13' 6"
Length
31.5"
Width (in)
60
Weight (lb)
$799.99
MSRP

Twin Heron Description

The Twin Heron is a truly unique tandem kayak. Featuring the innovative Auto Trim Hull, the Twin Heron is a tandem that performs well when paddled solo. The Auto Trim Hull is designed to prevent the bow from popping up when someone is seated solo in the stern seat. And, if that’s not enough, you can completely remove the front seat making it perfect for your dog to ride along or easy access to your hunting or fishing gear. The Twin Heron is a great option for the outdoors family looking for a versatile craft

Twin Heron Specs and Features

  • Structure: Rigid / Hard Shell
  • Cockpit Type: Sit Inside
  • Seating Configuration: Tandem
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult, Larger Adult
  • Seating Configuration: Tandem
  • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult, Larger Adult

Additional Attributes

  • Adjustable Comfort Flex seat with padding\
  • Removable front seat
  • Auto Trim hull
  • Carrying Handles
  • Cup holders
  • Paddle Holder
  • Rear bungees

Old Town Canoe and Kayak
Twin Heron Reviews

Read reviews for the Twin Heron by Old Town Canoe and Kayak 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

I was between a kayak or a…

Submitted by: paddler111 on 7/11/2022

I was between a kayak or a canoe, I couldn't decide.. I wanted the space and stability of the canoe, but the weight of a kayak. This was exactly that. If you look at it as a more comfortable canoe like hybrid, rather then a kayak, it's amazing. Some of the comments online are pretty petty. No dry wells was fine with me, I have dry bags. Plus it has plenty of covered storage space in the front and rear, un like a canoe, Bonus!! . It paddles amazing solo! I kept her straight as an arrow, and the water was choppy too. I took my two 50 pound dogs in there and they loved it. They walked up and down the cockpit, and the boat was soooo steady. The front seat removes with ease with twist off screws. I am 6 ' 210 pounds and i handled this thing with ease... It's light enough to carry solo, and easy to handle. I'm a wildlife photographer and needed and stable easy to move boat to get me around boddies of water, both alone, and with clients. So I needed my craft to be stable, and this is it. I love the huge cockpit!! Well done Old Town, you made a customer out of me with this one...

3

Just purchased this boat in…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 5/6/2021

Just purchased this boat in Moncton at the Kayak Exchange. It is low to the water which is good for fishing. This is one of the only positive features which is disapointing when one considers the cost. This boat has no storage compartments so be sure to tie in what you take on your trip. It moves horribly through water. It is heavy and does not track well at all

1

Terrible boat! Will not ever,…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 6/19/2020
Terrible boat! Will not ever, under any circumstances track straight and I’ve tried exhaustively with both 1 and 2 paddlers. Handles totally suck and will break your wrists if you use them. Drag keel might be completely gone after 10-15 short drags. Totally dissatisfied for the money. For $399? Great starter tandem, but for $800? No freakin way!
5

I've had mine going on…

Submitted by: paddler492894 on 3/12/2019

I've had mine going on 4yrs..I bought it mainly for the opportunity to take my Furry Family! We Have a Blast...I take out the front seat. I have a nice thick pad I place inside so they are stable and sure footed..I added decking and padding to the bow so they can layout if they wish.. Plenty of room for gear when we do an overnighter..Stable and manuverable with no Bow lift when I'm in the back... Now I looking at Old Town's new line of Touring kayaks for me... Just don't tell these guys!

5

We picked up our Twin Heron…

Submitted by: Bear-Mesa on 5/30/2018

We picked up our Twin Heron at the Old Town factory in Maine and couldn't wait to get it on the water! The Twin Heron is a great choice for a couple wanting to spend time together in nature. The kayak handles easily on lakes and quiet streams. At 60 some pounds it is easy to handle getting to the water and travels well on top of an SUV. Once in the water the Twin Heron tracks very well and is exceptionally stable (a real plus if you are interested in photography or fishing.) The seats are comfortable for longer trips and plenty of storage space. The only drawbacks I've found are the lack of any built in dry storage or tiedowns in the cockpit. Both can be easily remedied with a dry bag and stick on anchor points. The Twin Heron handles my wife and I along with our 2 dogs no problem. An added advantage is the ability to remove the front seat and paddle solo. Old Town designed the kayak trim well with only one paddler. The Twin Heron is an excellent choice for a family recreational kayak.

5

We picked up our Twin Heron…

Submitted by: Bear-Mesa on 11/30/2017

We picked up our Twin Heron at the Old Town factory on a trip to Maine in October 2015. Didn't have a chance to use it much on that trip but have put it into many lakes and streams here in Tennessee since. This October we returned to Maine and explored several of the lakes in Acadia. My wife and I are in our 60's and really enjoy the stability and comfort of the Twin Heron. I have no problem loading it on top of the Pathfinder and paddling with my wife and our 2 dogs is exceptionally easy. I take photos on our trips and found that with a little effort (and peaceful dogs) the majority of my pictures are usable. Seating is comfortable, kayak tracks well, and there is adequate room even with the dogs. A dry hatch would be nice but dry bags and boxes for the camera take care of the problem. After 2 years with the Twin Heron my biggest regret is not getting one sooner!

4

I deliberated for the better…

Submitted by: paddler237130 on 9/20/2016
I deliberated for the better part of two months before purchasing the Twin Heron online, and I am confident I made the right choice. I knew I wanted a tandem, but one that would paddle well solo, so I had the flexibility of being able to fish, carry camping gear, carry another paddler, etc. Most tandems I looked at were 14ft+, and going on close to 100lbs.

