Sprayskirt For Kayaking - What's The Difference?!

There are countless spray skirt options on the market these days. Nylon VS neoprene, adjustable VS fitted, bungee VS rand. Today we break it down to help you decide which is going to work best for your paddling needs.

[@barry4fish19]

Again great job Dan on an important topic. The kayak you have can make a difference on choice because all cockpit rims are not designed the same. For example, Delta kayaks don’t have cockpit rims that are very aggressive because the rim is thermoformed as an integral part of the deck, and the rand type skirts seem to stay on the best (I use the L6 King and it works great, but bungee skirts I have tried don’t always stay on the Deltas very well). I also own the L6 Excursion and it has an adjustment strap on the inside that allows you to elevate the implosion bar to your liking, that skirt fits the Eddyline Sitka LT very well if you adjust the rear knot in the chord. Some cheaper skirts don’t have a very wide range in sizes. Thanks again for your great reviews.

[@HeadwatersKayak]

I love the awesome feedback. Super helpful.

[@joshinfwtx4506]

I really enjoy your educational stuff like this. You and Ken Whitings videos are my go to when I see beginners asking questions in various FB groups. The WW footage at the end was cool too.

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Glad you like them!

[@lordenoch0]

If Dan and Ken were to meet, it would be like the KZbin Kings of West and East Kayaklandia coming together for a royal summit.

[@ronn6471]

Excellent presentation of cost and design detail options available depending on your paddling needs, desires, and budget!

[@bobbyhogan9207]

Thanks for explaining to us Nubes Dan 👊 Started kayaking bc I watched your videos, now I am working in a shop that has a whitewater park opening soon. I k own a lot about fishing yaks but am learning the WW yaks so I can be better at helping others enjoy the sport of paddling 😎

[@HeadwatersKayak]

That’s amazing. Good luck with your new job. Getting people on the water is one of the best jobs you can ask for!

[@puckja616]

Great video and lots of great info. I bought a Level Six King spray skirt after watching it. Unfortunately, the size chart from Level Six seems to be way off too small. The one for deck size L has no way to fit on my Delta 15.5GT (17x32") even sitting on my lawn, and the tunnel size M is so compressive to my body (waist size 32). And the size category is too coarse to find a good fit for such high demand application. Just a word of caution for other viewers!

[@nickshaw3619]

I've been trying to figure out skirts for a minute now, and this is the first video I've seen that makes me feel like I have a grip on the subject. THANK YOU!! No disrespect meant to the other PaddleTubers out there. Explaining stuff to novices can be challenging at the best of times.

[@CheekyMonkey888]

best explanation of skirts you ll find on the net

[@ronn6471]

For many recreational users a mini/half skirt is ideal to keep paddle drip and the sun off your legs, allows plenty of air flow, and is unconfining.

[@HeadwatersKayak]

That’s a great point. I didn’t have one for this video but there an excellent option.

[@gfp1011]

Another great video. Thanks so much!

[@richardspennicchia1293]

I use a nylon half shirt in the summer to keep my legs from getting sunburn and lap dry from tall ocean waves , but also let me breath so the cockpit doesn't get to hot.

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Agreed with half skirts for recreational use. I didn’t have any demonstrate on this video but they are definitely worth looking into

[@scottburkhardt6859]

The video I have been missing. Thank you, Dan! Haven’t checked out other brands but Level Six’s cockpit and paddler size guide is terrific, almost perfect, short of punching in your yak and having it match your exact skirt size. Brand new Sitka XT owner (in part thanks to your videos). Are any that you modeled not a great fit? And being newer to this, is rolling only an option with a neoprene skirt?

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Rolling is definitely best with neoprene. I have yet to find a really good alternative to keep the water out. I personally wear the kings skirt most of the time in my sea kayak.

[@scottburkhardt6859]

@@HeadwatersKayakwhat size L6 King do you use on the Sitka XT?

[@achappstube1]

Great review of skirts! What size Level Six King do you use on the Melker Rodloga?

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Large.

[@exaltedpotato6677]

I'm thinking of buying my first Kayak (just some casual, recreational kayaking), and I'm currently interested in a handful, mainly leaning toward the Ascend D10 kayak. It seems like a simple design that'd also have good tracking and cut through the water nicely (my main concern), but it does shave a more open cockpit than normal... You think this is gonna be worth the money? Water could be an issue w/ the more open cockpit, and I would potentially take it into class 1 rapids (*maybe* class 2). Tbh, not even sure I'd need a sprayskirt for class 1 rapids (?). I dunno, I'm just new to all this and would like a second opinion from someone more experienced

[@OneloveDC369]

What would you suggest for ocean fishing and lake fishing?

[@HeadwatersKayak]

Try it you may like it.

[@bruhmingo]

Is the ace overkill for sea kayaking?

[@HeadwatersKayak]

No that’s what I use and love it.

[@chuckster243]

I've been looking into the level 6 jack. My question, does the jack release with a straight pull back on the release handle, or did it need to be pulled forward first?