My kids got kayaks for Christmas and me and my wife want to get into it also. I’m having trouble finding good info on all the different kinds. We can’t rent kayaks where we are, of all the different kinds. So your input is helpful. We want to do some day trips and maybe overnights. The river trip is 12 mil one way. Some fishing
I like the
Dagger axis 10.5
Wilderness system aspire 105
Feel free Aventura 110
Pelican Argo 100x
Lifetime emotion tide 103
Also good please a good cheap paddle?
Those are all good ideas . Perception is also a good idea.
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Well… a couple points.
If you want to go On 12 mile trips, maybe overnights… you really should be looking at 14’ + long kayaks, at a minimum, 12’. Other things to strongly consider are dual bulkheads. You’ll need for storage is you’re wanting to camp, but mainly for safety, which many 10’ and 11’ kayaks do t have. Stern bulkhead at best.
Also, longer = more efficient.
Consider the Dagger Stratos 12.5 or 14.5or Wilderness systems Tsunami 140.
About a paddle… no such thing and good AND cheap. Best bang for you buck… best swing weight to performance to cost factor is probably the Aqua-Bound Stingray Hybrid.
My 2 cents.
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12 miles in a 10.5 foot kayak is likely not going to be comfy. And, if you want to do overnights you’re going to need a boat with sealed bulkheads and storage compartments. As for cheap, your best bet by far is to scour your local Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, etc., for used gear. I have found good paddles (Werner Shuna) for around $100, and a good kayaking PFD (which you also will need) for $30. Depending on where you are, you probably could find get a pretty good 14 foot+ boat, used, for under $500. I would say you’d be very lucky to score the entire package for $500, but it’s possible. More realistic would be around $700. Under ordinary circumstances the best thing to do would be to take some lessons and get advice from local kayakers.
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If the kids are coming on the trips in their kayaks, they’ll be the factor that limits how far and how fast you can go. I think they’ll still conk out before you even if you’re in slow 10 foot kayaks. But as others said, you’ll need something bigger to haul overnight gear for the family.
How big are you and your wife?
If you are a big person, say 6 ft 3 inches or looking at 250 plus pounds, you will need a larger person’s kayak in order to feel comfortable with its balance. Sinking a boat too low in the water makes it more unstable.
If your wife is a small person, 5’2" and 125 pounds or less, putting her is a boat that is too wide or is designed for someone bigger will make a misery of her paddling it over any distance. And it sounds like you do want to have the family all along.
Agree with the Aquabond Sting Ray on paddle. I got one each for my sister and her husband after seeing her in particular knock knuckles in an Old Town Otter with worse paddles. They were very happy with them.
You don’t need the fit to be finely tuned for your purposes. But you do want boats that you can relax in and will not be too much of a chore to paddle.
Me and my wife are both 5,11 5,10
Excellent! The height puts you both into a kayak for an average sized or slightly up person. You should have a very broad range of options in used boats.