The 6 Best Kayak Seats 0f 2023

Kayaking is one of the fun adventures that everyone longs for and buying a kayak is one of the most thoughtful actions that one takes to enjoy some refreshing time with friends and family. Cruising in the kayak boat initially seems to be fun when the rider is full of energy and enthusiasm.

After paddling constantly for few hours, tingling sensations of pricking pins and needles sets in the legs and back spoiling the entire mood of the trip. Of all the discomforts, lower back pain or the sitting pain is the worst that spoils even the paddling efficiency and all the fun.

The best way to minimize this pain is by using comfortable kayak seats that are available in different forms loaded with ample features. For those who constantly complain of back pain while kayaking even for a small distance, then the padded cushion seats are the option.

Let us discuss the best kayak seats available for kayakers and things to remember while choosing kayak seats.

Best Kayak Seats

Quick Answer: The 6 Best Kayak Seats – [2023]

Ocean Kayak Comfort Tech Seat
Leader Accessories Deluxe Kayak Seat
Deluxe Molded Foam Kayak Seat
Sea Eagle Deluxe Inflatable Kayak Seat
Expedition Kayak Seat High Back Support
iGuerburn Adjustable Padded Kayak Boat Seat

Best Kayak Seats Reviews

#1. Ocean Kayak Comfort Tech Seat

Ocean Kayak Comfort Tech Seat At a Glance:

Dimensions: 21.8 x 14 x 5.8 inches
Weight:2 pounds
Adjustable seat for sit on top kayaks
Built-in ventilation system
UV resistant nylon pack
Brass swivel buckles
Four way mounting straps

The Ocean Kayak Comfort Tech is an adjustable seat with added padding and built in ventilation system. Its reflective logos and the taller back rest for the seats make it a favorite seat for kayakers. The seat fit in all of the ocean kayak models and other sit on top boats as well.

It offers tremendous seating comfort with its four way mounting straps that are adjustable. The seats are extremely durable because of its nylon pack construct which is also Ultra Violet rays resistant.

Additional back support is offered by the reinforced stays and the seat is kept in its place firmly with its brass swivel buckles. The seat is made of heavy duty condura and all of its four eye hooks are solid brass capable of a long life.

Its users review that the padded seat is one of their best findings for their kayaks as it helps them in a comfortable cruising for the entire day.

#2. Leader Accessories Deluxe Kayak Seat

Leader Accessories Deluxe Kayak Seat At a Glance:

Dimensions 20×18 inches (back rest); 15×12 inches (seat)
Weight: 3 pounds
Deluxe foam seat
Solid brass connecting snaps
Highly comfortable seat
Adjustable webbings

The deluxe kayak seat is molded with foam for added safety and comfort for long hour kayaking. Its connecting straps are made of marine grade solid brass and are good enough to stay for a number of years.

The seat not just ensures comfort but is highly safe and holds the kayaker firmly in their position even at rough waters and wild weather. It has two straps at the front ad 2 at the rear for safety and is highly adjustable to accommodate any body type.

The seats offer both lumbar and sacral comfort adjusting to the fine curves of the spinal bones. The kayak seat is available in three colour options, namely black, black and grey mixed, grey coloured seat with black piping.

The dimensions of the seat at the lumbar region (back rest) are 18 inches for 20 inches and the dimensions of the seat at the sacral (sitting) region are 15 inches for 12 inches.

#3. Deluxe Molded Foam Kayak Seat

Deluxe Molded Foam Kayak Seat At a Glance:

Weight: 3 pounds
Sport fishing kayak seat
Rear straps for solid positioning
Ergonomically designed back support
Fishing rod holders
Storage bag pack
Marine grade connecting straps

This is one of the best kayak seats that feature more of a sports seater rather than a kayak sitting arrangement. It is featured with a detachable cushion and thus is possible to adjust the height of the seat a little higher.

The back support is rigid to offer strong lumbar support. The seat has wide and solid attachment straps at the rear for solid positioning and also prevents seat slippage. The tall back portion of the seat is of 18 inches length and renders the maximum back support for a day long kayaking.

This high performing thermal kayak seat has a foam padding of about 2 inches that is detachable. The seat is padded with foam and features a detachable back pack connected with a zipper which could hold two fishing rod holders.

The rod holders are featured with securing straps that wrap around the pole of the rod securing its position.

