It's a great little stable…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 4/1/2021
It's a great little stable kayak with a 200 lb max capacity.
For all intents and purposes it's A KIDS KAYAK
Problem I have with them is that Pelican poorly manufactured them and people get leaks and have no clue that the leak is between the top and bottom molds at the scuppers.
If you stick your thumb in a scupper and press to one side you'll see the bottom part of the scupper stay in place.
I've repaired many pelicans with this problem
This thing is kickass. Don't…
Submitted by:
paddler233704
on 7/19/2010
This thing is kickass. Don't blame the kayak for your instability. Don't buy a kayak for a 5 year old and try pool toys as outriggers. It's a great starter kayak and you can't beat the price.
Looking at other reviews,…
Submitted by:
paddler233517
on 3/30/2010
Looking at other reviews, there is quite a range of satisfaction. I think it depends on your expectations. I think the Burst is a great starter kayak. This is my first one and I'm happy with it. I'm 6'4" and 175# so I'm a little big for it but it fits my wallet, my car rack, and my shed for storage.
I bought it last summer (2009) and took it out at least 10 times on Lake Michigan and rivers in West Michigan and had a total blast! My kids and I both enjoy it. If you are looking for a good starter kayak to get out on the water and on a tight budget, this is a pretty good deal. If you are a serious kayaker and plan to spend more than 3 hours at a time on the water, you might want to try before you buy.
Got this LITTLE boat for my 5…
Got this LITTLE boat for my 5 year old daughter to play at the beach and learn about kayaks. For that purpose, its fine. I made pvc/pool noodle outriggers for it to aid with stability. It needs it. It is really just a toy boat. Do not get one if an adult plans on paddling it. My daughter is having fun, and learning. If you are over 140 lbs...skip it.
Back again; got it out on the…
Submitted by:
paddler233009
on 6/5/2009
Back again; got it out on the local creek (Class I-II, and this was in high water), and no complaints. While it FEELS tippy, I wasn't able to tip it by rocking back and forth, and the self-rescue was a piece of cake. It sailed through the riffles and currents and I had a great ride. Again, I'm only 5'0" and 105 lbs., so I think size has a lot to do with the satisfaction level here.
I am a novice user and…
Submitted by:
paddler233157
on 6/3/2009
I am a novice user and purchased this thing thinking it would be easy to use.
That was a big mistake, it gave me a lesson in balance or lack thereof. After thoroughly embarrassing myself at a public boat ramp I decided to take it back to Dick's Sports. They were very good about it and I bought a real kayak for 130.00 more. This thing was a total waste of time and could have developed into a dangerous situation.
Okay, tried it twice, both…
Submitted by:
paddler233009
on 5/15/2009
Okay, tried it twice, both times on a calm, small lake. Loved it the first time; yes, it felt tippy, but it didn't tip. I thought it tracked pretty well, with a bit of side-to-side, and wasn't too hard to move along compared to the Otter. Second time, I must've gained some weight or else the cooler I brought along that time was really heavy, because when I got it flipped over inside the car, I could see a big DENT in the bottom where I was sitting! That might explain why I felt it was more work to paddle that time.
Overall I'm happy with it -- anything is better than a kayak you can't get out of the garage -- but the test remains to be given on Class I-II...
Stay tuned...
I got a great deal on the…
I got a great deal on the kayak so I bought it. Loved how easy it was to load in the van rather than on top. Did not like how tipsy it was on the water. I am near the upper weight limit but did not expect it to start to bend right in the middle. I got it back to shore and took it right back to the store. If you want a 8' kayak because its easy to transport, get an Ocean Kayak Yak Board. Much more stability and much better build quality.
