Malibu Two

Bought the Two from a local rental place that happened to have product they needed to get rid of. I've had good experiences with rental Ocean Kayaks so decided to bite the bullet.

Stability as a tandem is pretty solid even when getting close to the max weight capacity. There's no covered storage or bungees but the available space and storage straps are more than enough for day-trips. It's shorter than a lot of tandems but there is ample room for two people without clanking paddles... and I'm 6'4" so space is often a hot commodity.

I actually like it even more now using it as a solo boat. The center seat area for solo paddling is a little more narrow than the tandem seating areas but the kayak is so wide it's barely noticeable. The reduced weight of going solo allows it to glide on the water; incredibly stable and pretty dang fast. Water often comes over the side in tandem-mode but hardly at all when going solo.

Additional benefits: very lightweight for the size, durable, lots of foot wells to accommodate different body sizes.

Overall a great choice for beginner/intermediate tandem-riders or a larger solo.

My experience was a positive one with this kayak. We took it out in the Gulf of Mexico it was very easy to maneuver. The seats were postioned perfectly highbacks very comfortable ride. Would not recommend for fishing too crowded with 2 people.

I give it four stars only because you do get a bit wet paddling this boat. Loaded up with two people and some gear it sits pretty low in the water. Otherwise, it is an extremely stable boat, the keel helps it track very well, it's big enough that you don't knock paddles when going tandem, easy to handle solo. I used mine everywhere from the Charles River in Mass., at various beaches along the Eastern Seaboard (Rockport, Nahant, Ocean City, NJ) and out on the lake (Lake Ossipee, NH). It does very well on open water but was also quite maneuverable when it needed to be. I had mine from when i was about 13 all the way through college. Got rid of it only because of space constraints once I moved in to an apartment and my parents got sick of it sitting in their garage. Honestly, I miss it.

I have had owned several Ocean kayaks for many years and use them in the ocean kayak surfing, fishing in the ocean, lakes, and rivers. I now have a Malibu Two that is set up for fishing with my wife or by myself. It is the most popular brand that you see rigged for fishing the Chesapeake Bay area that I fish. The stability is a key in the bay. The price is also competitive to get a versatile Kayak. When I have sold my others, they have sold in 1 hr.

I bought this kayak as a general purpose kayak to serve 3 purposes:
1) Solo lake fishing.
2) Family paddling with myself and my two kids.
3) Abalone diving in Northern California.

I never tried number 3, so I can't speak to that. As to number 1, it's almost unusable. I weigh 210 lbs, and when I sit in the middle seat (which isn't much of a seat), the boat tracks horribly. When I add cargo and kids it tracks a little better, but it's no comparison to tandem sit inside kayaks.

The kayak also comes with virtually nothing. You need to buy seats, and I suggest spending some money there. The cargo straps aren't thought out well at all. They're too short to hold anything. The cargo area behind the rear seat is so oddly shaped that you can't put a tackle box or a lunch box or a soft side cooler there. The three Gaspachi hatches might be nice if you want to spend the $60 each per cover.
You can't seem to add a rudder to it, and it truly needs one.

I must admit that my kids love it, and they won't let me sell it. I throw one up front, one behind me, and strap everything down between us. We look so ridiculous, that other members of my family refer to us as "The Green Garbage Barge".

If you're in the market for something for kids and a little lake play, just go to Costco or Wal-Mart and grab whatever cheap tandem sit on top they have. You'll save money, and you won't notice any performance difference.

I'll reserve judgment as to its performance on the Ocean as I've yet to try that. I don't see how it will track on the ocean though.

We are an adventure outfitter and this kayak is a blessing! The ability to paddle it both single and double is awesome! We deal with a lot of larger clientele, so the size of the Malibu II is great!

We recently took two of these to our River Park and had such a great time Enjoyed the River with Flat waters kayaking, These would be Great for fishing if we Had Straps to hold the poles as we did have a few tip overs but only because one or the other Leaned to far over - lol! They served the purpose and the kids enjoyed the ride to see the River and enjoy the Trip. There's islands close by for exploring and the kayaks are an easy way to get there

I just rented one of these beauties to go down a local river. Had a TON of fun on this boat, tracked well, maneuvered well and room to move around. We fit myself and a friend and her 6 year old.

Only reason I didn't give a full 10 is because the place we rented from sealed the dry storage hatches for safety(?) and with 3 of us plus kid stuffs...I was quite cramped in the back holding it all and I am almost 6' tall. Other then that, was a great trip!

We really like this boat. We bought (very) cheap kayaks last summer, which got us into the sport. I wanted a more versatile kayak that I could take in the ocean bays in RI & MA. My old kayak didn't have any sort of keel, so it couldn't handle waves (even small ones on a calm day on an ocean cove).

This kayak can handle quite a bit. We are a family of 4, two kids aged 3 and 6. All 4 of us were able to ride in the Malibu 2 for an ocean paddle in a cove/bay. We bought scupper plugs, which help prevent water from coming into the boat. I saw other reviewers saying this boat cannot handle the advertised weight, which isn't true. You just need scupper plugs to keep the water out. Our family weighs 380# all together, and while the boat was a bear for one person to paddle with this much weight, it handled fine. I wouldn't want to spend the entire day in this kayak with the 4 of us, but it was fine for a short trip. We went in a bay in Cape Cod in it. We kayaked to a private beach.

