Our Editors independently research, test, and rate what we feel are the best products. We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Whitewater kayaking takes paddling sports to a whole new level.
That said, whitewater kayaking is much more complicated and dangerous than other forms of paddling. Mistakes can cost you your life in this sport. Getting the correct boat for you means first understanding the basics of whitewater kayaking. Our reviews of the top rated whitewater kayaks along with a comparison table and buyers guide will help you choose the right one for you. Jackson has been a big name in whitewater kayaks for ages and the Antix is a good place to start.
This boat spans the genre between downriver and whitewater with a balanced feel to help newbies stay comfortable and confident. One reason this boat makes a good pick for the best beginners whitewater kayak is that it has an intentionally spacious cockpit.
Up front is a high volume deck for tons of buoyancy and to help the bow pop through waves. At the stern of the boat is a sealed hatch and a skeg for tracking well. With a prominent skeg it will help somewhat offset the otherwise squirrelly nature of this rockered profile. Thigh and hip pads help round out this whitewater kayak with some comfort when the going gets tough. Buy From REI. Jackson Kayak Rock Star 4. To be clear, this is not a boat for beginners or generalists.
This is a dedicated freestyle play boat designed to boof, hop, pop, and spin. Once you get this boat up on plane it glades across the water thanks to the clear planing hull bottom. At the front and back are short, low-volume rocker tips. Inside is a set of thigh braces, a floating backrest and knee pockets.
Other features include the GoPro mount, security bar, and a drain plug for convenience. View at REI. Granted, inflatable kayaks might not be the first to come to mind when you consider whitewater boating.
You might be worried about durability right off the bat. If one were to rupture, the other two still retain buoyancy. Additionally, the hull is reinforced with abrasion rails to extend the life of the PVC tarpaulin. From a performance standpoint the boat is rigged with thigh straps, a must-have for whitewater.
Meanwhile the high back seat and foot braces will help keep you comfortable. Fun, easy to use, and a break from the ordinary to name a few! We have it on good report that sit on top boats are a very fun way to enjoy mild whitewater. Some users may even find them preferable in very shallow or rocky-bottom streams. This sit on top boat has a set of padded thigh straps. These are critical to giving you any amount of control over the boat for edging, turning, and input. With a water bottle storage area and central hatch very small you can store a few minimal goodies for your day on the water.
Dagger recommends this kayak for water up to Class III. Best for a fun, easy to exit boat that can tackle water up to Class III. Note: Parents, rejoice. The Remix is also available in adult sizes.
The Remix 69 is a great mid-size choice for adults. This boat was purpose-built to be one the best whitewater kayak for beginners. It features a generous continuous rocker across its length. This makes it agile and easy to turn, something that kids will particularly love. Both fore and aft feature high volume hull shaping to really cut through and stay on top of big water. The generously padded seat wraps up and around the backrest and sides for tons of comfort and protection.
This boat is made for comfort and ease of paddling. One thing to note is that the rocker is asymmetrical. The stern rocker is a bit flatter which helps improve tracking, speed, and control.
Multi-day paddling? Speed, efficiency, and high performance are the name of the game with this long whitewater slicer. Similar to the Nomad 9. Figuring out what makes each whitewater boat unique and different is critical to making the right choice. Chines sit below the waterline of a kayak. If you were to look at a boat head-on, one with hard chines would seem to be square-shaped.
Hard chines perform extremely well and respond fantastically to control and input. Kayaks with soft chines have a more rounded appearance. Currents and water flow more readily around them and provide a more forgiving experience on the water. Think of a banana.
Most bananas are gradually curved over their entire length. This is an example of continuous rocker. Rocker simply refers to the shape of a boat being upswept at both the bow and stern. Not all rocker is equal, however. Kick rocker is an example of rocker design where the bottom of the boat is relatively flat and the bow and stern veer up sharply to form rocker at the very ends.
More rocker means less of the boat is in contact with the water during normal paddling. This results in an overall increase in agility and turn response. There are so many subtle variations of rocker profile available across a range of boats that it would exceed the scope of this article to cover them all.
Hull design refers to the general shape of the outside profile of your boat. Boats with a planing hull feature a prominent flat section at the center of the boat. These boats ride high in the water at speed. The faster you paddle, the more these boats will skim to the top of the water. Think of it like skipping a flat stone across the water. Displacement hull boats are far more common.
Displacement hulls are rounded with continuous curvature along the bottom from front to back and side to side. There are no flat spots on a displacement hull. Because these boats have a more defined keel, they do a much better job of tracking straight but sit lower in the water. Volume in whitewater boats refers to the total submerged displacement of a boat. Think of it as the amount of water it would take to fill up a kayak inside.
High volume boats usually have pronounced bulbous ends. These boats pop back to the surface quickly and shed water with ease. Low volume kayaks look pinched at the front and back. They are easy to submerge which makes them ideal for tricks and freestyle, but a poor choice for difficult water or beginners. Currents can easily sweep over the low, flat bow and stern and inexperienced paddlers run the risk of losing control.
This is a measure of how hard it is to flip over an upright boat in motionless flat water. A kayak with high primary stability, such as a wide planing hull boat, will be quite stable at rest. Tip a boat on its edge and you begin to incur secondary stability. This helps stabilize and control the boat when you purposely, or accidentally, tip the boat up on edge.
First, you need to be sure you understand the different types of whitewater kayaks and how technical specs like rocker, volume, and hull shape play into choosing a whitewater kayak.
If you're a beginner to whitewater kayaking or want more of a generalist whitewater kayak, you'll want a riverrunner. As you advance and start dabbling in tougher runs, you may need to add a creekboat or playboat. Be sure to consult with experts, make sure you size the boat appropriate for you, and get lessons first. There's tons of variability and you'll want to know the style and performance that you'll need. Be sure to read whitewater kayak reviews that we have to see what sort of whitewater experience you can expect from that boat or browse some of the best whitewater kayak brands below.
Whitewater Kayaks. Gear Category. Types of Whitewater Kayaks While all whitewater kayaks are designed to handle rough and tough rivers and whitewater, they are not all the same and can be split up into several different types: Riverrunner - Riverrunner boats are your most common whitewater boats. They are fairly long, usually 8. For water, they'll do well on moderate whitewater- anything up to Class IV.
Most are fine on rivers with holes and you'll be able to shoot through.
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