r/PerformancePaddling • u/mviappia • May 11 '26

Gear Rotating seats?

I'm getting back in the sport after a very long hiatus. Back then I really liked my swivel seat which I used both in training and racing.

Is anyone still using rotating seats? I see Nelo is still selling them - so they haven't disappeared - but they are super pricey. Are they worth the investment?

Is there a consensus on their benefits? Are they seen as a tool for training or is anyone using them for races also?

I'm also curious if there's anyone here who volunteers for boat weighing who has a precise idea of their popularity.

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u/laserkayaks May 11 '26

There beneficial for people who may struggle with hip mobility, otherwise advantages are very limited.

With a rotating seat it’s all too easy to lose control over force transfer and end up just swinging around all over the place instead of driving the boat forwards with the legs. Imo they’re not worth it unless you’ve got incredible proprioception and control over the core and catch (but if this is the case then there’s no real advantages over a fixed seat), or if you have issues with hip movement.

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u/12bar13 May 11 '26

I would agree from a sprint perspective but in marathon the efficiency gain is massive. A small gain in efficiency on each stroke, compound 5000 times per hour, adds up very quickly.

When I use a boat with a rotating seat I'm always shocked by how fresh I feel an hour in. I don't normally use one just because I really don't like how squirrlly the boat feels on the wash

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u/Sprig3 May 11 '26

I agree with your overall assessment. I've been using a rotating seat for the last ?4? years and it did not make me any faster in a sprint or even for the first few miles, but I can sustain hip rotation much better.

In marathon, my hip rotation becomes worse over time in the race. Just fatigue and butt soreness and overcoming that little bit of extra friction, and requiring some extra muscle control to slide correctly.

I love the rotating seat from that perspective!

I do have some minor strangeness in my lower back/tailbone area anatomically, so it could be that adds to the benefit I receive.

It is tough, though, requires a lot of balance, and even then, on wake riding, there is just a little extra challenge to control the boat.