NEXT

Let me start by saying.. I LOVE this canoe! I am a life long kayaker but last year I decided I wanted to start fishing in the smaller lakes & streams in my area. Unfortunately my touring kayaks were allot less than ideal. I started to look for a canoe when I discovered the Next. It claimed to offer all the benefits of a canoe but with a kayak feel. I bought it with only a modicum of hesitation. Boy am I glad I did!
I have only used one of my 260cm (I'm 6'4" tall) kayak paddles to paddle it but I swear this boat has changed my life. Its every bit as comfortable & in several cases more comfortable than my kayaks. She tracks straight & is incredibly nimble on the water. And fast too, I can easily keep up with buddies who are in kayaks. An added plus is the seat slides back & forth about 8" giving you the ability to trim her on the water. While she handles moderate wind well, in a heavy blow you've got your work cut out for you. I cant imagine any canoe doing better in high wind though. I love the handling of this boat so much it has replaced my kayaks for casual paddles & day tripping. If you are a consummate kayaker but want the "pickup truck" utility of a canoe, don't hesitate a moment, buy the Next!

I love my Next. I lead river clean-ups, and want to start paddle camping. I have loaded my Next with river trash, to where there was only 2" above water. The Next continued to handle well. It is very durable. Paddling over rocks is unavoidable, and the river-rash is not deep.

So far so good. I've had mine for two years with no issues and been on the water at minimum of once or twice a week. It's exactly what I expected in a hybrid type of water craft. A little tippy at first but once you realize that your sitting comfortably in a small canoe that tracks and paddles like a kayak everything changes. Don't get me wrong, I love canoe paddles but this thing is narrow enough to handle a good kayak paddle which I highly recommend for this boat. The seat is very comfortable. I've been kayaking and canoeing most of my life (55 yrs old, 6'4" and 245lbs) and always wanted something smaller the has many uses and storage for almost any adventure I throw in it. The Next has solved my problems. I will still paddle my other yaks but I will no longer be using my regular canoe. Old Town stepped up their game with this boat.

I purchased the Next Old Town 13' Hybrid last month and after making the purchase I came across reviews complaining about the seat falling out of it's holder system. This is my third Old Town Product. I also have a 12' Dirigo Kayak and a 12' Loon. If I had seen the review prior to my purchasing the Next I probably would not have bought it. The engineers screwed up big time on this one letting this vessel go into production without correcting their seat issue. On the maiden voyage down the South Branch of the AuSable River in Michigan the seat fell out of the track within 3 seconds. I put it back in and tightened the strap that goes underneath the seat only to have it immediately fall out of the track again. I finally just took the seat out of the track system and set in on the floor and continued the trip. The seat did put some minor gouges into the floor of my brand new vessel. The next day I called Old Town and their fix to this problem was to send me another strap to add to the underneath of the seat. I told them to keep their strap because if it was not a fixed metal brace it's not going to correct the problem. I should add that I weigh 220 lbs. I then asked whomever I was on the phone with from Old Town if they would void my warranty if I drilled it and through bolted it. He said "no" so that it was I did. When you through bolt it as I did the back rest can no longer be folded forward to lay on the seat. It is now a stationary back rest. I purchased this vessel because I wanted the cargo capacity it offered without giving up the manueverability of my Dirigo. This hull does offer that. I would also like to add the whomever put the screws in for the foot rails on the starboard side of my Next slipped the drill out of the screw and burred little circles into the outer finish of my Next about an inch and 1/2 long. When I let Old Town know about my dissapointment in this vessel they pretty much said "Sorry, here is our solution, fix it yourself". I have always felt that when you pay for front row seats you should get front row seats. Very dissappointed in Old Town / Johnson Outdoors in how they have handled this situation.

I've had the NEXT out 8 times this season and so far it's been a great boat. I have yet to get it on a river, but plan to. It's easy to paddle, its shape lends well to efficiency. It's heavy for its size but feels extremely durable. The seat is ok for me for about 2 hours at a time. It's never come unmounted but I weigh 150 so I'm not flexing the boat much. Looking at the seat, I expected it to be more comfortable than it is for me.

This boat has gotten some looks at the public lakes I've taken it to. A guy wanted to rent it. lol. I was walking back to the boat to haul it back to the jeep and he was standing next to the NEXT. As I got to the boat he asked me if I was going to be renting it. I said, " nope, but I am going to take it home." The guy looked confused as I picked up the boat and put it on my shoulder and walked back up the trail.

On the water, the boat dances left and right under semi hard to hard paddling. Seems to track to the right mostly as well. I've got to go an extra stroke on the right side about every 5 cycles to keep it going straight in calm water/ winds. Being right handed I expected a pull to the left. Not sure why it's so right biased. Seems fast to me also. It doesn't take but a few strokes to get to top speed. I was actually very pleasantly surprised about the speed for only being 13ft long.

Overall, it's a nice little boat that needs a diet. I wish Old Town offered a carbon or other exotic material, make this same size/design sub 30lbs.

