2. Transportability

Standard kayaks will generally range between 75 and 100 pounds in total weight. While with tandem kayaks you will have at least one other person to assist, you need to keep in mind a solid action plan for transportation. While this may not be an issue with the inflatable kayaks on our list, some of the larger hardshell tandem kayaks would benefit from the use of a kayak cart.

Lifting a small “boat” that weighs 90 pounds above your head and onto the roof rack of an SUV or station wagon is no simple task. A stronger option is something like a kayak trailer. Any vehicle with a trailer hitch can tow a kayak on a trailer. Ensure to consider the weight that you can transport and carry unassisted.

Regarding inflatable kayaks, obviously these issues will not be a problem. However, there are some inflatable tandem kayaks that do not come with any kind of duffel bag or storage medium. It’s crucial to ensure that your inflatable tandem kayak comes with a bag of some kind for storage and transport.

How Our Selections Stack Up

The Ocean Kayak Malibu weighs 63 pounds, on the lighter end for rigid tandem kayaks. It is a minimal option without many frills, so the weight stays low. This makes it easily transportable in any vehicle that has a roof rack.

Comparably, the Vibe Kayaks Yellowfin 130T is longer and has a bunch of added features. For this reason, it weighs in at a bit over 80 pounds, so will be far more difficult for one person to lift onto the roof of a car.

The Sevylor Coleman Colorado weighs a little over 40 pounds, and comes with a thin bag for transport.

Comparably, the Intex Explorer K2 is a light 30ish pounds, and also comes with a gear bag for storage. This kayak is the lightest of the bunch so transportation is not a problem for solo kayakers.

The Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame, with its aluminum frame, weighs about 55 pounds. Its gear bag is far thicker and easy to transport.

3. Durability

Tandem kayaks should be durable. They should be able to serve their purpose for many years without issue. For this reason, it’s crucial to check on the materials that the boat are made of. Check things such as the handles, composition, paddle bars, and any other physical elements comprising the kayak. Remember, kayaks made of things such as heavy-duty plastic and PVC typically have the strongest durability.

How Our Selections Stack Up

To test each of these tandem kayaks for durability, we went hard in the paint. Two of our strongest testers took them out on a shallow river full of rocks. The rigid kayaks ended up with some scratches, but were crack and dent free and came out the other side smiling.

The Intex Explorer K2 had a small rip that needed repairing, but the other two inflatable kayaks came out the other end just fine save a few scuffs.

4. Gear Storage

Are you anticipating taking any electronics like a camera, smartphone or non-waterproof watch kayaking with you? If so, dry and watertight compartments for storage provide some strong peace of mind. This allows you to communicate with the “outside world” when kayaking and to shoot pictures of your experiences.

Additionally, watertight compartments eliminate the potential anxiety that can arise from the possibility of losing expensive electronics. And non-watertight compartments work fine for the storage of fishing gear. Enclosed kayaks have a hard time providing that level of storage.

If the selected tandem kayak lacks the storage necessary for your devices, dry bags and waterproof phone pouches are another great option. Also, bungee cords are common to cross the top of a tandem kayak to hold jackets, shoes and non-electronics. For those kayakers who prefer minimalism, bungee cords are a great choice.

How Our Selections Stack Up

The Ocean Kayak Malibu has no dedicated space for gear, and is meant to be a spartan, minimal, simple to transport tandem kayak. Conversely, the Vibe Kayaks Yellowfin 130T has two sealed hatches with bag inserts, large bungeed rear tank well and bow cargo bungee system.

The Sevylor Coleman Colorado has mesh storage pockets that keep gear and snacks close at hand. It also able to mount a trolling motor.

Alternatively, the Intex Explorer K2 offers minimal space for storage. The Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame has both underneath storage options, as well as “above deck” bungee cording for additional storage.

Our options with ample storage were packed with over 50 pounds of backpacks and gear and taken across a lake. They were all stable and managed the advanced load extremely well.

5. Stability And Comfort

Kayaks may not always be incredibly comfortable on long paddles. However, there are some that are far better than others. When testing the comfort of tandem kayaks, we kept an eye on the leg room available, leg length accommodation, and materials of the seat.

