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About our kayaks

About our kayaks

In Hungary, our company is the exclusive representative of the French ROTOMOD (RTM), DAG and MAORI kayak companies, the English NORTHSHORE and VALLEY kayak companies, the American PERCEPTION and WAVESPORT kayak companies and the Italian RAINBOW kayak company.

We also sell German PRIJON kayaks, Australian FEELFREE and American JONNYBOAT kayaks.

DAG

It was born in 1975. Founded by international kayak competitor Gil Guillard. In the 80s, he already worked with the most modern composites and designed boats in all branches of kayaking. Guillard became the world champion of kayak constructors in 1987. After that, a great development began at Dag Kayaksport. In 1990, the Dag kayak company moved to the French South Ardech, which is the stronghold of European touring canoeing. There were a lot of professionals here and a very extensive aquatic culture. In 1991, Dag kayaks started producing its first rotary plastic kayaks and canoes. Modern new products and new solutions have appeared at the Dag company.

At this time, Martin Gilbert's son Cedric, the well-known racer, also joins the company to help maintain Dag's leading position. Then Dag expands with well-designed Sitontop kayaks and sea kayaks. The kayak development then primarily adapted to the changing needs of foreign sales competition. In 2007, Dag and the other big French kayak company Rotomod (RTM) agreed on cooperation in the development. Together, the two companies are the sixth largest in the world of canoe and kayak manufacturer and thus the largest canoe and kayak factory in Europe. In 2012, the Dag kayak company merged with the Rotomod(RTM) company on 100%. The main direction of kayak construction then became light, comfortable, unbreakable touring kayaks and canoes. The place of production remained independent, the well-proven southern Ardeche.

Perception

The Perception kayak company is one of the oldest kayak companies in North America. They have been making kayaks since 1968. The 1980s brought them, as well as many big kayak companies, a big step forward: the rotary technique, which can be used to manufacture unbreakable, eternal kayaks. They were among the first to refine the linear polyethylene technique, and the Perception kayak company is still proud of it: in the 80s, they launched most kayaks in the USA in the direction of rowing. They also sponsored a lot of kayaking expeditions. Watching the movies, a Perception kayak was my dream. The main guidelines have always been tolerant, very comfortable, high quality kayak . Perception has always been at the forefront of the biggest kayak companies, such as Dagger, Wilderness, Ocean Kayak, or Valley. This is thanks to the fact that they always carefully put only the most modern fittings of the time into their kayaks.

Perception kayaks have the highest quality in terms of details, be it a new need or a state-of-the-art seat. Their material has always been famously of high quality, shiny, stiff and light. Designed to be at home on all types of water: wild water, flat water, sea: sitontops, recreational kayaks, sea kayaks, wild water kayaks. Since 2005, the wild water line has been running under a new brand name: Wavesport. The kayaks and sitontops sold in Europe are assembled in Uckfield, England, so they are the only American kayaks that we can import as European products. So the price is more favorable than many other American kayaks. Perception also prepares contract work for large companies such as the American Dagger or Wilderness. Its design is characterized by spacious, comfortable, large luggage space, large seats, and easy handling kayak. We have never encountered a warranty problem with this company. The Perception kayaks for us, mean real, modern, problem-free, unquestionably high-quality kayaks. A dream in a luxurious design.

Drago Rossi history

DragoRossi is not your typical canoe brand that produces models similar to others.

At DragoRossi, we aim to create a range of kayaks that are „feel-good”, fun and unique. However, this does not mean that we only produce models for professional paddlers.

We have models of this type in our range, but we all know that most canoeists are not professional canoeists. We work, we have commitments, and unfortunately we all have too little time for canoeing.

All RTM kayak provide outstanding comfort and safety. Would you like to try it too? Feel free to visit us and we will help you find the ideal version!

More about the RTM kayak

For all water sports, it is important to use quality equipment. This is especially true for activities where we can easily get into dangerous situations, such as kayaking. The RTM kayaks 's manufacturer is perfectly aware of this, so their products have been developed during their nearly three-decade career so that they can remain shatterproof and safe even in the harshest conditions.

