How to Pick the PERFECT Fishing Kayak | Hard-Sided vs Inflatable vs Foldable Kayaks

Purchase the Wilderness Systems iATAK 110 here: http://shrsl.com/4pgis

Are you unsure about which fishing kayak to choose? Watch this video to learn about the differences between hard-sided, inflatable, and foldable kayaks, and pick the best one for your fishing adventures!

Choosing the wrong type of fishing kayak could keep you from getting to the water as often as you'd like. And it can be overwhelming to know which one to get because you have so many options! There are folding kayaks, inflatable yaks, and hard-sided kayaks, plus there are different types of each one at various price points!

Here's how to choose the right type of fishing kayak so you won't regret buying one!

We will keep things simple by focusing on three basic types: hard-sided, inflatable, and folding. I'm most familiar with these, as I've been fishing out of a hard-sided kayak for over a decade and fishing from inflatable and folding kayaks for the last several months.

Knowing how to choose between these types of fishing kayaks will immediately set us up for success because-

One of the biggest obstacles to using kayaks is getting them to the water. A hard-sided fishing kayak must be car-topped, hauled in the back of a truck, or on a trailer.

They're challenging to car-top because they're heavy, and you must remove all your gear before loading it on top of your vehicle.

They're also difficult to store because they take up a lot more room than inflatable or folding kayaks.

However, they tend to last longer (they are made from more durable material), are more comfortable, and are generally more customizable than the other two types.

Hard-sided fishing kayaks are my favorite, but I have a trailer to haul mine on, and recently, I've been surprised by how much I enjoy using an inflatable fishing kayak.

I ordered the Wilderness Systems iATAK 110 in March or April of 2024 and have taken it on several river float trips.

It surprised my mom with its stability and comfort, and it's now her first choice when we kayak down the river.

It's also much lighter, more compact, and easier to store than my hard-sided kayaks. I store it inside our temperature-controlled shop because extreme temperatures do not benefit its durability.

While it's lighter than my hard-sided kayaks, it's not as light as the Oru Beach LT Sport Folding kayak.

I've been paddling the Oru foldable fishing kayak for about 3 months. I've been surprised by how well it handles and tracks, how comfortable it is, and how easy it is to fold/unfold and transport.

I've taken it on the same river floats as the other two, and it's handled the waters just as well. I haven't felt unsafe in it at all, plus I've been ridiculously comfortable even when I'm on the water for several hours.

I also haven't had any problems folding and unfolding it after watching the initial setup video one time.

As I mentioned, it barely weighs anything at 28 pounds. So this is the perfect kayak to hike upriver and float back down.

But I'm not a huge fan of the price tag, and I haven't used it long enough to vouch for its long-term durability. I've run it across rocks and into logs, and it barely has a scratch, so that says something positive!

#HowToPickTheRightFishingKayak #BestFishingKayak #Hard-sidedvsInflatablevsFoldable

Timestamps:
00:00 Hard-sided Kayak vs Inflatable Kayak vs Foldable Kayak
00:19 What To Look For In A Fishing Kayak
00:29 The Best Type of Fishing Kayak
01:17 The Second Best Type of Fishing Kayak
02:41 The Third Best Type of Fishing Kayak
05:43 Where To Purchase the Best Fishing Kayaks