You may have fallen in love with kayaking after skiing through mangrove swamps, spending a weekend at a lake house, or spending a warm afternoon playing with tools near a nearby lake. Maybe riding a wave or coming out of the other side of rough white water brought you here. If you're reading this, you may be suffering from kayaking fever.

When the fever sets in, you begin to consider buying your own recreational kayak.

The dream becomes a reality, and the day finally comes when you are ready to launch.

Before you hit the “place my order” button online or rush out to your local sporting goods store, come out of the fever and do some research. You’ll thank us later.
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Those who have paddled the rolling waves and fought the lake winds have a few pointers for first-time kayak owners.

Begin by considering your unique situation.

We recommend a two-step process for buying your first rec kayak:
(1) understand your individual needs
(2) compare brands to whittle down features:

First, where will you paddle?
Calm rivers or mellow rapids?
A combination of oceans, lakes and rivers?
Only the ocean, or only whitewater?
Second, while researching, decide:
How will you transport it, and where will you store it?
Do you prefer to sit inside or on top—or, a sit-inside tandem, or sit-on-top tandem?
Do you want a specialized rec kayak (fishing, kid-sized, etc.)?
Is any feature (e.g., locking hatch, weight capacity) a potential deal-breakers

Where Will Your Adventure Take You?

Kayaking owners tend to paddle locally or regionally.

I live in southern Arizona, where lakes are scarce, yet the Colorado, SAN Juan, Green and Rio Grande rivers are a day's drive away. These world-class rivers have amazing rapids (you've probably heard of a small one called the Grand Canyon), but I've floated on flat water on these spectacular Western rivers more often than white water.

In Tucson, we are also 6 hours away from Rocky Point, Mexico, SAN Carlos and ocean boating in Chino Bay.

When I bought a recreational kayaking boat, I looked for a "best in the world" boat: one I could use to navigate rivers, take multi-day trips and deal with the salty tides of the Sea of Cortez. I chose a medium-length, stable sit-down kayak. I wanted a boat that could dive and tow a boat without fear of embarrassment (or sudden death). I love my Prowler 13 and have used it for nearly 20 years. I haven't made the most of it through lake fishing yet!

Your needs are unique, and so should your kayak. For example, if you live near a lake and mountain paradise and plan to dip your paddle into calm waters, and your spouse is a willing passenger, you may be inclined to use a two-seat kayak. However, if you live near a river and plan a solo trip, you are more likely to choose one of the shorter solo kayaks from the top recreational kayaks for quick currents.

Unless you plan to paddle exclusively, you need one of the best recreational kayaks that can be done in a variety of conditions. The watchword is versatility.