#4. Sea Eagle Deluxe Inflatable Kayak Seat

Sea Eagle Deluxe Inflatable Kayak Seat At a Glance:

Dimensions: 21x14x19 inches ( back rest)
14x12x5 inches (seating segment)
Weight: 3.5 pounds
Superior back support
Rear pocket to store accessories
Inflatable seats

The Sea Eagle Deluxe inflatable seat features a superior design compared all other conventional kayak seats and offers additional storage options with its rear pockets. The dimensions of the deluxe seat after it has been inflate are 21x14x19 inches ( back rest) and 14x12x5 inches (seating segment), which translates into exceptional lumbar support and seating space.

It is ideal for kayaking for long hours, be it fishing, paddling or simple rowing on the water bed, without experiencing any back pain. When not in use, the seat could get deflated, folded and stored for later use. Its folding measurements are 14x9x4 inches.

The seats are adaptable for all types of kayaks and could accommodate both children and adults. Their adjustable and firm straps help to hold seaters firmly to their seats even during swift winds. The seats are inflated through the sea eagle valves located on the seats and use A41 foot pump attached with the wide valve adapter for inflation.

#5. Expedition Kayak Seat High Back Support

Expedition Kayak Seat High Back Support At a Glance:

Weight: 2.8 pounds
Two battens at the back
Easy installation
Waterproof seats
Welded construction
4 adjustable straps
Water bottle holders

The Expedition Kayak Seat is featured with waterproof seat cushion with fluidized gel along with welded construction. The back rest of the seat is reinforced with 2 battens for added strength and structure.

The seat is easy to install and the seat cushion is of one thick thickness to add to the stability features. The back of the seat is featured with Bungee net for storage at the rear. The seat is attached to the kayak with the help of 4 adjustable straps and swivel clips that are highly corrosion resistant.

Its backrest with lumbar support is highly comfortable and high enough (20 inches) to support the back firmly for long distance kayaking. The skwoosh bottom seat is waterproof and has added paddings for comfort.

Along with gear storage at the rear the seat also has 2 built in insulated cup holders. They are manufactured in the United States and are been guaranteed for workmanship and performance.

#6. iGuerburn Adjustable Padded Kayak Boat Seat

iGuerburn Adjustable Padded Kayak Boat Seat At a Glance:

Weight: 2.2 pounds
Colors: Black and Gray
Dimensions: Seat: 11.7 x 14.8inch
Backrest: 19.9 x 17.2 inch
Metal snap hooks
Straps for front and rear

The iGuerburn Adjustable kayak boat seat is ideal for kayaking for long duration and fits in almost all types of kayaks. It is an adjustable kayak seat with added paddings for comfort. The rear features a detachable pack or bag to store important gear.

The seat is designed for sit on top kayak paddlers and may require some structural alteration to suit sit in kayaks. The kayak seat is made up of Nylon material along with metal and EVA. It is currently available in two colours, namely Grey and Black. The seat is kept firm in the kayak with the 4 non-corrosive high quality snap hooks.

There are two adjustable straps at the front and two at the rear to hold the person firmly on to the seat. After fitting the seat with the help of hooks, the seat sits sturdily in its position. The seat surface is padded and is designed with non-slip contouring.

The back rest is high and adds to the comfort and safety of the Kayaker. The seat is featured with 100% money back guarantee within 30 days and one year warranty against manufacturing defects.

Kayak Seats Buying Guide:

Seats are perhaps an important addition to the kayaks as it is the entity that holds the person in the boat for all their endeavors. Comfort is of utmost importance for fishing, paddling and even for relaxing on a water trip.

If seats are not comfortable and if they don’t have padding, there are all chances for developing excruciating back pain within few hours of kayaking. Let us discuss the other aspects to consider while choosing kayak seats here.

Lumbar Support
Breathability
Padding in The Seats
Durability
Mode of Attachment
Implications of The Seat
Size of The Seat
Stability
Storage Options
Inflatable Seats

Lumbar Support:

For those who spend a lot of water time, it is important to choose seats with high back rest for supporting the lumbar bones. This eases off pressure from the spine and is desired for those with the history of back pain. Curved backrest with padding allows people to sit in a natural position at ease.

Breathability:

The seats have mesh fabrics in them to allow adequate air flow so that they dry from sweat easily. Sometimes sit on top kayaks are drenched by splashes and thus a seat with breathable fabric is desired as sitting on wet seat is irritating.

