When thinking of purchasing a kayak, it is important that you choose carefully to ensure the kayak’s going to be suitable for your needs . You should already where you are going to be visiting most as this will dictate the type of kayak you should be looking to invest in. There are different levels of quality of kayak, usually in accordance with cost , some are for heavy use and the others casual use . In this kayak buyers guide , we hope to help you narrow your search down.

It is always a good idea to do some research into which type of kayak best suit you . Firstly check out online via manufacturers sites, to get info on all of the latest models. It is also a good idea to visit the forums , here you may get impartial advice on buying your first kayak from people passionate about kayaks. You may even choose to go into local retailers to try out some different kayaks to help you choose the right one .

Here are some things to consider :

Will you be kayaking mainly on fresh water or sea water ?

If you are going to be mostly in salt water, then ensure you find a suitable kayak which can withstand salt water , and dependant on experience, ensure the kayak has high manoeuvrability (beginners should nearly always opt for a good manoeuvrability kayak)

Or will you be paddling in white water ? If so you will need to purchase a fresh water kayak, these are shorter than touring kayaks, which means more controlled manoeuvrability for navigating through rapids .

Will you be using it for short periods of time ? Or for long periods of time ?

Something to consider if you are using it for just a few hours at a time, one of the smaller kayaks will probably suit you best, as these tend to feature good manoeuvrability. If you plan on going on longer trips, you may wish to consider the option of buying a larger kayak to store all of your supplies , though this extra weight and extra length will effect manoeuvrability.

Will you be using the kayak for fishing ?

Though most kayaks can be fitted with fishing accessories , it is generally considered best to buy one which is meant for fishing . It will usually work out a lot less expensive than buying all of the equipment separately, and you can be sure that everything is fitted to it correctly by professionals. Some fishing kayaks offer features that can not be added to a standard Kayak . Here is an example: the Freedom Hawk kayaks are designed in such a way which allows the paddler to stand up inside the kayak as the rear whole back end of the kayak opens up to ensure solid stability, this kind of feature would be unavailable to fit to a sport kayak at a later time.

What is your maximum price limit, and how often [do you plan | are you planning} on using it?

As with most things in life , it is always important to know how much money you are looking to spend on what could turn out to be an expensive purchase. You need to also decide how often you are going to use the kayak. This is important as you will tend to find that the cheaper kayaks on the market are made for infrequent use, and are best suited to this purpose. If you plan on using it a lot, it is usually best to pay a little more for it, as it will usually provide you with a better kayak that is more durable and are better designed than the cheaper models. The more expensive ones will usually last a quite a lot longer and provide you with many years of paddling with frequent use.

Consider all of these things in mind when buying a kayak. Another good idea is for you to join your visit your local kayak club and fire questions at people who are passionate about kayaks who can offer you completely impartial advice on purchasing your first kayak. And remember the key to purchasing the correct Kayak for you is research.