I can't give it a "10"…
Submitted by:
paddler233009
on 2/2/2009
I can't give it a "10" because I haven't actually paddled this boat yet (it's winter), but so far I'm thrilled with it! It's sleek, pretty, and - best of all - I, at 105 lbs. and barely 5'0" can lift and carry it alone! I'm pretty sure it'll also all fit inside my hatchback, so that'll be a huge bonus if I don't have to hang it out the back or somehow transport it on top. My former boat was "stable," but that didn't do my much good with it sitting in the garage because I couldn't manage it. Boats that "feel tippy" aren't necessarily going to tip. I have a good sense of balance and am not worried (I plan to get out a swim a lot anyway). Also looks like it should track well (?) and not take a huge effort to propel, unlike my former Old Town Otter (wide, flat bottom). So far, I'm very happy with it; will report back when I've actually used it.
I would suggest you all need…
Submitted by:
paddler233005
on 1/28/2009
I would suggest you all need to work on your balance & upper body strength before blaming the boat. I've had this little kayak for over a year & love it to death! Its seen action off both the TX & FL coasts. I've taken it out beyond the breakers many times with no sight of land! I weigh 175 & have no complaints!
I had originally wanted the…
Submitted by:
paddler229591
on 9/23/2008
I had originally wanted the no longer made, Pelican Zest (I won't do the new almost identical Viper, the color is hideous!) when I saw this kayak (spur of the moment as I usually overly do research first and check reviews) at Dick's...Long story short...I tried it on the water, just made sure to be careful about it (as to return it since in between buying and trying it, I had looked up said reviews)...And sure enough, HATED it!
This kayak IS a complete joke! I'm about 160 pounds and 5'9...I am too heavy AND too tall for this ridiculous little thing! I think the people who are saying they like this don't realize what a real sit on top should feel like...They just say, wow this thing is light and I don't even need any kind of a roof rack system, how great! BTW, I dried it off, went straight to Dick's and they DID take it back! Of course when they asked, "has this been in the water"...I said, oh noooooo.
Moral of story...Don't buy this...Not even for your child! And btw, a friend of mine ended up buying that Viper and we don't even like that one too much either...It's not tippy, just too bulky...I now no longer want the Zest and am looking into purchasing a Cobra Escape.
I just bought this Kayak and…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 9/15/2008
I just bought this Kayak and was so excited to use it. As soon as I got in the water I kept tipping over and over and over till I got sick of my wife laughing at me! I weigh 200lbs.
My husband any I purchased…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 9/15/2008
My husband any I purchased two Pelican Burst kayaks. I am 155 and he is 185; both of our boats began to bend significantly within an hour of use in calm water and his nearly collapsed after 2 hours. I would not recommend this boat for anyone over 130 lbs.
My husband and I each bought…
Submitted by:
paddler232885
on 9/15/2008
My husband and I each bought a Burst and are quite pleased with them. When I first got into mine it was a bit tippy, but as with anything it takes practice. However, the hull seems to scratch easier than those made of other materials, but for our use-they're perfect.
I love my little kayak. My…
Submitted by:
paddler232812
on 8/11/2008
I love my little kayak. My sister went out and bought one a few days after I got mine. We hit that sale at Dick's for $199. It seemed tippy at first, but a neighbor was on hand when I first got in, and he told me that all seem that way and I'd get used to it. He was right. The second time I used it, I felt like a pro. I've been in mostly calm water, but we had some wave action. My sister's kids and all their friends used both kayaks day after day this summer. We're all converts.
I just sold mine on…
Submitted by:
paddler232794
on 8/4/2008
I just sold mine on Craigslist for a smaller person to use. At 200 lbs. this thing is a joke. The salesman told me no problem......problem. Each time I got in it I was dunked in a matter of minutes. Cheap, yes. Useable, not if you're over 140 lbs. or so.
I purchased this kayak at…
Submitted by:
paddler232786
on 7/30/2008
I purchased this kayak at Dick's sporting goods for $199. I purchased it because of its price and size (8' long). I've used it twice already more than one hour each time. On both occasions I've used it in very calm lakes. At first it seems very tippy, so much so that I thought about getting out of the water quickly. However after a couple of minutes it feels fine.
I would probably not use it in a lake where there's boat traffic as the wake caused by those boats would probably make it feel unstable. However, having said that, I'll give it a try soon.