No doubt about it, The NEXT is a great ride, except for the "thunk" you get when the bar supporting the back of the seat falls out of its connector. I tightened the strap, but it can only be pulled so tight.
Now trying to use a rope to pull the back rails closer together.

Frankly, I don't trust it enough to take it out in more than a calm day. Considering the cost of the thing, you might expect more.

The Next canoe is an excellent boat. It has a lot of space for load gear (204 kg max. Capacity).

Stable, easy to paddle (I was using a traditional single blade paddle) this canoe can be fast. The seat add some weight but is so confortable. I had days plus 40 kms to cover close to 260 kms. without any problem with the boat.

I am sure that this canoe is a good choice for solo expedition.

I worried that I'd have trouble getting in and out of the craft, but that hasn't been the case. Though I'm not as spry or flexible as I once was, the larger, very supportive seat makes it easier to settle into the boat. And once seated, the ride is super comfortable! Easy to paddle, too, and surprisingly nimble and quick. And I can pull the Next up onto my dock with very little effort since it is so light. Honestly, it has been pure pleasure to get back out on the water, after so many years of not being able to (because of my arthritis.) THANK YOU, Old Town, for creating such a wonderful boat.
I love my Next.

For comparison purposes, my wife and I used to a 17', 47 pound Ally skin and frame canoe. We use it travelling around the country in a truck camper. We decided we wanted hard shell options for local paddling, with more comfortable seating, and considered kayaks, as we tried a tandem in the UP and enjoyed it. At our age, though, getting in and out wasn't the easiest thing. So after reading up on a few options, we thought the Next canoe would be a good compromise - and after about four times out on a lake - 1-2 hours each time - here are our observations.

The seats are extremely comfortable. They are adjustable and the back support is nice. The lower seats make getting up a little more difficult, but not problematical. Younger people will have no issue. The seats are, in realty, not very adjustable. The tracks the seats are on are not parallel, but bow with the shape of the boat. Slide the seats forward, and the plastic cups supporting the seat separate, and the seat falls out of the cup and off the track. Definitely a design problem which could be easily repaired at the factory. I also worry about the durability of the plastic cups. The open canoe design definitely helps our boarding and egress of the the craft.

We are getting used to the doubled bladed paddles. In fact, we've been using them on our Ally with great delight. The Next tracks well we are paddling, except in in medium to strong wind, but we are learning to compensate for the wind. On a windless day, we find we are moving along fairly well for our lack of experience with a kayak. It maneuvers exceptionally well. It doesn't track well when gliding, but begins moving in a short circle. Problematical even on the windless day. Wonder if a skeg would alleviate the problem? The problem might be aggravated by the fact we can't move the seats forward as advertised.

We've definitely noticed the weight difference - but we are not planning on portaging, and have wheels for transporting them from car to launch area. we modified a utility trailer for transport - though I doubt we will take the trailer on our cross country trips. We are getting what we wanted from them - exercise and comfortable seating. If we are looking at longer flat water trips, the Ally would still be our first choice.

We debated keeping the Nexts. We bought them untested from REI when they had a sale price of $749, and REI has a generous return policy - so we knew we could get our money back. We have so far kept them - it's been about a month, but done so a bit grudgingly. We can deal with the weight, I can add a skeg or rudder for the glide problem, and may be able to move the seats forward using spacers to keep the seat from popping out of the cups, assuming the cups will hold up.

So, I give it an 8: it didn't meet our expectations completely, but our expectations may not have been realistic based on out experiences with the Ally. But it has some issues I did not expect, given OT's reputation. But, given what we wanted from our purchase, these might well be the best option.

It is adequate for lake canoeing, although there is a learning curve to keep it tracking straight and dry in adverse conditions. Speed is fine with the Old Town kayak paddle, less effective with a canoe paddle and impossible (for me) with a Greenland paddle. The seat is comfortable over the short term (several hours) but numbness sets in thereafter. I use a marine seat cushion to raise the paddling height, well worth the loss of stability to be higher for paddling as well as easier entry and exit.

It is an ok product, however I would suggest a long test paddle and confirming your comfort level carrying overhead and on your shoulder before purchasing.

I love how fast and maneuverable my Next is and my friends can't get over the speed I have. It doesn't track as well as the kayaks my friends have but I can tell you that they all have said they would rather have my Next. I don't think the seat could be more comfortable. It is outstanding! I had read review of issues with seats popping out but the strap under the seat seems to alleviate the problem. I have had zero problems and have been out in the water for hours and remember I'm fat.

In regard to the weight of Next, it is much lighter than the SOT kayaks I had been trialing so I am very pleased. You would not make a mistake in making this your "next" canoe/kayak.

The good part is that once I found the correct position of the chair to get better trim it was responsive and quick.

The bad part is that, with my bad knees, I found entering and exiting the canoe to be very difficult. Wish it had a higher seat. But it is already a little tippy. The other thing is it sits low in the water with very little clearance from the gunnel to the surface. Not paying attention to a big wake could swamp the thing.