Speaking of the seat, some tandem kayaks come with removable middle seats. When used they can accommodate a child. When not in use, this is perfect for either a dog or more leg room. Are the seats sit in, or are they sit-on-top like an ocean kayak?

What about stability in different conditions of water? Remember, kayaking down a river is quite different than a still, calm lake. Shorter tandem kayaks have a tendency to be far less stable and slower when compared to longer tandem kayaks. Inflatable kayaks also tend to lack the stability of rigid alternatives. Select a kayak that will meet your kayaking needs.

How Our Selections Stack Up

We tested all five of the tandem kayaks on our list by taking them all on three-hour long kayak trail down the longest river we could find in the state of Florida. While there was a true winner in the comfort department for both rigid (Vibe Kayaks Yellowfin 130T) and inflatable (Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame), all five options had great stability with minimal discomfort.

Our only qualms were the minimal pain points at hour three with the inflatable Intex Explorer K2 seat backs, and minor instability with the Sevylor Coleman Colorado when not paddling.

Overall Performance Score

How to Choose the Best Tandem Kayak (Frequently Asked Questions)

Have you always been looking forward to that leisurely paddle across that calm, flat lake water?

Perhaps you’ve watched those high-adrenaline extreme sports of cruising it out on down the rapid currents of a river. Maybe, you’ve always loved the outdoors and fishing on a kayak is something you’ve been looking forward to for a while now.

You might also be an eternal health and fitness buff, and kayaking just fits the bill quite too nicely.

Whatever your reasons for this water activity may be, you are certainly not alone.

For thousands of years now, the northern hemisphere’s Eskimos (now called Inuits) came up with this contraption made up of whale skeleton and seal skin waterproofed by oil. Famous for its ability to silently glide through waters, the two-bladed paddle boat had been used for transport, fishing, and even for military purposes since then.

Now, you may have also thought that having a mere kayak is not just enough for you.

Stereotyping aside, some people may even consider you too social to head out alone. Or perhaps, you’ve been planning on spending more bonding time with a friend or a loved one.

Again, whatever the rationale behind your plans is, worry not. Just keep on reading to learn what are the most important criteria and questions you might have when buying your first tandem kayak.

1. Tandem vs Single Kayaks

What is a tandem kayak? What is the difference between a tandem kayak and a single kayak?

A kayak is a small boat usually mistaken for or often times called a “canoe”. Well, for the British, a “kayak” is a type of canoe. Some use kayak-like boats, but they call them canoes.

More modern sources show that both types are normally used for the same purposes. However, they basically differ from the positioning of the paddler and the number of blades of the paddle used.

Paddlers can kneel or sit front-facing in a canoe while they always do the latter in kayaks. Paddles in canoes only have one blade while kayaks have two blades.

Unlike the tandem bicycle, it has been a bit difficult searching the internet for the official definition for “tandem kayak”.

However, the word “tandem” is defined as “a group of two or more arranged one behind the other or used or acting in conjunction”.

True enough and as its name suggests, the main difference that a tandem kayak has from a single kayak is its number of paddlers. Whereas a single kayak has one space for only one paddler, the tandem has space for two or more paddlers.

What are the advantages of a tandem kayak?

Now, as you are already reading this article, we’re already pretty sure that you are already keen on the tandem kayak. If our assumption is really correct, at least one of the following could be relevant to you:

Family is the key. One of the topmost reasons why buyers choose a tandem is because they’ve got a kid to take along with them on that water adventure.

Who wouldn’t want to make sure their kid is safe while having fun? If your kid’s safety is a priority for you, then you’d surely want to make sure that no small kid gets to paddle on their own.

A tandem will allow you to stay at the back of the boat while your kid stays in the front spot where it’s easy for you to see and assist if need be. Plus, if you’re planning to bring in more gear for your family’s getaway, a tandem will surely have more space for what you need.

It takes two to tango. Well, we know that this age-old adage was coined with a figurative and not a literal meaning. However, it’s no reason to say that said cliché isn’t relevant either.

Just like any other undertaking, some are comfortable doing it alone but others prefer companionship. Both options are advantageous depending on one’s circumstances and goals, but let’s focus first on the points for the tandem kayak’s side.