Expression 14.5

This was my second kayak after moving up from a shorter boat. I found the Expression to be stable, easy to turn and capable of handling 3' waves (many over the bow due to it's length) on the Chesapeake. At 23" it is not particularly fast but tracks well with minimal use of the skeg. The skeg system is simple with a pull rope/catch but functional and reliable. The ball on the rope end needs to be set in the cockpit track when not used or the ball drags in the water. My only issue with the boat was the high seat back which interferes with re-entries and spray skirt. I replaced the back with a back band which resolved the problem.

I recently bought the Perception Expression 14.5 and I'm very pleased with it. I also own an Old Town Adventure kayak which I bought used a few years ago. It's a good boat to learn your kayak basics : it's stable, it rides waves like a boss, it tracks decently and it's roomy with its large cockpit. It's also solid and built like a tank. But it's also heavy for a near 14-footer, probably because of it's width (28 inches). I wanted a better and sleeker kayak to grow into. I had a Necky Looksha IV for a while (one of the older models, bought used again). It’s a beautiful boat, but I found it wasn't for me. I'm 5 foot 8 inches, 200 pounds, so it was a bit of a tight fit for me, and once in position I just couldn't get comfortable. It's tippy and the seat back rest is just too low for me. There's a lot of favourable reviews for the Looksha, but that kayak wasn't meant for me.

This being said, the Perception was on sale at a local store ($895 CND). I had a chance to sit in it at the store, but I couldn't test it on the water, so it was a bit of a gamble. But I had seen favourable reviews on this site, so I brought it home. On my first ride with it I could almost hear angels singing! It felt great: very good initial and secondary stability, very responsive and it tracks very well. Drop the skeg and it shoots straight like an arrow. And once I got the seat and pedals adjusted to my taste, it fitted me like a glove. A nice feature is the possibility to adjust the seat on the fly, either the height of the back rest or the angle of the front base of the seat (convenient if you want a tighter fit in rough water).

The hatch covers are made of rubber, which I think is still the best way to keep water out. The skeg is easy to deploy and bring back in its housing. Generally, the boat looks solid and well built, with good deck rigging. The carry handle are made of comfortable plastics and the boat is easy to carry. Even lifting it on the roof of my car is relatively easy. My only gripe is with the back handle, which is off-center. You have to remember that when you lift the kayak from the back.

I recently took it out on a windy evening on moderately choppy waters and it handled itself very well. It remained stable and rode the waves really well. It's not super-fast (after all, it's not a full-on sea kayak!), but it's easy to bring up to speed.

Last but not least, it looks great. It's a beautiful, well-proportioned boat, built on a British-type design with a moderate rocker. So if you're looking for a great touring kayak at a reasonable price (but which doesn't feel cheap), the Perception Expression should be on your short list for sure.

Just got into kayaking last fall. We bought three Perception Expressions this spring - 14.5' for both my daughter and I, and the 15' for my husband. So happy with this choice! I've tried some standard plastic rental boats (eg, Necky Lookshaw 14'), and on a kayak course tried some very nice 17' fiberglass Seaward kayaks. But I was looking for something a bit more fun - definitely more manoeuvrable, responsive. Also wanted something closer to 14' that was versatile enough for lakes and ocean. Something that I could learn more advanced skills with, and would not outgrow right away.

This model looked good in all the reviews. Went to a local dealer's demo days to try out some kayaks, and the Expression was perfect. Fits nicely - absolutely love the thigh braces, and you can lift the seat bottom to fine-tune contact with the boat. Turns very well. Love the rounded bottom - no hard chines - so you can really play with the edging. Easy to handle in the waves. Skeg is easy to deploy but to be honest I haven't needed it. This boat does not seem to weathercock much, especially compared to the Seaward 17' I used on one course.

One downside is that the seat back is tall and it flops forward. This was an issue when I was trying to learn the scramble re-entry, and would be an issue when I get to learning how to roll. So, I've ordered a back band. This is not a standard swap for this model. There are YouTube videos on how to swap with a couple of the older style backbands, but those backbands are no longer available in North America. My local dealer has been back and forth with the manufacturer, and they are sending me out something I can try (I think he said it's the old backband from the Essence). I'm sure I'll figure it out. I am just really surprised that a back band is not a fully supported option with this kayak. On the Perception's UK site it is - you can by the Expression new with either full seat back or backband. I wish they would do the same here. It is a terrific boat and it performs very well. I think they are missing out - potential buyers may take one look at the seat and dismiss it as being a rec boat, and it is not!

Note that my husband really likes the current seat back because it is so comfortable, and he has no ambitions for rolling the boat or scrambling back into it. He's keeping it the way it is.

Even with the cost of a new backband, this kayak is terrific value for the money. It is a very fun, capable kayak for the beginner/intermediate.
Highly recommended!

Purchased the Expression 14.5 last month and I am very happy with it. Mind you, I went from a 10' recreational kayak to this one and wow, what a difference. I was looking for speed and this kayak is fast. I kayak on Lake Huron mostly and it handles nicely in the open water especially with the skeg deployed, that skeg keeps her straight as an arrow. Personally, I think if you are going to do a lot of kayaking on open water, a drop-down skeg is a necessity, not an option.

The Expression 14.5 is a little tricky to first get into, but once you are in there, it fits like a glove and I love the thigh pads and the feet pegs. You can get a lot of control and extra power using the thigh pads and feet pegs in this kayak.

About the 3rd week I had this kayak, I went out in water up to my neck and spent about an hour practicing dumping it. It was tricky to get back in her, but it is with all sit-in kayaks if you tip-over. I would definitely recommend getting a hand-pump and a large sponge to all kayakers.

The speed in this kayak is amazing, if you want a fast kayak, this is the one to get. Also, I like the size of this kayak, it's long enough to achieve the speed you need, but yet, not to long to be hard to handle.

I will say, if you are a large person, this might be a little tight for you. I am 5'10" and 190 lbs and fit nicely in here with lots of leg room, but if you are over 225 lbs, you might want to get a kayak with more deck height, I believe this kayak has a deck height of 13.5 inches.

Overall, I am very glad I purchased this kayak and the speed is amazing in this thing. The quality of the build is superb and the design is great, however, the skeg sometimes can be a little tricky to deploy fully with the rope release, but I will try and lubricate the mechanism and that might help, I would have probably preferred to have a lever release on this kayak rather than the rope thing, but really, that is my only issue with this kayak.
Remember, a bad day kayaking is always better than a good day on land. Have fun!

Just purchased an Expression 14. I had been looking at the Easkey and Charleston but after reading the review above decided on the Perception - it seemed to me he knows what he's talking about. I also went for the Essence backband instead of the ridiculously high armchair as standard. Although I've only been on flat water up to now, I can endorse what the previous reviewer says. It's very easy to paddle, both initial and secondary stability are very good, it tracks well and you can get quite a bit of speed up. I've played around practicing self rescues and have found it very easy to get back in, and even with quite a bit of water in the cockpit the stability is still impressive. It's a good practical size, not too long or heavy and can easily be hoisted onto a car by one person. Can't wait to get it on the sea.