I'm blind without my glasses!!! I was terrified of the water until I was 15!!! I just learned to swim 2 years ago!!! So you know what I've decided to fall in love with? A floating piece of plastic on the water that weighs half as much as I do. I love my Wilderness Tsunami 14 ft sea kayak and I've had experience kayaking on lakes and even open ocean, but I've never taken a real class to learn proper techniques for "WTF am I doing underwater and upside down in my kayak?" and "Help! With at least one thing in my life I want to dictate the direction I'm going!" (i.e., paddling). Enter Lyle (Master Chief!) and Paul (Padawan) from RA (insert revelation music here). The intro to kayak class on Boulder Res was geared more towards river kayaking, but Lyle made sure to get from each of our varied and fated party of five our goals for the day (mine consisted of bracing, self-rescuing/wet-exits and not drowning on solo trips). I went into this class knowing I'd be getting wet - I did not expect the first thing (before even paddling) that the guys would teach was the wet-exit (also known as the "omfg-I'm-underwater-strapped-into-the-kayak-that's-on-top-get-me-the-h3ll-out-of-here" maneuver). But this was great! It immediately got my worst fears out of the way and Lyle and Paul showed us there was a calm, controlled way to get out of the kayak underwater. After that, everything else seems easier and way more fun in comparison. Throughout the paddling technique instruction to the water polo game (it's got a purpose, I swear), to the assisted rescue exercises, the instructors were calm and precise in their instructions while also being wicked funny and putting everyone at ease. Even though the class is more for river running, Lyle made sure to point out things and techniques that would be helpful for me and my lil' sea kayak friend. I had an awesome day with these guys and my fellow kayakers and even got to end the day doing a seal drop off the dock (thanks Paul!) and trying out a SUP (I am SO uncoordinated). While I'm still more inclined to calmness of sea kayaking, taking a class with RA has got me thinking about checking out river kayaking more - especially if it's with these guys! read more

After taking the initial lessons with RA in mid summer, I have gone on to kayak with them on the Roaring Fork and in Deckers. They offer Adventure Days and pool work in Golden. For a variety of reasons there were some cancellations, but the benefit was that they added up to enough for a day of personal kayaking with the owner, Lyle. I jumped at that opportunity. We spent the day over in the Glenwood area focusing on eddying and ferrying skills, the two that are hardest to master for a rookie. Lyle is fun, patient, funny and very focused. He has a great sense of when to push and when to let you play so that you don't get frustrated so much that you lose your sense of joy on the river. He's a terrific one on one coach and I will definitely be doing that again. Gaining time on the river has allowed me to find the core skills of learning how to use my hips, when to use the upper body, when and how to use the current. What's really key for this rookie is to concentrate on basics before I try to take on bigger water, which is advice that I got from Geordy. My first visit to Class III landed me on my head, so it was a great reminder that the river will tell you how skilled you are and aren't. All the guides are attentive, client focused and safety conscious. Next spring I will be coming back to do plenty more lessons, pool work in the winter to master that roll, and Adventure Days to enjoy our gorgeous scenery. From a rank rookie to be comfy upside down in Class III rapids and doing a competent self rescue, this is all RA's training. They are terrific at what they do, passionate about their work, and they bring great joy to their love of the water. I can't recommend them more highly, especially now after spending the summer and part of early fall working with them. Get in the river! read more

First, I want to say 'Thank you so much for your patience'!! I like to go whitewater rafting and I saw some people on whitewater Kayak at river. and It looks like fun...and somehow, I thought, maybe I can do it!! (easy thinking). And I did Google Kayak class in Denver, and I found Renaissance Adventure Guides. Before we buy everything, my husband asked me to take class, if I can do or not because I was born with ancondroplasia. From the first lesson, their instructors were so patient and taught us very kindly. and we really like to go next lesson, and we took several pool lesson. and we took level 2 and level 3(only my husband). I could not control my puddle and Kayak...but Lyle(owner) was really really patient guy and tried me to enjoy Kayak not to feel fear...but I felt fear and I quit Level 3. this is my problem. However, he made me to try again(I will take more lesson from them and my goal is master Level 2 in my life?!) ...and I felt so happy and kind from them. Their experience is really really great, and they think about our safe first and our feeling first. His way of teaching and their way of teaching is make me want to do more and feel I can do Kayak... it is a magic. I really appreciate their kind and attention, I knew I took their time a lot...but they always 'don't worry, enjoy!' Greatest instructor!! read more

