10 Best Kayak Anchors In 2023
Our writers and editors look for the best Kayak Anchors available. We test, research, and review the best products in different categories with a focus on quality, performance, and the overall value for the price.
A kayak anchor is specially designed to keep your craft from drifting in the water while doing things like fishing. The ideal kayak anchor will be small enough to transport and will be especially useful for angling.
Most models on the market are standard foldables and have similar features and specifications, however, some differences can be found in weight and rope length.
We’ve reviewed the best and present the top 10 models currently available.
Remember to check our guide below.
The Top 3 Kayak Anchor in 2023
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1
Best Overall: Gili Sports -
2
Most Durable: Gradient Fitness -
3
Best for Fishing : Olivia and Aiden
All the Kayak Anchors We've tested
The Gili Sports kayak anchor is a 3.5 lb 4-fluke folding anchor that is compact enough to carry on your SUP and Kayak and comes with its own anchor line, buoy, and convenient carry bag.
The Gili Sports kayak anchor comes with a white buoy for easily spotting the anchor and has corrosion resistant properties and will last you a long time. It has an anchor line of 30’ and can be easily stored in the include durable storage bag.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 30’ (9.14 M) of anchor line
- Folds into a 12” x 3” size
- Has corrosion resistant properties
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Corrosion resistant anchor -
Vibrant anchor line color
Things we don't like:
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Small storage bag
The Gradient Fitness kayak anchor has a fluorescent green color so you can easily spot it in the water.
The Gradient Fitness kayak anchor features a four fluke, fluorescent design but only has a 25m anchor line, making it shorter than most other anchors on the market. That said, it does come with an easy to spot white PVC buoy and a stylish storage bag for storage.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 25’ (7.62 M) of anchor line
- Folds into a 12” x 3” size
- Has rust resistant properties
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Fluorescent fluke color
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Stylish storage bag
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White buoy
Things we don't like:
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Anchor line quality
The Olivia and Aiden anchor is a great accessory for anchoring your kayak. With a long anchor line and sturdy flukes, this anchor is guaranteed to hold on most bottom surfaces.
The Olivia and Aiden kayak anchor is constructed with galvanized steel and holds ground better with more horizontal drag due to a smart, well-balanced fluke design. It is ideal for small fishing boats, kayaks, canoes, or paddle boards.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 40’ (12.2 M) of anchor line
- Made from galvanized steel
- Compact and easy to store
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Sturdy and solid fluke design
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Durable storage bag
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Long anchor line
Things we don't like:
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Small buoy
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Anchor line quality
BEST’s company motto is to help people find inner peace and purpose through kayaking and boating. According to them, this anchor allows you to stop, connect with nature and soak in its surrounding beauty.
The BEST marine and outdoor kayak anchor features a lock system that reinforces the flukes for more stability. It is made of rust resistant galvanized iron and includes an extra long 40ft marine grade anchor line, a nylon storage bag, a buoy ball and a stainless steel carabiner clip.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 40’ (12.2 M) of anchor line
- Made from rust resistant galvanized iron
- Has a lock system for reinforcing flukes
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Solid fluke system
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Long high quality anchor line
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Carabiner included for convenience
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Effective lock system for fluke reinforcement
Things we don't like:
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Small buoy
The Extreme Max is a reliable red anchor featuring a durable marine grade market buoy. It is easy to use and accessible to kayakers.
The Extreme Max kayak anchor works best in shallower waters as it features a short 25’ hollow braid polyethylene anchor line with steel snap hook. It is ideally suited for use in coral, rocky, or heavily weeded bottom conditions.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 25’ (7.62 M) of anchor line
- Made from galvanized steel
- Easy to use and attach to kayak
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Anti-rust anchor
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Reliable fluke system
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Easy to spot color on anchor and buoy
Things we don't like:
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Short anchor line
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Small buoy
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Carabiner might need switching
The Obcursco kayak anchor is great for rivers and lakes. It is popular with kayakers for it’s stylish design and ability to support heavy loads.
The Obcursco kayak anchor features a premium 8mm double braid anchor anchor line that can support loads of up to 2200lbs and can be used in 50 feet depth water. It also has an easy to see yellow buoy that marks the anchor.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 50’ (15.24 M) of anchor line
- Made of zinc electrical plating
- Corrosion resistant properties
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Really long anchor line
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High quality zinc plating
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Easy to spot buoy and anchor line
Things we don't like:
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Cheap quality carabiner
The Watercraft kayak anchor is a sleek and innovatively constructed accessory used for your kayak that is made to withstand the rigors of the water.
The Watercraft kayak anchor features a powdered coating designed to prevent rust and can be easily stored in the included durable storage bag. Due to it’s dark color it can be difficult to spot in the water and you will need to rely on the red buoy for spotting the anchor line.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 40’ (12.2 M) of polyethylene anchor line
- Folds into a 12” x 3” size
- Powder coated to prevent rust
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Long anchor line
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Easy to use
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Powder coating prevents rust
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Good quality carabiner
Things we don't like:
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Hard to spot in the water
The Fox Claw kayak anchor is easy to use, stylish, versatile and ideal for shallow environments of any kind. It’s also rust resistant.
