I came here to buy a recreational fishing kayak. The shop had a wide choice of boats on display, and seeing them in person made choosing one a lot easier. I went with the Crescent CK1. The sales associate helped me load it on the car and showed me how to tie it down properly. Everyone was really friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend! read more

Headwaters Adventure Company - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Redding, California

See all

Our scout troop rented 10 kayaks from Headwaters Adventure Company for our recent 50-miler afloat trip. Bryan and his team went above and beyond to help us with not only the logistics and delivery/pickup but also provided great customer service with gear support when some seats and paddles needed repairs. We had a great experience and would highly recommend Headwaters Adventure Company to anyone who's looking for some fun on the water! read more

Headwaters Adventure Company - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Redding, California

See all

Brian came through for us. He not only delivered the kayak's at our location, but also picked them up from an hour away. He replaced our broken equipment promptly. He is truly an asset for the river community. 100% recommend he and his company. read more

See all

This review is for the store in Rancho Cordova. I wanted to get into whitewater kayaking so did an intro class with this company. Stephan was very helpful getting me outfitted prior to the class. When I stepped into the store I was impressed with all of the high quality available boats and equipment for sale. He had a lot of knowledge about equipment and safety. The Intro to Whitewater Kayaking class was amazing! Harlie was my instructor and I felt lucky to get my training from him. He went over a lot of information and skills training during the class. I was impressed with his ability to make me feel comfortable on the water. He was encouraging and knowledgeable, especially about safety which is important. I'd highly recommend Harlie as an instructor! Stephan was also very helpful in getting me connected with the paddling community which I appreciate. I'm hooked now and can't wait to get out there again. read more

Bryan and team above and beyond in our recent rental with them. not only their equipment are good qualit, service is top notch.I would definitely recommend them. read more

Our scout troop had a fantastic experience renting kayaks from Headwaters Adventure Company for our 50-miler trip. Bryan and his crew were friendly, professional, and incredibly accommodating--from delivering the boats right to our launch site to making sure every kayak was ready to go. When we had a couple of small equipment issues, they handled them quickly and without fuss. It made the whole trip smoother and more enjoyable for both Scouts and leaders. I'd gladly rent from them again and recommend them to anyone planning a river adventure. read more

Greatest kayak shop in Northern California. They have all you need in kayaks and accessories. Not only that, but they do rentals and have a good selection of fishing gear. The staff is awesome and super knowledgeable. Always there to help you out. read more

Headwaters Adventure Company - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Redding, California

Bryan and the team were *totally* attentive in helping our group plan/execute a multi-day canoe trip down the Sacramento. We went through the map to ID camp areas, hikes, take-outs etc. And they answered all of our Q's about other details (weather, water height, etc. etc.) as well as accommodated our needs for transport from the take-out. We'd *definitely* use them again. read more

Headwaters Adventure Company - About to pass under the Sundial bridge - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Redding, California

See all

I could not be more disappointed in a company. I came to this place looking for a kayak. They had a used Sandpiper 130 that was really nice so they asked if I wanted them to bring it down from Redding to their Sacramento store. I said I would in fact appreciate that as I was interested in purchasing it. Not only that, but I put a $400 deposit down on the boat to make sure no one else purchased it. I drove all the way to Rancho today with my trailer ready to bring my kayak home only to find out that they had sold the kayak to someone else. I also sold my other kayak in preparation for this one only to find out they sold it to someone else. Terrible. Just terrible service. It's also frustrating because with businesses these days there isn't even an attempt to reconcile the mistake. The only solution provided was that I could purchase a brand new one if I wanted. So please spend $2k with our company even though we messed up. No thanks. It's funny too because on the receipt it says there are no refunds for deposits. If I told them that I didn't want the kayak anymore you can bet they wouldn't give my money back, so since there are no deposit refunds maybe they need to go get my kayak back? Or maybe they should pay for the gas I spent driving all the way to their store for nothing? It's just so frustrating. I would recommend avoiding this place if you don't want a similar experience read more

We rented a raft to float from Redding to Anderson through Headwater Rafting. I had purchased a certificate at an auction for a 1/2 day rental and sandwiches from San Francisco Deli. We had a fabulous day! There were 6 of us on the boat. Tiffney called us in advance to confirm our slot and check if we'd need a ride back. She met us the morning of to go through waivers, outfit us with life jackets, share tips for the float, and make sure we successfully launched. She shared with us when to call the shop for our ride back. The gentleman who picked us up was extremely helpful and loaded the raft back up quickly. We had an awesome time on the Sacramento River and hope to do it again! read more

Great shop with people that know they are doing and talking about. Great prices for kayaks and the the good stuff for your new water sport adventures. I will be a return customer to headwaters adventure company. read more

Just purchased a Passport 12 online... Bryan helped confirm order was in and Matt helped load kayak onto my car. Short simple and sweet. Great customer service and easy to work with. Highly recommend!!!! read more

