Aspire 105

I've owned well over a dozen (maybe 2 dozen) kayaks over the last 20+ years of Kayaking. From 17ft sea kayaks, to sit on tops and even some high end inflatables. Although I still have a sea kayak, sit on top, and Inflatable, this WS Aspire 105 has become my favorite, most used all around Kayak.

I purchased this in Spring of 2023 but waited until now (late fall 2023) to give my review after several dozen outings with her.

I live in the Midwest so my sea kayak is really overkill for me unless I'm on Lake Michigan, which is only a couple times a season. I wanted a lighter weight, more stable, carefree kayak for my everyday local kayaking.

I first tried the new Pungo 120 and after half a dozen outings I sold it. For me the Pungo did not track/glide well for me. Many correction strokes were required especially when paddling at a leisurely pace. The V bottom of the Pungo was not like my Sea kayaks V bottoms I've owned. It did not add to the tracking or glide, it just made it rock from side to side especially when coasting.

I have retractable skegs on my sea kayaks and I always prefer that feature over a rudder in my longer boats, and wished the Pungo had one.

I decided to try the Aspire 105 mainly because of the skeg feature. WOW, what a difference. Even though this Aspire is not even 11 feet long, It tracks/glides as well as, and in some cases even better than, some of my past sea kayaks with the skeg down! The stability is as stable as my sit on top kayak (also a WS), I can actually stand while getting in and out of it from a launching pier. The kayak weight is relatively light compared to other kayaks I've owned, and the Aspire is well balanced for carrying on your shoulder for short portages.

I always loved WS kayaks because the seat is so comfortable, the Aspire seat included. I love the large cockpit opening and the integrated small dash area (I hated and never used the Pungo removable dashboard). I also purchased the full splash skirt with full zipper, extending kayak season for when it gets colder out, keeping the warmth inside the cockpit (and also cold water drips).

I have had this kayak on larger lakes with 2 to 3 foot chop and in windy conditions and the stability and tracking is incredible to me, it handles like a much longer boat.

Is the Aspire as fast as sea kayaks, No, but I'm not competing or trying to break any records, I kayak for enjoyment, relaxation, and exercise. It's also not the slowest kayak I've ever had either, with the tracking so outstanding, I believe its as fast if not faster than the Pungo which gets high overall reviews.

For those who may be wondering, I did contact WS about my Pungo before I sold it and sent then many photos of the hull, body, etc...thinking there may be a manufacturing issue causing my poor experience with it. They were willing to send another copy of the Pungo if they could see any signs of a defect, but there was none. I then decided to sell it, but I did not lose any $$ because I got it on sale and when I sold it it was still in like new condition and the price went up.

I've always loved WS kayaks, and Aspire 105 has become my favorite current all around use kayak.

The wilderness systems design team needs a hardy congratulations on this design. This kayak meets every specification I require. The 10’5” size gives it superb maneuverability, while the secondary gives its stability that makes it seem as though you would have to try to make it turn over, to be dumped out. The weight capability of 400# makes this perfect for kayak camping and yet unloaded is still a great all around recreational kayak. The drop down skeg makes already good tracking into superior tracking for a boat of this size. I originally wanted a pungo (and still kind of do) but I believe this was the perfect kayak for a first timer.

I bought a used Aspire 105 in Summer 2019. I've been paddling hard 4 times a week since then, taking off a few months for winter in Western Massachusetts. I'm 52, 6'0", 170# and a pretty hard-core athlete. I got the kayak as a way to get a workout and possibly do Class II or III at some point. I've been really pleased with the Aspire. It tracks very well, is very stable in rough water and high waves. I do recommend a skirt when paddling in cold weather and/or high wind/waves as you'll take on quit a lot of water as the waves break into the cockpit. The kayak isn't that fast: an all-out sprint will get you to 5.0 mph, and a hard race speed will put you about 4.5 or 4.6, whereas a hard sustained paddle will be about 4.3 mph (in comparison, a 14 ft Necky Manitou would deliver a sustained hard paddle of 5.2 mph for me). I very very rarely use the skeg. It slows down the kayak considerably, but has been helpful in high cross winds. It's easy enough to adjust to conditions so that you don't need the skeg. I have needed to add silicone sealant to waterproof the bulkhead foam. The seat is quite comfortable. Overall, I'd surely recommend this one to anyone who's looking for a solidly built, tough kayak that can handle a range of water, and is quite responsive.