Although it is best suited for shallow environments given the length of the anchor line, the Fox Claw kayak anchor is designed so that you can create better horizontal drag on the bottom surface of ponds, rivers, lakes or oceans. Whether it’s sandy, weedy, muddy, or rocky the Fox Claw kayak anchor will hold, immobilizing your kayak.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
- 16.4’ (5 M) of anchor line
- Folds into a 12” x 3” size
- Rust resistant properties
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Strong anchor line
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Easy to store
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Great storage bag
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Colorful anchor line for visibility
Things we don't like:
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Very short anchor line
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Small flukes on anchor
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Carabiner should be switched out
The Pelican kayak anchor is galvanized, rust resistant and easy to use. This kayak anchor is suitable for any environment and opens to catch onto the floor bottom. That makes it convenient for storing it in the kayak and at 3 pounds, it’s also lighter than most other anchors.
The Pelican kayak anchor comes with a convenient storage bag making it portable and easy to store. It has a reliable and effective fluke system that catches on coral and rock, immobilizing your kayak. The kayak anchor line of this kayak anchor is short at just 20 feet, making it suitable for shallow water.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3 lbs (1.4 kg)
- 20’ (6 M) of anchor line
- Folds into a 12” x 3” size
- Galvanized and rust resistant
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Strong anchor line
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Effective fluke system
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Rust resistant properties
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Durable storage bag
Things we don't like:
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If tied to a kayak with a lot of baggage, it may be too lightweight to hold it in strong currents
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Short anchor line
The Perception kayak anchor is reliable and easy to use anchor that is included in perception kayak packages.
The Perception kayak anchor has a galvanized construction with a four fluke design that works on all types of bottom surfaces. It has an anchor line of 30’ and can be easily attached to your kayak for convenience.
Specs & Features
- Four fluke anchor
- Weight: 3 lbs (1.4 kg)
- 30’ (9.14 M) of anchor line
- Easy to use
- Attaches easily to kayak
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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Reliable fluke design
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High quality anchor line
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Additional replacement parts included
Things we don't like:
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No buoy
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Lighter than other anchors
Related Reviews
A Short Note about the Anchors on this List
All the anchors on this list are folding anchors. They are pretty cheap and lightweight. They’ll do the job for short to middle-long anchorages.
For longer periods of time the folding anchors with bigger cups or scoops in them will hold a kayak in place for longer. That’s because silt and debri will collect in their scoops, thus making the anchor heavier.
The downside to folding anchors is that they can also pick up some of that silt and carry it up and into the kayak. An anchor lock side mounted onto a kayak will avoid this and make using it quicker and easier.
This anchor lock from Scotty is affordable and as reliable as they come. It provides the added benefit of a quick release should the need arise.
It’s also typical for anchors in this price range to have cheaper carabiners that tie to the kayak. Consider replacing them with a 3 dollar pair that will probably be better if you’re going to be carrying a lot of gear with weight.
Consider also whether or not you might be happy using paracord instead of the included rope. It’s strong and doesn’t take up as much space.
For more information on other indispensable kayaking equipment, check out our Best Kayak Life Vests, Best Kayak Racks, Best Kayak Trailers, and Best Kayak Paddles.
A Quick Guide to Kayak Anchors
Using an anchor is pretty straightforward, but there are actually quite a few considerations to keep in mind when anchoring a kayak. You might want to consider an anchor lock as well to help pull your anchor up and hold it up without bringing debri into the kayak.
Generally, it’s going to be for kayak fishing that most yakkers employ an anchor to stay at the hole, the place where bountiful fish are to be found and caught. But other paddlers might want to stay at a spot for a while for a lunch break or to observe the sunset or a rare albino unicorn.
To know what the best kayak anchor is for your needs, you need to know first what type of bottom you’ll be casting your anchor onto. Beyond that there a few other points:
- The type of bottom (eg. rocky, sandy, hard clay, etc.)
- What size anchor (ie. weight & dimensions)
- What type of anchor (ie. folding, mushroom, claw, etc.)
- How long a rope you need
As a last point, a pair of kayak gloves will make handling an anchor all that much easier. Take a look at our guide for the best ones.
Frequently asked questions
For a kayak anchor to be considered in the top 10, it needs to be treated with anti-rust properties, and must be constructed from high-quality material.
Check out the list of our favorite kayaks anchors:
- Perception Kayak Anchor
- Gili Sports Kayak Anchor
- Gradient Fitness Kayak Anchor
- Olivia and Aiden Kayak Anchor
- BEST Marine and Outdoor Kayak Anchor
- Extreme Max Kayak Anchor
- Obcursco Kayak Anchor
- Watercraft Kayak Anchor
- Fox Claw Kayak Anchor
- Pelican Kayak Anchor
Kayak anchors are used for mooring your kayak. This can be useful for fishing or if you just want to jump out and have a swim. It’s very useful to have a kayak anchor on board as it can help stabilize your kayak when you are not kayaking and keeps you from drifting away from your position.
Depending on the depth of water that you will be kayaking in, or at what depth you want to anchor your kayak you will want a different length of anchor line. A short anchor line is between 16’ and 25’, while a medium anchor line is between 25’ and 35’. A long anchor line is between 40’ to 50’ and can be used to anchor in deep water.
We recommend that whatever kayak anchor you buy is either galvanized or has been treated against rust or corrosion. This will protect your kayak anchor from environmental damage, especially if you are using it in salt water. If your kayak anchor does not have this protection it will not last you and will become damaged and unusable over time.
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