I like sit-on-tops because of the ease getting in and out, and no fears about tipping. It's also easy to mount to a car, because I thread the winch straps through the scupper holes. There's no way it can fall off the car. I cannot cartop any boat alone (I'm 5'2" and weigh 100#), so that's a non-issue for me. I like the fact that this kayak has attached handles on the side (my old boat just had molded-in handles, which were impossible to grasp when flipping the boat over). My husband and I portaged the boat just fine. We live in New England, so this is a summer sport for us, but I'm considering getting a wet suit so I can extend my kayak season.

If you're looking for a versatile family kayak, look no further. This boat is all a good value for the $, in my opinion. It would be nice if it had a dry hatch, but for the $ you can't expect that option. I may add one to this boat (you can add up to 3 small dry hatches) next season so that I have a dry spot for a smartphone & keys. I have a 22" x 16" dry bag for day items. I'd need a larger one for an overnight trip. The boat would also be perfect for 1 person plus gear for an overnight trip too.

I paddled this alone in the center seat, and it handled nicely in a cove. My husband tried to take it in Buzzard's Bay (large ocean bay) on an 8 mile paddle, and had to turn around because of the wind/rough water. It's not a touring sea kayak, but a great all-around fun family boat.

The Malibu Two tracks better than my other kayaks (due to the long keel). We enjoy using this tandem SOT on Barnegat Bay in NJ.

I love this as an obx wave riding vehicle, single or tandem with my sons. Paddle like crazy while you get lifted from behind, the lean way back when you catch the offshore swells or breakers in; turn around and have fun driving straight into the surf on the way back out for more. I've rented and need to buy one now - any good deals out there?

I seldom paddle more then a 1/2 mile or so out and back around Corpus Christi, TX fishing. It is a very stable boat. Speed? I don't know, I have never raced anyone to go fishing. I have only used it solo, but find you can do just as well in the rear seat as the middle seat for this purpose. I love kayaking. I have 7 kayaks, thinking about renting later on. I like the Malibu2 so well that 3 of those 7 Kayaks are Malibu2's.

Out on Lake Pleasant here in Arizona, the Malibu Two was fantastic. It was mostly calm water with occasional swells from motor boats. I sat in the middle position with the basic Ocean Kayak seat,scupper stoppers and Seasense 96" paddles.
I moved quickly through the water and felt very stable throughout the whole trip. I brought my knapsack along and nothing got wet. Saw wild burros and a Great Blue Heron... Life is Good!

I purchased this boat for about $350 at local big-box sporting goods store, mostly because of the price. I had been looking for a single SOT, but the price on this boat was too good to pass up. It came with a Pelican backrest which looked cheap at first, but actually works very well. This boat is heavy. I am 53 years old, 6', about 220 lbs, and it's a chore to try to cartop this thing by myself. Once you get it to the water, however, it's a lot of fun.

Solo paddling: The center seat position is the most comfortable for me. This leaves lots of room for gear if you need to carry it. You can lie down on it, you can stand up on it, you can sit sideways with your feet over the side if you want to. It tracks well on slow sounds and creeks. Moderate wind will affect your ability to keep it pointed where you want it to go. It is reasonably quick if you work hard. It is a bit tough to surf because it's so big and heavy - or maybe because I don't know what I'm doing. The nose wants to point down the face of a wave, and if you let it get too far down, it sometimes throws you out over the nose of the boat. I have to lean pretty far back to keep that from happening. It is not a dry ride in the ocean, your butt's in the water most of the time. It can be almost dry on calm water. Fishing is easy, but I have to mount some rod holders, etc. to really make it work for that. Not a great solo boat, but I knew that going in. But it's actually a lot better than I thought it would be.

Tandem: Don't believe OK's weight rating. My son and I are about 420 lbs together. OK says the boat should carry up to 425 lbs. It will, but the center of the boat's awash if you do, making it difficult to paddle. If you can get going at a decent speed, and get most of the water out of the boat, it works better. If, however, my wife and I use the boat, it works much better - we're farther under that maximum weight. The center of the boat stays out of the water. She has had two hip replacements, but loves the boat. The back or middle seats are more comfortable for her because her legs are a bit lower than her hips. In the front seat, your legs point upward, this is uncomfortable for her. The OK Comfort Backrest does not give her enough support, she prefers the Pelican or a new Wilderness Systems seat we just bought. The boat works very well for small kids. I have a niece and nephew who are 8 and 10. One adult in back with the two of them in the middle and front is a blast. The kids love it, especially riding the waves on it. They don't care if you wipe out!

Recommendation: This boat works well as a solo boat that needs to carry some gear. It works well for fishing, touring, and small to moderate surf. It is very stable. It does not work well as a tandem for two large adults. It does work well as a tandem or tri-yak if only one adult is 200 lbs. It is heavy. Don't buy it unless you can try picking one up at your local dealer, make sure you can handle the weight. Overall, I am happy with the purchase.

