Best Lightweight Kayaks in 2022 (The Top 7 Reviewed)
Don't you just love kayaking? Paddling on a glassy, calming lake taking in the sights, and exploring nature. It's such a brilliant, rewarding, and relaxing experience being out on the water. It would be a shame if it were ruined by the heavy boat you dread limping back to the car with, putting a sour end to your otherwise fun and relaxing day.
Luckily, we've created this buying guide to help you find the best lightweight kayaks on the market and the best lightweight kayaks to suit your needs.
Why Use a Lightweight Kayak?
A lightweight kayak is convenient for those who want to transport their kayak with ease. A lightweight kayak allows you to feel free when you're on a trip. It allows you to stop thinking about the logistics of transporting your boat and start enjoying your time out on the water.
The benefits of a lightweight kayak include the ease of transport and the allowance for more equipment in the boat because there's less weight capacity in the boat. They are perfect for paddling recreationally, on your own, with friends, or on multiple day trips. Also, there's no age limit! Because of their lightweight nature, they are the best option as lightweight kayaks for seniors.
How to Choose the Best Lightweight Kayak?
When considering buying a lightweight kayak, there are so many options to sift through. Are you looking for a lightweight fishing kayak or the best lightweight kayak for a beginner? Before we get to the good stuff, it's essential to understand the various options available and pick the best lightweight kayak. This can be based on your size, weight, the boat's weight capacity, purpose, long vs short, folding vs hard, stability, materials, durability, and speed or performance.
Size and Weight
An important thing to consider is the size of the lightweight kayak you intend to purchase. It needs to be big enough for you to fit inside comfortably while remaining small enough to transport easily.
Without sounding obvious, weight is one of the most important things to be considering when buying a lightweight kayak. After all, one of the many perks of a lightweight kayak is that you can carry it on your own, a critical feature for those who like to hit the water solo.
The best lightweight kayak is one that is easy enough to transport to and from the water on your own without any extra equipment while remaining substantially stable on the water. The trouble being that lightweight kayaks can tip over and capsize easily. However, a heavy kayak is more stable in the water and more likely to withstand choppier seas and waves.
Kayak weights can range from 18 pounds up to a whopping 250 pounds, but for this buying guide, we will be looking at the lower end of this scale. An average recreational kayak weighs 35 pounds and inflatable and lightweight kayaks tend to range anywhere from an 18-pound single passenger kayak to a 50 or 60 pound tandem kayak.
Weight Capacity
The weight capacity of a kayak is vital unless you intend on a sinking ship. The weight capacity refers to the amount of weight the boat can take on before losing buoyancy. For example, the average adult male weighs around 200lbs, so if you plan on getting in a kayak with a weight capacity of 300lbs, you will have to limit your kit to under 100 lbs. It might mean stepping on the scale and weighing yourself and your kit, but at least you won't be going swimming against your will!
Purpose
Another thing you have to think about when purchasing the best lightweight kayak for you is your kayak's purpose. Are you looking for recreational kayaks or a fishing kayak? Perhaps inflatable kayaks are your thing or a versatile kayak that can adapt to many purposes. Whatever the purpose, there will be a kayak that fits your needs.
Touring Kayaks
Touring kayaks can come anywhere between 12 and 24 feet long. This makes them quick on the water and efficient. They usually come with a significant amount of storage and can sometimes be fitted with a skeg or rudder system to battle the instability of a thin kayak. Touring kayaks are made with an experienced paddler after a boat able to take on multiple day trips in mind.
Whitewater Kayaks
Whitewater kayaks are generally small, wide, and tough, ready for any rough waters and rivers. The width makes the boat more stable and easy to maneuver, perfect for dealing with rapids.
Fishing Kayaks
A fishing kayak can come in a few different sizes and gets its title from helpful fishing features the kayak may have. For example, a fishing kayak may include rod holders, extra storage space, or a place to moment a fish finder GPS.
Recreational Kayaks
Recreational kayaks are designed to be safe and stable for a kayaker at any skill level. They are best used for flat water such as lakes, bays, and flatwater streams.
Long vs Short
Long kayaks are perfect for the more confident kayaker as the length can cause the kayak to be more unstable and less easy to maneuver and turn in the water. However, on the bright side, when you're trying to get somewhere fast, a long kayak is ergonomic and can carve through the water, effectively getting you where you need to go in record time.
Short kayaks tend to be better for beginner kayakers or paddlers that need more stability for activities like whitewater kayaking and kayaking on choppy waters. The shortness of the kayak does hinder the speed you go in the water. With more surface area to contact the water, these kayaks are slow but easy to maneuver in the water.