Of course RTM kayaks has countless designs among them, which were created for different conditions, so it is definitely worth choosing the version that suits the purpose of use.

The RTM kayaks has designs manufactured for marine conditions, which are prepared for even the most unexpected conditions. Among the touring kayaks, we can choose to our liking from designs designed for the harshest conditions. The RTM kayaks 's range also includes versions developed for fishing, which have incredible stability, as well as sit-on-top versions, which are mainly designed for calm water surfaces.

All RTM kayak provide outstanding comfort and safety. Would you like to try it too? Feel free to visit us and we will help you find the ideal version!

Fellfree

The Feelfree kayak company was founded in 2000 on the 'Gold Coast' in Queensland, Australia. It specializes in the production of unbreakable polyethylene kayaks.
They primarily excel in the production of Sitontop (unbreakable double-walled, closed interior, self-emptying, sit-on-top kayaks) and produce only two Siton (classic sit-in) kayak models.
The highly equipped Sitontops and Sitontop fishing kayaks first spread to all states of Australia. Moving on from there, today Feelfree is a widespread kayak company in the world: it is available in 26 countries of the world, from New Zealand to Chile, from Canada to Germany.
Since their range is similar to some of the kayaks of the RTM kayak company, which has been available in Hungary for a long time, we will start with four kayak models.
The virtue of the company is that all Sitontops roll on their own corners and there are also Sitontops with steering wheels and fishing kayaks.

Maori

Maori Design is a division of Ocean Kayak, made from high quality HDPE American polyethylene, rotomolded in France.

The history of Ocean Kayak sitontop, also the birth of sitontop.

In 1971, in a backyard in Malibu, California, an original founder took an old surfboard and carved out two spaces—one for him to sit on and one for his scuba gear. That's right, Ocean Kayak was born out of his passion for scuba diving. But as they saw this boat on the water and on the beach, people became interested. They originally built fiberglass kayaks, but several people asked how they could get one.

In the mid-80s, the kayak company moved north to Ferndale, Washington. In Ferndale, they began looking for ways to mass produce kayaks. Rotomolding was the answer. Rotomolded High Density Linear polyethylene (HDPE in English, HTPE in German) made it possible to make a harder - practically indestructible - kayak at a price that most people could afford. It started with just one model – the Scupper Classic – but new models were quickly designed to complement the range. Early on, people laughed on boats. After all, the Ocean Kayak was nothing like traditional kayaks. But when they took a second look, they noticed the benefits. Unlike traditional kayaks, a sit-on kayak has an open cockpit that's easy to get in and out of, and doesn't require you to learn the 'Eskimo flipper'. The seating is open and non-restrictive, making it easier for people who have always wanted to try kayaking but were nervous about being stuck in an indoor seat.

Sitontop kayaks have started to spread in resorts around the world. During the vacation, kayakers get into a sitontop kayak for the first time. Vacationers came home and had a great time…and asked where they could get their own Ocean Kayak. Word spread, and by the mid-90s boats were being manufactured and sold as fast as they could.

Today, tens of thousands of boats later, it is one of the largest manufacturers of sit-on-top kayaks in the world. It's headquartered in Old Town, Maine, but they sell kayaks all over the world. As we move into the future, they continue to innovate and design our boats to get more people out on the water and enjoying kayaking.

Valley

Valley is the most recognized and highest quality sea kayak company in the world.

Owners and manufacturers of the world's best and most rigid 3-ply rotational (HDPE) polyethylene. And their composite boats also represent a benchmark level in the production of composite sea kayaks in the world.

They have merged with the North Shore kayak company in Nottingham, which from the famous material of Valley Kayak, now represents an independent division within Valley Kayaks.

A "little" Valley sea kayak history:

A simple garage in Palo Alto, California could be called the founding Silicon Valley of sea kayaking.

Modern sea kayaking was similarly "born" in a West Greenland village of Igdlorssuit by Ken Taylor and Emmanuele Korneliusen, the creators.

In 1959, Ken Taylor was in Greenland to observe the people living there, particularly how they used their kayaks for hunting, which was still part of their traditional way of life at the time. He drew the shape of traditional hunting kayaks and planned how they could be built. And Emmanuele made the kayak.

