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Inspiration
This Product Has Been Discontinued
Inspiration Description
The Inspiration is a kayak brought to you by Mainstream Kayaks. Read Inspiration reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!
Mainstream Kayaks
Inspiration Reviews
Read reviews for the Inspiration by Mainstream Kayaks as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!
Great Kayak for Newbie or…
Tracks straight... in third year I finally used the foot braces and I can go alot faster then without useing them. It really is a nice looking kayak. 399 New and came with paddle and cockpit cover. Many times in summer I take this kayak out because it's light 38 lbs. And jump out of it and swim ...then cowboy up the back of kayak. I find it the EASIEST kayak to get back into ... easier than my sit-on-tops. This was my first kayak and I have let lots of folks who never kayaked before use it. It's nice... I can beat it up and for 399... after 4 years who cares! And it still looks in Excellent condition! Not the Fastest kayak but Stable and Dry.
I've used my Mainstream for…
This was my first kayak. I…
Anyway, the factors that drew me toward the boat were it's stability and capacity. I am an old guy who weighed in at 255# when I bought the boat, and I wanted that 350# capacity. And they weren't lying when they said it was stable--after a week or two practicing, I could just about stand up in that boat, in still water. My grandson sure could, and did.
A boat that stable isn't going to be too fast, and it wasn't. And it isn't going to body turn all that well, either, and it didn't. And it was all that stability that finally led me to sell it. After a while, you just get to wanting something a little less...safe, I guess, a little less comfortable.
The plastic was nothing special, but it didn't scratch badly on the sharp rocks in the lake here. There was a hint of oilcanning in the wide, flat bottom. The cockpit was huge, making getting in and out a snap. Sometimes I miss that big cockpit.
All in all, a perfect beginner's boat for a big person, and maybe a perfect forever boat for a cautious person. The 9 rating is for the time and purpose I used it for.