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Folding kayaks
January,5th,2024
Folding kayaks have a heavy waterproof fabric skin over a collapsible frame or skeleton. They're wonderful if you want to travel by air with your kayak; or if you want to take kayaks on your yacht; or if you live in a city apartment and you find that a 5-metre long rigid kayak won't go up the stairs or into the lift.
A "folder" is easily tough enough to survive falling off a roof rack onto concrete. Most are no more affected by sliding over sharp rocks than the typical composite kayak. They're expensive, but then they have a lot of components.
The frame will probably last 40 or 50 years with ordinary care (just look on eBay) and a good skin will last for 20 or 30 years. If you have a traditional design which has been in production in the same factory since the 1920s, you can probably buy a replacement skin and give your kayak another couple of decades of life.
A "folder" is easily tough enough to survive falling off a roof rack onto concrete. Most are no more affected by sliding over sharp rocks than the typical composite kayak. They're expensive, but then they have a lot of components.
The frame will probably last 40 or 50 years with ordinary care (just look on eBay) and a good skin will last for 20 or 30 years. If you have a traditional design which has been in production in the same factory since the 1920s, you can probably buy a replacement skin and give your kayak another couple of decades of life.