Sit Inside vs Sit On Top Kayaks – Which Is Better For You? | Kayaking 101
Dan talks through the pros and cons of sit inside and sit on top kayaks.
Feelfree Aventura 110:
LENGTH: 10′ 10″
WIDTH: 27″
WEIGHT: 50 lbs
CAPACITY: 330 lbs
Feelfree Juntos:
LENGTH: 11′ 2″
WIDTH: 30.5″
WEIGHT : 60.6 lbs
CAPACITY: 397 lbs
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I have the chance of having both sit inside and SOT kayaks 😊
I use my sit in mostly in winter, and to long trips, whereas the SOT is super fun in summer, one can even get out of the kayak at middle of the sea and take a quick bath! Always be sure that there’s no current or wind that can put your kayak away from you.
Also when a friend with no experience in kayaking came with me, I feel more confident about possibles falls and assisted rescue if he/she uses the SOT.
I noticed that contrary to the youtuber experience, I feel better positioned on the SOT, more like my old race kayaking or surf skis, because I’m more free to use the legs on torso rotation.
Sit in kayaks impose some restrictions to the legs position because of the cockpit, and the footrest that are stickied to the lateral side of the kayak: in general we use a “frog” like position with external hip rotation and wider separation between feet.
Better to control the kayak in the longitude axis, but less efficient to push on the forward stroke!
Recently I discovered some surf ski models that reach 55 cm or even 60 cm wide, where you can paddle as in a real race K1, with less formation needed.
They are quite expensive though 😅
That was a rather helpful video sir. Many thanks! I’m now certain that the SOT I was recently given will meet my needs for fishing just fine. Down the river if I choose to pursue sport yaking I’ll get a sit-in style.
As a begginner, your videos helped me a lot. Great tutorials. I chose sit inside for the feel and found it more stable than sit on top. Thank you.
I did a 500 km adventure race earlier this year with the kayak stages on a big two-person sit-on-top. Was a lot of hard work paddling that boat.
I like sit inside because I drink beer while paddling so I can use my piss jug without anyone seeing me take a squirr.
Unfortunately SOT kayaks are under-rated. There is a lot of prejudice against sit on top kayaks. As an owner of 2 sea kayaks, 1 river kayak, 1 downriver kayak, 2 surf kayaks, 2 surfskis, and an old Necky Dolphin SOT — I still find the Dolphin a lot of fun to paddle especially in esturaries and rock gardens and for snorkeling. Even though I can roll my Dolphin equipped with knee straps and paddle it all day at 3.25 knots — the kayak club I belong to refuses to allow me to use it on club trips. I think they are missing out on the safety/rescue capabilities that a sit on top like the Necky Dolphin offers.
I always had sit in and loved them, but now I’m living in an area with a VERY deep lake, so the fact that it’s pretty much impossible to sink a sit on kayak has made me reconsider when it comes to buying one for this lake. I think the sit in did wonders for the shallow rivers where I come from, but now with a lake this deep, not worrying about losing my kayak is definitely a huge plus when it comes to sit on top
You only show rec. Kayaks! Big difference from a fishing yak.oh yeh!
Get a sit on top.
Saver and better for easy access.
I’m building a fishing kayak, sit on top.
Perfect for fishing.
I fish out of a sun dolphin 🐬 now lol
It gets the job done, for now!
I just started the vid, but I had always been in the mindset that if I capsize I dont want my legs trapped inside where I might get hung up
7:23 he mentions seating literally as I started looking at seats for sale. LOL
The fuck is a beach cruiser.
What about the differences in “mild” river vs ocean kayak hulls?
both of those suck.
Sit insides seem dangerous for solo paddlers
Sit inside are peak
I have a sore tailbone area and not much of butt muscles. Which is easier on that lower back?
Thanks for the help! It was very informative and helpful
I’ve seen a few of your videos now Dan and I find them to be very helpful. The way that you explain things in your comparison is very thorough. What type of kayaking lifejacket would you recommend for fishing and day tripping on longer paddles?
Great video. Wondering if you have a video on the gear you are wearing?? I’d be interested in seeing that
Hands down the sot is better
As a older person i find sit on top easier for me. I can’t get out of sit in
My actual goal is one for a several day camping trips and thinking about a sit in.
But after watching a few videos about it I have changed my mind and thinking about a SOT one reason I have had 4 surgeries on my right knee and would be easier getting in second reason a SOT looks like it can hold a little more gear then a sit in and speed isn’t necessary I want to enjoy what is going on around me
I have a big, aluminum canoe that my dad bought in the early 1970s (19ft, I think).
