Vapor 12 XTS Description

The Vapor 12 XTS is a kayak brought to you by Old Town Canoe and Kayak. Read Vapor 12 XTS reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!

Old Town Canoe and Kayak
Vapor 12 XTS Reviews

Read reviews for the Vapor 12 XTS 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!

Embed these reviews on your site

4

I had one of these and kind…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 3/20/2014
I had one of these and kind of regret selling it. It was a perfect kayak to store lots of gear in and was great for fishing out of. It was also very stable (I never flipped it). I even took it through some mild class III water and it did pretty well.

One thing I did not like about it was the rudder in the back (which is there to help it track straight) it kept me from turning quickly when I needed to make a last minute turn.
I would recommend this kayak to a friend.

5

I purchased two Old Town 12…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 11/15/2013
I purchased two Old Town 12 XTS Kayaks online from Cabela's. They shipped them to me and when I unwrapped them, one had a smooth finish but the other had a finish like sandpaper. In my opinion, this will not make for easy paddling and is a defect. I requested an exchange for a kayak with the proper finish from Cabela's and was told that the manufacture said that is normal because sometimes they come out of the mold rough. I was told that since this does not effect the kayak in the water, they will not exchange it.

I asked to speak to a manager and he exchanged the boat with no problem. I guess the first person I talked to did not fully understand that the company values it's reputation...

4

I have been paddling this…

Submitted by: kayakphotos on 9/6/2011
I have been paddling this model for several months now. While it is not perfect, I feel like it is a very nice rec boat for the price. To be honest, I wanted to get a Pungo 120 but didn't have the money to buy the boat plus all of the needed accessories. Found this one on craigslist for a nice price and have been pleased so far.

I think it is important to consider your needs when looking for your first kayak. The vapor has a very large cockpit and is fairly wide. This makes for great stability; I find the primary and secondary stability to both be excellent. It is also easy to get into due to the large cockpit. The downside is that water from the paddle will usually get you wet and in anything above class II you are going to get flooded without a skirt. You will also need a skirt during the colder months. I was willing to make this compromise since I paddle with a 4 year old and the large cockpit provides plent of space for the both of us. If it was just me I would probably go with something like a dirigo. I look at this as an all purpose kayak with the strengths leaning towards flat water and class II and below rivers. If you are looking for an all purpose boat that's strength is more in the river department I would recommend something like the liquid logic xp series.

Here is a pro and con list.

Pros:
Great stability. Nice sized cockpit with easy entry. Tracking is very good. Day well in back is handy and the cover keeps stuff dry as long as you don't capsize. Price is reasonable for the quality. Foot pegs are easily adjustable and mine have never moved on me if I didn't want them too. Seat adjusts pretty easy.

Cons:
Turning takes some effort due to longer length. Seat not very comfortable (for me). I find myself wanting to get up for a bit after 2 or 3 hours. Not terrible but could be better. Doesn't track as nice as longer boats. Day well in back not really sealed good enough if the boat rolls. I keep my stuff in a dry bag.