Expression 11.5

I'm very pleased with this kayak. Its small size and light weight make it easy to handle, transport and launch. It also makes it very maneuverable and agile while the drop-down skeg makes it track straight and true, something that many short kayaks don't do well. It is far more capable than the typical rec kayak, being built like a touring kayak. I don't like the high back seat because it interferes with spray skirts and gets in the way if you have to do a self rescue. I replaced it with a back band sourced from Perception that I find more comfortable than the high back seat. It forces you to use better paddling mechanics and makes it easier to use a spray skirt and facilitates self rescues. I added a float bag sourced from NRS to the bow to increase flotation and displace water in case of a capsize. It is really a great kayak and fun to paddle. My modifications have shifted the focus closer to touring kayak and away from rec kayak. I think this is a unique kayak filling a market niche that other manufacturers have missed.

I had been looking to purchase a kayak that could perform well in many paddling conditions. I live in Michigan and primarily use it around our State. Paddling small to large inland lakes, streams and rivers, and even our Great Lakes. It paddles extremely well in calm to faster moving water, wind and chop, and even in big lake rollers. With the included skeg, this boat tracks like an arrow when conditions are right to use it. Also, the skeg does not need to be fully deployed to be effective, just drop what is needed to keep tracking in check. This boat serves a primary use as a day-tripper, since I still own another kayak for extended touring and rougher, bigger water conditions, though this boat could be used for a night out on the river with room in the stern hatch and copious amount of space up in the bow for dry bags. For me, this boat is a perfect crossover. I have been paddling it now for a couple of seasons. It is a well built, feature rich kayak that will serve me well for many years to come!

I've been out kayaking in this boat five times now. I really like it. I've been paddling for five years in a much longer kayak and the Perception Expression's size makes it very maneuverable which has made exploring small inlets and coves a lot of fun. I have no trouble paddling it in a straight line when it's calm out and when the breeze picks up the skeg can be lowered to minimize fighting the wind. The skeg is very helpful for photography and bird-watching since, like most smaller kayaks, the boat will turn into the wind when you stop paddling. With the skeg down that doesn't happen. The boat feels very stable though I don't push my luck with testing that out. The seat is quite comfortable. I have enough room in the cockpit for a couple items including a small dry bag behind the seat. The 44 pound weight is very reasonable and cartopping the boat is no problem. I'm 6'0" and 170 pounds and fit easily in the boat and I don't have the footpegs set all the way forward indicating a taller person would fit as well. My only negative point is that the footpegs don't have extensions on them to enable them to be adjusted while in the boat; you have to adjust them before getting in. Not a big deal if it's just you using it but it would be a hassle if different people were in and out of it. All in all I'm very happy with this little kayak!

This is my third kayak, and has quickly become my favorite. This Kayak is light, fast, maneuverable, and well suited for a wide variety of uses. I've used it on big water with waves and wind, where thanks to its drop down skeg, it tracks well and cuts through waves. On small fast rivers it is fast, maneuverable, stable and needs surprising little water to float so you can go on almost any river even in low water conditions. On big rivers the Expression is great for class I and II rapids, again it is stable and maneuverable and fun! The Expression has Perception's amazingly comfortable seat, adjustable foot pegs, one large watertight storage compartment, drop down skeg, carrying handles. It is light enough for one person to load onto a car or truck and tough enough to handle what ever you trow at it.

Probably the most versatile boat I've paddled, Broad rivers, open lakes, swift narrow creeks -- the Expression is a jack of all trades kind of boat. The Perception Expression 11.5 is the shorter, nimbler version of the 14,.5. Like its longer sibling, the 11,5 comes with a retractable skeg for ease of streamlining and keeping straight either on lakes or against headwinds. Unlike the 14.5, the 11.5 has only one bulkhead, in the rear, but that's plenty of storage for a day trip. Bungee rigging on the front and back provides additional packed-gear options, as does plenty of leg room inside. One can easily commit to a small journey of paddling several days in a row without compromising comfort.

This boat handles really well in light whitewater conditions as well. I've used it many times on Class II rapids, and it's always been a champ. It's a little longer than my crossover kayak, but it's been a great creek boat -- especially during low-water conditions. The V-shaped hull and less rocker means it floats a hair higher than crossovers, resulting in less scraping/ getting stuck. Some may find the boat to be a little too "tippy" because of this, but only brand-new paddlers, in my experience.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and we all see color differently. For me personally, I don't care much for the color options the 11.5 comes in, but this, admittedly, is a superficial consideration. Besides, the manufacturer is called "Perception"!

Like many boats with retractable skegs, be mindful of keeping backside clear of sand/ mud and pebbles/ gravel, as they will get lodged in the recess for the skeg and prevent it from being deployed.

One last shout-out: this boat accidentally flew off my roof rack while driving down a country highway at 60 mph. (I turned straight into a 30-mph wind gust, and no, I hadn't tied down the bow or stern (a mistake I'll never make again.) The boat tore off the roof rack while still cradled in its J-hooks. Fortunately, no car was behind me or passing in the opposite lane at the time! It landed in a ditch next to an alfalfa field. While the towers of my roof rack and the J-hook clamps were completely obliterated, the kayak was practically unfazed. But for a small scuff at the bow, it was immaculate -- no cracks, no concaving, no dents or bumps or breaks! Now that's a tough boat!

I am 5 ft 11in, 230 lbs. This boat is super stable, getting in or out. The footpegs extend, easily, to fit my 6 ft height, no more cramped, bent knees. The seat is comfortable, but a bit tricky to adjust while paddling. Best to set adjustments before paddling. Pretty much cuts thru big 3 ft waves, and only have to back off occasionally from the tallest whitecaps on the lake. Due to my large size, a few waves do slop in from the side.

It paddles fast, tracks straight. Little goosey when the waves hit from the side at an angle, takes a bit of paddle placement to track straight.

All in all, an excellent little boat, and at $799 a good value