I never really thought I would own a kayak, but after a couple short runs in an inexpensive inflatable I decided to do way too much research and purchase a high quality kayak for myself. This kayak is the winning result of that research. I wanted a kayak that could handle rivers and mild rapid conditions, be comfortable on a flat lake, and at the same time be capable of packing away a lot of gear for extended camping away from everything.

This is an exceptionally stable and practical kayak. The boat handles well in rough class 1 or 2 rapid water with a beginner paddler. It's wide and stable, and more than capable of carrying extra large loads for extended camping trips, or just large paddlers. The spring loaded drop skeg is good for extra straight tracking on the small 10.5 foot hull, and can be raised for those times when extra maneuverability is nice. The replaceable plastic skid plate is a convenient feature, allowing the kayak to be dragged some distance without endangering or permanently damaging the hull.

Overall I couldn't be happier with this boat. It has now given me several great adventures and I look forward to many, many more to come.

Pros: Great beginner boat, could last a lifetime. Great camping boat. Very stable in rough water. HUGE cargo capacity (400 pound recommended weight limit). Replaceable rear drag plate. Retractable skeg.

Con: Dragging the kayak on the skid plate tends to get small rocks and debris stuck in the skeg slot, causing it to not deploy without some manual help at the back of the boat. Make sure to inspect at the shore before launch!

Very stable boat that handles pretty nicely. With a huge weight capacity for a 10.5 foot boat and a large cockpit, it's comfortable for larger paddler. The skeg and rear ballast are nice additions not often found on this class of boat as well. Overall this is a great rec. boat for kayak camping, or for bigger people, or both! That being said, she's no speed demon, be prepared to paddle hard if you are with a big group. We own two, and both have had to be resealed along the bulkheads, and one had to have the hatch cover replaced due to leaking issues. (Wilderness Systems was amazingly helpful with this whole process, so no real complaint there). Overall I would definitely recommend this boat to anyone looking for a shorter intermediate rec. kayak that can comfortably handle some weight.

I've taken my Aprire on several different bodies of water. From relatively calm ocean, tributaries, etc., To a large pond in Maine, a small Creek in MA, and a river as well. I'm a large paddler, 6 foot tall, and 300 pounds. I bought the Aspire 105 for it's capacity of 400 pounds and it's beginner and intermediate capabilities.

The drop down Skeg has done very well by me on a large, white cap laden Cayuga lake in NY, two summers ago. It has great tracking, storage, adjustable seat, foot pegs, and a wide entry cockpit. What more could a big guy ask for in a really fun and able kayak?

I love the Kayak. Tracks well and very comfortable seat

This kayak is indeed making me very sad. That's because the river is calling me and I CANNOT go. I am trapped in this terrible thing called "work", which is keeping me out of my kayak and off the water. I purchased my Aspire 105 earlier this year, thinking that my son and I would be out on the water every weekend and that we would explore all of the nooks and crannies on most of the bodies of water in northern Georgia.

Unfortunately, my son is just not (yet) a kayaker. He would rather splash and play on the shoreline (he IS only 10, after all). So I bought him a smaller and less expensive kayak (though it is a very awesome little kayak for the price, and I'll review it elsewhere). My plan is to work him up to longer and longer paddles, and get him hooked. So far, so good. But this fall, when I take my 13 mile trek down the Etowah River, it will have to be a solo endeavor.

I purchased my 105 from Cedar Creek RV and Outdoor Center over in Dallas, Georgia and got the deal of a LIFETIME. I encourage everyone to shop around - you could save yourself a TON of money by doing that. I did. If you are ready to purchase, I encourage you to get a price from Cedar Creek, as they have frequent sales. I was SHOCKED at the low price I paid for my incredible little boat.

