Partner: Top Beginner Kayaks

There’s no denying that inflatable kayaks are a great solution for people who can't easily transport or store a traditional, hard-shell kayak. The flipside is that this portability and storability usually comes at a cost in performance, comfort, and durability. While this trade-off is usually a given, the Star Rival Inflatable Kayak was designed with the idea that an inflatable can be just as comfortable as a hard-shell kayak. And so, among other things, this is one of the features that I set out to test. Here’s what I can tell you after spending an afternoon putting the Star Rival Inflatable Kayak to the test on the Ottawa River.

Choosing the best beginner kayaks of the year was a challenge for a number of reasons. For one, there are a lot of kayaks that deserve to be part of this conversation. Furthermore, the characteristics of a good beginner kayak can vary tremendously depending on your interests and needs. For that reason, my selection for the best beginner kayaks of 2021 includes a variety of styles.