Rancho Cordova. Working with Steve was great. Traded in an Epic V10 Sport for a P & H Virgo. Did not have space for the Epic and my last rec/rock boat (Dagger Stratos was beaten up). The Virgo replaced the Dagger (I have other ski's) . However, I needed the Virgo seat adjusted. Steve handled it promptly and professionally. Walked away very satisfied with the transaction and attention to modifications. I felt it was a fair trade (plus some cash). Going to miss the Epic but satisfied with Virgo. Felt good about dealing with Headwater and Steve. read more

This is a great, independent business with helpful and patient associates for those new to the sport. The owner stayed open for me when I arrived just before closing with many newbie questions. When I go from planning to purchasing, I'll remember their kindness. read more

Headwaters is amazing!!! I booked a whole week of guided rafting trips on the Sacramento River for 50 high school students (I am their teacher). Not only were the trips so fun, but the guides treated the kids like gold. They were kind, patient, and trustworthy with our safety. They even trained all the students how to navigate and steer a raft. One of my students had a pre-existing shoulder injury that flared up, and the guides, after looking at him, determined that he needed to be picked up at a middle stop early due to it becoming a safety concern. They were so kind in dealing with him, and felt bad that he couldn't finish the trip, so they even offered to take him down the river again for free when he recovers! The guides were also respectful, engaging, and tasteful. I didn't hear a single curse word off-color comment from any staff. They were amazing role models for my students. Matt, Rick, Sean, and Tiffany I love you guys so much. Thank you for giving us an amazing week!!! read more

Closed on Sundays? Isn't this when most people want to go out on the lake? I guess I just have to go buy me a kayak. read more

TLDR: 100% saved our trip that we had been planning for a month when another company fell through. Great prices and great service. I can't thank them enough. ****************** Planned a 3 day SUP trip down the Sacramento River from the Sundial Bridge to Red Bluff, camping along the way. We had been planning for weeks and had a paddle-board reserved with another company. When we showed up to get it, they said they forgot and the boards were reserved for other people. So, we had driven 3 hours, ready to start our trip and I now had no paddle-board. Headwaters Adventure saved the day. Spoke with Deanna and explained the situation. She told me that they don't normally rent for river trips like this. However, she spoke with the manager and made it happen. They got me an awesome river-specific paddle-board that was perfect for the trip. They are super knowledgeable and even gave me tips about our trip. So, in less than an hour I went from a ruined trip and no paddle-board to a great deal on a much nicer board than planned. Thank you so much!!! To show how great they are, we were finishing our trip on Sunday (when they are closed) and we live 3 hours away. So, they opened up the shop on Sunday so I could return the board. Bryan was great and was super flexible about meeting me. I can't say enough great things about Deanna, Bryan, and Headwaters Adventure. read more

Absolutely excellent customer service, 10% off my boat and all accessories, these guys know kayaks and all the pros and cons of every model, they have a full line of yakattack attachments, Made in the USA , don't go to your big box stores for quality and knowledge, head to the experts at Headwaters Adventure, even with sales tax, they beat all the Hobie dealers I called in Oregon, plus these guys have a huge inventory, so getting the color you want won't be a problem, I'll be back for a second kayak when my oldest is a little taller, thanks so much Brian and staff. read more

It was an instant no to using the rental kayaks on the Sacramento River, then shifted into they are not renting at the moment. Took my business over a street to Action Sports rentals and they were very kind, professional and accommodating. read more

I was looking for a sit in kayak and headed to Headwaters Adventure Company, kinda knowing what I wanted. The service here is great, everyone was very friendly. They encouraged us to try our kayaks on one of their group kayaking experiences, so we did just that. We ended up going with the same kayak we intended on getting, but I love the idea of 'try before you buy' while supporting a local business. The staff also seemed very knowledgeable. read more

Headwaters Adventure Company - Kayaking on a group paddle on a Friday night. Best way to beat that summer heat! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Redding, California

Can't say enough great things about this local store! They are so friendly and helpful. Sandy is a gem - she thinks of everything and has all the tips of the trade for newbies looking to get started paddling successfully. I have been recommending them to everyone! read more

I wanted the green kayak so bad!! They gave me the yellow one instead. Green is my power color and i didnt feel like i was respected

My dad and I had such a great experience here! Amazing customer service! We would highly recommend this store to all kayakers wether new to the sport or a pro! Thanks again!! Danielle and Gary Jones from Upland CA. read more

I was looking to book my parents an anniversary paddle board trip and while searching online, I came across Headwaters. I spoke with Carrie(not sure if the spelling is correct) and unfortunately she was booked up for a big race on the weekend I was planning. She gave me the number to a lovely lady name Audrey that also does paddle board tours and I was able to book them on the weekend i had initially wanted. Carrie was so helpful and so willing to go the extra mile to make sure my parents had a wonderful anniversary and I was very impressed. Thank you again for the recommendation. I truly appreciate it. :) read more