Light-years from the hard lunchroom seat pans and meager foam back nubbins of classic sea kayaks, today’s plush seat systems bring the comfort of the couch to the cockpit. With manufacturers striving to get more butts in boats, it is no surprise that kayak seats are a focal point for eye-catching—and posterior-pleasing—innovation. Necky Kayaks and sister brand Old Town now sport the stylish and high-tech ACS2 Seat System. The fully adjustable seat is designed to curve ergonomically from the bottom pad into the backrest to relieve back fatigue. Swedish brand Point 65’s AIR Seat features an inflatable cushion to quickly customize fit. And pedal drive pioneer Hobie Kayak created a buzz at this year’s Outdoor Retailer summer market tradeshow with their new Vantage Seat, a high-back, fully breathable, mesh chair with nearly as many positions as a Zero Gravity Lounger.
This article originally appeared in the 2015 Paddling Buyer’s Guide.
