Delta 14

When I was researching what brands of kayaks to consider for my first quality kayak, I narrowed it down to two brands; Delta and Eddyline. Both of those brands have consistently good reviews and you'd be hard pressed to find anything negative about them. Due to the inventory shortage in the industry during Covid, however, I couldn't just buy anything I wanted. I had to wait for something to arrive. For me it was a toss-up between an Eddyline Skylark and a Delta 12.10 and the Skylark became available sooner, so that's what I bought and have been paddling the past several months. I wanted something longer, slimmer and with thigh braces, however and I still lusted after the Deltas, so I recently picked up a Detla 14. Again, it was a toss-up between the Delta 14 and another Eddyline; the Sitka. This time it was the Delta that was available sooner. The main difference between a Sitka and the Delta 14 is that the Sitka has a skeg and the Delta has a rudder. I actually wasn't sure I'd like the idea of a rudder as it seemed like too much hardware but after paddling this boat a couple of times, I'm loving it. Being 14 feet long, it's 2 feet longer than my Skylark, so it takes a little more effort to turn it. But by employing the rudder, you can turn very abruptly if needed at speed, or make small micro adjustments to your course as necessary. I'm finding that I prefer the seat on the Delta more than the one on the Eddyline. The back can easily be moved up and down while you are still seated. Similarly, it has a cord that allows you to adjust how far forward the back band is. The seat itself also has 5 different fore and aft positions, so you aren't stuck with a "one size fits all" mentality. Although if you are comparing this to the Eddyline Sitka series, you are probably aware that there are 3 different sizes of Sitkas available. The quality of this boat is top notch. I love large hatches and the way they seal very well. Paint is beautiful. Oh, and it moves along quite well at speed, handling wind and choppy water as well as I can expect. I'm really appreciating the tighter cockpit with the thigh braces as it allows me to feel more at one with the kayak.

We had been renting kayaks for 20 years and finally decided to take the ownership plunge. We were looking for boats big enough to do some kayak camping, but sleek enough to have fun on the day paddles we would be primarily doing. We also wanted something that balanced sleekness with stability, so that they were maneuverable without being tippy. The Delta 14 fits the bill in every category. It was difficult to buy a boat when you can't try it, but in most places the rental kayak fleet is pretty pathetic. We bought these from REI, which has a 1 year return to give us peace of mind, but from the first time we put these boats in the water, we were hooked. We have had them for 2 years and over 50 paddles and we still think these boats are awesome. We are in our mid 50s but can easily carry these boats (either both of us carrying both boats or one carrying one boat on our shoulder). I just can't say enough good things about the Delta 14.

The Delta 14 was the perfect kayak to have on board during my solo sailing trip to Alaska in 2018. It stored well on deck , launched easily over the side, is a stable platform for photography work paddles easily and fared well going to shore in a surf. Together we created some very memorable moments and highly recommend the Delta line. Kevin Riese

While not the playful wave jumper, this Delta 14 has been a dependable friend. Response to every condition that I've been in, has brought me to look at it's maneuverability and stability as a feature I would not want to do without! This is definitely my go to boat.

I bought a 2018 Delta 14 this spring. I absolutely love this boat. I am 55 year old female, 5'8", 185 lbs. I have owned and loved 4 poly boats but they are getting just too heavy for me. My Delta 14 weighs only 45 lbs. It is quite a lot more expensive than my other poly boats but I am not sorry I spent the money. You do get what you pay for. It's light and responsive. It just glides through the water with ease. The thermoforming technology is impressive. This boat is a piece of art. It is a joy to paddle.