Folding vs Hard
A Folding Kayak
Folding kayaks are a great way to make your expedition into the wild easier. They can be folded down into an easier to manage size, and take up less storage space than a regular kayak. A convenient option that can be used whenever the mood takes you without stealing all the spare space at home. Folding kayaks generally come into two types: inflatable and origami. Neither has one particular strength over the other, but it should be noted that the origami kayaks can only be used a limited number of times. Fortunately, in recent times folding kayaks can generally have up to 20,000 uses.
As well as this, these lightweight kayaks have a smaller carrying capacity compared to rigid kayaks and are also less suited to open waters. This lightweight option is an excellent option for those that enjoy the sport without seeking those thrills on the sea.
Hard Kayaks
Hard shell kayaks are brilliant if you are looking for a stable and secure boat. They perform very well in different types of water and are very reliable.
The best thing about hard shell kayaks is their ability to withstand any bumps, scrapes or rough handling. It goes without saying that a solid material will be stronger than any foldable or inflatable material, which is useful for when you're battling rapid water and fast rivers or even loading it on and off of your car and in and out of the water.
Stability
When you are looking for the best lightweight kayaks, you'll want to consider the stability, especially if you're a beginner or planning on taking on white water rapids.
If stability is what you're looking for, then a wider kayak shape is what you need. The broad base means covering more surface area of the water, which helps the kayak remain stable. However, a wide stable boat comes at a price. If your kayak is wide, it will not cut through the water efficiently like a skinnier touring kayak would, meaning the boat will be slower on the water.
Materials
Most hard kayaks tend to be made from a robust and durable material called polyethylene, UV-protected. This material will easily withstand any bumps and scrapes you may have on the water or through transporting your kayak. However, though high-density polyethylene is reliable, it is not the most lightweight of the kayak materials.
If a hard shell kayak is what you have your heart set on, but you don't want to deal with the extra weight, a Kevlar or fiberglass kayak may be the best option for you. Unfortunately, these materials are at the higher end of the price range, but you get what you pay for in its ultra-lightweight design.
But maybe you want an ultra-light kayak that's easy to transport. If that's the ease, then the best option for you might be an inflatable kayak. Inflatables are light, portable, and affordable, usually made from a PVC material.
Durability
If you are looking for durability over any other features, a hard shell kayak is going to be the more reliable option. Inflatable and folding kayaks are designed to withstand the kinds of bumps and scrapes and even potential punctures that happen from time to time, but hard shell kayaks are the superior option.
Speed and Performance
The speed and performance of a kayak are down to the shape of the boat and its tracking ability. If you plan on cutting through waves and water like there's no tomorrow, then you want to find a long skinny kayak, ideal for touring or racing.
If you need the boat to carve through waves without diverting in the direction, it is a good idea to search for kayaks with skegs. A skeg is a type of rudder that is attached at the bottom of the boat which should keep the boat straight and track well.
Our 7 Top Lightweight Kayaks
So now we know what features to look for in a lightweight kayak, let's have a look at the top lightweight kayaks on the market today!
1. Lifetime Lotus Sit-On-Top Kayak
The Lifetime Lotus 38lbs sit-on-top kayak is a rigid kayak with a simple sit on top design made using high-density polyethylene with a weight capacity of 250lbs.
The lightweight kayak features a molded paddle cradle so that you can rest your paddle when you stop for a break or to cast a line. It also has comfort in mind providing multiple footrests for any length of leg, and with bungee storage space, a built-in skeg, the lifetime lotus sit-on-top kayak is a stable boat with decent tracking.
On top of that, to further ensure your convenience, the boat couldn't be more comfortable to transport equipped with a center carrying handle, an adjustable quick-release seat, and bow and stem t-handles.
A top option for a hard, lightweight kayak.
It will come as no surprise that this buying guide will include multiple inflatable kayaks. So, let's kick things off with the sea eagle 330 deluxe tandem inflatable kayak. Sea eagle's inflatable kayaks should not be underestimated. They are tough, and to prove their durability the inflatable kayaks are put through rigorous testing to make sure they are able to take any bumps and scrapes the great outdoors can throw at them.
The sea eagle tandem inflatable Kayak is built to enjoy with a friend or on your own, sporting two removable seats, and it's suitable for class 3 Whitewater. There is storage space at the bow and stern. And although a tandem is larger than a one-person inflatable kayak, it is still able to pack down small enough to fit into its own convenient shoulder bag and throw into the back of your car. It has a weight capacity of soles and weighs only 26 lbs.
The Sun Dolphin Aruba 10 sit-in kayak is one of Sun Dolphin's lightest kayaks made using UV-resistant polyethylene, making it strong and durable. Although the sit-in kayak has a compact design, it does not compromise comfort. It comes equipped with an adjustable seat and multiple footrests to maximize comfort while you paddle.
It also has a convenient storage compartment which is bigger than expected. The rear dry storage compartment is perfect to store your essentials that need to be kept dry while kayaking and the additional storage space at the front of the boat can be used to store small items, a dry bag, or your water bottle.
