12' 1"
Length
30"
Width (in)
50
Weight (lb)
$749
MSRP

Marvel 12 Description

The Marvel 12 is the perfect kayak for all day paddling on protected bays, lakes, and slowing flowing rivers. Enjoy the trip in comfort with industry leading Air-Lite seat system that provides complete and total back support. The Marvel’s hull design offers smooth glide and solid stability for all paddlers. Add in a hatch that provides ample storage and you will see why the Marvel series is at the top of its class.

Marvel 12 is available with Console for $859.

Marvel 12 Specs and Features

  • Structure: Rigid / Hard Shell
  • Cockpit Type: Sit Inside
  • Seating Configuration: Solo
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult
  • Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult
  • Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate

Liquidlogic Kayaks
Marvel 12 Reviews

Read reviews for the Marvel 12 by Liquidlogic 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!

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5

To be my first kayaking…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 12/27/2023

To be my first kayaking experience. Amazing.... I'm sure there are some out there. That are better but I have no complaints at all. I use it for fishing. I've gone as far out as the jetties with it. But looking at the reviews. I'm not sure if I was supposed to be out there.

5

2022 model. Very nice Rec…

Submitted by: fishnmusicn on 8/25/2022

2022 model. Very nice Rec kayak, I bought the Venom color which I like. I see the other reviews are older but it's nice to see this boat still being made. It is sleeker than it looks online. I really like the seat but for me, my thighs contacted the rail on the bottom of the seat which made it uncomfortable. I put a thick seat pad down and now it's perfect, and nice to be able to adjust the seatback during the day whether you are paddling or just floating and taking a break. Mine veers a little to the left after stopping my paddle stroke, but just slightly. There is minimal storage next to the seat on either side but it's just enough to hold a small tackle box, pliers and a bottle of water for me when I fish. It paddles nicely, light to carry and although it doesn't have a drain plug, it's very easy to bring a sponge along and soak up the water at the end of the day next to the bulkhead when the boat is on an incline. There are a lot of nice 12 foot kayaks in this price range now, most are a little more expensive like the Pungo or Jackson Tupelo. Overall I am very pleased with it and it was easy to rig up for fishing with some Railblaza mounts and a track mount. Despite the little complaints, I still give it a 5 overall. Looking forward to using it on the lakes and maybe some tidal water too. So far just the creek.

4

The 12' Marvel is a lovely…

Submitted by: paddler2081688 on 6/7/2022

The 12' Marvel is a lovely boat, but check your seats folks. The first one I looked at in the store had one of the seat brackets mounted an inch or so out of line with the bracket on the other side of the boat. The result was a very skewed seat. On the one I bought, after about an hour out on the water, my butt was sitting in water. One of the bracket screws--which is winds up being below the water line--wasn't tight at all. Water leaking in a brand new kayak...not good. Marvel QA needs to step up.

5

Bought a Liquid Logic mango…

Submitted by: paddler235323 on 9/2/2013
Bought a Liquid Logic mango orange Marvel 12 last fall and really like this boat. Veteran canoeist, whitewater kayaker and sea kayaker, I find you can do a little of everything with this all in great comfort. It tracks well if you use a high angle paddle, I found that a touring paddle just does not provide enough power to keep it from nose twitching. I have had it out in 2 foot waves in open water and the hull design keeps water out of the boat well. I liked it so much I just got a Marvel 14.5 tandem.
5

Being an avid sailor, I could…

Submitted by: paddler235323 on 9/2/2013
Being an avid sailor, I could not resist the urge to get a WindPaddle adventure sail to try on my Marvel 12. This clipped on to my existing deck rigging in seconds. I took the little boat out in 15 knot wind and proceeded to sail downwind for about 4 miles actually surfing the whitecaps while going from 6-8 mph according to my trusty Garmin. WHAT A Blast! I found that I could clip the control line to the shock cord attached to my seat base, which let me have both hands free to steer with the paddle. The Marvel is a natural for this and handled beautifully. I had to paddle back through the chop in a head wind and crashing through waves, and the boat again exceeded my expectations, I was able to average 4 mph.

This is a great hull design, stable, turns easy and tracks well. And the boat has the best seat in the business, you can spend hours in it pain free, then pull it out to use as a beach chair. The storage compartment stays dry, is quite spacious and is easy to access. It is light enough to throw over your shoulder and the knee pads are in the right place to serve as shoulder pads. The little sail adds another dimension of fun and versatility. I am really surprised there are not a lot more of them out on the water.

5

I've had my marvelous Native…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 4/9/2012
I've had my marvelous Native Marvel 12 for more than a year now, and love it! The seat is phenomenal; its airy and as comfortable as a deck chair, and as an added bonus I can take it out and use it as a seat when we take a break, or use it as my camp chair when we're camping. The Marvel tracks well and is just a pleasure to use. I went from a 10ft kayak to this one, and I'm not going back!
5

I have had my Marvel 12 for 2…

Submitted by: paddler234047 on 6/6/2011
I have had my Marvel 12 for 2 years! I love it! It is easy to get in and out. My favorite part is that I could take my 35 lb dog with lifejacket on trips. She was able to sit up, and lie down in the bow. I bought the mesh pad for the bottom of the kayak for her as it allows the little bit of water I drip in to go to the bottom and not have my dog wet all day. It is also stable enough that when she gets excited and jumps up on the side, I could counterbalance till I got her settled again. I have the teal and have taken it into the boundary water for short trips. It turns great, and has a shallow draw. I bought a cheap kayak for a spare for friends and the Marvel is SOOO much better. The Marvel glides through the water. Also, recently I went out on a lake with high winds and high waves, The kayak handled beautifully, the wind didn't push me around and I "rode" the waves. It was a LOT of work getting back while I hugged the shore to decrease the waves working against me. Great fun!
4

