Heron 9XT

Got this 3 summers ago after giving the old Otter to my daughter. I keep it on my powerboat and use it regularly to fish and explore backwaters. Lots of nice upgrades with the Heron (adjustable backrest, foot pegs, rear hatch). Tracking is about the same as the Otter but it feels better because of the pegs. I often use a spray skirt and it helps greatly to maintain a dry cockpit. The only gripe I really have is the paddle holder, which broke after less than a year. I added a Scotty rod holder and it works well.

I have owned a pair of Old Town Heron 9XT kayaks since May of 2014. And for the last several summers, I’ve enjoyed launching them on local Missouri lakes for a few hours of paddling and relaxing on the water. I’m a 5’5” mid-40s woman, and have no issue hefting these boats into the back of my truck or onto the roof of my car to transport them. And once on the water, the Old Town Heron 9XT is a very comfortable ride. The extra seat padding and roomy cockpit, along with the adjustable foot pegs, are all excellent features. And the covered storage compartment behind the seat is just the right size to hold a small soft side cooler with some beverages and snacks. The only thing I would change about the boat — I would add some bungees to the front so you could slide your shoes under them while you row. Otherwise, I’m very pleased with this purchase and would buy again. Highly recommend.

Loved the look and features of this canoe,but would not track straight at all. Spent much effort to arrive at destination on a small calm lake. Ended up returning it and got a Perception 9.6 at about half the price and it soars through the water.

I love this kayak. Suitable for big guys and smaller gals. Handles well on a lake or a river. Stable and durable. I can easily fit my 2 small dogs with me and room for a drink. The seat and back rest are very comfortable. I like it for fishing and just touring around.

Got this two months ago at Cabelas. I liked the size and looks (sunrise). The quality is excellent, you see it in the seat, bulkhead cover, handles, thigh pads and adjustable foot pegs. The bulkhead seems watertight. I can easily paddle upstream and straight on slow moving rivers, it's reasonably quick. The tradeoff is that it gets easily pushed around by mild currents in shallow water, but in a way that's part of the fun.

Not hard to paddle straight once you get used to it. It's very stable and holds lots of stuff. It goes and turns like a little sports car. Not really a long distance cruiser, but still fairly versatile.
Overall lots of fun.

Gave my daughter the OLD Otter (which I enjoyed for 12 years) and the Heron 9XT is a nice upgrade. It's not a long distance boat but the seat is extremely comfortable ,the rear hatch is handy but not perfectly watertight. Paddle holder came apart and needs to get fixed. I put rod holders on the deck and now it's a great fishing platform,too! I keep this kayak in the cockpit of my cabin cruiser (it fits nicely) and use it often when at anchor to explore the skinny water. This yak is tough as nails. Definitely a keeper....

I bought the Heron 9XT because I wanted a small and light kayak that I could easy take out on the water by myself. It has a large cockpit, larger than others I looked at which makes it very easy to get in and out. The larger cockpit also lets you easily stretch or change positions while you are on the water. The seat and knee guards are comfortable and having a sealed stern hatch is a bonus. It is very stable.

The kayak is a shorter than many. This is a trade-off. The shorter length makes it light and easy to get on the water but it also requires a little more skill to paddle in a straight line.
It does not come with any chords to tie down gear (except for a paddle holder). I plan on adding some myself later.