We have been out on the water a lot, and now I think I can give this kayak a fair review - I avoided reviewing it too soon after my purchase, since I knew I would still have my rose colored glasses on. I've still got them on, thanks to the quality of this boat - but at least they've gotten wet.

In case you don't want to read a long review - in short, it is as close to the perfect kayak (for me) that I could have purchased. I have read a lot of reviews from others who seem to have a fever for buying kayaks, and that could have happened to me. However, I did my research and bought a 105, and now I doubt if I'll ever buy another kayak again - and I'm not even SLIGHTLY kidding about that. If I do, it'll probably be another Aspire.

Compared to my son's kayak (Pelican Trailblazer 100), it is heavier, at close to 50 lbs. It's still not too heavy to carry on my shoulder and load up in the back of our short-bed pickup truck, but his kayak is only about 38 pounds, so the difference is noticeable. I can also tell the difference when paddling, as the Pelican gets up to speed faster. However - because of the drop down skeg on the 105, it tracks much better and I can sustain speed easier in the 105 than the Pelican.

The seat is AWESOME. While I have also experienced the seat getting hung up under the shell of the kayak, as another reviewer has noted, in my case it was really being caused more by my life jacket than the seat itself. I started taking off my jacket and just laying it over my knees and the problem is solved (for me). You can make almost ANY adjustment to the seat that you could possibly want. I can sit in this kayak ALL DAY. This fall I am planning to do just that.

The dry storage in mine has remained absolutely, perfectly dry. Unless I roll it (not even sure if I can do that - haven't tried yet) I don't think that will ever become a factor, [Note: Do NOT remove the styrofoam that is up in the nose - it's not there for just shipping - it is for flotation. If you DO somehow manage to roll this bedrock-stable kayak, it will keep the nose up at the surface.] I can't imagine worrying about stuff getting wet back there. I also purchased a couple of dry bags anyway, so that shouldn't ever be a factor.

I mentioned stability. This kayak has loads of it. While it will certainly tip, it has enough secondary stability to keep it upright under all but the most absurd angles. I have a feeling most people wouldn't actually ROLL it, but would instead FALL OUT OF IT if tipped up on it's side. Again, you'd have to put some interesting effort into it to get it to go all the way over. On my last time out, the INCREDIBLY inconsiderate (and let's face it - drunk) speed boaters and jet skiers were really putting up some huge waves, but I never had the slightest feeling of tipping. In fact, I honestly looked forward to having some chop to paddle into - kinda like jumping in mud puddles as a kid. I even turned sideways into some tall wakes to see if it would tip me over - nope. I did get a little bit of water breaking over the edge, but that was no big deal. I would DEFINITELY take this thing out on the ocean, if only my wife would allow it. She thinks sharks are searching for humans to eat (go ahead and laugh - I do too), so she won't let me. And the swamps and saw grass marshes near the beach? Alligators will eat me. She's a weenie, so I'm doomed to flat, fresh water. Dang.

As for tracking, it does pretty well for a kayak of this length, even without the skeg down. If you put the skeg down, as noted by others, it not only tracks well, but is noticeably more difficult to turn around. You can do it, but you'll prefer bringing up the skeg to go 180. I can turn it 180 with two sweeps as long as the skeg is up. If it's down, three. It may not sound like a big difference, but it really is.

The cockpit is big and open. Nevertheless, unless your paddling technique is pretty sloppy, you should have no trouble staying remarkably dry. And because of the large cockpit, it holds a lot of air - which means it can stay afloat under loads that would swamp a lot of other kayaks. I *may* get a skirt for mine (who am I kidding - I WILL, someday), but not so much for staying dry. Instead, a skirt would help keep my knees from getting sunburned. Pack some SPF.

So far, the adjustable foot pegs have worked flawlessly, though I often just sit cross legged while paddling. (Purists are staring at their monitors in HORROR right now . . . but go ahead . . . live a little . . . ). And yes, the cockpit is wide enough to sit cross-legged.

The drink holder works as you would expect - no problems whatsoever. I also took my very expensive cell phone out so we could get some photos, and it sits very stable under the cord.

