Roam 11.5

Just purchased this open top model..have traditional kayaks of various style..needed all around easy to get in for kids and adults. Trying it out.it works for kids. Easy entry..not too heavy. My use it was sluggish and did not track well. Used the skeg which helped . The skege rattles in the boat. Noisy. For a basic flat water..it is fine..not sure I would take it on a full day paddle

I own five kayaks. This is my favorite! Tracks great, comfortable seat and easy to maneuver. I can spend all day on this yak and my back and legs don't ache. I am using a longer paddle with this yak which may be the reason why my arms are not tired after a full day on the water. Haven't attached the leg/thigh straps though. Highly recommend this kayak.

This kayak is a great sit on top from Dagger. The first thing you'll probably notice is that it has a skeg. That's the main reason I bought mine, and it's been a great feature to have on almost every trip we've taken with it. The 11.5 is great for taking out on streams and creeks.

The seat is quite nice, and adjusts to fit pretty much anyone that can physically fit in a kayak. It's also quite comfortable. Assembly is only a couple of phillips head screws that you must attach once you purchase the kayak, aside from that it's quite simple to work with the seat and adjust it.

The tracking on this thing is very good. Weathercocking can affect this boat, but proper skeg use should generally eliminate that. The skeg works quite well. While we don't often need to use it, the few times you do need it, you'll be glad it's there.

There is also plenty of storage in the sitting area, the back, and even inside the hull. The scuppers are easy to plug, though it only comes with 2 plugs, so if you want to plug up all 8 holes, you'll have to buy more.

The only things to look out for (especially if you're getting this used) will be the side handles, and the carry handles in the front and back. It would seem that the plastic these parts are made from don't handle temperature changes well, and begin to warp. My front carry handle plastic cover, and my two side handles, have both begun to warp and come loose. They haven't actually come completely separated from the kayak, but they are clearly (and annoyingly) not fitting the shape they are supposed to.

Overall, this is a great 'yak for getting into a wide range of water. The included thigh straps are also pretty nice, though if you're going in rapids, a SOT is probably not going to be your first choice. They claim this boat can handle a class 3, and perhaps it would be a good intro boat for learning to get into rapids, but I did lose my balance and flip over in the surf, something which has never happened to me in a sit-in kayak.

I would recommend this boat, as the only issues I've had with it are extremely minor. It has so many small features that you'll only appreciate once you've experienced paddling it a few times.