Best Touring Kayak: Complete Reviews With Comparisons

Touring kayaks are perfect for beginner kayakers ready to level up and use something more durable, powerful, and spacious.

While these are an upgrade from beginner-level kayaks, kayakers of all experience levels can easily use them.

The key to having a good experience with is to make sure you have the best touring kayaks that matches your needs.

How do you go about choosing a touring kayak that will work for your needs? Start by getting to know the best models and what they have to offer.

The Lifetime Tioga kayak is a mid-range option with a wide seat and comfortable back.

It is the perfect sit-on-top kayak for long adventures on the water, but is it the right choice for you?

Review

The Lifetime Tioga kayak is for serious beginners who aren’t afraid of putting in the investment needed to have a great experience.

Experienced kayakers will immediately notice that this wide, sit-on-top kayak remains sturdy and stable.

When going on long adventures, you can keep paddling for a long time without worrying about aches and pains, thanks to the comfortable backrest.

The kayak itself is constructed using high-density polyethylene, which ensures it is durable and relatively impact-resistant.

Even after many trips on the water, you won’t see any noticeable change to how well this kayak tracks, paddles, and moves in the water.

Lastly, it has a simple design with a set of front and rear carry handles that let you easily transport it to and from your launch location.

What Size Touring Kayak Do I Need?

Figuring out what size touring kayak you need can be a complicated decision process.

There are several factors that will affect how long or wide your kayak should be:

• Your height
• How long your legs are
• How wide of a seat you need
• How much you need to store
• What you can comfortably maneuver

To start choosing the size of your touring kayak, begin by keeping in mind your height.

If you are over six-foot-tall, start by testing out 12-foot or 14-foot kayaks and see how they fit your leg length and waist area.

You want to make sure your center of gravity sits in the right place so that you can comfortably maneuver the kayak.

Touring kayaks typically fit more snuggly around the waist. This is fine, but you want to make sure it is the right balance of snug.

You want to be sure you are not sliding all over the place while still ensuring you can easily get out of the kayak if you capsize.

Most people under six feet will be happiest with a nine-foot or 10-foot kayak. However, this will still depend on your exact body structure and power.

Take time to try out your friends’ kayaks, if possible, to find what length is going to work best for you in the end.

What Is the Difference Between a Touring Kayak and a Sea Kayak?

People often wonder what the difference is between the many types of kayaks.

It can get especially confusing because some types are subcategories of other types.

And just like that, you’ve got way too many types to keep track of.

For example, a sea kayak is a subtype of a touring kayak. But what is the difference between a touring kayak and a sea kayak?

Compared to standard recreational touring kayaks, a sea kayak is better equipped to handle waves and rough waters.

It has a bigger curve from bow to stern so that the kayaker can easily crest oncoming waves. It also has a narrower profile.

Together, these features ensure the ability to deal with waves.

Because of these design choices, sea kayaks are also less stable than standard touring kayaks.

As such, it would take more practice to ensure you know how to stay balanced and upright in a sea kayak than a touring kayak.

Beyond that, both kayaks can be found with many similar features, and they all need to be taken care of in similar ways.

How Fast Is a Touring Kayak?

The speed of a touring kayak is going to depend on a few factors.

Some think it’s all in the kayaker’s skill. Others believe it completely depends on how expensive or well-made the kayak is.

If you come to think of it, it’s a bit of both.

New kayakers probably can’t get their kayak going at a steady pace of more than two to three miles per hour.

After all, it takes time to get comfortable moving quickly and keeping things under control when in the water. In time, this can definitely be sped up.

On the other hand, very experienced kayakers with a high-quality touring kayak will find that they can reach six to seven miles per hour.

It is possible to see even higher speeds, too.

However, the final speed will mostly depend on the current, the weather condition, and many other factors affecting the trip.

The best way to plan for your trip based on distance is to overestimate how long things will take so that you don’t run out of light.

Do Kayaks Tip Easily?

Generally speaking, it isn’t easy to tip over a kayak.

Due to the nature of how they are built, it is not easy to flip one over unless you are in rough conditions or make a mistake in how you position yourself.

Short and wide kayaks will be more stable and harder to flip than those that are long and narrow, so that is a factor to keep in mind, too.

Most beginners end up flipping over their kayaks for one of the following reasons:

• They turn around and shift their weight too far
• They lean over to try to reach something in the water
• They paddle into waves with the wrong rhythm

To get used to tipping over and practice how you can get back on your kayak, try to intentionally tip over when in safe waters and with company.

By seeing what causes the kayak to flip, you can avoid this and get ready for the future.

Which Is the Best Kayak for Touring?

Touring kayaks come in many sizes and with a variety of features.

What is going to be the best option for you will depend on what you plan to use it for.

Overall, we have found that the Perception Expression 11.5 stands out as the top choice touring kayak.

This high-quality option is a great step up from beginner kayaks without going overboard. It stands out in speed and durability as well as space.

Another great option for those who want to try touring kayaks is the Sun Dolphin Aruba Sit-in Kayak.

It has a great amount of space as well as an easy-to-maneuver design that many kayakers will find useful.

Choosing the right touring kayak is hard because there are so many different options on the market.

Remember that every kayak has both pros and cons.

Weigh each one over the other so that you can decide if the kayak you’re looking at is the right model for you.