There is no paddle holder on the Aspire 105. As far as I'm concerned, that's not really even a knock. The cockpit is wide enough that it will hold there for the few times I want to put it down. But if a paddle holder is your thing, you'll have to use one of the cords on the frame for that.

The handles on the bow and stern are very comfortable for carrying, and tough. It's hard to imagine these failing, unless abused. Still, I would not tie down a 105 by those handles.

I got my 105 in the Midnight color scheme. I can report to you that it is more beautiful in person than online. I have also put ONE (small and tasteful, strictly for personalization) decal on it (purchased from CafePress), and it sticks ferociously. I was afraid that decals might not stick to the hull, but that's not a problem at all. In fact, I do not think that any natural force is going to remove that decal.

And now for the BAD thing about this kayak.

You will become paranoid. This is something I never really thought of, until AFTER I picked it up and took it out for the first time. I feel the stares of others who appear to be coveting my kayak. I simply can't leave it in the bed of my truck while going into a convenience store; visions of someone sneaking over and (somehow quickly) stealing it and driving away keep haunting me. So I make someone else go inside, while I stand guard. You can't have my 105, unless you have a gun . . . and then I'll have to think about it.

Note to those who are still thinking about getting a kayak, but haven't yet "taken the plunge":
Do it. Now. Here's just one reason why. My son and I were on Allatoona Reservoir (really just a big bath tub that the Corps of Engineers fills and empties every year), during full pool. While we were paddling up into the river, we saw one of the largest birds I've ever seen take off out of a pine tree, so close to us that we could hear its wings flap, and fly about 100 yards from us. This bird was HUGE. It suddenly shot STRAIGHT UP into the air, did a hammerhead stall, and dove down towards the water with it's wings pulled all the way in. This thing was HAULING. It hit the water and DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY for a few seconds. My son was very concerned that this giant-of-the-skies had just committed SUICIDE, when all of a sudden it popped back up to the surface, and with considerable effort, hauled a big fish far off into the trees. My son was in SHOCK - he just turned and asked, "DAD - did you SEE THAT?! Can they DO THAT?!" And I replied, "They do that for a LIVING."

And they are doing it RIGHT NOW . . . get out there and WATCH THE SHOW!

I have a bad back. My wife and I enjoy being outdoors. She loves being out on the water, so we would go to different parks and rent canoes. I hated it!!!! My back would bother me and I had to do most of the paddling. I decided if she wanted to do this she would have to paddle herself. Well we now have a few kayaks... 17 to be honest. I started out in a Pelican Maverick 100x, not a bad kayak just couldn't get comply for the long trips. She started in a Future beach Fusion124, again not a bad kayak. Once we started getting on the water our children wanted to go along (We have 3). This caused a problem, now I was standing on the bank and one of my children was in my kayak. So we bought a Pelican Trailblazer. Now that we had 3 I found out real quick that we still didn't have enough kayaks because I was still standing on the bank as my daughters and wife enjoyed kayaking. So we bought a Sun Dolphin Excursion-10.

The wife said she would like to fish while kayaking. She no longer used the Future Beach Fusion 124. so we where all set to do some kayaking. I didn't mind paddling myself as much, I kind of enjoyed it, just couldn't stay in it to long because of my back. We decided that this is something we really enjoy so I needed a kayak that was more comfortable. We went and bought an Old Town Trip 10 not bad this might be what I need, an open cockpit a much better seat! Unfortunately I had my wife try it and she fell in love with it. So off to the sporting goods store we went for another Trip 10.

After spending some time in it I still had to take along a cushion to sit on. We were now spending all our free time we had out on the rivers. Meeting and talking to people and friends the recommendation of a Wilderness Systems Pungo 120 kept coming up so I went and sat in one. The phase 3 seating is fantastic!!! So I bit the bullet and bought one. Loved it and again so did the wife. Now we had a problem again!! She was in the Pungo and I in the Oldtown with a cushion. We went and got another. We found out quickly that 12 foot kayak doesn't handle as well as a 10 foot kayak does!!!

