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Trusted Gear Reviews, Buying Guides, and Skills From Ken Whiting
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Latest Articles from Ken Whiting
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Is a Cheap Inflatable Kayak Worth It? What You Actually Get for the Price
Quick Answer The right inflatable kayak isn’t the cheapest one, and it isn’t the most expensive one — it’s the one that matches how and where you want to paddle, and how far you want to take the sport. A cheap inflatable kayak can make sense for occasional, calm-water paddling close to shore. A higher-quality…
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Intex Challenger K1 Review: Is the Cheapest Kayak on Amazon Any Good?
The Intex Challenger K1 isn’t a pool toy — it’s a legitimate, low-risk way to find out if you like kayaking, as long as you understand its limits.
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A 3-Day Backcountry Trip in Killarney Provincial Park: Paddling to OSA Lake
Trip Report Killarney Provincial Park is one of my favorite places on earth, and this spring I finally got to return after a year off the water. A frozen shoulder kept me sidelined through a good portion of last summer, so this trip was as much about getting back into a boat as it was…
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TRAK 2.0 Review (2026) — The Most Versatile Touring Kayak, But Not for Everyone
TRAK Kayak Review – Verdict The TRAK 2.0 is a portable sea/touring kayak and the most versatile kayak on the market because its hydraulically adjustable rocker lets you reshape the hull to optimize the kayak’s performance for different paddling conditions. But this all comes at a cost, requires a longer setup process, and wasn’t designed…
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Lifetime Lockport Kayak Review (2026) — A Portable Kayak That’s Durable and Cheap
Lifetime Lockport Kayak Review – Verdict The Lifetime Lockport is a $400 split-hull recreational kayak that solves the storage and transport problem for paddlers, without sacrificing the on-water feel and durability of a real kayak. If you can’t transport or store a full size kayak, a portable kayak might be your only option. The good…
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Sea Kayak or Touring Kayak: How to Choose the Right One
Verdict: A sea kayak or touring kayak do the same job — efficient travel on open water — and neither one is only for advanced paddlers. The biggest difference is that a touring kayak trades some speed for extra stability. If you’re shopping for your first long, narrow kayak, you’ve probably run into both terms…
