9 Best Tandem Kayaks: Better Options for Fishing, Recreational Paddling, and Touring

The Pelican River Gorge 130X has earned its nomination as our editor’s choice. It is such a well-designed option for any duo to go out on the water.

This is one of the best tandem kayaks for families. It has a pretty good weight capacity of up to 500lb and can be used as a 3-person kayak. So, if you want to take two of your kids out with you, you can.

There are built-in holders for small items and also a rear area for cargo to be tied down if needed. You can fit a very respectable amount of gear in this kayak before you start to run out of space.

The construction is very durable and aids stability, as this is a sit on top design with buoyancy, which helps with staying afloat. It is also leak-proof, which is extremely handy as you can imagine! It takes huge amount to pierce this kayak and cause any sort of leak to spring.

It’s incredibly tough to find any fault with this kayak.

What we liked:

• Can fit two or three people
• Capacity of up to 500lb
• Extremely solid and well-made
• Leakproof – it takes a huge amount to pierce this kayak as it is designed to last years

What could be better:

• Not amazing for ocean kayaking

We’ve rated the Perception Cove the very best sit in tandem kayak. It is quite a long option at over 14ft, and the sit-in design is very comfortable.

Comfort features include a backrest, seat padding and even pads for your thighs and knees to keep you feel great when sitting in this highly rated tandem kayak.

As well as the comfort, this has a good level of capacity, with up to 550lb of space for people riding this (as well as equipment, of course). Within the kayak is storage for taking plenty of gear out with you, and there is also rigging on top to allow you to add more storage if you need to.

There’s a skid plate on the hull which makes this one of the best tandem kayaks for taking out and about with you as you are able to drag it without risking damage. It’s a great tandem kayak for fishing as you can use it on pretty much any water type. It makes a good tandem sea kayak as well as being suitable for use on lakes and rivers.

This kayak is so good for adults and children alike, and its comfortable and easy to store and transport.

What we liked:

• Very comfortable with a lot of padding
• Plenty of room for storage and 550lb capacity
• Can be dragged along when transporting

What could be better:

• Front storage and mounts could be a little better

There are a lot of great options for fishing out there, but not every kayak is built specifically with fishing in mind. The Brooklyn Kayak Company TK219 is an example of a product that is made specifically with the angler in mind, and it shows. There are a total of six fishing rod holders built-in. This includes four flush-mount fishing rod holders and two adjustable options. This means that you can take many different rods out or you can just take your pick of the best mount.

This is a sturdy option which can be turned into a 3-person kayak making it a good option for family use as well as fishing.

The waterproof storage hatch is fantastic to store items which may not respond well to being in the water, such as your wallet and phone. You can know your valuables are safe.

This kayak has a sit-in design and two kayak seats which have padding and are relatively comfortable.

Though not the cheapest, this is a good value tandem kayak due to the high number of features and build quality.

What we liked:

• Can fit 2-3 people
• Rod mounts for fishing are included
• Great build quality
• Waterproof storage

What could be better:

• 440 lb capacity is not the highest

There are a lot of different products on this list which are suitable for families, and options that have up to 3 seats as well as being tandem kayaks most of the time. The Perception Pescador is nominated as the best tandem kayak for family use though.

The reason this brilliant recreational kayak has such aptitude for using with a family is the fact that it has a molded seat for kids already built-in when you buy it, no need for additions or modification.

The kayak manufacturers have also considered the fact that people of all sizes will be using it, as it has quick-adjust footrests to alter to the perfect size for you.

The Pescador is another option that has plenty of storage and a durable design. A respectable 500lb of capacity means two large people and some extra cargo can fit on this kayak. Storage is in the front and the rear, and you can easily fit a cooler as well as lots of other equipment.

Both of the seats are molded, and they also have protective lids in their hatches to keep them safe from harm while you’re not in the seat.

What we liked:

• One-piece leakproof design reduces the chances of water seeping in
• Can fit a kid or pet in the middle of two adults
• Plenty of capacity

What could be better:

• Not as secure when fastening the cargo as some other options
• No padding on the seats, so not the most comfortable

Looking for a tandem touring kayak with a sit-on-top design and loads of capacity for people and storage? The Brooklyn Kayak Company TK122 12.9′ Tandem Fishing Kayak could well be the option for you.

This tandem kayak has some very cool features. It has two paddles included. These are collapsible and easy to store.

Naturally, the 770lb capacity is a huge selling point. This makes the kayak excellent for multiple people to use and is suitable for three people as well as being used as a tandem kayak.

Storage is another plus point – not only can you store more due to the fact there is a high weight capacity, it also has a lot of storage compartments including waterproof storage. You can put your valuables in these and not risk them being impacted by the water.

This is a great sea kayak as well as being suitable for touring and fishing. Of course, you can take plenty of supplies with you.

The seats are upright and very comfortable. They’re great for long fishing trips! The seats have aluminum frames as well as being padded, and they even have armrests.

The kayak has enough durability to be dragged and towed along all kinds of terrain.

