How to Choose The Best Kayak for a Tall Man

Last Updated on July 22, 2022 by Ecorf

Kayaks are built to help you navigate the waters with ease. Often placed in comparison to a canoe, a kayak has over time proven its efficiency in enhancing the floats of riders. However, it can be a task to choose a kayak, especially for tall people. In light of that, you may want to read this guide to the end to discover the best kayak for a tall man.

How to Choose the Best Kayak for Tall Man

It doesn’t matter if you’re in the NBA or simply a sprinter or an individual with extra height, it is always important to go for a kayak that is specially designed for your body frame. The task of choosing one can be hectic, especially with many variations out there in the market. It is important to consider some of the key specifications or features that tend to influence your choice of kayak for a tall man.

To help you arrive at an informed decision, we have made available some of the specifications that would the task of choosing the best kayak for tall man easier for you. Read further to discover them.

  • Wide, Adjustable Seats

The first thing to look out for in your preferred kayak is the size of the seat, and the comfort it tends to afford. It is important to note that kayaks come with different sizes. Therefore, the rule is to choose one that has wide, adjustable seats, which is a perfect match for a tall man.

How to Choose The Best Kayak for a Tall Man

Besides, making a bad choice by going for a kayak with a smaller or compact seat size may have negative effects for your ride, because you won’t only be uncomfortable but also discover that the seats aren’t offering the comfort you expected. In light of that, it is advisable to choose a model that offers stadium-style, metal frame chairs, which are essential for enhancing your comfort when riding the waves.

  • Capacity

The capacity readily comes to mind when looking for the best kayak for a tall man. In this instance, the rule of the thumb is to consider both the weight capacity and that of the storage variation. The idea here is to look at the number of items the kayak can hold at a go and the general capacity of weight it can carry at any given time.

To arrive at an informed decision, it is important that you take stock of the gear or the number of times you intend to take with you. It is also important to consider the duration of your ride because the gears tend to stored away in the kayak pending the end of your sojourn. Furthermore, you also need to keep in mind your own weight and correlate that to the general weight of the items you are taking along with you. With these in mind, there is no doubt that you would arrive at a good choice regarding the best kayak for a tall man.

  • Weight Capacity

This is where many kayak lovers tend to get confused. It is important to note that a thin line demarcates the capacity of the kayak from the actual weight capacity. The weight capacity in this instance generally refers to the overall weight or amount of gears or items that the yak can contain at any given time.

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We understand that this can pose some problems for some kayak lovers, so we have a clue to get around it. The rule is to look for a kayak/vessel that has a higher weight capacity, which gives the assurance of containing a variety of gears.

However, you must be careful not to overdo this because stocking the yak with more items tends to lower the kayak to the water, thereby, bringing down the speed and the overall stability of the craft. Therefore, you should follow the rule of choosing a kayak that does not only have a higher weight capacity but also tends to retain extra space after you and your gears get into it.

  • Sit-On-Top

Which do you prefer; a sit-inside or a sit-on-top kayak? The rule in choosing the best kayak for tall man is to choose the latter (sit-on-top) because it offers more space and allows you to get in and out with ease. In addition to this is the fact that a sit-on-top kayak can be more stable than a narrower sit-inside vessel, just as it empowers you to get out faster in the event of a capsize.

How to Choose The Best Kayak for a Tall Man

  • Width

Another important factor to consider when looking for the best kayak for tall man is the width of the vessel. It is acknowledged that extra space is vital for every kayak user but it is most important for people that are bigger, in terms of the body frame and height.

When choosing one, you should ensure that you go for a kayak that gives you a more spacious seating area. For added comfort, you may want to go for one that has a wider cockpit.

You should also note that the width of the kayak tends to have some effects on the speed. For the wider yak, you may have to sacrifice speed for your comfort, which is guaranteed by the stability of the vessel, courtesy of the redistribution of weight by the large width.

  • Size of the Cockpit

We are now looking at the inner parts of the yak. The size of the cockpit is another factor that would influence your choice of the best kayak for tall man. Whether you’re choosing the sit-on-top or sit-inside vessel, the rule is to consider the cockpit size, because this tends to influence the space you would have for your legs.

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  • Wider, Flatter Hulls

It is understandable that larger and taller paddlers are always apprehensive of capsizing or encountering any other unfavorable circumstance when on a ride. This apprehension soon gives way to pessimism about purchasing a kayak, given the fact that some of the vessels might not match their preference.

You are not alone on this but another factor that would help you make a good choice is to consider the size of the hull. It is true that modern kayaks are built to be stable but you may need to take the notch higher by going for a vessel with wider, flat hulls with a beam of 30 inches or more. This way, you can be certain that your stability is assured, even in the midst of turbulent waves.

Final Words on Best Kayak for Tall Man

Choosing the right vessel that matches your weight and that of your gears may not be difficult after all, especially with the above tips to guide your purchase. You can now take a cue from the tips offered above to arrive at a good purchase decision on the best kayak for tall m