How Much Does It Cost To Rent A Kayak?

Kayaking is one of the most fun hobbies that exists, and it’s not surprising, as it allows us to explore wondrous new locations and experience a totally unique form of travel!

However kayaking can be expensive, and to plan your excursion properly you need to get some idea of how much it can cost to rent a kayak.

This can be quite difficult to work out, as prices will differ a lot depending on the area you’re kayaking, as well as the size of the kayaking center and even the type of kayak you are using.

How Much Does It Cost To Rent A Kayak?

All of this means that it can be difficult to properly plan for your trip, and can even mean that you may not be able to kayak at all if you don’t have the right amount of money with you to pay for them!

This could ruin your trip entirely, but thankfully we’ve put together this guide to help you get a better understanding of how much kayaks cost to rent and will look at some of the factors affecting this so you understand the costs associated with kayaking and what’s included with your rental.

The Costs

Costs can vary a lot on kayaking, and there are several factors that can affect the price. The type of kayak being rented is the first concern, as recreational kayaks will command a different price to more specialist tourers or sea kayaks.

Another factor is the area where you’re kayaking. If it’s a popular area the prices will tend to be higher due to the increased demand, however, it could also be lower in quieter areas so this can be hard to judge.

Another factor is the amount of time you plan to use the kayak for, as some rentals will have an hourly cost associated with them that can quickly add up if you get lost or don’t make good time during your trip.

Before you make any decisions about kayaking, the best thing to do is to prepare properly, and part of this preparation is to contact your intended kayaking center and asking for prices and information about other costs for additional equipment such as paddles, life vests, and splash decks as well as other essentials like helmets and wetsuits.

While not all of this equipment is needed, it’s not always clear what will be included with your rental, or how expensive your particular center will be, so contacting them for a quote is the best way to make certain you’re properly prepared for the costs of kayaking.

Based on our research, some estimations for typical kayaking rental prices are as follows;

1 Person Kayak Rental Prices

$20 – $40 per hour with a 2-hour minimum to rent a kayak
$50 – $100 per day
$250 for a week

For a two-person kayak these costs will be slightly more expensive, but not massively so.

Canoes are often a fair bit cheaper and can typically hold several people however there are a lot of variables that can affect price here, and canoes aren’t always suitable for certain conditions.

Why Are Costs So High to Rent a Kayak?

Quite simply, because kayaking is a specialist and dangerous extreme sport, and a kayaking center has a lot of overheads including insurance, trained and qualified staff, equipment maintenance, and other costs.

Providing a unique service like kayaking that is often in high demand commands fairly high prices, especially as even basic kayaking gear often costs a lot and will mean most people rent instead of buying their own equipment.

The Benefits of Renting

Renting has a lot of benefits, however, and these make the costs somewhat justified and worthwhile.

The first is that you don’t have to drag a large cumbersome kayak and equipment around with you in your car! You can simply show up at the kayaking center and everything you need is right there which saves a lot of hassle right away.

Another benefit to rent a kayak is that you assume no risk if something happens to the kayak or the equipment.

Another benefit is that you often get other equipment included such as helmets, life vests, and paddles. While this may be different at different centers this is very convenient and saves time and money.

You will get a selection of different types of kayak or canoe depending on your preference and where you are kayaking, which can give you more options depending on conditions and your preferences.

The Benefits Of Buying A Kayak

There are a few benefits to buying a kayak, however, so let’s take a look at these for people who are interested in alternatives to renting a kayak.

First and foremost, buying a kayak may be cheaper in the long run, particularly if you kayak often or are interested in taking up the hobby in earnest.

While kayaks aren’t cheap and other equipment such as paddles, helmets, splash decks and life vests aren’t either, it’s cheaper to buy this equipment than to continue renting at an expensive price too often, as these costs can quickly accumulate. As the saying goes, buy once, cry once!

There are other benefits too, such as being able to choose exactly what equipment you want and need and tailoring this to your specific needs and the conditions you want to kayak in.

While this can have limitations, being able to customize your setup is something a lot of kayakers enjoy as people take great pride in their kayaking equipment and maintaining it properly.

And if you’re looking for which kayak to purchase, we offer several buying guides to help you decide:

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