How to Choose Your First Kayak

Your Guide to Buying the Perfect Kayak

Choosing your first kayak is an exciting milestone — but with so many options available, it can feel overwhelming. At NUNO Store, we've helped hundreds of paddlers find their ideal craft. Here's everything you need to know before you buy.

1. Understand the Types of Kayak

Recreational Kayaks are stable, wide and forgiving — perfect for calm lakes, slow rivers and beginners. They're usually under 3.5 metres long and very easy to handle.

Touring Kayaks are longer and narrower, designed for covering distance efficiently. They track well in open water and are suited to intermediate paddlers exploring coastlines or large lakes.

Inflatable Kayaks offer incredible convenience — they pack into a rucksack and can be inflated in minutes. Modern inflatables are surprisingly rigid and perform well on calm to moderate waters.

Sea Kayaks are specialist craft for coastal and open-water paddling. They feature skegs or rudders for directional control and are built for experienced paddlers.

Canoes provide a more traditional open-cockpit experience and are excellent for family outings, river exploration and multi-day camping trips.

2. Match the Kayak to Your Waters

Think about where you'll be paddling most often. A sheltered canal or lake calls for a very different boat to an exposed sea crossing or a fast-flowing river. Always match your kayak to your most challenging planned conditions, not your easiest.

3. Consider Cockpit Style

Sit-inside kayaks offer more weather protection and are warmer — great for the UK climate. Sit-on-top kayaks are self-draining, more beginner-friendly and easier to re-enter if you capsize.

4. Check the Hull Material

Polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE) is durable and affordable — the most common material for recreational kayaks. Fibreglass and carbon fibre are lighter and faster, but cost considerably more. Inflatable kayaks use reinforced PVC or drop-stitch technology.

5. Size and Fit

Your height, weight and leg length all affect which kayak suits you best. As a general rule, look for a cockpit you can enter and exit comfortably, and ensure the maximum load rating is well above your body weight plus any gear you plan to carry.

6. Essential Accessories

Every new paddler needs: a correctly sized paddle, a buoyancy aid (BSI-approved), a helmet for moving water, a dry bag for valuables, and a bilge pump or sponge for sit-inside kayaks. Browse our Accessories collection for everything you need.

Still Not Sure?

Try our Paddle Finder Quiz on the homepage — answer three quick questions and we'll recommend the ideal kayak type for you. Alternatively, contact our expert team at mail@nunostore.co.uk and we'll be happy to advise.