Picking between a kayak rental and buying my own after a single trip

I had to choose between dropping $45 for a half day rental every weekend or forking over $300 for a used kayak. I bought the kayak from a guy in my town, and after 8 trips this summer it basically paid for itself. Anyone else make that cost call and regret it or feel great about it?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_baker2d agoMost Upvoted

That sort of thing reminds me of a buddy who swears by renting just because he got tired of maintaining his gear. He told me he spent more time cleaning and storing his kayak than actually using it, which killed the fun for him. But for me, owning it makes sense since I live close to a launch spot, so the convenience beats the upfront cost by a long shot. The key is really just knowing your own habits, and it sounds like you nailed that math.

cole_baker3d agoMost Upvoted

Bought a used one last summer and it's been sitting in my garage for six months after the novelty wore off. Now I'm too lazy to drag it to the lake and too stubborn to sell it, so it's basically a really expensive lawn ornament at this point. But hey, at least I'm not paying $45 every time I want to pretend I'm a serious outdoor person. The math works out if you actually use the thing, but nobody tells you about the hidden cost of realizing you hate strapping a kayak to your car. I'd still do it again though, because nothing says "I have my life together" like owning your own piece of plastic that you'll use twice a year.

knight.dylan3d agoRising Star

$45 sounds steep for a rental. Most places around here charge $30 for a half day.