Another issue that I was disappointed with was the tracking. As long as I paddled, the boat tracked extremely well, but as soon as I would lay my paddle down and reach for my fishing rod, the boat would turn has if I had turned a rudder. Hopefully I'll fix this problem with a drag chain.

Love the idea behind this boat, but seriously wonder if any field testing took place. The Next was very easy for me to transport and even the seat provided good padding for my head while transporting. The jury is still out since this was only my first trip with the Next, but for now, I'm slightly disappointed in my purchase, but I see promise with a Second Generation Next.

I can't compare it to other single seat canoes because I never paddled one. The Camden feels a little faster and catches the wind less but that is only going by "butt dyno". The Next is light years ahead of the Radesson I have.

The Next will spin on a dime and goes just as easily backwards as forwards. Glides better than the kayaks, for me, and is really a lot of fun. Stability seems fine for me though that is subjective. Secondary stability is excellent, I leaned on the sides(within reason) and couldn't get it to take on water. I am glad I spent the extra coin and did not get a kayak.

I let my son, age 9, take it out. He paddled it without a problem and even sat in the middle of the lake spinning it around (he thinks I need to get him one now).

I'll give it a 9 until I can get my hands on a similar hull to compare it to.

The hull shape is smooth and elegant, without the drag-creating bulges, grooves and indentations many recreational kayaks have to produce initial stability or straight tracking. The three-layer polyethylene seems durable and resilient, although it will get scratched when going through shallows with a gravel bottom or beaching. The craft is easy to transport, and can be loaded and unloaded from a vehicle by one person without much trouble. I would not, however, want to portage it far. While 50 lbs is not 65, it is 50 lbs.

I have paddled mine in swift-moving water and on lakes, on windy days and on calm ones, and found it up to each task, although paddling into strong currents takes concentration to keep the boat straight. I carry both a double paddle and a single one. He double one helps to more easily keep up with a group of kayaks, and the single one allows for a quieter (and drier) paddling experience when you want to sneak up on wildlife or just listen to sounds other than the ones your paddling creates. If you paddle alone it is an excellent cruising boat. If you paddle with kayaks, you will not find yourself in the front of the pack but, unless you are racing, you can keep up.

It strikes a comfortable balance between tracking and maneuverability, but takes some attention to weight distribution to glide straight for very far — it is easy to find yourself facing a different direction by the time you get your camera out even on still water and without wind. It has a comfortably degree of tippiness, enough to make you think carefully before trying to stand up in it. It would take a good bit of practice and good balance to paddle it from a standing position, but I'm sure it can be done.

My boat had two production issues which the factory addressed upon request. One of the seams of the seat tore the first time I used it, having been sewn too close to the edge of the fabric. A replacement seat on its way from Old Town will remedy that. The second issue was more of a result of design. The removable seat structure is suspended from plastic u-shaped fittings. When under weight and under way the fittings at the back of the seat flex and splay out, resulting a couple of times in one corner of the seat popping out and falling to the floor. To address this Old Town sent me a web strap to connect the two sides of the mounting bracket together and prevent the splaying. It works perfectly.

The seating on this boat is outstanding. You can spend the day in it and not come out with a sore back or backside. However, the seat mount is plastic and tends to bow out... time will tell if this is a weak spot in the design. You sit low like in a sit on top kayak but you don't get the wet butt. You can get in and out without being a contortionist like you would in a sit in kayak. Add to that the room of an open canoe with the speed and handling of a kayak and this is a winning combination.

This boat is 29" wide 13' long and 50 lbs. If I sound like I'm impressed it's because I am. This is the best boat I've had. And I've had lots. It does everything I want to do. I fish from it and have even added a trolling motor mount for days I don't want to paddle.

Mount the motor, slip the adjustable seat forward and put the battery behind me. I can camp out of it with lots of room to spare. I can even sit sidewise and drag my feet in the water like I do on a sit on top.

Yes, I like this boat. No regrets.

I was really impressed with the performance. Also got to run in the wake of some boats going too fast (no wake area) Not a problem. Hugging 563 on the south side I got to try some calm water. Its a keeper.

Likes - seat is super comfortable, low CG, handling.
Dislikes - seat mounting plates - it's adjustable - their is a tension strap running perpendicular to help keep the left and right from separating - only time will tell if this is good/bad. Seat holders - plastic- may fatigue over time - again time has to pass to see if it works or not.

I like the quick release pins for to remove the seat. I like the width (26" at my thighs). Being 6'1 I was able to push out with my legs and hold the Next like a Kayak to pivot turn faster. Yet it's wide enough that on the calm lazy day I get plenty of air circulation.

I don't like the lack of a yoke. As I approach 50 I want all the help I can (Next weighs in around 59 without the seat). I get it - can't have a yoke with the seat and I am afraid to try to use the seat as a yoke but may eventually try it later.

Lastly the pedals - typical Kayak stuff which if you use as designed should be fine. I found that a side push causes a twist in the bracket and hull that could eventually lead to failure so always push straight on the pedals - just a training issue.

What would make it better - Royalex! Come on industry get this one together! The hardest part of the day - getting the straps over the Next while on top of my Subaru. 20+ mph winds