Just did an all day intro course with Renaissance on a Groupon deal. I have some experience on flatwater kayaking, but want to start learning whitewater. With the excellent deal, this seemed like as good a time as any. First (and far most importantly), there was never a moment when i didn't feel safe. Considering the lesson started with me in a flipped over kayak, fighting just about every self-preservation instinct in my mind, I think that says a lot. When you're talking about an activity that has potential to be dangerous, everything else is secondary to safety. And Renaissance does excellent in that regard. So we're safe. That's good. But what about the rest of it? The two instructors (for the 5 person class) were both relatively new teachers, but both had lots of experience kayaking. My class was with John and (please forgive me if I misspell this) Cailene. Both were enthusiastic and knowledgeable. At one point Cailene noticed I was struggling with something and spent time one on one with me practicing the technique (something I saw her do with other students as the day went on). Bottom line, the class was fun, informative and safe. You can't ask for anything more. I am most definitely looking forward to my next lesson. read more

I took kayak classes 1,2,4,5 with them (missed 3). Every single one was a blast and I highly recommend them. I hadn't initially intended to take all 5 classes, but they're sorta addicting. You'll learn a ton in these courses while getting great river running experience. The biggest thing you'll gain is confidence though. You get used to the feel of the water and learn to identify dangers. You still may take a swim occasionally, but the fear all but disappears and it becomes a normal part of the day. The guides are knowledgeable, friendly and overall awesome people. They're not only passionate about the sport, but also about teaching it safely to a group of anxious, soon-to-be paddlers. They get really excited when their students succeed at a new skill. Teaching the roll is not a primary focus of the classes. You'll learn about it and get to try it, but otherwise it's not a priority. Take the pool classes if you want to roll and don't let that stop you from taking the river classes. There are lots of other fun things to learn and practice. read more

Renaissance Adventure Guides do a great job! Kayaking is a pretty scary and intimidating sport, but I felt completely and totally safe with these guys. The guides are very cool, friendly, and skilled kayakers AND teachers, which is not always an easy combination to come by. They're super supportive, which makes learning to kayak really fun! AND they're REALLY funny! :) Can't say enough good things about Renaissance! But really, the safety factor and their enthusiastic support put my nervous and self-conscious spazzy self at complete ease. And I should probably mention that I learned a ton from them, going from someone who'd never kayaked to having the skills to go out on an unguided trip with other boaters. I would DEFINITELY recommend this outfitter to any friend or stranger looking to give kayaking a try. I plan on spending some time with them this summer myself! read more

I had an opportunity to spend a week kayaking with the Renaissance Adventure Guides team and it was the best week of my life. I had never kayaked before, and the team provided expert instruction that made me comfortable enough to take on real challenges when we were on the river. The guides made me confident that I could push my limits because they would help me if I needed it. Not only are the Renaissance Adventure Guides fantastic kayakers and teachers, but it was also a very rewarding experience to spend time hearing their stories about kayaking. They have some funny stories and great personalities on the team! Overall, I learned that kayaking is not just about the sport, but it is also about building bonds and camaraderie from sharing time on the river together. I would highly recommend Renaissance Adventure Guides ! read more

My husband and I took the Novice Lake Clinic this past weekend--we booked through the Boulder Outdoor Center. It was fantastic! Our instructors, Kayleen (sp?) and Brittany were wonderful; very clear and patient. They did a great job of breaking down the different kayaking moves into easy-to-learn steps. I always felt like I knew what I was supposed to do, and very importantly, when something went wrong, they explained why it had gone wrong--this let me learn very quickly! I would highly recommend this company to anyone wanting to learn the basics of whitewater kayaking. They also offer more advanced classes, which I'm sure are excellent, given the quality of instruction we received. In summary, if you can book with Renaissance Adventure Guides, definitely do so! read more

Renaissance Adventure Guides are definitely the people to learn from in Denver when you're ready to start whitewater kayaking. What started off as a great deal on Groupon has become my sport for the summer. The Guides - Jordie, Dan and Kylene - were unbelievably patient, supportive, and informative. Where some schools might just er... throw you into the the deep end, RA Guides take you through a day-long, progressive, step-by-step process that helps you mentally and physically adapt to the sport. The gear and boats are top-of-the-line, and the student-to-guide ratio is perfect - group price, with private lesson attention. I would highly recommend to anyone that has ever had an interest in getting in a boat to sign-up with Renaissance Adventure. read more