We like running rivers nothing crazy but we like running moving water. So I looked up Wilderness Systems to see if they offered a kayak that would have the same seat as the Pungos and sure enough they have the best kayak that I have ever been in!!! YES THE ASPIRE 105!!!!! Have spent more than 9 hours at a time in it. Yes my back is bothering me but there is NO way I could have even thought about doing 4 or more hour out on the water. Of course the wife tried mine and she now has one!!

Have only been in another kayak one time since getting my Aspire 105 and that was because my friend asked if he could use it on a trip to see if he wanted to get one. I ran one of our Pungos. When I ask what kayak my wife wants to run she always says my Aspire!!! All of the others are for family and friends. (except the Pungos we save them for flat water) You will not go wrong with the Aspire 105 comfy, hauls the weight, is stable and it handles!!

There is no other place I would rather be than in my Wilderness Systems Aspire 105 with my wife, children and friends with me!!! Hope to see ya out on the water!!!!!

We went from two Pungo 120's to two Aspire 105's because we can haul them in our truck bed instead of lifting them up unto the kayak racks. We are in our seventies and kayak often and with bad backs this works great. A little disappointed that the weight is the same as the 12 footers but love the flat bottom for getting in and out, turning, and stability plus the skeg for tracking. The seat is great, better than the previous version in the Pungo.

Overall we love them and they fit our needs better although we were very happy with the Pungo's as well. Wilderness builds great kayaks that hold up very well.

My previous Kayak was a 10 ft. old Manatee stable kayak great for fishing but tracking left a lot to be desired plus was only rated for flat water lakes. I wanted a kayak a bit more versatile. After reading the pros and cons and a few trips to my local outfitter it came down to the Dagger Axis 12 or the Wilderness aspire105. crossover kayaks. I ended up going with the aspire, mainly because of the seat and the 400lb load carrying capacity. I'm 69, 5'11 and a 195 pounds the dagger just felt a bit to cramped. First off this Aspire 105 carries a lot of gear and still rides great. My plan was to kayak the Allagash wilderness waterway in northern main the first two weeks of June 2016. Expected to travel at a much slower speed and being a bit obsessive, to say I was loaded to the max would be an understatement especially on the food end. Both stern and bow were packed and a folding kart for portages fit perfect behind the seat with room to spare. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating, heavy rain, thunder and lightning and waves on the lakes had some serious white caps not to mention chilly weather but the Aspire took it all in stride I just got wet and building a fire was virtually impossible. I did manage to make it from Round Pond below the Chamberlain Bridge to the Churchill Damn plan on returning in mid September to finish the trip a little less gear this time. As for the Aspire, one loose screw my, it tracks great even with the skeg up, extremely stable and turns well with a strong back stroke and a forward stroke on the opposite side. My only complaint is that they do not make it in a 12 footer. That way I could stuff more gear in it.

The seat is super comfy! This kayak paddles well and is stable with or without using the skeg. There's plenty of room for extra gear too. It's a bit wider than I'm used to but it worked in my favor as I fastened nets to the inside to hold more stuff.

We are new to kayaking, and purchased an Aspire 105 last year. It is easy to paddle, lightweight and the skeg helps with tracking. We use it on a large lake which can get very windy and choppy. It is very stable and fun!

I searched for a good kayak I thought would suit me best, a wilderness systems pamlico and found it to be discontinued, but found its replacement much much better, an aspire, I found an aspire 105 used on craigslist and was able to pick it up Saturday may 14 in a light rain, then Sunday was also rain and snow, Monday was a good day to take it out, it is only 10'6" and fits inside my SUV, no fighting to get it on the roof, no tie downs, at 48lbs is easily put in and out, has a skid plate and skeg, both great features, on the water it is more stable than I expected, also glides straight, turns easily and is very roomy, I am very happy with my purchase, I can not wait to get it out for an overnight trip. If you are looking for a great all around winning boat, get the aspire 105 or 100 from wilderness systems.

Love this kayak. Stable, not slow and moves effortly through most water. Good glide and tracks pretty well with skeg out. Often feels like a longer boat. With skeg in it turns easily. Pro 3 seat is the highlight of these boats. Great kayak!

