If you’re looking into joining the world of kayaking you may have reservations about the cost to buy all the equipment you need. On the surface it seems like a lot: A helmet, Paddle, Life Jacket and of course, an entire kayak. You may find yourself asking the question of how much does kayaking cost?
Well, It’s not so simple and depends on what you want to do. Entry-level kayaks vary drastically on price with second-hand kayaks still quite expensive. An alternative option is to purchase an inflatable kayak and for may beginners this may be completely sufficient but overall what does kayaking cost?
At the lowest price range, you have second-hand kayaks varying from £80-£250. The upper bound is for more specialist kayaks like play boats but you can still get very good quality, cheap kayaks. For professional kayaks, prices range from £800 – £1500+ with equipment also reaching extremely high prices. But for most beginners, you can pick up a solid body kayak brand new for between £300 – £600. This includes most of the equipment you need.
Breakdown of the Total Cost:
Your main cost will be the kayak it’s self where you have multiple options depending upon your budget and what you wish to do:
For £100 – £200: On the lower end of the prices you will be looking at purchasing second-hand boats, a lot of which come with paddles or spray decks. Buying a brand new boat at this price range is unfeasible and even paddles cost £50+. This price will vary on what you can find. If you can find a cheap second-hand boat then investing in a good helmet and life jacket is worth it. And if you do not want to buy second-hand then many amazing inflatables are available around £100. And to sweeten the deal they come with paddles so you only need to invest in a buoyancy aid.
From £200 – £600: With this price range you can get all of your equipment brand new. A white water spraydeck, paddle, and middle-range buoyancy aid will set you back around £200. Kayaks around this price, range from £400-£600 brand new so you have to decide whether you want a new kayak or new equipment.