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Clear Kayaks

a man rowing a boat in the water

Whats the Difference?

The experience of “Clear Kayaking” and normal kayaking is almost incomparable. Like they say, “Apples and Oranges”.

Clear Kayaks are much different, not just in the sense that they are clear by in the overall experience from start to finish. We’ll walk you through the major differences from handling to durability, storage and use.

While Clearly Tahoe does not sell our Clear Kayaks, we can recommend a retailer who does. We advise every one to read through the tips before purchasing and be sure your aware of the many pros and cons.

Whichever you choose, we’re sure you will have an amazing time on the water!

a person sitting on a boat in a body of water

Regular Kayaks

Before we get into too much detail, we’re talking about “sit-on-top kayaks” in this comparison. There are many types of kayaks to purchase however, the sit-on-top is a very popular alternative to clear kayaking on Lake Tahoe.

For more information on choosing the best type of kayak for purchase check out our kayak guide here.

Pros of Regular Kayaks:

  • Easy to maintain.
  • Not easily damaged.
  • Easier to carry with one person.
  • Very buoyant.
  • Perfect for swimming.
  • May be suitable for 2+ people.
  • Very affordable to own.

Cons of Regular Kayaks

  • You can’t see through them!
  • May be unstable.
  • Guests tend to get wet, splashed etc.

Clear Kayaks

Clear Kayaks are certainly not designed for speed or agility. They are not meant to go far or fast, used to race or for long hull trips. The clear kayaks offers a much different type of recreational experience… Relaxing.

Clear kayaks are designed to kick back, relax and take in your full surroundings both along the shoreline as well as below the surface.

Pros of Clear Kayaks:

  • Relaxing
  • Ability to see through the boat.
  • Comfortable back rest.
  • Extremely stable.
  • Tend to stay much drier than a regular kayak.

Cons to Clear Kayaks:

  • Scratch VERY easily.
  • Yellow in too much sunlight.
  • Must be handled with two people.
  • Difficult if not impossible to get in and out via water.
  • Not suitable for long hall trips, camping or transporting supplies.
  • Expensive to buy.
  • May require routine maintenance.