On the water, the difference between a kayak and a canoe comes down to how you sit and how you paddle. A canoe is open-topped: you sit up on a raised bench (or kneel), use a single-bladed paddle, and get loads of open room for people and kit. A kayak is lower and enclosed: you sit down inside a snug cockpit with your legs out in front, use a double-bladed paddle, and get a lighter, nippier boat that’s quick to launch on your own.
Neither is “better” - they’re built for different days out. Here’s how our two line up.
The canoe - Venturer
Open, roomy and rock-steady, with proper wooden bench seats. There’s space for two to three paddlers, plus the kids, the dog and a boot’s worth of kit. A high-pressure drop-stitch hull gives it a hard-shell feel that still packs down into a backpack — built for family days, river treks and wild-camping weekends where space matters more than speed.
From £479.99
Show me the canoe
The kayak - Voyager
Lighter, leaner and quicker to grab - just 15kg to carry down to the water. A snug sit-in cockpit seats one or two, ready whenever you are. New for 2026, the Voyager is the easy, beginner-friendly way into paddling.
£279.99
Show me the kayakSo, which one’s right for you?
Go Venturer canoe if…
- you’re paddling as a family or group
- you want room for kids, a dog or camping kit
- open seating and space matter most
- you’re planning proper adventures, not quick loops
Go Voyager kayak if…
- it’s just one or two of you
- you want the lightest boat to carry and store
- you’re after quick, spontaneous days out
- you’re brand new to paddling and want the easiest start
Still torn? Picture your typical day on the water. Big group and a packed boot? That’s the Venturer. Just you and maybe a mate, grabbing an hour whenever the sun’s out? That’s the Voyager.
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August is the best month to start paddleboarding