Footrests play an important part in the outfitting of your kayak. They help keep you locked in place and also provide a level of impact protection. It’s therefore important to know about the key types of footrest systems.
Foam
Foam is probably the most common form of footrest system for smaller boats. Foam is shaped to fill the void within the kayak and form a stable platform for your feet.
Full Plate/Bulk Head
Full Plate/Bulk Head footrests tend to be found in river running and creek boats. They are usually formed around a metal bar and some sort of foam padding. Adjustment in the positioning of the footrest is done via a couple of bolts that can be found on the sides of the kayak.
Beanbag
Jackson Kayak and Immersion Research (IR – for a short period of time) produce beanbag type footrests.
This is essentially an air bag filled with polystyrene balls. When the bag is place in the boat your and you jump in your boat your feet will expel the air form the bag through the air tube. Once the tube is sealed the balls are locked in place forming a firm platform for your feet.
Peg
Peg footrest were common place in most kayaks up until a few years ago. As playboats became smaller it became more difficult to fit peg footrests. They also offer little in the way of impact protection and can be difficult to get exactly into the correct place.
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