I think this is a decent kayak for the price you pay for it. By the way, I'm 180 lbs.
I bought this Pelican Burst for $250 (Canadian) including a decent paddle.
As…
Submitted by:
paddler232767
on 7/23/2008
I bought this Pelican Burst for $250 (Canadian) including a decent paddle.
As some reviewers said, it does SEEM tipsy when you first use it. However, it does not really tip without applying lots of lateral force.
It fits inside my station wagon, so there is no need for a car mounting kit. And for a few hours of kayaking in calm water, it is easy to recommend.
I got this kayak as a…
Submitted by:
paddler232762
on 7/22/2008
I got this kayak as a birthday present and I am NOT happy with it at all.
I've been kayaking in different countries, different boats, and different water conditions and none have ever felt me so unsafe.
I went in the boat and almost fell out. I got out and refused to go back in. It is soo tippy, it's ridiculous. I sit so high above the water and this is tippy. My husband tried it and he said it was uncomfortable as the backrest pushed his life jacket up and choked him plus he also thinks it's too tippy.
Of course the dealer won't take it back, unless it's a product problem.
What a waste of money.
I bought this boat which fits…
Submitted by:
paddler232747
on 7/16/2008
I bought this boat which fits nicely into the back of my 6-1/2 ft pickup bed for $199.00 at Dick's Sporting Goods on sale. I've gone out twice on this kayak. I weigh 155lbs and likely have an additional 10-15lbs of gear on board. I rigged some fishing hardware (complete with rod holder, 2.5lb anchor weight, and a milk crate to hold a cooler and some tackle strapped to the back) on this beauty and had a blast fishing in the Neuse River, NC. Some reviewers called this a tippy boat which initially put me off. BUT, while it definitely feels very tippy, you actually have to work VERY hard to tip it over. In fact I had to lean over to the side nearly at a 90 degree angle before it felt like it was actually going to roll over. Although while I am not a very experienced, I think it tracks well enough. You will get wet butt in this kayak, but that is likely true of any sit-on-top. I put a boat seat pad under my bottom which GREATLY alleviates the wet-butt problem. BTW, because I got this boat cheap I splurged on a decent paddle ($60). I am very happy with my purchase so far…
We just bought this Kayak a…
Submitted by:
paddler232634
on 6/10/2008
We just bought this Kayak a week ago and we own a canoe and we decided 5 min. into kayaking to sell it because I luv my Kayak! It does not tip at all - I rocked and it was fine. It is very comfy if you wear a life vest you can use it for a seat back. But overall I luv it! It was very a reasonable price at Dunhams it was 150.00.
I bought this boat for my…
Submitted by:
paddler232549
on 4/30/2008
I bought this boat for my wife last summer, she's 120 dripping wet. She loves it and has no problem with tipsiness or tracking. I actually enjoy it too, but I feel like I'll sink at 200#'s they aren't kidding. I wouldn't venture too far from shore.
A good price and small…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 3/20/2008
A good price and small portable boat lure you in. Once on the water it is VERY tipsy. its rated at 200lbs but if your even a pound over 130 there is no hope for you. You will most likely spend the $200 or so on this boat plus $800 on a new one the day after, you do the math. save your money.
I bought this kayak for my 7…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 7/24/2007
I bought this kayak for my 7 year old son and I think it was the ideal purchase for him. He is about 75 lbs and rather tall for his age. This kayak is rated for up to a 200 lb capacity but I tried it and (at 165lbs) I found it rather tipsy. This kayak is narrow and very light, an absolute dream to pick up and load. I liked the narrowness of the hull for him and he handled it very well on the water for his very first time.
I was considering a W/S Ripper, but I thought they might be too wide and not particularly light for the size as a child's kayak. I was not even looking for this Burst SE, but stumbled across it at a local store on clearance and could not pass it up. I would not consider the hull material to be as durable as typical hdpe but it should last long enough to hand down to his little brother and with a 200 lb rating I should be able to play with it in the surf too!
