Stuff We Like: Old Town Heron Jr. kayak

Learning to paddle is great but it’s even more fun when you have a kayak that actually fits. As a kid, when you paddle an adult-sized kayak you have to work extra hard to reach out across the cockpit with your paddle for every stroke. But with a kid-sized boat like the Old Town Heron Jr. ($350; oldtowncanoe.com) that’s scaled down — shorter and narrower — it’s way easier for you to reach the water and maneuver the boat. The 7-foot-5-inch-long Heron Jr. has nice glide and tracks well for its short length. It also plenty stable and weighs just 29 pounds making it easier for you to lug it down to the water. (Fits paddlers between 50 and 115 pounds.)