Portland Kayak Company

These guys are a class– act! Very organized and safety is their #1 priority. We did the Ross Island tour on 6÷7÷16. Our Guides, Teddy and Shawn were super great and John from the Main store arranged our tour — all over the phone and via e-​mail. This trip is perfect for families and is great fun! Their equipment is top-​notch. This is a got-​to-​do trip when in Portland!

Great experience —
Guides. .. Shawn and Ted were knowledgable and very helpful. As a novice kayaker, I was a tad reticent to be out on the Willamette on a VERY busy Sunday. As guides, they had our safety first and foremost. I felt confident that they were aware of river traffic at all times.
As instructors, they gave us a short lesson and continued to coach us and give safety and kayaking tips as we paddled.
Extras. .. a pair of eagles nesting — as well as a lot of geese, ducks, etc. Beautiful scenery.
Well worth the $.

I just took an AMAZING kayaking class for women («Women on the Water») here. The instructors (Maude, Kate, and Ruth) did a terrific job explaining different kayaking techniques and making the experience rewarding for everyone in the class, regardless of skill level. Beautiful kayaks to try out and a gorgeous setting.

Went in today to get info on Kayaks and everything about them because my wife and I know nothing. The lady there was so nice and helpful and explained everything we wanted to know. She made use feel so welcomed and never rushed. Looking forward to our kayak adventures.

Mike and John are running a highly professional outfit with a very personal touch. With their experience, patience, and understanding — both of their boats and of my needs — we were able to find a boat that truly felt like an extension of my body. I cannot understate the importance of being able to test-​paddle several boats on the river just out their back door. Having driven five hours each way to reach these guys I can definitely say that it was well worth the trip. I highly recommend Portland Kayak Company to anyone looking to find themselves the perfect boat.

My daughter and I had a great time kayaking yesterday. The owner was great. After being in business 24 years he still loves his job and is willing to rescue two lost kayakers on a Friday night. Thanks a million.

I meant to write a review earlier, but better late than never. I was taking a road trip with my daughters up north over the summer and was looking for something to do for the 1 night we were in Oregon. We decided on a night in the kayaking. I called to make the reservation and from the customer service over the phone to the experience everything was better than I expected. We all had our own Kayaks and had a couple hours in the most beautiful area. It was fun, got a little exercise in and the guides were so sweet and informative. They even took pictures of us with their cell phones and emailed them to me. This was a fun way to spend the evening and I highly recommend Portland Kayak Company.

It was much easier of a process from calling to book to getting the kayaks back after floating. Lots of fun! I want to come back to try the paddle boards

We had a joint bachelor/​bachelorette party kickoff by making all 14 of our maids and men join us on a Sunset Kayak Tour. A lot of our friends were a bit worried if it would be fun and voiced that concern, but we kindly forced them to show up anyway and they are glad they did.
The Tour Guides were fun, provided safety and padding advice/​instruction as needed and had a lot of interesting knowledge about the Willamette river and buildings along it. For a group of people who were meeting for the first time, the trip was a great bonding experience too!
I can’t express enough how fun the tour was and how we would love to go back already. The views were stunning, people fun, and it is one of the best uses of $ 50 in Portland.

My husband and I had a great time during the Ross Island tour. The two guides were really nice and their relaxed attitudes made me feel more comfortable kayaking for the first time. Though they were «relaxed» there was an emphasis on safety and they walked us through some good safety protocol as well as tips on making paddling more comfortable and efficient. The trip was just long enough for a first-​timer at around 2 hours and though we were in a group of around 10 – 15 we weren’t forced to stay crowded as one guide stayed with those who wanted to go slower while the other went up a bit with those of us who were happy to go faster. We did stay in a group, though, so if you’re looking for more seclusion this is probably not the trip for you. I’m sure they’ve got other options.

Did the Sunset Tour. Our guide Merv was super friendly and we had a great time on the river. Recommended.

these guys were super friendly. and helped us get going. have a family of 5 with three young girls. rented a canoe. and just enjoyed being on the water. one small note. once u get ur canoe/​kayak. u have to walk it down about one block to a local park to get onto the water. they give u these small wheels that go onto the bottom and make it fairly easy.

First time kayaking today and the folks at Portland Kayak were very friendly and helpful! I am now hooked! Time to start saving for a kayak that I’m going to buy in September, of course from Portland Kayak company. Thanks guys!

Great outfit for a hassle free kayak rental. Near downtown and a short walk to the water. Friendly and helpful staff. Clean new gear.

Excellent Kayak, canoe, and paddle board company! Knowledgeable, fun & friendly staff and tour guides. My guide was Jelica & she was terrific! She gave us interesting local information about the area, was very thoughtful and careful with the ability levels in our group, and fun to be with. She’s passionate about the outdoors & made our experience so enjoyable! Thank you Jelica & everyone at Portland Kayak Company!

We really had fun and appreciated the very informative staff. Our first time to kayak went very well. We must do it again. Thanks.

Yesterday’s gorgeous spring day turned into an even better day after we stopped in to Portland Kayak Company to check out some kayaks.
After 5 years of talking about it, my boyfriend and I had yet to actually make this purchase. Yesterday we went to Sellwood Riverfront Park and again commented on how nice it would be to have a couple of kayaks for us and our pup. On the way home, we stopped by PKC and had the pleasure of meeting Annie. We initially asked her for a recommendation on a kayak that would be solid enough to hold our 80 pound and growing German Shepherd pup but easy to manage for budding kayakers. From there it was history — it was not long before we purchased a Perception kayak, a Current Designs kayak, all the fixings including paddles and life jackets, and a pretty sweet setup for my SUV to transport it all.
The greatest part of our experience is that the shop was busy and bustling almost the entire time we were there; however, both Annie and Mike were extremely attentive to us and we never felt rushed. At one point, Annie had Mike help us attach our new cross bars and Jaylow kits to the car while she rang up our extensive purchases. While we appreciated the assistance, it wasn’t until later that day when putting the kayaks back up on the car did we realize how thankful we were for Mike — the tips and tricks he showed us were critical to our own handling of the equipment and would have never been known if we purchased this gear online.
Our experience was top notch and we are stoked to finally have our own set of kayaks. Thank you so much, Annie and Mike, for the wonderful experience and the awesome gear — we will definitely be back!

Great folks, great lessons, felt comfortable the whole time.
I’ve taken a Kayak 101 and a Rescue class from Portland Kayak. Everyone is accommodating. I had an instructor both times named Fred. He’s very experienced, humorous, and makes you feel safe and secure before setting you loose
I had a blast especially in the rescue class. It took place in a pool at RiverPlace Spa and Sport, rather deluxe facility. As a bonus, you can use the steam, sauna and spa.
I was a bit nervous when we began but that soon vanished after I got the first «dunk» over with. Fred was very encouraging throughout. I plan to do the Rolling class next and Part II of the Essentials class when the warm weather comes around. They offer a whole bunch more, check them out.

Great place with a surprisingly good selection. We bought the «extras» here like wheels and flotation devices. Couldn’t afford their kayaks, not that their prices are crazy just that they have some nicer stuff, but love their service and rentals.
A great Portland business that deserves your business!
Side Note: Why no 5 stars? I reserve 5 stars for places that have gone wildly beyond expectations. Not all good businesses and service is 5 star. If everyone gets that how can we make the extraordinary stand out?

Had a killer SUP class this past weekend. Well worth my time and money. Staff was great, especially our instructor, Kelly, who was professional, fun, supportive, cognizant of all skill levels and really made the experience memorable! I will be back with friends!