Sierra

I've owned this kayak for nearly 20 years and have owned several other kayaks (Hobie, Native, Vibe), which have been sold but always kept the Sierra. It has been a wonderful kayak that is easy to paddle, quite stable and handled some pretty tough beachings and so durable. I did add some flush-mounted rod holders behind the cockpit and a custom aluminum flatbar at the front of the cockpit to mount a Scotty rod holder base and this has been my travel fishing kayak. I've only used it in freshwater and mostly on lakes and slow moving rivers and it tracks quite well and is fairly fast, but would not recommend taking into the ocean without a skirt since the cockpit opening is so large. The molded seat and adjustable back are good for about 2-3 hours out on the water but that's fine with me. I am 5'9" and about 165 pounds and my wife is 5'2" and 115 pounds and we both really enjoy our time paddling in this kayak. We recently got a class B van with high roof (Winnebago Travato), and with the use of two ladders we can load this kayak on the roof rack system I developed without too much trouble. We plan to keep this kayak for many more years.

A surprising boat. At approximately 43 pounds, its light and easy to maneuver. I had no problems loading it myself on top of my CRV without the use of rollers; and at 5'2" and 51 years of age, I'm no Hercules. Large-size cockpit makes entry a breeze regardless of your klutz-level. The seat is very comfortable. The high back support is much appreciated.

One debatable problem; there's no bulkhead. On the one hand, this means I can easily chain the kayak to a secured object. On the other hand, no bulkhead means I need to find a flotation assist in the event of a capsize. Rather than spending money on bladder bags, I'll probably use a few beach balls. Hey, air is air.

I've paddled this boat on a river under choppy/windy conditions and the boat handled fine. All in all, I'd say this is a fine recreational kayak.

I love this kayak! I recently purchased this kayak on sale at EMS (which as of 2003, sells the Sierra exclusively). After trying many kayaks I kinda of lucked out because I was not able to test this boat on the water before buying. I just went on feel and the dimensions, cockpit size, etc. Well to my relief it is the best kayak I ever paddled! I am a larger person and this kayak handled me well! Tracked great, not to big or small, very stable and FUN, FUN, FUN! I am a novice and I handled this baby like a pro! My husband has had a Wilderness Systems Pamlico 14.0 for awhile now and wants to sell it for a Sierra! He loves the fact that it is fast, comfortable and more managable at only 11 feet. You can basically just throw it on the car and go..I can even carry it. His Pamlico takes two people and is so awkward. The footrest are a breeze to adjust, you can do it while sitting in the boat, lots of leg room and great hatch for storage. Large cockpit for easier entry and exits. This is the perfect all around boat in my opinion! And at $399. (on sale) it can't be beat!

I was looking into a vessel to use for fishing, and I settled on the Sierra after considering and testing a bunch of boats. I liked the Pungo, Loon 138, and the Walden Scout, but the Sierra couldn't be beat. Everything the folks here say about it is right on. It's light weight, durable, manueverable, it tracks well enough, it's stable, and it's less expensive than almost every other rec. boat out there. I bought the expedition model with the rear flotation that really came in handy on an extended day trip. The rear hatch held my tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, clothes, and a couple extras. It kept it all dry after running class I and II rapids. For about 15 extra bucks, I also installed front deck rigging. I've run mine through class II without a skirt, and I only took on a little water. But, I carry a pack under the front deck rigging that protects me from a lot of splash. This boat will provide any paddler with a great sense of confidence. The Sierra was also by far the most comfotable for me. I'm 5'10'' 235lbs. and I have a long torso and shorter legs. The boat is a great fit for someone like me. If you're looking into a rec boat that is short enough to manuever in creeks but also tracks well and has a high weight capacity, then you have to test out the Sierra.

This is really an all around great recreation kayak. A wonderfull starter that provides many avenues to use beyond the basics.

PROs
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(1) Incredibly stable. I guess if you put a concerted effort into rolling this over it would be possible.
(2) Solo but can add a child seat for young child. STILL VERY STABLE!
(3) Great platform for fishing.
(4) Tracks very well, and I found an average stroke achieved about 2.9-3.0mph, have paddled it up to about 5.4mph on still water.
(5) Good all around boat for slow-medium rivers (not WW), lakes, ponds, and possibly shore line ocean.
(6) Awesome boat for the $$$.
(7) Kid can jump in and use in - no worries!

Would recommend to someone looking for a boat to test interest and use for a multitude of environments. I recently got a Corona and can now completely appreciate the benefits of this (and the Corona) in terms of their unique value to a given paddle.

Buy this and a Corona/Sole and you (and the family) will be in yaking heaven!

I purchased this Kayak in 2/2002, after wanting a kayak for many years. It has provided me with much enjoyment and new insight to the water. I use it on the ocean, mainly in inlets and bays, thae fact that it would be many many miles to open ocean would hinder me using it much on open ocean.

I like the way that the Sierra handles, it turns easily and tracks very well. Additionally, it handles rough seas(within reason) very well. The only time I had trouble was around the Cape Cod Canal, I was abot 30-40 feet away coming around a jetty/sandbar and was in 6-7 feet swells(not reccomended for anyone, OY!). It is also a light kayak for its group. My friend has a Pungo(Wilderness Systems) and curses when he has to move it, as it weighs 10-15 pounds more. The Sierra can be moved by one person very easily. I have also found accessories very easily for my Sierra. I have seen other yakkers have trouble getting accessories for their kayaks.

