Best Canoe Seat Reviews 2023

If you can afford a canoe, then purchasing an accessory that could improve the quality of your trip shouldn’t be a source of worry. Generally speaking, canoe seats are price-friendly and you can get a solid canoe seat for as low as $30. Depending on the brand, they may go for as high as $60 but that’s still favorable, especially when compared to the cost of the canoe.

Don’t be misled with the option of settling for a cheap canoe because if the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is. A lot of people have abandoned their beautiful canoe just because they decided to pair with the wrong canoe seat in a bid to save cost. False economy, wouldn’t you agree with us?

Choosing the right canoe seat may not be easy as it sounds because there are literally so many to choose from. Different designs and sizes suit different purposes and to make it simpler, we've listed a few things you should look out for:

• Design
• Material
• Size
• Weight capacity
• Attachment mode

As stated earlier, different designs of canoe seats will suit different purposes. For example, if you intend on spending long hours on your canoe, the design of your canoe seat will differ greatly from someone that wants to take his/her family canoeing. Some canoe seats are deigned to function as an additional seat in the canoe so they may not necessarily offer the comfort required. These types of seat may nevertheless support a large weight and thus be useful if you intend to take a passenger on your trip.

Imagine having to spend up to 6 or 7 hours on water in one position, without any support for the back. Ouch! That’d result in one unhappy and very sore canoeist. This leads us to another set of canoe seat designs. Some other canoe seats put comfort before looks and are usually ideal for canoeists that take longer trips or spend more time on the water. This type of seat usually comes with a backrest for either back or back and shoulder support. They may or may not recline, but those that do recline may feature the smart recline technology or have adjustable straps for the purpose.

The rest of the canoe seats may not be that comfortable, but at least they’re aesthetically pleasing and may improve the general appearance of the canoe. These seats make for great replacement of damaged or old seats and are usually durable and can resist the weather. They aren’t usually great for long trips because of the lack of backrest, but they’d serve you properly and for a long time too.

There are different materials used to construct canoe seats and ultimately, the choice of the right material depends on your canoeing demands. Some canoe seats are made from cane and they have a wooden frame. These canoe seats are quite durable and beautiful. They’re usually finished with varnish or coated with paint to reduce the effect of UV-radiation and water on them. You may also come across propylene webbed canoe seats with wooden frames. These seats are more durable than the traditional cane seats and are weather resistant. What this means is that the elements would have no devastating effects on them. The only drawback is that once they get wet, they take time to dry unlike the cane seats that dry easily.

In your search for the right canoe seat, you’ll definitely come across seats that are made from molded plastic. These seats may not be all that beautiful, but they’re usually comfortable and if we’re being honest, that should be more important than how they look. They’ll stand up to years of vigorous and regular use and won’t be damaged by water because the foam padding is enclosed in a hard cell. You may also come across canoe seats that have metal frames and are covered by either vinyl or other types of nylon materials. These metal frames are quite strong and durable. They also provide the required comfort and are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Installing a canoe seat doesn’t require much expertise but the time taken will largely depend on the design of the canoe seat. Cane and webbed canoe seats usually come pre-assembled and ready for immediate installation but sometimes, depending on the length and width of your canoe’s seating area, you may have to trim it a bit to fit. That’s why it’s necessary to know the dimensions of your seating area so that you can measure against the canoe seat’s dimensions before purchasing it. After it’s been trimmed, you can now place it on the seating area.

Other designs of canoe seats come with straps or buckles at the rear for attaching it to the canoe. These seats are already assembled and the straps/buckles will enable smooth attachment to the canoe and ensure they’re held in place. Some straps are also attached at the side of the seat and this can be used to recline the seat to any position for extra comfort while canoeing. There are also seats that come with special mounting steel brackets which will slide on the existing frame of the canoe’s seat. Sometimes, the brackets may not hold so additional bracing with bolts and nuts may be needed.

Buying a canoe seat without considering the weight capacity may lead to seat giving out under pressure. Depending on the material of construction, some seats may support up to 300 pounds while others will support less than 200 pounds. Generally speaking, webbed and cane canoe seats will support more weight than the other designs of canoe seats. Unless you’re purchasing a canoe seat to strap on an existing seat, it’d be wise to check how much weight it can support before buying it.

To avoid degradation by the weather elements, it’s advisable to detach your canoe seat from the canoe after use. Not all canoe seats detach easily, but if yours does, taking it inside after canoeing will help prolong its life span. Its mode of storage will ultimately depend on the type of canoe seat. Some fold all the way down for storage, while others may not easily fold. The weight of the seat will also determine how easily portable it would be. Lightweight canoe seats (between 0.5 to 3 pounds) can easily be carried and transported while those that weigh more than 15 pounds may not always be easily portable. Some may come with carrying handles too, which will help when carrying it to and from the canoe.

Lastly, there are seats that are more functional and versatile than others. Let’s say you were taking a trip to the middle of the river just to take some pictures and maybe read. You’d need an additional storage pocket for holding your camera, reading glasses and sun shades too. Well, there are canoe seats that come with such pockets. They can hold several small gadgets that are needed off shore. Also, there are some canoe seats that are versatile – can be used outside the canoe. For example, they could be used as stadium seats, camping seats or for sitting when on shore. If you're an outdoor enthusiast, you may have to consider this seat, instead of buying multiple seats.