We have the 2019 model that…
Submitted by:
paddler872446
on 9/11/2020
We have the 2019 model that includes the self bailing floor. First off, we love this kayak. It tracks straight and is very stable. Plenty of room for two people, a dog and a cooler of snacks. It's not the fastest, but it is very easy to paddle. My boyfriend and I are both smaller folks, but we haven't had any trouble getting wet from the self bailing floor. The drop stitch floor sits above it, so even when some water seeps up, our bottoms stay dry. And we appreciate the self bailing floor if there is some chop and waves splash into the boat. It really is not much effort to set up, and storage and transport is so easy, and makes the set up worth it. This kayak has exceeded our expectations.
I bought the tandem for my…
Submitted by:
paddler871342
on 9/9/2020
I bought the tandem for my wife and I from Nautical Ventures in Dania Beach, FL. Over the Labor Day weekend we paddled 2 hours at Haulover Canal near Titusville, and 2 hours in the mangrove trails at West Lake in Hollywood, FL. Bottom line is sheer joy, from the portability, to the tracking and maneuverability, to the set up and break down. Everything easy, everything a quality experience. This is a 15-foot kayak that is neither a sit on top, nor a total sit inside. It embraces you somewhat in between. Amazingly stable, and yet glides true and straight through the water. Not tiring at all. Inflation is super quick. Total time to pump, stall the very comfortable and supportive seats and foot braces took me and the wife about 12 minutes. And this was our first kayak. The drop stitch technology allows this kayak to perform like a hard shell. When I'm done, I deflate, fold in thirds, and throw it in the back of our mini van, no problem. It weighs 58 lbs. We bought good paddles, too, which makes the overall experience of paddling this K2 exceptional.
The product is very well…
The product is very well made and is large and comfortable. The drop stitch floor make it very stable in the water. We have used the kayak in both flat water and some very basic class 2 rapids. The Kyak tracks well in flat water and is very durable.
The only issue I have with the kayak is that NRS / Star does not publish weight limits for the kayak. Based on our experience, at around 450 pounds the kayak tends to swamp a bit (about 1" of water in the Kayak). This happens because it is self bailing and has drain holes all along the bottom. As soon as the weight is removed the kayak drains quickly.
Overall this is a very good entry level inflatable kayak which is portable and maneuverable. It is made in the US backed by NRS which is a top notch company with outstanding customer service. If you are planning on transporting less 450 pounds in the kayak, you really can't go wrong with the Paragon Tandem.