If Ken had been in another part of Greenland and had observed the people there, the style of the sea kayak we are paddling today would probably have been slightly different. This is because different areas and different hunting requirements have resulted in different "local" kayak styles.

Back home, Ken talked a lot about his travels and gave lectures about his kayak and related hunting activities.

At the time, there were no commercially made sea kayaks in the UK, but based on Ken's photographs and sketches, a few industrious individuals were making kayaks.

And in 1964, when Ken began studying anthropology at the University of Wisconsin, he sold his kayak to his rowing friends Joe Reid and Duncan Winning.

Duncan took this opportunity to create drawings of the kayak to make kayaks accessible to other enthusiasts. One fan was Geoffrey Blackford, who lengthened the kayak slightly, calling his version the Anus Acuta. Shortly after, they built a fiberglass kayak based on the plans and in 1972 approached Valley about making it commercially available.

Thus, the Valley company became one of the very first companies to produce sea kayaks. It is still the most famous manufacturer of sea kayaks in the world. Sooner or later, everyone falls in love with their models.

Their records don't show exactly how many thousands of Anas Acutas have been built over the years, but it's safe to say that the past 50 years or so has been the longest continuous production run of commercial composite kayaks since 1972.

In 1975, for a British-Norwegian expedition, Frank Goodman designed a kayak called the Nordkapp, which was used for the famous first kayaking around Cape Horn and since then in many other expeditions around the world.

The main 'miracle' of the Nordkapp is that it continues to be the benchmark against which other expedition-style sea kayaks are compared.

In 2015 - on its fortieth anniversary - the shape of the Nordkapp was updated, so this model became even better.

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The 1980s brought another big change in the industry when the first kayaks were made from rotational polyethylene. First used in whitewater kayaks, this new technology was used to increase their impact resistance properties, some companies then got the opportunity to produce touring kayaks, usually of uninspiring design. While most of the accepted designs conform to the accepted molding process, with blunt bulbous ends, barrel-shaped cross-sections and crudely bolted on fittings, Valley really showed what this new material could do. The development required ensured that while Valley were not the first to market a (rotational) sea kayak, when they launched the Skerry RM they certainly considered it the first 'proper' RM (rotational) sea kayak, and has all the design achievements of the age as a worthy opponent of composite models.

. Achieving this required many industry crises; the kayak was in a one-piece molded spherical box, the bulkheads and hatches were welded in place, deck fittings were attached to inserts cast into the shell, and the seat was designed to support the shape of the hull. These seemed simple, but some were difficult to achieve and certainly not accepted practice at the time. In fact, one of the Valley's competitors is still catching up!

Over the decades, Valley kayaks have also been instrumental in developing many of the features that are taken for granted in any sea kayak, composite or roto-cast. They were the first to develop a waterproof hatch system designed specifically for kayaks and to introduce a recessed deck fitting to ensure safety lines stay in place. It is a testament to the value of these innovations that many competitors still purchase these products directly from Valley for their own design use.

It's hard to write about Valley's history without bragging about the impact it has and has had on the development of today's modern sea kayak. This company was present at the birth of the sport, and its product portfolio, while constantly evolving, still benefits from a thousand-year-old design DNA. Meanwhile, the company itself has added almost half a century of industry-leading innovation and development to ensure it continues to offer the best kayaks possible. This passion for producing the best sports products continues to burn brightly at Valley, and this year, as in previous years, will see even more new developments at Valley.

Prion

Prijon's journey to becoming a globally recognized kayak brand is an example of continuous development.

Anton Prijon Sr. was born in 1929 in Gorizia, Italy, and grew up near the Soca River. He began making history in kayaking in 1946.

He built his first kayak in Slovenia, won his first competitions with his self-made kayak, and manufactured racing kayaks, folding kayaks, and paddles until he moved to Germany in 1957.

In 1957 he left Slovenia, moved to Germany and started working for the Klepper company. As an athlete, his home was the Rosenheim Kayak Club, where he was also an honorary member. A year later Anton Prijon won the German River Championship on the Ammer River. In 1958 he became the World River Champion on the Vésère River in southern France.

