Page 164 - 2022-08-01 Paddling Magazine

KAYAKING

FOLDING KAYAKS + SO, WHAT’S THE

FOLDING KAYAKS offer easy portability and storage PROS BEST KAYAK MATERIAL?
similar to inflatable kayaks, with the added advan- There’s no definitive answer to this
tage of performance and designs closer to those of • Folding kayaks offer easy portability question. The best material for a
hard-shell kayaks. and storage kayak really depends on where,
There are two general types of folding kayak con- • Premium folding kayaks rival plastic when, how (and how often) you’ll be
struction. If you are wondering what folding kayaks and composite kayaks for sleek- using it, and what you are looking
are made of, the answer is it depends on the style ness, performance and durability for from your paddling experience.
of the kayak. • Many folding kayaks include patch And, of course, how much you have
Skin-on-frame folding kayaks use an aluminum or kits for repairing minor tears to spend.
wooden frame that folds or disassembles for storage. • Superior gear storage to inflatable Each kayak material has its own
A flexible, watertight skin of polyurethane, synthetic kayaks distinctive qualities that either
rubber and/or nylon is then stretched over this skel- – enhance—or detract from—your
eton to form the hull and deck of the kayak. CONS kayaking experience.
Single-sheet collapsible folding kayaks are manu- Consider the advantages and dis-
factured from twin-layer polypropylene plastic sheet- • Skin-on-frame folding kayaks advantages of each material, then
ing creased to allow easy folding and interlocking. require more maintenance decide what size kayak you need
Because folding kayaks do not have built-in bulk- • Improperly stored folding kayaks and what is an acceptable weight.
heads, air bags or another form of buoyancy should be are prone to mold and mildew Finally, set a budget.
used in these boats when touring on open or moving • Cost varies widely—from about My advice is to test paddle as
water. Some manufacturers also offer hybrid folding- the same as rotomolded, to more many kayaks as you can before you
inflatable kayaks, incorporating both skin-on-frame than composite buy. You may decide the heavier
construction and inflatable tubes for added stability, • Assembly and disassembly can weight of a rotomolded polyethyl-
rigidity and flotation. be more challenging than inflat- ene kayak is more than compen-
able kayaks sated by its worry-free durability,
huge variety of design styles and
economical price tag.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A BEAU-
TIFUL SWAM, A PIRATE HAT OR Alternatively, you may demo
A 10-FOOT-LONG SOLO KAYAK. a thermoformed kayak and realize
PHOTO: KAYDI PYETTE you value the light weight, brilliant
finish and sleek performance
enough to justify spending
a bit more.
If you’ve been paddling borrowed
kayaks for some time, you may al-
ready have a sense of what you like
and have been saving up for a truly
special investment in the activity
you love. In this case, the best kayak
material may be a top-of-the-line
Kevlar composite kayak in a stun-
ning custom color palette. There’s
no one best kayak material—only
the best for you and the paddling
you do. PM

PHOTO: VIRGINIA MARSHALL

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