I gave a 9 as believe a 10 to be kept for only the best of the best. (this may be the Bentley of kayaks, as opposed to the Rolls Royce of Kayaks). However, I would give the enjoyment factor of the Sierra an 11.

I needed a kayak for fishing the bay and local lakes and rivers here in MD and researched for several months all my options in the 400-600 range and finally selected the Sierra for 400 bucks new. Having fished warm water discharges 5 times now in January on the upper Potomac, I couldn't be more pleased with my boat. I easily paddled as a complete beginner, upstream and against a strong headwind; the boat tracked straight as an arrow and proved very stable. The seat was quite comfortable despite the lack of padding and the footbraces worked very well. I've logged several "yak" fish now in a few short weeks in the dead of winter and can't wait for spring to hit. It's a great boat.

Just purchased the Perception Sierra yesterday and LOVE IT! I've had it out on our local river twice now. First time went out by myself to get the feel for it. Today I took my dog (Cocker Spaniel) along and we had a blast! I thought it would ride low in the front with the dog up there, but noticed no difference in the ride or tracking. This is my first kayak and I'm very happy that I did lots of online research and was fortunate enough to decide on the Sierra. Also, it's relatively easy to get in and out of. I took a small cooler that was attached to the stern and it rode very well. If you're thinking of getting a Sierra you won't be disappointed.

Tested 3 Perception recreational yaks against each other last weekend: Swifty, Sierra, and Acadia (all 3 within 2 feet of each other in length & 10 lbs difference). I would gauge the Sierra the worst of the three. The good points of the Sierra, in my opinion, are: large cockpit for those needing a large cockpit, and relatively light boat weight for loading/unloading the boat by oneself. The low points of the Sierra, to me, are: tracking, speed, and maneuverability. While the Sierra is smaller than the Acadia, turning is more of a chore thanks to the gargantuan cockpit, which almost completely prevents you from bracing your thighs anywhere against the boat - in fact, the cockpit is so large there's almost no top TO brace your thighs against. The boat, to me, seemed more to plow through the water than glide through it, which made getting up to speed more work. Finally, the tracking was much poorer than the Acadia and felt poorer than the Swifty.

Unless you have a real need for a huge, oversized cockpit, the Swifty would be a better choice here - at $150 less in price, 1 foot smaller length, and 6 pounds lighter. Interestingly enough, my wife, who is a beginner paddler, preferred the enormous cockpit and really liked this boat. So it may depend upon your experience level - those with more experience paddling will probably find the Sierra like paddling a rowboat.

I bought my Sierra after trying a Wildeness Systems 'Bandit'. I loved the Bandit, but at 6'0" and 220 lbs I needed a bigger boat. The 'Sierra' has many of the same features and is similar in design but has a lot more room and a huge cockpit. Took it on the water for the first time yesterday and loved it. (Would probably still be out there but made the mistake of taking my pager with me). Very stable, tracks great, good speed, roomy and comfortable, and easy to turn and manuver. I am planning on using mine for fishing (did some yesterday), overnight camping (plenty of room for gear), and just having some fun on the water with fellow enthusiasts. Will also be doing some light whitewater (I's II's and maybe III's) later this spring, will provide my whitewater review then.

I bought a Sierra after trying a Swifty, a Dagger Delta, and Old Town Loon. It tracks very well, is light in weight,has a big cockpit and is rated for 450lb. max load.Well suited to the big paddler, like me 5'10" & 240.It has a decent glide for an 11'4" boat.Overall I liked it.

Wow! After testing the Swifty, Zydeco, and Bayou, I settled on the Sierra. You can't beat it as a recreational boat. Anybody can paddle it. Tracks well, turns easily and goes fast enough to make paddling fun. The large cockpit makes entry and exit a breeze. I use mine for fishing and just plain messing around. Had it in Sierra lakes and San Francisco Bay and performed well in all cases. Loaded it up with cooler, fishing box, rods, strapped a lawn chair on the back and towed a very large innertube for an afternoon of lakeside water fun. Even with all that junk attached, handled well in afternoon winds. I have two Sierras, one for my 13 year old daughter and another for myself, and everywhere we go people come to inquire about the boats. They are attracted because they perceive the Sierra as a boat that even they could paddle! And they're absolutely right! As a small woman, I appreciate its low weight of 43lbs, and with hully rollers, I manage to get the boats loaded on top of my van without dieing. If you want a boat to get you out on the water, have fun, and that everyone from the grandkids to grandma can paddle, this is the boat for you. Cheers!

Needed a small, light, durable 2nd boat for recreational outings instead of using my 18'x21" glass kayak. Narrowed my purchase down to a sale priced Sierra. Very stable, put it on it's side & it just about turns on a dime....... very manueverable, and excellent tracking for a short boat. Hull plastic is rigid enough and overall construction quality is good. Comfortable and I like the large open cockpit for hot weather use. Great for mild water and am adding floatation bags and a sprayskirt for anything rougher. Average speed and glide. Fun boat at a decent price.