I went out with a friend and paddled her sit-on-top kayak for several miles in the local river. Dang. It wore me out. It takes way more effort to paddle, sitting that close to the water. In my canoe, I can lean forward and it feels like I’m using my whole body to paddle, rather than my scrawny arms and shoulders.
I give props to anyone who lays down miles in a kayak. Y’all are beasts!
Well Done !—Concise, Fast paced–Good Job !
I would pick the sit on top as first time. Because when it’s that easy to flip the regular kayak, you don’t want that drama as first timer.
I use a sit on top. At 240 pounds, I cannot fit in most of the sit inside ones.
Thankyou for all your details
It’s really encouraging to see many comments from folks with hip and knee etc. problems,. I have right hip and left knee issues, and wondering what I could do, now that cycling is a problem for me. I’ve never been in a kayak, but now I’ve signed up for a local fundraiser trip on a local river. Looking forward to seeing if I can manage it.
love your video!
0:58 I was looking for a way to get into edging, thank you for showing me how to edge!!
So hit me straight which is your choice
Awesome video. I kayak in a sot on the Hudson River 14:12 which is nice in 90 degree weather but not in the Spring or Fall. You get wet. This Saturday I am trying my first sit in for a River tour. As a beginner, I am going with tours as I get to try out more boats plus if I tip over, someone is there to help.
I have a Aventura 110 and I want to buy a Juntos, just because on the sea is very hard to lunch without having water in the cockpit.
Thanks a lot for your video.
Super clear. I have a SOT because I explore alone. I knowed Sit in are faster, but I get my choice thinking "when somerhing will go wrong, I will want the easiest way to teturn to safe by myself"
I found the SOT style to require more core strength, especially important if you’re a 6’4" 300 lb 16 y/o boy. He flipped so many times….felt kinda bad when I was laughing my a$$ off.
Good info thanks
Is there an option on the sot’s where stabilizer arms (sometimes knows as side outriggers) can be installed ? Just wondering because this could help me with purchasing a SOT.
Honestly sit in is mutch better
Thanks for the bicycling reference. Avid cyclist just getting into the sport. Now, just like a road bike..ill get obsessed with frame/hull composition and design! It never goes away! And not bringing up the motorcycles! Another rabbit hole..lol. really enjoy the presentation of your clips. Thanks so much.
My theory is if you ever plan on going in the ocean, get a sit on top.
I’m a newbie and having tried both, I much prefer sit-ins. 🙂
The trick is to get in and out without getting your feet wet especially if its winter.
Thank you. I enjoyed watching that
Been paddling for 33 years on a sit inside. Because of all the damage I did to my knees in the service, I can’t bend them enough to get in a cockpit.
Nice video. Thank you.
How good are inflatable sit insides? I recently bought a paddle board and plan to take some more courses to use it this summer to learn to do faster maneuvers, I come from a background of canoeing and am mostly self-taught, and learned a lot by people who were themselves self-taught so there’s a lot of basic form I need to improve.
I did a 5-day trip in Minnesota on canoes years ago. But at one point I got to try out a kayak meant for rivers and absolutely loved how quickly it could turn and maneuver and just how fun it was to operate. I’ve really enjoyed the paddle board so far, but I think if I were going to get a kayak of some sort it would probably need to be inflatable for the amount of space I have to store it, and I think I’d rather have a sit inside if it’s a kayak versus just putting a kayak seat on my paddle board. But not sure if it’s really worth it given how compact my paddle board is and my space constraints living in an apartmentat the moment.
I have terrible knees due to the line of work that I do and am trying to figure out what would be best for me. It’s looking like sit on top, between knee issues and wanting a kayak mostly for exploring and fishing on mostly flat water, it’s looking like sit on top.
Thanks for making this video Dan. I’m just getting into kayaking up until now I had only done rentals but have been looking into getting my own. I’ve been really inspired by this river that I’ve been visiting I see a lot of people having fun swimming, riding around on jet skis or in boats and thought well the lowest point of entry for a water based vessel is a kayak and they’re super fun. Hoping to pick one up soon and make some memories! Cheers
I was thinking about a traditional sit-in kayak, but with me being about a 291 Lb rider, I’m starting to think that a sit-on-top will do me better for recreational purposes. QUESTION: Is there a type of kayak or a specific line of kayaks you think I should check out, being that I am nearly 300 Lbs?