What we liked:

• Loads of space for storage
• Has rod holders for holding fishing rods
• Sturdy aluminum seats
• Comes with two collapsible paddles

What could be better:

• Latches for keeping cargo in place are not the best quality

The Intex Explorer K2 Kayak is a great tandem kayak for beginners. It is affordable and easy to use, comes with accessories and also has the ability to allow you to inflate and deflate for storage.

It’s also great for beginners due to the stability, and the fact that it has a removable skeg which helps with staying on course and heading in one direction.

It has been designed with a comfy cockpit which is padded once inflated. Being a tandem kayak, it fits two people, but this isn’t as long as some competing options. The bright color has been designed in case something goes wrong, and keeps you visible in an emergency.

Obviously, being inflatable, it is easy to store this kayak once you’ve deflated it. It’s ideal for taking in a car as you don’t have to worry about the space.

You need to be realistic about your expectations when buying a value tandem kayak such as the Intex K2. However, the features for this kayak are excellent. It also comes with a bag to store it in, paddles, and also a pump for inflation. This is all at a really reasonable price tag.

What we liked:

• Affordable and great for beginners
• Easy to inflate
• Comes with lots of accessories including paddles
• Punctures are very rare due to the rigid design

What could be better:

• Not as durable as some other options Punctures are possible, though rare
• Not as high a capacity as most other options
• Not as much legroom due to the shorter design

Though the Intex K2 is higher on our list due to evaluating the price as well as the great fixtures, the absolute best inflatable tandem kayak is the Driftsun Rover 220 Inflatable Tandem White-Water Kayak. It has some very impressive features and negates some of the negatives we found when looking at other tandem kayaks.

The inflation takes less than 10 minutes, so you can take it from the trunk of your car and be ready for the water in almost no time.

The aluminum paddles included mean that both of the people can paddle the kayak and you don’t need to buy separate options.

Though there’s a risk of a puncture, the PVC is pretty good quality, and there are multiple layers to add to the durability.

This is one of the rare inflatable options with comfy padded seats. It comes with a travel bag and a hand pump for inflating no matter where you are.

To keep you pointing in the right direction, there is a Flat Water Tracking Fin. There are also a lot of spots for cargo to be tied down, though this option doesn’t have as much storage as some other kayaks.

The durability is great, and the kayak can also be used for class III and IV rapids.

What we liked:

• Easy to inflate
• Decent capacity of 600lb, great for an inflatable option
• Weighs just 28 lb, very portable

What could be better:

• Could do with a little more storage
• Can puncture, though this doesn’t happen regularly

This is a durable fishing kayak which could be recommended for beginners as it makes life a lot easier when it comes to staying stable. The tracking is superb and the design is very durable, meaning even if you aren’t the most experienced kayaker, this will stay pretty stable while you focus on other things, like fishing.

The Lifetime 10 Foot, Two Person Tandem Fishing Kayak boasts a great level of build quality, too, and a 5-year warranty from the manufacturer backs this up.

500lb capacity should be plenty for you, a friend and some fishing gear, and there is a storage hatch for you to keep your cargo within.

While you don’t have to use it for fishing, and it can be a great recreational kayak, the Lifetime kayak has been designed with fishing in mind and has rod holders built into the design.

The kayak can be suitable for people of all different sizes, and the footrest options can be adjusted for any height.

High-Density UV-Protected Polyethylene HDPE construction means that this should last many years and the coloring won’t be affected by the sun. This is a well-built tandem kayak but it doesn’t have the same convenience as some competitors.

What we liked:

• Great tracking on the water so you don’t have a struggle to stay on track
• Very durable
• 5-year warranty
• Decent capacity of 500lb

What could be better:

• Seats aren’t the most comfortable and they don’t have much padding
• Could do with more storage

Are you looking for the best tandem kayak for fishing which is also inflatable and easy to store? The Sevylor Coleman Colorado 2-Person Fishing Kayak is an excellent sit-on-top kayak which has been built with fishermen in mind.

Plenty of space for storing tackle and other gear, combined with two rod holders, means that this tandem kayak is suitable for anglers of all kinds.

The Sevylor Coleman Colorado Kayak is designed to allow you to install a trolling motor, so if you don’t want to do the paddling yourself, this can be a great option.

An inflatable kayak needs to be suitable for use over a long period of time without having to constantly worry about getting punctures. 18-gauge construction with PVC, 1000D tarpaulin and 840D nylon are used to achieve the durability you need. Also, there are multiple chambers so if you do get a puncture, you still shouldn’t start to sink.

The brand’s Airtight System comes with a guarantee not to leak. Deflating and inflating is relatively simple and this means you can easily throw this in your car and take it to your favorite lake or kayaking location.

The floor and the sides of this kayak are very durable and rigid so it doesn’t necessarily feel like an inflatable option.

What we liked:

• Very rugged design and unlikely to cause any issues with tipping or deflation
• Comes with fishing rod holders
• Decent space for storage

What could be better:

• There is a risk of punctures
• Tracking is not the best, control can be difficult