Kayaking is new to me and so…

Submitted by: paddler233904 on 1/17/2011
Kayaking is new to me and so is the boat but I love it. It isn't quite as fast as some others I have been in but I was willing to trade that for stability. Easy to get in and out of, a most wonderfully comfortable seat.
4

After doing as much research…

Submitted by: kypaddler on 10/13/2010
After doing as much research as possible on the Marvel 12 I finally went with my gut (and my rear after sitting in that seat) and bought a 2010 demo model from a local paddle shop last week. I never write these kinds of reviews but found it frustrating to find so little info on this Kayak, so I am trying to be part of the solution!

Obviously out of the gate the seat is VERY comfortable; I took it out on its maiden voyage Sunday. We put in on the Ohio River and paddled about 500 yards to a feeder creek and paddled upstream from there about 1 mile before it dried up. A short trip but at least I was able to get a better feel in some different conditions, the river was running fast and tracking was very straight even with some large waves stirred up by a coal barge.

I originally set the seat up in the far back position, I am 6'3" 240# and was looking for the extra leg room. I put my 5 year old boy in the dry hatch in the back and he claimed to be plenty comfortable as we cruised around. Because of the extra weight in the back of the boat (he’s about 45 pounds) the bow was riding pretty high so we pulled over and I moved the seat to its standard position (after stopping for a little snack and sitting in the chair on the bank, I am going to LOVE this feature when I go on extended trips this fall!). At the standard position with the foot pegs set all the way back I do have a slight bend at my knee (which I know is the way it’s supposed to be). Only downside with that is because of the extra large "easy foot" pegs I could see where it will be difficult to stretch out my legs past the pegs on longer paddles. Once I was in the standard position the bow came down nicely and tracking (which already was at least average) became even better.

So first impressions a very comfortable and surprisingly nimble ride, I’ve ordered the spray skirt and will post an updated review in a few months after I get out for some extended trips.

4

I've owned a couple of sot's…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 6/16/2009
I've owned a couple of sot's (regrettably I sold my Darts). This is the first Sit inside I've owned. I'm really impressed with the stability of the boat. Using a 230 paddle it moves smartly even into a headwind and chop. My salesman suggested a 'mini' skirt for the large cockpit and it was a great suggestion, keeps the water and the sun out.

This boat is really stable, I don't think you could heel this boat if you wanted to. It turns easily so that's not an issue. I weigh in at 245 and this boat fit's just fine. I've always liked Heritage for their fit and finish, and this boat is no different.

4

Well. I've used this boat a…

Submitted by: spacemobile1 on 8/2/2008
Well. I've used this boat a couple of dozen times or more and am very familiar in it now, so I thought I would write an update review. I still love my boat! I would buy this boat again knowing what I do at this point.

I still find the seat to be the most comfortable that I, with limited experience in different boats, have ever used. I have had a couple of occasions where the seats lower crossbar has interfered with my comfort, but this has only been on long paddles (more than 15 miles) where I was trying to find a REALLY different position for a period of time. Usually I find the seat to be extremely comfortable.

The cockpit is quite wide, and I find that no matter how I setup my paddles drip rings I end up with a lot of water inside the kayak. I have tried a lot of friends kayaks and find that the Marvel 12 does an excellent job of keeping "bow splash" out of your face or the cockpit. Much better than several other popular boats I have tried.

I love the footpeg positioning system as I have let my wife borrow the boat several times and found it extremely easy to make adjustments. I complained before about the difficulty of closing the rear hatch, and must admit I have since found the secret. You have to treat the hatch as you would a Tupperwear container, if you line the cover up over the hatch and "burp" the cover as you push it on, it goes on easier than any other hatch I am familiar with, particularly neoprene. I have never had any water enter my rear hatch, which I think is a great testament to the design.

So, overall, I love the boat. I wish the cockpit were a bit smaller, the boat a bit narrower, the color a bit brighter, but that's about it. I know I'm pretty much a newby, but that's my take on my boat. I'd love to read a review from someone else that owns one.

4

I just purchased this boat a…

Submitted by: spacemobile1 on 4/29/2008
I just purchased this boat a month ago and have only been out in it a few times.
I do like it better than the Pungo Classic I paddled on a few occasions last year and the Pungo 120 I test paddled before buying this boat. I am very happy with the boat so far, it is very stable and EXTREMELY comfortable. The seat is off the floor and just the most comfortable seat imaginable, one of the things that had me decide on this boat over the Pungo 120. The quality of workmanship is very good. I like the paddle holder bungees on each side of the boat. They are quite convenient. Native advertises that the hatch cover is very easy to take off and put on, but I have found the cover difficult to put back on, even after treating both surfaces with 303 Protectant. I would prefer the easy, half turn latches like on the Old Town Dirigio line of boats, they are more than adequate for a recreational boat. The cargo space is good sized for a twelve foot boat.

I will write a more thorough review of this recreational kayak after I have spent some more time in the water with it and have used it in a larger variety of conditions. I even hope to do some overnight camping with it this summer. Overall I think this is an excellent boat for it's purpose and one I hope to own for many years.