I purchased the Ascend FS128T in February of 2014 and have owned it since then. It was purchased mainly because of the large deck space, the stability, and it was the lowest priced kayak that had a raised seat. It was a major upgrade from my first kayak, a Castaway 116. I've paddled the FS128T in bays, marshes, lakes, rivers, bayous, and creeks.
The best thing about the FS128T is the stability. I have been in bays where the wind rose up to 20 knots unexpectedly and I was in 1-2 foot waves. Although I was being rocked around while paddling back to shore, I did not get close to capsizing. On days where the wind is calm, I can stand on it for easy sight casting (although it takes a little practice to stand with confidence). Another great thing was the comfort of the raised seat. It is very comfortable to sit on it for several hours. The option to raise/lower your seat is great as it allows you to adjust based on your height. You can also swivel the seat around while sitting if you want to cool your legs in the water. The fact that it also came with an anchor trolley was a bonus. It is very easy to operate. You also have a lot of deck space both in front and back where you can tie down 2 coolers or other gear.
The worst thing about the FS128T is the handling. Because of the hull design, it handles more like a boat. It can be a chore to make +90 degree turns. It also takes a bit of work to get your forward momentum going. However, since I use this kayak for fishing, I spend more time fishing than paddling. Another negative part is the construction of the forward deck space. Some of the forward deck scupper holes are actually 1/8" HIGHER than the overall deck, making them unable to fully drain any water that splashes onto the forward deck. One last negative part are the bow and stern hatches. Unfortunately, these hatches are the 'screw cap lid' type where you must turn clockwise/counter-clockwise to open/close. If you don't have it aligned properly, it wont close correctly and you have little room for error. On top of that, there's nothing on the lid to grab on to when you're trying to remove it. I had to buy 2 small handles and install them on the lids so I can remove them. The hatches in the forward/rear deck are much better and they're held by easy turning latches.
Overall, I gave it an 7 out of 10. Sure, there were much better kayaks out there. If I were in the same situation again, I would likely buy it again if the newer versions have made some improvements.