The Twin Heron at 60lbs is very easy for me to move on my own, and the 13.5' length tracks great, but doesn't feel cumbersome in the slightest. The only thing you give up with this kayak is dry storage hatches/bulkheads. There aren't any. That said, if you're going solo and have some dry bags, the front storage is more than adequate in the cockpit and it does handle even better with front weight.

I'm marking it down 1 point for the lack of sealed storage, and the lack of a drain which I will be adding using the OT drain kit in the near future. Overall, for the price, the quality, construction and handling is hard to beat.

5

The 13.5 ft tandem Twin Heron…

Submitted by: Canaltowne on 9/2/2016
The 13.5 ft tandem Twin Heron 2015 model is a basic angler kayak. It came with 2 cannon rod holders, no deck rigging . The cockpit rim should have been glued on, mine is not. That being said, I bought it so I had room to take my Labradors paddling with me. I removed the front seat to give plenty of room. The back seat is comfortable. This Heron tracks really good, whether my dog is forward or right in front of me. My dogs are just learning and move around a bit, and have jumped overboard and I've pulled them back in, and it remained steady. It has room for & aft for coolers or other equipment.

I highly recommend this kayak if you want a good tracking, steady, dog-friendly, plenty-of-room kayak.

4

Just bought the Twin Heron…

Submitted by: xmsmiller on 8/24/2016
Just bought the Twin Heron and have had it out twice (if you count the try-before-you-buy outing). Handles smoothly for the two of us. It's advertised as an acceptable solo kayak also, and although I've only tried it on a short loop around the lake without any real wind, so far so good. I might add some foam thigh pads if I do a lot of solo activity. A pack, cooler or young grandchild in the front seat would probably trim it out a little better.

At 60 lbs it's easy enough to heft onto a roof rack. My wife isn't real comfortable on the water (poor swimmer) yet she likes how it handles and feels safe in it. Maybe after we use it more I'll think to give it a 10

4

I bought my Twin back in…

Submitted by: tmcblane on 9/16/2015
I bought my Twin back in April 2014. Used it to take the wife and dog out on the water as she didn't like going out in a solo kayak. This boat is awesome! Very stable and steers well. Even with just a single person in it handles very well. A little weight in the front helps the wandering a bit by bringing the front end down. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a twin. The local lake uses nothing but the Twin Heron for all their doubles!
4

I bought my Old Town Twin…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 6/1/2015
I bought my Old Town Twin Heron tandem in January 2015, but held off on submitting a review until now, after I had the opportunity to put it to the test. This is my first kayak, but previously had a We no nah Minnesota II Kevlar.

I took the Twin Heron out a half dozen times on a few local lakes and it did well. Well enough for me to take it to the BWCAW for a week. I paddled the BWCAW solo, but traveled in a pair. My travel partner was in a Kevlar prism. The Twin Heron performed flawlessly!

I chose the Twin Heron, as my first kayak, because I wanted something that had cargo capacity for a weeklong wilderness trip, yet was stable for me to take my four year old daughter out locally, AND sturdy enough to use for float trips on Missouri rivers and streams. Those requirements, in my mind, ruled out anything Kevlar. With my previous Minnesota II, it was not designed for, and I was unable to use put it to the abuse that comes with floating rivers around here. Coming in at 49 lbs (with front seat) the Twin Heron seemed manageable enough to portage, is made of poly so it is durable for float trips, and has a 500lb capacity.

As far as performance, it glided smoothly through the water and tracked very well. I removed the front seat, for space, but I did find it necessary to stow one of my bags as far forward in the bow as possible for weight distribution. Without that forward stowage, it seemed the trim was off and it did feel a little like I was paddling a barge when I encountered any chop.

For stability, there were never any waves or chop that even slightly created a feeling of instability. Even when on the entry point lake, where there were motors, the wake from the motorboats had little effect. However, it goes without saying that I did quarter into the wake.

With regard to comfort, we traveled an estimated 36 miles during the week, and there were no issues. The padded seat was comfortable and the adjustable foot rests allowed me to change positions as needed. The big question in my mind was going to be portaging. For frame of reference, I am 44 y.o. and in decent shape. Our trip included three meaningful portgages. 75 rods, 180 rods, and 200 rods. there were a number of short 25 to 35 rod portages. The prototypical kayak portage is over one shoulder. I was able to portage fine, but I have a few comments:
i) I used a short piece of swim noodle on the gunwale to pad my shoulder;
ii) the lower gunwale cut across my hip quite uncomfortably- at first I used my rain gear as a pad to protect my hip, but that was cumbersome. After some trial and error, I figured out that if I placed my rain pants over my belt that the lower gunwale would rest perfectly on my belt resulting in a good weight distribution between my hips and shoulder. However, this only worked on my right side and not left (not sure why). Of course, each person's physical build, and therefore comfort, will be different so it will require trial and error. Once I got it figured out, it was no problem.

I will not hesitate to take the Twin Heron to the BWCAW again. Two things I will try though, between now and then: First, I will try to use a portaging yoke for over the head portaging and see how that works; and second, I will find an actual belt hook/clip to support the lower gunwale.

Overall, it was a great craft for me because of the flexibility I want for the once or year wilderness trip, and the more frequent local use. Large capacity and stability mean more to me that the infrequent portaging use.

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