Current Designs touring kayaks are produced by either vacuum-bagged composite lamination or rotational molding. Both of these methods provides unique benefits that influence factors including weight, strength, durability, and price.

Vacuum-bagged composite lamination
Vacuum-bagged composite lamination is the technology that Current Designs chose over twenty years ago for its superior properties. Originally developed by the aerospace industry to manufacture ultra-light, superbly strong components, Current Designs has been refining that same process ever since to deliver the lightest, strongest, and most durable kayaks available.

Today we are the recognized industry leader in this field. Vacuum-bagged composite lamination uses high pressures to eliminate any excess resin that would otherwise add weight and reduce strength of the finished kayak. This process also enables us to use specialized targeted reinforcements that offer superior structural benefits and to design in additional strength without adding substantial weight.

The result of our composite laminate construction is a kayak that is light-weight, extraordinarily tough and highly-durable. The exquisite finish of our vacuum-bagged composite kayaks gave rise to our tag line, "A work of art, made for life."

We offer three laminates -- fiberglass, Kevlar® and composite hybrid for some models. Each material offers unique benefits to the discriminating paddler.

Fiberglass laminate
Our vacuum-bagged fiberglass laminate is a notch above most other fiberglass products on the market. Vacuum-bagging allows us to select and place reinforcing materials to provide the optimal strength and stiffness properties without adding unnecessary weight. The result is a superbly crafted composite kayak that's impeccably finished inside and out.

Kevlar® laminate
We use genuine Dupont Kevlar® in our kayaks. You'll notice the lightness of our Kevlar® kayaks the first time you pick one up. You'll also appreciate its easy lift on and off the car and its intimate responsiveness on the water. Kevlar® is an optional layup for our Performance Touring models.

Composite Hybrid laminate
Our composite Kestrel and Vision families are made from a fiberglass and polyaramid (a generic for of Kevlar®) laminate for ultimate stiffness. This Hybrid layup makes these boats more cost efficient yet still light weight.

Rotational molding
Rotational molding uses high temperature to melt polyethylene powder in a closed rotating metal mold to produce a complete kayak hull and deck in a fraction of the time required for other construction methods. Our rotomolded polyethylene models offer paddlers the ability to enjoy many of the unique benefits of our designs at a economical price.

We've taken rotomolding to the next level with our own high-tech process controls to produce the lightest possible rotomolded kayaks. We use linear high density polyethylene in all of our rotomolded models to maximize stiffness without sacrificing impact strength. Our polyethylene maintains its integrity over a broad temperature range and has added stabilizers giving it increased protection from harmful ultraviolet rays.