58 year old noob was looking at fishing kayaks for two years. Cant make my mind up. Live on the gulf, Pensacola. Plan to fish back bays, estuary, and rivers. I prefer the feel of a sit in vs sit on. Finally threw in the towel and purchased the Aspire 105. At 48 lbs and 10.5 feet its a bit bulky for me to haul around. I do toss it into my Ranger pick up and strap it down with 2 straps. I dont need a tail bed extender or anything else. Anything heavier would have been taxing.

The seat is pretty comfy, but still, its not a lounge chair. I'm 5ft 10 and weigh 230. Yes I know, old and out of shape. The kayak paddles much better than the 10 ft sit ins I've been renting. I'm very pleased. The nose does wag as I paddle with the skeg down or up. The skeg is great and does do its job. It does keep me straight on a long paddle across the bay. When its up, I tend to wandervon a long paddle. I'm sure its me.

This is my first kayak. Ive been out 4 times in wind, chop, and calm. It did very very well in these conditions. Nice paddling boat. I saw some great videos online. I plan to rig it out as a minimalist fishing kayak.
I'm very happy with this purchase and have no regrets.

I've taken my new Aspire 105 in various conditions and locales so far: lake, river, windy, rough, calm, choppy. This boat is much faster than it looks! With the skeg dropped you have great tracking and stability. This boat is a perfect hybrid for exploring. The high-capacity also makes it ideal for kayak camping. Very roomy cockpit. I can even take my dog with me! I highly recommend this kayak. Compared to kayaks I've used in the past this model has higher quality and versatility.

Got this on sale (dusk) from LL.Bean. $750 delivered (took a week). I just got back from its first fishing trip on a local lake here in NJ. Gotta say I really like this boat. I had been borrowing my brothers Loon 100 for a month, I like the Loon, it tracks well, is a little tippy initially until you get used to it. I then saved a bought a Trip 10 from Dicks. I took it out 3 times. Those things just do NOT track. They have plenty of room but when you want to glide up to a spot... as soon as you stop paddling, it hooks. Hated it. I took it back and they told me because its used I had to exchange. I grabbed the Perception Rhythm 11.5 I think. It was better but the cockpit was small and believe it or not it was exactly the same as my brothers Perception Montour MINUS the skeg. It really needs the skeg. Long story short I took it back unscratched and w/ paperwork still attached. Told them I never used it because I WANTED my money back.

I read aloooooot of reviews on the Aspire 105, pretty much everything because I wasn't sure SOT vs Sit In. I saved a little more $500 vs $ 750 and now am glad I did. The seat is great. It's adjustable up/down front/back and also lifts under your thigh. It's the best I have had the opportunity to try yet. It's almost limitless how to adjust this sucker. I also like the stability. I have not tried to stand but I believe it may be possible. As for the skeg, fantastic, its pretty ok with the thing up but once you drop it you can glide straight as an arrow. LOVE IT. All boats under 12ft should have one in my opinion. Its also on a rope so you can vary the depth of which you are deploying. The only thing is I wish it was aluminum like my brothers Montour. With the skeg up, you can spin this thing better than anything I have had so far. It may have to do with the relatively flat bottom.

The cockpit is large I'm 6ft and its perfect. you don't feel claustrophobic and you can still put your feet up on the dash. I ran this with my GPS installed. It rolls 3.6 MPH without a sweat. I was able to hit 4.3 mph but at that speed its actually pushing water instead of gliding and its hard to maintain. The rear hatch is solid and holds alot. You can also reach back and find items without fear of tipping.

Sorry this is long but i am definitely liking this boat and looking forward to catching many fish. also worth mentioning when you have to stash your paddle, it fits sweet under the front bungee cords and hangs off the side kinda in the GROOVE without needing any additional securing. The hull material is pretty sturdy. I did cut a 2 x 4 and wedged it under the bow between my feet. I wear a size 10 1/2 sneaker and it was a little low. Barefoot was ok but I have used this trick with other boats and gained up to 1" for my toes to be happy w/ shoes on. (hateitwhenIcantput feetvertical).

