Sound 120 XE

Great kayak, cuts through the water way better/faster than an average kayak. Quick lock hatch is great and has so far been water tight. I put some flush mount rod holders and other accessories, can comfortably fish for hours. I did get a seat cushion for added comfort.

The rapids were class 3, and I was shouting in joy as three friends and I shot them. My Elie -- though not a whitewater boat -- responded beautifully. She's lightweight, maneuverable, responsive. But I'm still learning the fine points of paddling, and as I tried to hit a chute, I slammed into a rock, spun, hit another rock. Before I knew it, I was in the churning water. I grabbed the capsized Elie, held on. Finally, I pushed her to the bank, emptied her and got back on the river. The boat had taken hard hits, but there wasn't a mark on her. This review is a four star because I learned the difference between water resistant and water proof. The Elie's hatches are water resistant, not water proof. Be sure to stow all gear in dry bags. Especially lunch.

The ELIE SOUND 120 XE is a wonderful kayak with many great features. It is stable and tracks well, the adjustable seat is very comfortable for longer outings and the foot rests are very comfortable. Add to this the water bottle holder, water tight compartments for gear, the bungees and this kayak provides great value and safety. Also, the ELIE SOUND 120 XE is a great looking kayak that gets lots of looks and compliments. I would highly recommend this kayak to anyone.

Pretty great kayak for the price. This was my first fishing kayak and what ultimately turned me onto other forms of paddling. A few minor quality issues but they can mostly be attributed to me beating the boat up more than it deserved.

I travel a lot for work, so I depend on kayak rentals much too frequently. Of the rentals I've used in the past year or so, the Elie Sound 120 XE was the best. I rented it for a day of kayaking on a large, inland reservoir; still in the morning, windy in the afternoon, no current or rips.

The Elie tracked well, was completely manageable even in the afternoon wind, and had a surprisingly comfortable seat for a stock model. It was very stable, but I didn't feel as if I was paddling a bathtub around the lake (unlike my most recent rental, which was stable as stable gets, but also sluggish and heavy). The knee/thigh padding was good. The foot pegs adjusted easily and didn't slip around out on the water (I have a habit of bearing down on them in the wind, apparently more than the average kayaker, so this is always an issue with me).

A plus: the cockpit is wide, so I had no trouble sliding in or out at the shore. I thought the tray--which I didn't really use--might create an access problem, but it didn't. The kayak was light and easy to lift to the shoulder (the manufacturer says this is because of its "lightweight and incredibly durable Poly-XR material").

I'd definitely consider buying this model for day trips on lakes or rivers (not whitewater) if I didn't travel so much. I'm not sure I'd use it on open coastal water with tides/currents/high wind (just got back from a kayaking trip in the Puget Sound) without a rudder.

Good boat that tracks fairly well. Large cockpit for ease of entry. Has no bulkheads. A bit heavy (~50#) but solid.

This is a fantastic boat
I am a relative beginner, I have paddled a smaller boat on a 6 hour trip down a river, I thought that was great. I tried this boat and and was shocked at how little effort it takes to move this boat around. During the test I went in a simple square shape, I feel as if the boat tracks great, I couldn't be happier with it