Great first kayak. Tried an inflatable and took it back. The Malibu 2 is a keeper. Very stable and forgiving. Lots of leg room. Kind of heavy for solo use, but great for the family.

Great multipurpose boat, if you don't mind getting a bit damp. Paddles well, very stable.

This was my first 'sit-on-top' kayak. Originally purchased it to do tandem kayaking, but never had the chance! My girlfriend wanted a sit-in so we go singles now. I gave it a 9 because this is probably the heftiest and most stable kayak out there. I have not been able to find a replacement in the stability of handling being sideswiped by ocean waves while fishing out in the Gulf of Mexico bay. It will take on any waves, and you can sleep flat on it and fall asleep all at the same time.

The pluses are the stability and expandibility to be used as a tandem, but perfectly fine as a single.

The negative is the weight and size! It is a mother load of a kayak to grab on to and transport, and at 61 LBS, although seems not too much, the mother kayak of all will make you get your knees with a back ache afterwards. For single kayaking, you can find a much better and faster kayak for that purpose. But for stability out in the big ocean, trust in Malibu II!

We rented a Malibu II last summer on Cape Cod and had so much fun with it that we decided to buy one. We live near a large river that empties into Long Island sound and have found it to be a great way to tour the marshes and inlets.

With two adults (about 320 lbs total) it sits lower in the water than I'd like. Because it's a tandem sit-on-top, you'll also want to plan on getting wet when you go out (great in the summer--not so great in the Fall).

My 14-year old son loves to go out in it with me as does my wife.

Do yourself a favor and buy the high-back seats with it. (Your back will thank you!)

Just purchased our first sit on top, a Malibu II, and found it to be terrific! Used it in the Outer Banks for wave surfing and paddling the bays; found it to be able to handle just about anything. Would recommend getting seats for wave surfing. They offer support when you need to hang with a wave. Question... when paddling solo is it recommended to sit mid seat or rear seat. While in the Outer Banks I sat in the mid seat and had some trouble handling some waves especially close to beach. Overall the Malibu II seems like a great kayak.

Great first boat if distance paddling is not a primary concern. Great fishing platform. Able to sit sideways with feet dangling in the water and fish. As a solo paddler, I could put a 48 quart igloo behind me to lean up against for back support and carry the adult beverages and lunch. Plenty of room for tackle boxes in front. My kids enjoyed surfing it on the Texas Gulf. Strong points are stability and capacity, weakness is speed.

I really like this boat for just about every purpose. I'll give it a 9 overall, but I would give it a 10, hands down, for tandem or solo fun in the surf.

For diving: The Malibu Two was not particularly designed from the start as a dive platform but is easily tranformed into a great dive kayak for the larger diver with the addition of sufficient eyelets, bungies, and tethers for securing all your gear.

For surfing: This kayak is simply more fun than should be legal in the surf! I've had it out in 8' surf paddling tandem and a few times in 7' surf as a solo paddler. Either way it is absolutely a blast to paddle and surf! Paddling tandem, you can litterally catch every wave. Sitting solo in the rear-most seat position, you can take a sideways hit from just about any wave and recover to make several S-Turns on the face. About the only trick you need to know to surf the M2 is to never lean the boat. Stay seated upright with the kayak level in all situations and you will be surprised at what you can do with this most forgiving and easy to surf kayak!

For touring: OK, so there are a few faster boats out there for touring, but none that offer this much stability, durability, and maneuverability!

This was my first boat. It was great for the twisty overgrown Florida rivers. I never knew how slow it was until I tried to keep up with a group. I'd recommend it for people who like to paddle alone. It is a good "first" boat. I've since gone on to glass boats with are lighter and faster.

We live in Coconut Grove, a Miami neighborhood close to the water. We had an Ocean Kayak Malibu II, but it walked, along with its lock and chain, at just about the same time our house was tented for termites –and- our next door neighbors, renters, left for parts unknown. Hmmm... The MII was at best a fair two-paddler craft, but with a wide beam, it got a lot of its contact surface wet and wasn’t fast at all. It WILL provide an excellent workout, though, especially for a solo paddler. There’s little back support in the two main seats, virtually none in the center –the kiddie or solo paddler -seat, so good seats with plenty of lower- and mid-back support is absolutely required for anything beyond 15 minutes off the beach and back. No handles are provided, ad though it only weighs 65#, it’s a real hands full, awkward handle to wrestle onto a cartop carrier. I finally went out and bought two simple heavy duty brass cabinet pulls and screwed them into the Malibu II amidships to lift the thing overhead and carry it much more easily. All in all, despite its shortcomings, its not all that bad a boat for easy days at the beach for couples who don’t have either the money or energy to paddle two boats and accessories. I rate it a 6 out of 10, but my wife says give it a 7.

Entry Level sit on top seats up to 3 people. Really two adults and one kid. Can be paddled as a single. Very stable even in swells. Not a fast boat and turns slow, but that can be expected in a boat of this type. This boat works well for beginner family paddlers. Serious paddlers should consider a longer boat. Boats can be stacked easily as they fit into one another. If you have a family and want to just knock around you will find this boat a great value.