All in all, cant wait to get back on the water and I appreciated all the reviews from others in helping me make the choice. hopefully this will help others.

I am not new to kayaking as I do river touring in the UK, I wanted a crossover boat that tracks well, tick, comfy for long hours paddling, tick, well made, tick, lots of dry storage, tick! As well as being able to be quick under the paddle but easy to man over, tick looks good on the water, tick, handles small white water, tick, stable with ease of entry & exit if capsized, tick again!

Looked at every other crossover but went with the Aspire 105, brilliant choice, what more could I want......a drain plug! added one myself, no biggy!
Thanks WS great yak!

I did a lot of research before deciding on which kayak I wanted. I knew I wanted a crossover boat that could handle still water as well as minor rapids on a river. The Aspire 105 was an easy pick in the end. The goal is to take this boat on a 200 mile river trip, so it had to be versatile and be able to carry my gear for the trip.

The seat is amazing, I can sit for hours on end without having to get out of the boat to stretch. I can adjust it to the position I want fairly easy.

The boat is very stable. I have used it on choppy lake water and in class II rapids. I have never felt unstable in it. Even when one of my daughters did a surprise wet entry after being scared by a spider in her kayak.

The drop skeg is great, but it can get small pebbles or sand in it causing it to not drop. I had that issue once after launching in a river.

Another selling point for me was the hatch. I can open it, retrieve an item, and close it back all while on the water. This allowed me to grab items while in the middle of the lake instead of having to hit a beach to get a something.

The only real complain I have (and why it didn't get a 10) is that the seat has plastic rings on it in places. One of these popped when I stepped on the seat by accident getting our of the kayak. It was easy to fix, but I wish they had used metal in the first place.

I love this boat. I paddle it 3-4 times a week for a minimum of 3 hours each time I go out. What I really love about it in the end is that it is like owning a Jeep Wrangler. If I see that side stream that is nothing more than a creek, I know the Aspire 105 can handle it, and still paddle fine on a lake also.

For those who want a skirt. It takes a 7.5 size, and I went with Seal brand.

My husband just surprised me with this great little toy for our anniversary the other day. I have taken out my new kayak every day since and I must say I am in love (well with my husband too).

I am new to kayaking so the Aspire has been a great fit. At 10.5 feet, it is easy for me to maneouver but it still performs very well and i never feel left behind by my friends with "big people" kayaks. I have taken it out on lake Ontario, staying close to shore as it was quite windy, and I felt completely safe: this boat is as stable as you can get. The cockpit is large...I mean lLARGE, 24" x 52" so even the most uncoordinated (read "me") can easily get in and out without a problem.

The only little flaws I see are no drain holes and not being able to find a spray skirt that fits the monster cockpit. That combination of course means you need a good sponge with you. Otherwise, I would not change a thing to my lovely blue boat

Purchased my first Wilderness Aspire 105 with skeg last year. Awesome! It is very stable and with the skeg down, tracks very straight. When I am in shallow waters, it is so easy for me to reach to my right and pull up the skeg. The waterproof compartment in the back is perfect for all of my necessities (I even have a portable seat in there). Plenty of room in the front for my legs and behind the seat. It has adjustable foot rests also. Oh and the totally adjustable seat (the backrest and the seat adjusts up and down, and the back adjust front to back) is great! I love the kayak so much that I purchased a second one for company.

You want a Kayak for the Family this is the one, what an amazing boat. Bought this Kayak after a test paddle day, had the whole family there, my wife, 5'2" 110lbs, My Son 4'10" 98lbs, my daughter 3'2" 42lbs, and myself 6'2" 250lbs, and we can all fit in it. The fourth generation seat has all the bells and whistle in it you could want with out an air ride seat. Everything about this Kayak is moveable. Such a well rounded Kayak.

The only downside I have found so far is there is no bow bulk head to it. Other then that it does have the normal bungee-cords which you can always use with a dry bag. List price was $699.00,

Honestly, one of the best well-rounded Kayaks on the market.