Anton Prijon won the world championship with his self-made folding kayak and paddle: „You have to enjoy the suffering and bring out the best in yourself.”

With this principle, Anton Prijon became a world champion with his self-made kayak and paddle. Anton Prijon was the best kayaker in the world at the time, an exceptionally talented kayak builder and DIYer. He invented the concept of the „Knickspant” and the „Abrissheck”, patented the guide grooves for paddle blades, invented the oval paddle and countless other things that we now take for granted.

At the peak of his career, in 1962, he founded his own company with his wife Lotte, thus establishing a global corporation.

He started a family in Rosenheim, Innlände, and started a craft business as a master carpenter. Prijon oars and kayaks were in great demand in the kayaking industry at the time. In the 60s, the era of folding kayaks was over and Prijon entered the market for plastic kayaks. Anton Prijon sen. was not only one of the best and most successful athletes of his time, but also an exceptionally talented kayak builder and DIYer. He became famous with his victories in the German and world championships in 1958 and 1959. In these days, the first attempts to produce kayaks made of polyester also took place. Toni Prijon sen. seized this opportunity to realize his own ideas and produce the kayaks of his dreams. In 1962, he founded his sports workshop in Rosenheim together with his wife Lotte. This favorable combination of being a kayak manufacturer and a competitive athlete in one person provided a successful foundation for creative peak performance.

The new era began with the development and production of inflatable kayaks, which have since been manufactured in Prijon's own factory in Rosenheim.

When the Taifun was launched in 1982, it was the first inflatable HTP kayak and revolutionized the kayaking sport. This new material pushed the boundaries for a long time. The Taifun set a new standard in whitewater paddling.

In recent decades, countless slalom and river world championship titles have been won with Prijon kayaks, as well as several gold medals at the Olympic Games.

In 1992, Anton Prijon Sr. handed over the reins to his son Toni and his wife Rita. Like his father, Toni Prijon is an extremely talented kayaker who won the slalom world championship on the Isere River in 1987. He inherited his father's ingenuity.

For over 60 years, Prijon kayaks have been floating on all the rivers of the world, and we can proudly say that Prijon is one of the largest and best kayak manufacturers in the world.

Toni Prijon Sr. passed on his love of water sports to his children and grandchildren. The whole family is actively involved in water sports. Toni Junior won the world title in kayak slalom in 1987. The grandchildren all love to row. His granddaughter Isabel won a silver medal at the junior world championships in Nantahala, and Severin is a successful slalom and whitewater kayaker.

In the meantime, the small paddle manufacturing business, led by Toni Prijon Jr., has become a world-renowned kayak manufacturer.

The company's founder, Toni Prijon, is respected as a pioneer in kayaking and was inducted into the Kayaking Hall of Fame in 2007. After the "poet in a boat" Herbert Rittlinger and world-class canoeist Gisela Grothaus-Steigerwald, he is the third German to be inducted into this hall of fame.

"No one has influenced kayaking as much over the past 45 years as he has. His pioneering developments in kayak manufacturing have influenced generations of paddlers," the jury said in its statement.

Wavesport

The Wavesport kayak company is a member of Confluence Outdoor, America's largest water manufacturer, just like Dagger kayak company, Perception Kayak company or the Wilderness brand. It was founded in 1986 by Chan Zwanzig, who first produced the Laser kayaks designed in England in the USA. The company has designed recreational and whitewater kayaks for a long time, and in recent years has expanded its design to sea touring kayaks. High-end quality, rarely seen here, with reduced weight to a minimum, completely unique seat quality. The HYDRA sea kayak, introduced in 2018, shines a light on the American kayak company most famous for its whitewater kayaks.

Rainbow kayak story

Strictly manufactured in Italy since 1987 from the best materials and always seeking innovative solutions, every detail of the long-established Italian Rainbow kayaks reflects the Made in Italy quality that has made us one of the most well-known brands worldwide.

Inspired by our passion for the water, at Rainbow Kayaks we believe that kayaking should be easy, accessible to everyone, and above all, fun.

That's why we have been manufacturing kayaks, canoes and sit on top kayaks for over 35 years, with passion and professionalism.

Rainbow kayaks are specifically designed for sports and fishing.

