15 Best Kayaks For Women

Believe it or not, all kayaks are not made for men and women. If you are a lady trying to break into one of our personal favorite watersports, you might want to know about the best kayaks for women.

Most of these kayak models are a little smaller to make them more easily maneuverable while still offering plenty of storage capacity for all your kayak rescue and safety equipment. If you really are new to this sport, you might also benefit from reading up on the kayaking strokes that can improve your kayaking.

In today’s article, however, we are going to focus on 15 kayak models that are great choices for female paddlers. Our list includes selections from some of the top kayak brands, including Perception, Pelican, and Aquaglide.

It also includes both rotomolded (aka rigid) plastic kayaks and inflatable kayaks so that there’s a little bit of something for everyone. Inflatable kayaks can be great if you live in a small apartment with minimal storage space or you have a smaller vehicle that can’t safely transport a rigid kayak on top.

That being said, let’s waste no more time and start with a few quick kayak selection criteria.

Photo by BAZA Production via Shutterstock

Best Kayaks For Women

Pelican Maxim 100X
Perception Tribe 9.5
Perception Hi Life 11
Perception Zip 9.5
Perception Flash 9.5
Perception Crank 10
Pelican Sentinel 100X
Brooklyn Kayak Company FK184
Aquaglide Navarro 130
Advanced Elements Lagoon 1
Sea Eagle 393RL RazorLite
Pelican Sprint XR
Driftsun Almanor
Emotion Spitfire
Aquaglide Noyo 90

Buying Guide

Photo by Christine Glade via Shutterstock

Selecting the right kayak for you is different than just selecting a kayak in general. So let’s talk about some ways that you can narrow down the kayaks we included below to find one that’s really good for you.

Weight

Weight is the logical first place to start because it is going to play a major role in how easy a kayak is to handle-on and off the water. Most new kayakers don’t consider the fact that they’ll need to handle their kayak almost as much off the water as they do when they’re paddling.

That includes loading it on and off the top of your vehicle using a kayak roof rack and getting it from wherever you park to the water’s edge. In our opinion, your best bet is to look for a kayak that is 45 pounds or less.

Of course, you can always use a regular kayak cart or a kayak cart that’s built for rough terrain to support the weight. That way, you’ll be able to just roll your kayak to and from your launching locations with ease.

Kayak Type

Your next consideration should be whether you want to go with a sit-on-top kayak or a sit-in kayak. There are a few pros and cons of each, so let’s cover them quickly.

Sit-on-Top Kayaks

Sit-on-top kayaks are great for beginners because they are really easy to get into. They are also typically better to accommodate kayakers of various heights because they offer multiple molded-in footrests.

Another benefit of most sit-on-tops is that they offer open storage areas, with the larger of the two usually being in the rear. This happens to be a perfect area for securing numerous kayak accessories, such as cooler, tackle crates, or a DIY kayak milk crate.

Sit Inside Kayaks

In comparison, sit-inside kayaks, like many touring kayaks and sea kayaks, offer a more enclosed cockpit that can be a little more difficult for some paddlers to get in and out of. The main benefit of this cockpit style, however, is that it can accommodate a kayak spray skirt.

One of the best kayak spray skirts is a great accessory to add to your kayaking arsenal if you ever paddle in rainy conditions, or even when the temperature isn’t ideal. It encloses the cockpit to keep water out and also helps to retain body heat to keep the lower half of your body warmer.

When it comes to storage, sit inside kayaks also tend to offer more enclosed storage than sit-on-top kayaks. Most will be equipped with one or two compartments that are sealed with a kayak hatch cover to keep the gear inside as dry as possible.

Just keep in mind that not all hatches on sit inside kayaks are 100% effective at keeping out water. To be extra careful, your best bet is to put your gear inside the right size dry bag before storing it in your kayak’s compartment.

Hybrid Designs

While they are still rare, there is at least one kayak on our list that could be considered a hybrid design. It is essentially a cross between a sit-on-top kayak and a standup paddleboard, which offers more flexibility than the others on our list.

Most beginners aren’t worried about whether or not they are going to stand up on their kayak, as they are more focused on mastering the basic principles of how to paddle a kayak from a seated position.

That being said, if you have been on the fence as to whether you want to get a kayak or one of the best paddleboards for beginners, a hybrid design might be the perfect compromise so you don’t feel like you have to make an either-or decision.

Weight Capacity

The final quick point that we’d like to make here is to look at a kayak’s weight capacity to make sure it can accommodate all the extra gear you plan to bring along. Of course, if you’re just planning on casual paddling with a water bottle and a few snacks, this should be less of a concern.

As you gain experience and want to stay out longer, however, you’re going to need to pack extra layers, bring along more rescue equipment, and maybe even learn how to pack your kayak for a camping trip.

If this becomes the case, your kayak needs to be able to support the weight you load into it. As a general rule, you should never exceed roughly 80% of a kayak’s advertised maximum weight capacity.

Your kayak won’t sink if you do, but it will become a lot more sluggish and difficult to maneuver. That means you’ll go slower, exert more effort with each paddle stroke, and enjoy less responsiveness if you need to negotiate around obstacles.

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