Padding in The Seats:

Seats with additional padding are most comfortable for long distance kayaking. There are different types of padding and they are,

Gel padding: These seats feature a neoprene cover or other fabrics coated with soft gel within its meshes. They offer a bouncy cushion for sitting but are not durable. When the fabric gives way out or wear and tear the gel within could get messy.
Molded Foam: Pressure molded foams of high density are able to withstand wear and tear. They have exceptional durability and the way they are mold into complex pattern ensures comfort and ample blood flow during paddling.
Thermo-mold seats: They are manufactured in combination with pressure molding and flood the market these days.

Durability:

Durability depends on the type of fabric used in the kayak seats. Most of the outdoor gear is made of two main types of plastic, polyester or nylon. Neoprene is also a common fabric type to be used in marine equipment but kayak seats predominantly don’t use them.

Polyester fabrics are more delicate when compared to Nylon and are breathable. They absorb moisture and sweat and are pleasant to skin.
Seats made of nylon fiber are stronger than polyester and are water repellent. They don’t offer a cool feeling on a hot day but are highly durable compared to polyester. They are resistant to abrasion as well.

Mode of Attachment:

All kayak seats are designed to get attached with high quality non-abrasive metal loops and hooks. They are also flexible for adjustment until they fit perfect. Seats are kayak specific and there should not be any need to alter, modify the seat or to drill holes to accommodate it. Also, the more popular the kayak model is, easy is the way to find its exact matching seat. Low cost models might require some approximation with the help of few drills and D rings.

Implications of The Seat:

The purpose of the kayak seat also determines on which model to leverage on. If the purpose of kayaking is to fish, then a seat that allows the hunter to sit a little higher on the deck with a rigid frame is required. For those who wish to go on a relaxing trip in the waters then a lower profile sit inside model of the seat is required.

The duration of the kayaking trip also decides the type of seat, longer the trip greater should be the comfort, padding and lumbar supports. Adjustable seats that are able to yield to all desires of the kayaker are the need of the day ultimately. Seats with added features such as rear storage, cup holders, rod holders are advantages that the cruiser can make use of.

Size of The Seat:

Kayak seats are available in a number of dimensions and their size depends on the size of the kayak itself. Who would want to choose an ill-fitting seat and keep drilling holds to fix it on to the boat? The size of the seat is also a measurement of its comfort levels, higher the back rest, more the lumbar support.

The width of the seat decides the comfort of the sacral area as narrow seats can be butt breaking. Compatibility with the size of the kayak is also an important aspect to consider as not all seats fit universally to all boats.

Stability:

After fixing the seat into the kayak, it is supposed to be extremely stable and not flip off in rough waves and swift winds. All of the kayaking activities require ample torsion of the lower body to maneuver the boat. The seats should render adequate stability at the cockpit so as to help the cruiser take as many turns and twitches at ease.

Storage Options:

Some Kayak seats have additional options to store important gear and accessories by having a rear pouch. They have provisions to hold fishing rod mounts as well. In some seats, this pouch is attached with a zipper and is easily removable if not needed. Some seats have additional holders to hold bottles and drinks to be enjoyed on water trips.

Inflatable Seats:

There are some inflatable kayak seats that offer high comfort of air cushion for the cruisers. They are inflated using an air pump and could get deflated when not needed and stored for future use. They are made of water resistant material and could fit in most of the kayaks. They are available at a comfortable price point and are worth a try for non-frequent kayakers.

Kayak Seats Maintenance Tips:

The kayak seats have to be dried under the sun after every trip as the absorbed moisture from being in the water bed and sweat could damage the fabrics inside them.
Inflatable seats should be deflated after the trip, dried in the sun and stored appropriately. If they are not dried, there are chances for them to develop molds during storage.
There are chances for small pebbles and stones to get through the seat into the hull and might damage it. Seats are to be frequently removed and the hull should be checked for such unwanted particles.
The hooks to attach the seats into the kayak should be frequently checked for corrosion and should be lubricated for easy attachment and detachment. It is also a matter of safety and stability in the water.
The adjustable straps that hold the user with the seat should also be checked for wear and tear so that it withstands rough waves.

Conclusion

The options are wide when it comes to choosing the best kayak seat that would suit the boat appropriately. There are seats available in different sizes and in different fabric makes to yield to the tastes of the cruisers. It is important to choose a seat with high durability and lumbar support so that wrong seating arrangement does not spoil the mood of the trips. Hope our guide on the best kayak seats helps you in choosing the best seat for your boat and you enjoy long hours of hassle free trips in the waters. Happy Kayaking to you!