I bought the groupon for the intro to kayaking class. I was feeling ill the day before my lesson so called to reschedule but they were going to charge me a $20 fee! I decided to just tough it out. I am so glad I did! I had an absolute blast. I was a total novice at kayaking and chatfield park was the perfect place to learn. My instructor Eric was awesome. He was cool but he didn't baby us, he wanted to make sure we were doing everything right which I really appreciate. He also never lost his patience even though he was with us on the lake for about 6 hrs and we were all brand new kayakers. He kept the mood light and fun! Kudos to my classmates too! Y'all were all great! Wish we could all do it again. I will be taking another lesson with RA:) read more

I was very impressed with the training I received. I signed up the Beginner Whitewater Kayaking and had 5 lessons over two weekends. All the instructors were very good and patient. The one I had most often was Geordie and he was superb. He was always supportive and gave me advice on how to improve my paddling and control. He would present challenges and let me decide how much I was willing to take on. By the end of the last class I felt very comfortable getting my kayak down the river, moving into and out of eddies, as well as successfully going through white water. He taught us how to read the river, plan ahead, and keep safety paramount. I still have skills I need to master and Renaissance is where I will return for my training. read more

I went kayaking with Lyle and the gang at Renaissance for a week last summer and it was one of the highlights of 2010! I've been white water rafting on class 5 rivers in Australia and New Zealand - this is better! Kayaking is very different from rafting and I'd never been river kayaking before, so I was nervous about getting on the Colorado river in a 1 person kayak. My nerves settled pretty quick as I saw how professional and safe these guys are. I've never met adventure guides that were so dedicated to teaching skills while having fun. They even volunteered to help us practice during what was supposed to be downtime for the group. These guys are the best; I cannot recommend them enough. You will be so happy you chose them! read more

I'd never gone kayaking before- ever! But last year I attended a camp and Renaissance Adventures were the guides there. They were absolutely amazing. All the guides were extremely patient, helpful and understanding. We had varying levels of kayakers in our group and they has a guide for each of us that was able to work with the individuals at their own pace. They made the experience better than I could have imagined. Not only did I learn excellent kayaking skills, I was able to be comfortable with the process and not scared at any point in time, even when on the Colorado River. I knew their guides would never let anything happen to me. They were amazing and I would highly recommend them to anyone! read more

Having done some whitewater rafting and sea kayaking, my wife and I decided to take the RA intro to whitewater kayaking class at the Boulder Reservoir and had a great time. Alec and John, our instructors, did a fantastic job. They discussed what gear was essential for safe kayaking and what extras might make a trip more fun. They carefully walked all of us through the wet exit, basic strokes, turns and bow rescues and gave each of the students individual help and suggestions. It was a hell of a good time. read more

Very professional, friendly, and funny guides made the trips I took a blast. I would highly recommend to anyone to use them. The only bummer is that their river lessons run out near Glenwood Springs which is a pretty far trek from Denver. The plus side is the river had just the right about of current, rapids, and training areas to make it the right choice even if it is inconvenient to get to. If you want to learn kayaking you would be hard pressed to find a better company to teach you. read more

I spent a few days kayaking with these guys. They were all awesome, super fun and encouraging and tons of energy. Always keeping it safe but taking fun to the maximum. I learned some great techniques and they were always right there when I botched anything up, like getting flipped in a hole. The water and scenery was amazing and I really hope I'll get a chance to go out with Renaissance Adventure Guides again this summer. Thanks guys! Buenas lineas! read more

My husband and I just took the intro to Stand Up Paddle boarding class using our groupon deal, and it was SO fun! Our instructor (Brittney...not his real name but that is what we called him!) was very knowledgeable, patient, and made it a lot of fun for us! I would highly recommend this group for lessons. We learned a lot and plan on doing it again. Great class and great instructors! Thank you for the new experience and we hope to come back soon! read more

I learned to kayak with Renaissance Adventure Guides during August 2010 at a First Descents camp for young adults cancer survivors. The guides, led by Lyle, were amazing! Not only were they patient and knowledgeable teachers, but they are also all around good people. I had never kayaked before and RAG guides made me feel very comfortable and safe. I would highly recommend them to anyone, and I look forward to kayaking again with them soon! read more

Renaissance adventure guides are professional, personable,and have a wealth of knowledge. I had the pleasure of learning to kayak last year with these guides by my side. I gotta say I am not the most coordinated and am also out of shape. Lyle and the rest of the guides at Renaissance have the patience of saints and are amazingly encouraging. I cannot recommend them enough, they are what every adventure guide should be. read more