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You will need to ask yourself a few questions when selecting a suitable kayak ?
Selecting the best material for "your kayak" is a function of three basic elements, weight, strength and cost! Once you make an honest evaluation of your intended needs and uses, it’s easy. We encourage you to visit a registered Kayak training Center and enjoy your paddling experience more.
Polyethylene
"Plastic, Tupperware and Poly" are all terms commonly used to describe Polyethylene
It is the most common material used to build kayaks today. There are two main types of polyethylene: linear and cross-linked. Linear polyethylene stands are very long whereas cross-linked strands are shorter and chemically bonded to one another to provide stiffness.
Linear Kayaks
Most often built using a process called roto-molding. Plastic pellets are added to a two piece mold, the mold is heated turning the pellets to liquid, then rotated. When complete the mold is opened to remove the kayak. Although a slight line will appear on the outside of the kayak, the seam or stress point is all but eliminated from the all-important inside.
Cross-linked Kayaks
Made from a patented "sandwich approach". A thick foam core is sandwiched between an outer and inner layer of polyethylene to provide stiffness at moderate cost. Cross-link kayaks are stronger and stiffer but also tend to be more costly.
Polyethylene materials provide a very durable, inexpensive and maintenance free kayak
Composite
Is a term used to describe fibreglass, Kevlar or carbon kayaks. Composite kayaks are made by hand fitting layers of cloth into a mold and adding resin to create a stiff, tough shell. A gel-coat on the outside of the boat adds further protection and produces a attractive, shiny finish. Fibreglass kayaks can be very tough and are much lighter than Polyethylene boats. Kevlar kayaks will weigh less again, and will have added strength. Carbon is the latest advancement in kayak building technology. When bonded with Kevlar, carbon tends to hold its shape better than other materials, keeping lightweight boats from flexing out of shape. Its primary use is in building the lightest high performance oriented yakayass.
Composite kayaks are light weight, strong and are visually more appealing than plastic kayaks, but in general cost more.
Other Material Choices
Wooden Kayaks made from Do-it-yourself kits are becoming increasingly available. Although wood kayaks paddle well and are attractive, they tend to be much less durable than kayaks made from plastics or composites.
Inflatable Kayaks have the big advantage of being compactness and portable. Due to their soft nature these boats will always be more sluggish to paddle than other material choices.
Folding Kayaks use nylon or canvas material stretched over a lightweight aluminum frame.
Disassembled, folding kayaks fit into two or three bags for ease of transportation. Folding kayaks are less responsive than hard shell kayaks and can be time consuming to set up. expensive.
THE BEST MATERIAL FOR YOU will be a compromise of strength, weight, cost and your paddling needs!
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