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Touring Kayaks - Discover Nature on a Kayak Vacation

Touring kayaks are specifically designed for traveling, narrower and longer than recreational kayaks they can also carry cargo in enclosed bulkheads.  Kayak touring and kayak vacations are wonderful ways to travel and explore lakes, large rivers ort bays. You can get a fantastic stress release and aerobic workout.

 

Tour kayaks are designed to travel fast, go straight and carry extra cargo which would be required while on the water for extended periods of time. They are generally faster, making it easier to go greater distances than kayaks designed for white water.

 

Touring kayaks can come in single or tandem styles. Single kayaks are generally in the range of 12-18 feet long, where tandem kayaks will be slightly longer. Shorter boats will quite often be easier to maneuver, but have less storage space. The longer kayaks will be harder to manage in and out of the water but have more storage space.

 

Beginning kayakers will usually be more comfortable in a wider boat, about 23-24 inches wide until their skills have developed. A rudder is also a great advantage to keeping the boat stable and straight in windy conditions. An alternative to a rudder is a skeg, which can be raised or lowered into the water from the boat's cockpit.

 

Dagger Specter Series Kayak For intermediate kayakers, a narrower boat around 22 inches wide is a suitable option even if it feels a little unstable at first. With a little practice it will soon feel stable, whereas a wider boat will seem sluggish and unresponsive. Likewise a longer boat is a good idea also.

 

Before buying your first or next kayak for touring, we recommend reading reviews from other owners of similar boats. Consider how you will use the boat, will you be using it for day trips only or for kayak vacations? For kayaking vacations, a longer boat with more storage is the best idea. Consider all of the items you would carry with you, will they fit into your preferred model?

Look for:

  • Comfort - is the size of the seat and body suitable for your body size
  • Materials - plastic is ideal for beginners because of its price and durability
  • Weight of the boat - is the weight of the boat easy to handle out of the water, for example putting it on the roof of a vehicle in windy weather?

The kayak we recommend is the Wilderness Systems Tsunami 160 Touring Kayak w/ Rudder . Ideal for long weekends and distances, it is a fast and fantastic recreation boat. The Tsunami 160 has ample storage space for your multi-day paddling requirements. The 16 foot length and super stable construction make navigating choppy waters a breeze. It's stability and touring-boat speed and outfitting make it a prime choice for intermediate and more experienced paddlers seeking an all-purpose, highly-versatile kayak. For every Tsunami sold, Wilderness Systems has agreed to donate a portion of the profits to AmeriCares to help the survivors of natural disasters rebuild their lives.


The Wilderness Systems Tsunami 160 Touring Kayak is our best value and most popular touring kayak for intermediate through to experience kayakers. It weighs in at just 59lbs and has a maximum load of a huge 300lbs.
 

Wilderness Systems Tsunami 160 Touring KayaksThese premiere kayaks are truly a great way to enjoy kayaking, by finding the exact kayak for your needs (our site provides you with all of the information you need) and purchasing it online, you will be ensuring many hours of relaxing or adrenalin pumping recreation time. We have a wide range of touring kayaks from “the Best” manufacturers for you to select from the comfort of your own home.
 

For "High Quality" Touring Kayaks, check out these awesome Kayaking Products from Backcountry.com.