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Australia has some of the best kayaking spots in the world. You can experience the Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven wonders of the natural world, or paddle through gorges and along spectacular coastlines. And it can be even better when you have someone to share it with.
We’ve made a list of some of our favourite two-person kayaks to explore Aussie waters. To save you time, we also have our top pick for the best tandem kayak in Australia – the Bay Sports Nereus 1. It’s stable, from an Australian company, and can handle coastal waters and rivers.
Top 7 Best Tandem Kayaks In Australia Reviewed
1: Bay Sports Nereus 1 Double Kayak (best overall)
- Length: 370 cm
- Width: 86 cm
- Depth: 40 cm
- Weight: 31 kg
- Weight capacity: 250 kg
The Nereus 1 is a tandem sit-on-top kayak that can be great for family adventures on lakes, calm bays, and slow moving rivers. This is a recreational kayak (from an Australian brand) that has excellent stability on flatwater, making it ideal for beginners.
It also has added rocker in the hull to allow for increased stability on choppy waters. The grooves under the hull help to improve tracking, so it can be easier to paddle in a straight line.
This Nereus is marketed as “Australia’s favourite tandem kayak” and features UV10 stabilised polyethylene for added durability and protection from UV damage.
This is a spacious kayak that comes with two standard back straps and moulded seats. You may want to upgrade the seats if you plan to paddle for a long time but this can be easily done with the attachment points. You can also add a child seat in the centre.
There are moulded footrests for each paddler and this kayak comes with two paddles to get you started.
The Nereus 1 has ample space for gear (and excellent capacity) for a day on the water or a picnic. There’s a storage area at the stern with bungees to keep your belongings secure. You’ll also find two watertight hatches, each with inner storage bags, so you can keep smaller items and valuables safe and dry.
Pros
- Family-friendly
- Durable polyethylene
- Two storage hatches
- Two paddles included
Cons
- Pretty heavy
- Seats are not the best
2: Aquaglide Deschutes 145 Kayak (best inflatable)
- Length: 446 cm
- Width: 96.5 cm
- Depth: 26.7 cm
- Weight: 11.5 kg
- Weight capacity: 272 kg
The Aquaglide Deschutes 145 is an incredibly spacious tandem touring kayak. It is extremely lightweight and fits into an included backpack-style storage bag. This means you can pack it into a small car and head off on an adventure further afield.
However, a pump is not included. So you will need to purchase the pump and paddles separately.
Being almost 4.5 metres long when inflated, there’s plenty of room for camping gear for a few nights away. It’s also very stable and great for bays, lakes, and rivers.
It is constructed with Duratex reinforced PVC material for added strength and durability. It also benefits from having an inflatable crossbeam which helps to provide rigidity in the hull, plus a solid EVA floor for improved performance and glide.
It comes with two high-back seats with padding for comfort. And there’s an EVA foot brace for each paddler for added support.
You’ll find bungee rigging at the bow and stern, along with small spray covers to provide a little added protection from splashes and sea spray.
This tandem kayak is also a good choice if you want to take your dog with you on kayaking adventures, thanks to the generous capacity and durable construction.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Easy to pack in your car
- Great for camping and touring
- Stable on a range of waters
Cons
- Pump not included
3: Intex Excursion Pro Inflatable Kayak (best budget)
- Length: 370 cm
- Width: 90 cm
- Depth: 45 cm
- Weight: 21.3 kg
- Weight capacity: 181 kg
The Intex Excursion Pro is a budget-friendly inflatable tandem kayak. It’s not designed to offer high performance and it’s not built for long trips. But it can be a good choice for casual recreational paddling in calm, shallow water and at the beach.
It can also be a great kayak for fishing. It has integrated fishing rod holders and a swivel mount that can be used to install a fish finder or GPS (both sold separately). These fishing features are generally found on more expensive kayaks. So it can be a good bonus to have them on such an affordable kayak.
This inflatable kayak also comes with a high-output pump for easy inflation and two aluminium paddles to get you on the water straight away.
You’ll find storage space at the bow and stern where there are D-rings to let you tie gear down to the deck. There are bow and stern covers that provide a little bit of coverage for small gear as well as helping to stop splashes and spray coming onto your deck.
The bucket-style seats are inflatable so they can be comfortable for a short time. But they may not offer a lot of support if you plan to paddle for any length of time.
It also features three air chambers for added buoyancy and strength.
Pros
- Affordable tandem kayak
- Great for beach use
- Pump and paddles included
- Fishing rod holders
Cons
- Not for extended trips
- Not ideal for rough conditions
4: Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible Elite Kayak
- Length: 457.2 cm
- Width: 81.3 cm
- Weight: 23.5 kg
- Weight capacity: 249 kg
The Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible Elite is a high-quality inflatable kayak. One of the main features of this tandem kayak is the drop-stitch floor. This technology provides a more rigid platform, offering increased stability, comfort, and performance.
This is a durable kayak that is crafted from three layers of material for added puncture resistance. Another benefit of this kayak is the aluminium rib technology in the bow and stern. This helps to add rigidity to cut through water more effectively and efficiently for speed and tracking.
This is a convertible kayak so it comes as a sit-on-top tandem kayak as standard, with two folding seats included.
But you can also convert it to a sit-inside with the deck conversions (sold separately). The optional deck covers come in either single or tandem, depending on whether you want to paddle solo or with your paddling partner. This offers added versatility.
This is an ideal kayak for touring on flatwater lakes and bays. It has a whopping six separate air chambers for improved buoyancy and safety.
Its long length makes it better suited to open water as it may be difficult to turn in small bodies of water, especially if you’re a beginner.
Pros
- Ideal for touring
- Drop-stitch technology
- Six air chambers
- Aluminium rib frame
Cons
- Conversion kit sold separately
- Not great in small rivers
5: Bay Sports Clearview 3 Clear-Bottom Kayak
- Length: 401 cm
- Width: 74 cm
- Depth: 34 cm
- Weight: 39 kg
- Weight capacity: 200 kg
The Clearview 3 is a tandem kayak with a difference. It has a clear bottom to let you see under the water as you’re kayaking, giving you a great view of the sea life below the surface. This can be a fantastic option if you plan to paddle over coral reefs or shipwrecks.
It can also be a good choice for diving, snorkelling, or fishing. There are even four built-in rod holders for your fishing rods and Trac rails for adding other accessories, such as a flag, fish finder, or camera mount (accessories not included).
This is a hard-shell kayak made from durable UV-stabilised plastic. It comes with a five-year warranty and five-year UV resistance rating.
This tandem kayak has plenty of room for gear, with a 20-cm storage hatch, plus a bow storage well with bungees.
It also comes with two two-piece kayak paddles and two Deluxe Kayak Comfort seats. There are no foot braces, however, which may affect your comfort levels when you’re paddling, so you might not want to paddle too far or for too long.
Pros
- Clear bottom
- Dry storage
- Fishing rod holders
- Accessory tracks
Cons
- Not the most comfortable
6: Aquaglide McKenzie 125 Inflatable Kayak
- Length: 378 cm
- Width: 87 cm