They are lightweight and very stable, making them suitable for everyone, from beginners to experienced, to enjoy paddling, hiking, rivers, the sea, hunting and fishing to the fullest.

All accessories are customizable.
You will definitely find a kayak that suits your needs in our catalog.
Our polyethylene kayaks, manufactured in Turin using rotational molding from the best materials, meet the highest standards of durability and strength.

Rainbow Kayaks has always paid great attention to environmental issues and the preservation of our planet. In the manufacture of all our kayaks and canoes, we use clean energy produced by our photovoltaic system. The photovoltaic system allows us to generate electrical energy without emitting greenhouse gases, unlike fossil energy sources, which are extremely polluting.

According to calculations, every kilowatt-hour of photovoltaic energy produced saves the atmosphere from more than 500 grams of carbon dioxide emissions.

History of Designkayak

We are DesignKayaks

The best ideas often come from a problem. Our problem was quite simple: we were having trouble finding a high-quality, very fast, stylish kayak at a reasonable price. That was the beginning of DesignKayaks, and it defined our mission.

DesignKayaks was founded in 2018 by Danish couple Søren and Hanne Groth Telling. We come from very different backgrounds, but we share a passion for kayaking. Søren has spent most of his life outdoors and makes a living from leisure activities, of which kayaking is his favorite. Hanne has dedicated her professional life to market research and concept development, but has always believed that the best way to escape the stress of modern life is to actively relax outdoors.

Wilderness kayaks history

Wilderness Systems kayaks – designed for serious adventures, serious paddlers and tactical kayak anglers.

Manufacturer of fishing, recreational, and touring kayaks—including the Aspire, Commander, Focus, Pamlico, Pungo, Ride, Tarpon, Tempest, Tsunami, and Zephyr models. [ 14 ] Andy Zimmerman and John Sheppard Founded Wilderness Systems in High Point in 1986 In North Carolina , in the USA.

The company, which started in a backyard shed, has now grown into a well-known manufacturer of premium recreational, touring, fishing, and sea kayaks.

Wilderness is one of the benchmarks in the world for comfort, craftsmanship, and durability.

Current Designs kayaks

Current Designs Squamish |
Current Designs is a legendary kayak company founded by Brian Henry in the late 1970s in British Columbia, Canada.
The company was known for its coastal sea touring kayaks.
Brian Henry's very first kayaks were designed to showcase the wonders and beauty of the big waters of the West Coast, for day-long trips and camping on remote shores. Over the course of history, through changes in location and ownership, and finally sharing its current home with Sanborn and Merrimack in Winona, Minnesota, Current Designs has expanded its offerings to cover more areas of water play, touring and recreational pleasure, but the philosophy has remained the same. Current Designs kayaks are works of art—beautiful, inspiring—and built for life: safe and reliable, relaxing and connecting, and a source of joy.

In 1999, it was acquired by Wenonah Canoes of America, which expanded the brand to offer a wider range of kayaks and eventually moved operations to Minnesota. To address logistical issues, operations were moved to Winona, Minnesota, where they continued to operate in a shared facility with the Wenonah factory.

In early 2024, Wenonah sold its composite division to Sanborn Canoe Co. and its rotational molding division to Kayak Distribution and Arctic Kayaks.

Liker

The truth is that we brought a lot of Chinese-made kayaks from international exhibitions to be tested and always refrained from distribution for a long time. I had many bad experiences with Chinese assembly and Chinese raw materials.

In general, the material quality of the parts used, the quality of the assembly, and of course the ergonomics alarmed me. Even well-known companies started making elementary mistakes after entering China. Rudders and footrests were broken, bulkheads were torn off within a year, rubber compartment covers cracked within 2-3 years, kayaks got wet, so we no longer sell such kayaks.

But the kayaks assembled in Europe, but made of Chinese plastic, didn't have uniform wall thickness either, so there was often a problem with every 3rd, 4th kayak, for example, it happened that the steering wheel broke from the stem. We also canceled the distribution of this one after the warranty didn't really work either.
I don't think these kayaks have been tested much by their manufacturers in the long term, we tried and sold these Chinese-made brands, and today we don't want to stand behind them with a warranty.