I'm 6' 5". Any kayak recommendations?

i’m 6’7 and 215
Boats I fit in:

Tiderace Xplore L or XL

Sterling Grand Illusion, Reflection- my current boat

Epic 18x, V10,v10 sport

Valley Gemini - though too heavy for the volume.

Wilderness Systems Tempest 17 or 18

Wilderness systems Zephyr

NDK Romany Surf or high volume version

NDK Explorer high volume version

Valley Nordkapp high volume version



The tiderace and nordkapp are the two most comfortable boats I’ve been in. I’ve spent 5-6 hours at a time paddling the tiderace with no break and done 90 nm over a weekend.

I found 12.5-13" of space from deck peak to hull at the front of the cockpit is a good measurement. Foot room is always a problem. Low volume whitewater booties improve your foot room.

I find the bath tub wide cockpits of pungos and other rec boats are unsafe and uncomfortable. Good for the fishing from the local duck pond but they are not for touring any distance what so ever. If you plan to be on anything more challenging than your local pond, a boat needs to contact at the hips, knees, thighs and feet.

I’d love to try one, but…
I don’t know that I’d ever use its full capabilities.



Not to mention, I kind of like trying out and buying new boats, if I dropped 6k on one, I think my wife would want that habit to end.



Anyway, the OP will have to decide if he wants to drop that much coin and if it would be worth it for his expected usage.


kayak
Pygmy boats makes kit boats to fit all sizes of paddlers.

Tsunami 125
Sounds like you have received some great options… I’m 6’4, 215lbs with a size 13 shoe and paddled the Tsunami 125 for about 3 years.



It met my expectations and I fit in there quite comfortably. I used it primarily for Ozark streams and it was a good boat but I just got tired of a kayak and went to a canoe. I too didn’t have many options when looking to buy and grabbed it without a test paddle. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, and testing different boats for me just wasn’t in the cards. I would say I made a good decision for it’s intended use and would imagine you would think the same.



Good luck, at least you have many options to choose from-