What company makes the best kayaks?

I am looking to get into kayaking as i think it is a blast, I want to do rivers and bays for the most part. Which company makes the best/most visually appealing kayaks?|||That's kind of like asking what's the "best" car. There are dozens of excellent kayak manufacturers who make hundreds of different models. I just bought my 6th kayak -- all of mine have been different and all were "visually interesting" in one way or another. If you are going to do flatwater rivers and bays you want a sea kayak model at least 14' long, probably a closed cockpit rather than a sit-on-top.





Check out the product listings and user reviews on http://www.paddling.net for information on most of the kayak brands and models plus links to the manufacturers sites. Since you essentially "wear" a kayak it should be correctly sized to your body height and weight and to your ability and the kind of waters you plan to use it in. Your best bet is to either get involved with a kayaking club or go to a full-service kayak dealer and outfitter and talk to a competent salesperson. Most such shops will have demos that you can check out. The performance range of kayaks varies incredibly -- some are clumsy and slow and hard to steer and others are so fast you feel like you're flying over the water. You're going to find price increases with performance and lighter weight. You can get a reasonably well-designed yak for around $1,000 but if you really want a superb boat figure on $1,500 and up.





Or build one yourself if you really want to attract attention and have a killer fast and nimble boat -- this is a way cool site for anybody interested in performance kayaks and kayak history:





http://www.capefalconkayak.com





(I have one of the 1935 Sisimuit kayaks he describes in the blog -- superfast boat and only weighs 32 lbs.)|||Hello most modern kayaks are visually appealing so it very much comes down to personal choice and how money you want to spend.





Can I suggest you visit your local kayak club where you will no doubt see a wide range of boats and get information from the members.





Alternatively ask your local kayak stockist for a copy of their brochure and just browse through pages of different styles and different makes of kayaks.





If you go onto the manufacturers web sites you will also see their range of boats without leaving your house. Be aware that not all boats are the same and you should try to try a kayak before buying to ensure a good and comfy fit.|||A favorite amongst my friends for river and a bit of flat water is the Liquid Logic Remix XP kayaks. They come in both 9ft (for smaller people) and 10ft (for larger people). This kayak has a flat rounded bottom similar to a whitewater kayak for quick river turning, and it also has a drop down skeg for better tracking when the river is moving slow or you are on flat water.





Visually appealing? I think so, but you can be the judge of that.|||Check out Current Designs at





www.wenonah.com