Even if you haven’t been kayaking for long, you might experience some discomfort or difficulty with your kayak seat. It’s a pretty common problem, actually – uncomfortable, painful kayak seats. They can be especially uncomfortable for prolonged use.
Now you are trying to find ways to make your kayak seat more comfortable. You’ve come to the right place! In this article, we will tell you different ways and methods of making your kayak seat less painful so that you can enjoy your adventures much more.
Let’s see what you could do about it, shall we?
Buy A Universal Kayak Seat
Universal kayak seats are generally pretty comfortable. In the name, it is universal and will accommodate almost everyone and everyone. There are various types of universal kayak seats.
The most popular one is a universal clamshell kayak seat. You can also look for universal seats made of certain, more comfortable materials such as gel or foam. The best way to find the best universal seat for yourself is to get the right dimensions.
Get A High Back Kayak Seat
A high back kayak seat allows you to rest your back against the seat. It can reduce backaches and improve your paddling abilities. You won’t have to support yourself while balancing and putting in the strength to paddle.
There are various types of high back kayak seats – you can get detachable back seats. Some of them will have lumbar support. If you have a bad back, lumbar support or ergonomic designs will do wonders for you!
Add A Foam Or Gel Pad To Your Seat
If you do not want to buy a new seat and install it, you can get padding for it instead. You can find a wide array of foam and gel padding for kayak seats.
Padding is also a great alternative if you are on a tight budget. Even if your seat already has padding, but it is not enough, you can add a layer of padding for better support. If you tend to experience backaches, you can get lumbar supportive pads.
DIY A Custom Cushion For Your Kayak
If you don’t want to or can’t spend any more money on a new seat or padding, try DIYing it!
You can find countless video tutorials online to make your custom cushion for your kayak. The simpler, the better. Let us tell you about one DIY idea you can use as well.
You can empty a cushion and stitch short lines across it – not all the way, so you don’t shut the lower parts of it from getting stuffed. You could also trim it into the shape of your kayak seat or make one from scratch yourself!
Once you’ve done the stitching part, you can stuff the cushion again without overdoing it. You can also buy or use a different, softer stuffing such as foam. If you do not pack it all the way, you will see that it is much softer and won’t take up too much space on your kayak seat.
Wear Padded Shorts
If you have no issues with the back support, or if padding/cushions are uncomfortable for you, why not try padded shorts? Padded shorts are pretty self-explanatory – they have padding fitted into them.
They will make sitting in the kayak more comfortable for longer periods. Moreover, you won’t have to worry about readjusting on the seat. The padding will not move around or slip off when you lift off the seat.
They can also be much cheaper than buying a new seat or padding.
A Proper Fitting Seat Will Improve Kayak Control
However, if you want to get a good seat, find out your dimensions! You can buy a properly fitting seat if you know the dimensions you need.
It will not only be more comfortable for you, but it will improve your control over the kayak. You will be able to concentrate on paddling and manoeuvring a lot more. It will also help you balance yourself and your kayak better.
There will be no room for you to slip around or hurt yourself, even if you get soaked with water. It will allow you to make the most of your paddling and maintain proper techniques.
Ensure Proper Technique While Sitting And Paddling
The most important part of any sport – get the technique right, or everything will be way off! Sports are disciplinary, and there is a good reason that proper techniques are necessary.
If you use the right technique while sitting and paddling, you might already reduce most of your issues. Furthermore, good technique will prevent you from accidents and injuries. There is a right way to do everything when you’re kayaking.
It is relevant to paddling and even how you get into your kayak and how you sit in the seat. You can get help from a coach, professional kayaker or find tutorials online for proper form and technique.
Conclusion
There are various ways of making your kayak seat more comfortable! Fortunately, you can also do it without spending nearly anything at all. However, we strongly suggest getting a proper fitting kayak seat made of good materials with good back support.
An ergonomic/lumbar support kayak seat can significantly improve your kayaking experience and control. You will exert more energy into paddling and steering the kayak. A good kayak seat can also improve your balance and stability and prevent injuries or capsizing.
To conclude, we hope we could help and answer some questions you might have had about kayak seats! Now you know how to make your kayak seat more comfortable; get on with it!