It's easily transported using the carry handle. Although 10 feet in length, it's not difficult to attach to a car roof, and its length adds to the overall improved speed and performance—an excellent option for a top sit-in kayak.
This sit-in kayak was designed to perform in universal water conditions making this a versatile kayak. The advanced elements advanced frame sport is comfortable and lightweight with the aluminum bow and stern ribs to provide better control and improve the performance and maneuverability.
Weighing 26 lbs and with a capacity of up to 250 lbs, this boat is perfect for the paddlers on the go. Quick to inflate and deflate, and with multiple air chambers coupled with durable construction, there is no need to be concerned about punctures or rips. This is perhaps the best versatile kayak for different types of water conditions.
Oru Kayaks are fast becoming one of the top kayaking manufacturers because of their high quality, portable and affordable kayaks. This kayak only weighs 34 pounds and offers decent storage space and sufficient stability, which perhaps makes it the best lightweight kayak for seniors.
The Oru Kayak is a foldable kayak, and Oru claims it will withstand up to 20,000 folds throughout its lifetime.
It's made using high-density polypropylene, which makes it durable with UV resistance. The boat is also suitably comfortable for a range of kayakers. It features a good-sized cockpit to allow easy entrance and exit to the boat and is adjustable to further improve the paddlers' comfort.
Although the or kayak features a compact design, it has a surprising weight capacity of 300 pounds, which is more than enough for one paddler and a substantial amount of kayaking gear with ample storage space to keep all the gear. This is perhaps the best folding kayak on the top lightweight kayaks list.
The Sevylor Quikpak K1 is super lightweight at only 18 pounds featuring a PVC body and a tarpaulin bottom, which reinforces this yak against punctures or scrapes. And if that doesn't reassure you of its durability enough, the boat also features multiple air chambers so that if a puncture should happen, you'll not be sinking immediately.
This sit on top kayak features an adjustable seat with a supporting backrest as well as adjustable footrests to maximize comfort.
Not only is this kayak lightweight, comfortable, and durable, it also has a surprising weight capacity. A 400 lbs, you can hop into your kayak and even doing your canine. You'd think the sit on top would be sacrificing its maneuverability but think again. The Quikpak proves you can have it all with efficient use of storage space.
This inflatable kayak is an angler's dream, and although it isn't the most lightweight on the list, we forgive its 41 pounds in weight because of all of its excellent features.
This kayak is made using PVC materials with a reinforced tarpaulin base. It's, therefore, able to withstand its fair share of bumps and scrapes.
But what makes this kayak a good fishing kayak, we hear you ask? Well, it's many fishing features, of course! The boat comes equipped with Berkley quick set fishing rod holders so you can fish hands-free as well as trolling motor fittings and paddle holders, and with a 470-pound capacity and ample storage, you can take all of your fishing gear with you.
The boat has multiple air chambers to prevent sinking if punctured and comes with a 1 year limited warranty. This is perhaps the top option for the angling enthusiast!
Our Top Pick!
After crunching the numbers, weighing up the options and the boats for that matter! We think out of all the best lightweight kayaks we've looked into, the Oru Foldable Kayak comes out on top.
Oru have outdone themselves with their practical and convenient design.
This kayak is innovative, lightweight, durable, and all folds up into a convenient carry bag. You'd think Oru's folding design may skimp on the storage space, but for a foldable kayak, the storage is surprisingly sufficient.
Oru wants to make sure that your time in and out of the water is smooth and enjoyable. This is why they make it into our top pick!
So, no matter whether you are a senior, beginner, or just in need of a boat that you can throw into the back of the car, there will be a lightweight kayak out there to match your needs.
Common Questions & Answers
1. What are the most comfortable kayaks?
The comfort of a kayak depends on your preference. A sit on top kayak will usually offer a better and more comfortable seating position as you won't be confined to the walls of the cockpit. They are also easier to get in and out of. Lots of kayaks provide adjustable seating with backrests you can adjust to suit your preference.
2. What is the best kayak for a beginner?
A beginner should start with a kayak that offers good stability, such as a wide and short recreational Kayak until they are confident enough to control a less stable boat.
3. Is an 8 ft kayak too small?
It depends on your kayaking expertise and height. An 8 ft boat is perfect for kids, small adults, and great for beginners because of its stability. 8 ft Kayaks are also perfect to use whitewater kayaking because shorter kayaks tend to be more stable which is exactly what you want when you're flying down rivers.
4. Which is better, sit in or sit on top?
They both have their pros and cons; however, sit on top kayaks tend to be favored for their comfort and stability by anglers or beginners on short excursions. However, sit-in kayaks are generally favored by intermediate and expert paddlers for multiple-day trips and faster paddling. To find which type of kayak would be best for you, you must first decide what kind of kayaking you intend to do.