to buy kayaks and paddles is Dunham's Sports or Dick's Sporting Goods (where we got ours). Dick's had a great sale last July when we got ours. I have heard that Walmart, Sam's Club and other places also have kayaks, but the people I know who have bought from them (one was the Merriweather brand) said they were even worse than the Pelicans for bad tracking and being hard to paddle.

 

PS: Please tell your dh (as I had to tell mine), that you MUST get the proper gear if you will be transporting your boats on the roof of your car. We bought Malone crossbars and a ProStacker. Duct tape and pool noodles WILL NOT SUFFICE.:glare:

Edited by hillfarm
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We have an Old Town Vapor (mine and I LOVE it!) that we bought used for $200, I think. And, we have one that is a bit larger, can't remember the name of it, but it was around $300? at Bass Pro. (they have a military discount and it was on clearance.)

 

They don't come with paddles, you buy that separately. I like them small so I can pick them up and carry them. You don't need a helmet unless you are going to kayak in rapids. (In which case you would want a tiny snub-nosed one.)

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Definitely try to get the right type of kayak for your intended use, since the wrong one won't perform as well and will be much harder to use, so could result in your dh/ds not liking it due to equipment issues.

 

We have tried several brands, Pelican, Old Town, Perception, Future Beach, etc. as well as the inflatables. IMO, I would only get an inflatable if you are going to be using it on a fairly swiftly flowing river. They can be very tiring to paddle on flat water that has little current. I think the tandem kayaks are a little more expensive than the singles.

 

Whitewater kayaks tend to be short, little snubnosed boats with not a lot of pronounced keel. They are great for that application, but not so great on flatwater long paddles. Also, if you do ANY whitewater, be sure to get suitable instruction. That can be very dangerous for inexperienced paddlers. We use our own kayaks on the lakes and calm rivers but rent the proper equipment and go with guides when doing whitewater.

 

With the other boats, in general, the wider the boat, the more stable and less likely to tip it will be. Unfortunately you also sacrifice some ease of paddling and responsiveness with the wide boats. IME, the longer hull boats track straighter (glide when you stop paddling in the same direction you were going), but are more difficult to turn. There are various trade offs, so it is good to have an idea of what you want to do the most of and select a boat that will do that best.

 

There are also sit on top boats and sit down in boats (more traditional style), some with moveable rudders, etc. The SOT boats are easier to get righted, drained, and get back onto if you fall off/out. They also allow for more freedom of movement and rearranging sitting position during long trips. However they don't offer much in the way of storage or hull protection from wind, waves, tree limbs, etc.

 

We use our kayaks mostly for lakes and flatwater rivers. They fall in the recreational category rather than sport or professional. We got 2 Future Beach 124's and 1 Potomac (made by Pelican). We love the FB's. They tend to be a low profile so don't pick up nearly as much wind resistance when crossing lakes, etc. My dd wanted the Potomac, but after a year with it, she says she doesn't like how it handles, that it is too noisy cutting through the water, hard to turn, and doesn't track well. I tend to agree with her. Also, we noticed that it was missing one little screw for the footpeg. The Pelican company was terrible to deal with, the person answering the phone was a jerk and I would never buy anything else from them. Due to both the low quality and poor customer support. They do, however, make one of the cheapest kayaks available. We paid around $175 for ours.

 

We love the Future Beaches. They have a nice keel shape that makes them track really well and they paddle easily. The back rest could be a little higher for better support, but we are making do with other seating. We paid around $199 each for them.

 

You will need the double bladed paddles for your kayak. They range from around $25 each to several hundred. I prefer the really good quality shaft or a cheaper one that does not collapse down. Nothing worse than your paddle shifting with every stroke. Many of the blades have a curved shape - some people say it really matters. I have used both and IMO, I think it is just what you are used to. For recreational purposes, I would not pay a lot extra for the curves. One thing that is nice on paddles is the little round splash guards that go one on each side to help keep water from dripping down the shaft and onto the paddler. (No big deal in summer, but nice to stay drier when it gets cooler.)

