StraitEdge Kayak

I bought this straightedge kayak 3 years ago and it lasted 2 summers before the outer skin burst at the seams. AE told me it was due to overinflation, but I used their electric pump that has a setting to turn it off when it reaches the correct inflation. I kept the pressure relief valves clean and functional. I took great care of the kayak following all the instructions for cleaning and storing. Looking at the split seams it appears to me that they are poorly manufactured. Having too much money invested in the kayak, I decided to buy a new skin ($250) in spite of the poor quality. Now I'm told that a replacement skin is out of stock and will not be available until the end of 2023. DON'T BUY THIS!

The StraitEdge is a very durable kayak. It saved my life! I was in Cameron, Louisiana at the mouth of Calcasieu Lake where it emptied into the Gulf of Mexico. The tide was going out and the water was very violent and every time I tried to paddle the water will almost pull it away from me. There were many large whirlpools and the current was so strong but the kayak would not flip or sink. Thankfully the coastguard saw me drifting out to sea and rescued me and my boat. They told me I was crazy for being out in those conditions cuz a life jacket wouldn't be able to save me. They said my kayak is what saved me from sinking and that im extremely lucky that they saw me because search and rescue was 2 hours away. Thankfully I bought this yak instead of a hardshell kayak. Thanks Advanced Elements

I bought the straitEdge 2nd-hand from air kayaks (Ebay). About the kayak - It's heavy , ~20 kg. easy to setup (10 minutes with hand pump). look quiet durable - comparing to other under 500$ inflatable I check. on the water its very stable - good for fishing. I use it in the surf - quiet enjoyable although it turns over in the big waves (3' and up) - probably my skill. On calm water (sea) I paddle it t for 3-4 miles long paddling - if you paddle it with ease its O.K . but not track well like hard shell ...a skeg might help. Sitting is comfortable, and plenty of space for equipment, but nothing to secure it to the kayak.

Overall good kayak for the money, and of course comfort of storage - an important factor for me. Otherwise I think a hard shell SOT kayak would be better on water. I would recommend this kayak for anyone who wants a SOT for fishing, surfing small waves, a short-mid distance sea trip.

I bought this kayak for the sole purpose of inshore fishing along the central CA coast. The StraitEdge is a great kayak with many features I liked including the self bailing ports, the aluminum ribs at the bow and stern which helps greatly with tracking and taking on waves on my launches, the two rod holders (and the possibility to add more), and the easy air valves. The bladder and the outer nylon cover is also very well made.

The yak is easy to maneuver, but is definitely slower than a hard yak. This is because it's an inflatable...duh. There's more yak surface area above the water so it tends to get hit by the wind more too. This drifts the yak faster than a regular kayak which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on whether you want to drift and cover more fishing spots, or be stationary.

I would definitely recommend getting some sort of seat pad as the one that comes with the yak is insufficient, at least for me. I bought a Crack of Dawn inflatable seat and it works perfectly. The yak is wide at 36", a tad too wide for my 220cm Camanos so I'd also recommend at least a 230cm paddle...luckily I'm a short guy at 5'5". And if you're a taller person, get at least a 240cm paddle.

I've had this yak for the past 3 weekends and I've been on it fishing for the past 3 weekends...Saturdays AND Sundays. On all my 6 trips so far, I've yet to get flipped on my launches, but I was tossed out of the yak coming back in once...this thing doesn't ride waves that well and gets sideways quick, but it's also a difficult kayak to flip as well.

I've enjoyed it greatly and I'm sure I'll be enjoying it for more years to come...or at least until I get a hard kayak and a car that can haul it places...hehe.