Boats... to rent or buy?

steve

steve

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My wife and I have wanted some sea kayaks for camping trips, but I'm having a tough time deciding to rent vs buy. What say you?
 
I plan on renting for a few times so I can try some different models out and develop my skills more before purchasing. I question how much use my boats would get, since SLC isn't near any good rivers.
 
I'm a fan of buying myself. I rented a few times last year to figure out what I liked, but then I bought. Rough rental cost for a 3-day weekend for a yak is about $80-$90. Maybe a bit cheaper if you go through the university but less selection. My boat ended up costing about $900 out the door, so that's only 9 or 10 trips worth of rentals and I'll have it for the rest of my life. No brainer, IMO.
 
Do you end up using it as much as you thought?

Where do you store it?
 
I bought it toward the end of the season, but I got a lot of good use out of it. Enough that I am 100% satisfied with my purchase even if I only used it a couple times of year from here on out but I foresee many boat trips in my future.

Storage is a pain. I have a half a garage that my truck won't fit in, so that's my 'boat house' right now. My buddy @Ndheiner just covers his cockpit hole so creepy crawlies won't get in and sticks it under his house/deck.
 
If I move back to the southeast I'm going to buy, but here I've opted to rent...for the same reasons Nick chose to buy. I only do one paddle trip every year or two, and I want a big sea kayak, so it would easily take 12 or so rentals before I paid for it. Well, that could take up to 20 years to make up the difference no more often than I paddle here. So I just decided that it wasn't worth the storage and trouble.

If you go more often than that, though, it's definitely worth it. If you can get 10-12 paddles done in 5 years or less, then I'd buy.

If I don't move and I end up staying here, I am going to buy a packraft, though. I'll use that a lot. And it costs almost the same as a sea kayak.

I think it comes down to how much you intend to use it :)
 
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I've seen pack rafting catching on, but I don't know about it. I assumed they were all 20+ lbs, but after a bit of internet research, they seem extremely light. I could see myself using a packraft more than a kayak (albeit for a different purpose). Does anyone in UT rent pack rafts? I wonder how efficient, maneuverable, and fun they are.
 
I think his site was the one that ultimately sold me on the packraft. I really want to get into that.
 
Packrafts are so versatile in the desert. You can use them on runs like the Chute of Muddy Creek, San Rafael, Escalante...these hard to catch runs are made for packrafts. Strap a backpack to the front and stay out for days. If you are just floating big rivers like the Colorado/Green then sea/recreational kayaks are the way to go. Or a canoe.
 
Are pack rafts pretty durable? Would running into the occasional rock in a river give you problems? This is an exciting prospect.
 
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I don't have personal experience, but from the videos I've watched (and from the Ultimate Survival Alaska show), they look pretty dang durable to me.
 
I found this. I'm not worried about these being durable anymore; I definitely won't be putting a raft through this kind of abuse.


Thanks for the tip on packrafts Keith, I could definitely see myself using one of these on most of my trips.
 
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I also just like the idea of packing it up to a mountain lake and tooling around the lake or exploring the opposite shore. Or getting to campsites no one else can reach!
 
I have only seen the Alpacka packrafts up close, and yes they are super durable...but like any inflatable they have limits. People are running class 4 whitewater in them....but I would not recommend doing what that nutjob in that video is doing! Wow! I wouldn't even take my hardshell kayak down that mank!
Alpacka donated one to our silent auction for the National Paddling Film Festival. I want it :)
 
Alpacka donates one to the Great Old Broads auction each fall as well. Last year it went for not much under retail but the year before that it went for like $430! :rolleyes:

Hey Alpacka people, need someone to ummm, review your product? :lol:
 
they are awesome company. The Great Old Broads was my in with them, I know some of those gals and was able to sweet talk Alpacka into a donation. Since most people down here have never seen one, I might be able to get it super cheap at the auction :)
 
Sixstring, you mention Sea Kayaks and also that there are no rivers around the area for kayaking. That describes two very different types. You also mentioned using them for camping which I interpret as trekking. I'm sure you know or will see that there are many varieties of 'yaks. River, white water types smaller and sometimes cheaper than say an 18 ft sea kayak with hatches and a rudder, ready for a multiday trip. If you really do plan on using for sea kayak use and white water then you may want to rent until you can tell which type you like. That is, unless you are ready to buy 3 or 4......creek boat, white water, 18 ft trekker, 14 ft middie......etc.
 
I'm probably using the wrong terms. The type of kayaking I'm interested in is not whitewater, rather gentle river multi-day camping. A sea kayak will allow me to go long distances and still carry gear.

However, after learning more about pack rafts, I think that's the route I'll go, even though they won't serve the same purpose as a kayak. Being able to carry a raft with me wherever I go at the price of 3 lbs is incredible.
 
Maybe we could get a group buy going for some alpackas. Who would be interested in that? I'm in.
 
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