 

I assume states differ in their requirements for young paddlers. Some require all children under a certain age to have and wear PFD's/life jackets, some require everyone else to have them available in the boat but not necessarily on, and I assume some might not have any requirements at all for nonmotorized watercraft. In Ohio, our kayaks must be licensed. That costs about $25 for a 3 year tag, which must be displayed on the boat.

 

The only reason to wear a helmet would be if you were boating in areas where there were lots of rocks or low tree limbs that you were likely to run into. We always wear them for whitewater rafting, kayaking, but never when on the lakes and calm rivers.

 

The best places we have found to buy kayaks and paddles is Dunham's Sports or Dick's Sporting Goods (where we got ours). Dick's had a great sale last July when we got ours. I have heard that Walmart, Sam's Club and other places also have kayaks, but the people I know who have bought from them (one was the Merriweather brand) said they were even worse than the Pelicans for bad tracking and being hard to paddle.

 

PS: Please tell your dh (as I had to tell mine), that you MUST get the proper gear if you will be transporting your boats on the roof of your car. We bought Malone crossbars and a ProStacker. Duct tape and pool noodles WILL NOT SUFFICE.:glare:

 

What wonderful information! Thank you so much for taking the time to type all that out. I am very grateful. I will read and re-read before making any purchases. I really appreciate how much detail you went into, stuff that I would never know without a lot more experience!

 

I think we need to find out more about the river. I know they will want to use whatever we buy on the lake also. The river, while relatively slow moving, does have some faster moving spots that definitely appear whitewaterish to me (if whitewater means that water is moving so fast and hitting the rocks to the point that it's splashing up, appearing white...OK, I am a dork...:tongue_smilie: I'm probably inadvertently basing this all off of videos I've seen of people on the Colorado in the Grand Canyon. :lol:). There are parts of the river that are like that, just not severely so.

 

Thanks for the advice about transport also. I will admit that part of my attraction to the inflatable model was not having to outfit the van.

 

Thanks again!

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We are borrowing a couple from the Boy cout troop so we can try it before we buy the equipment.

They are camping at the moment but next weekend is my first scheduled kayak trip.

 

DH and I looked at Bass Pro this week. They have lots of fun kayaking stuff to gander upon.

 

Oh, goody! DH has been wanting to go there so we'll do that this weekend! Have fun and feel free to report back. :D

 

We have an Old Town Vapor (mine and I LOVE it!) that we bought used for $200, I think. And, we have one that is a bit larger, can't remember the name of it, but it was around $300? at Bass Pro. (they have a military discount and it was on clearance.)

 

They don't come with paddles, you buy that separately. I like them small so I can pick them up and carry them. You don't need a helmet unless you are going to kayak in rapids. (In which case you would want a tiny snub-nosed one.)

 

Used is looking good if I don't go with inflatable. I bet I could find one if I have enough patience. Thanks also for the info about the military discount! I always forget to ask!

 

Thanks so much for the info!

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What about Elie?

 

Pretty. I need a site that has a kayak selection process. :lol:

 

I would love a 3 seater so DH could take two kids at once or so that one day we could have a 3 and a 2 to all go out together. I don't know if my arthritic joints could take it but in a few years the boys will be strong enough to paddle me around on their own, right? :D

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Definitely check out Craigslist. We found a used Ocean Malibu Two that came with 2 paddles and seats for 500. We also have a Malibu two XL, that fits one adult and 2 kids comfortably.

 

I am starting to scope it out. Thankfully, I have 2 months before DH's birthday.

 

Would you consider 2 kayaks instead of a tandem? We have a 10' kayak that my 7 yo niece can handle. Dh stuck pretty close until she gained a little confidence. 2 kayaks would allow a lot more flexibility in the long run.

 

The only problem with single seaters is that I don't really want to own 5 kayaks one day. :lol: In all seriousness though, I will look into it. I don't know that DD would be strong enough on her own and DS6 flat out isn't mature enough. A first kayak would be for DH and any one of the three kids, taking turns having one-on-one time on the weekends, so a double just makes the most sense for our first purchase, at least until the kids are a bit older.

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