Q500X

I won my QCC Q500X kayak in 2010 in a paddling.com contest. A great stroke of luck! This kayak is a great boat for all levels of paddling experience. It's very comfortable for large paddlers. My kayak is very fast on lakes, handles rough waves and strong winds. I live in Colorado so no ocean experience yet. It holds a lot of gear for trips. The quality of design and construction is excellent. I highly recommend it.!

On my third trip to the lake (and last) the outriggers were secured into place and the 500X sliced through the water like a breeze. I had great plans for the coming summer but work, a second heart attack, two back surgeries, and lastly a prostatectomy with a diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer have delayed my trip. Because of my wife, not my health, the trip is now down to 500 miles (I guess one can't drown or be bitten by a snake in 500 miles) and I readily anticipate taking my 500X down the Missouri river in a boat of this quality.

I highly recommend the Q500X to others because of its ease of handling, stability, good storage space, and great lines (several people who have seen it in my garage have commented on her appearance...all positive). BTW she is outfitted with a rudder because of the sail.

In closing, enjoy your boat before your health declines and don't let work stand in your way to a delightful day on the water.
PS: I tested my hatches by directly hosing them down with water and they did not leak even with the water under pressure.

The stability and ease of paddling allows this kayak to become a cargo ship with nearly unlimited possibilities. Mine is kevlar but carbon layups available. Other options included thigh braces, rudder or skeg, hatches, and color combination you want.

What did I give up in the process? Only three things: The GORGEOUS looks of the Eskimo, and its LONG cockpit, great for getting one's knees up [essential for preventing / relieving back strain, I have found]. The guys at QCC thought the 500's cockpit would be adequate for that, but as delivered it was not, so they took out the old seat-and-backrest and replaced it with a different kind, which helped -- a little. Also, the rudder pedal system in the Eskimo is far and away the best in the business, but the patent must still be in force else it'd be copied far and wide by now....

What did I gain? -- A MUCH more efficient hull! I couldn't believe the sheer SPEED of the 500! So, of course, longer trips for the same effort or, with more effort, shorter arrival times! As for the looks: Well, the 500 is nevertheless quite a beautiful boat, but of course the stunning looks of the Eskimo are paid for by those useless bow-and-stern overhangs, the ABSENCE of which is why at the same overall length the 500 has a MUCH longer waterline length...and thus its OBVIOUSLY greater efficiency and speed! BRAVO, guys!!! And also, congrats on finally picking up and moving to the Wisconsin northwoods!!!

The boat tracks well and is easy to steer with or without the rudder. (I only put it down when I'm dealing with a constant wind or current). I've used it in river, lake, and ocean conditions, all with great appreciation for it's design.

I also appreciate the performance of the boat. I can easily smoke others in my party.

First, considering that QCC is a small company with virtually no promotion other than modest ads here at paddling.com, the QCC boats receive a ton of favorable reviews. Yes, you should take any online reader review with a grain of salt. But QCC owners are truly passionate about their boats. That should tell you something.

Second, where you find one QCC boat, you're likely to find more. In my paddling group of about a dozen people, we have one 400 (bought within the last six months), three 500s (two rudder, one skeg), and a 700. Once you've actually seen and paddled a QCC, chances are good you'll want one.

There is no one "right" or perfect boat for everyone, to be sure. (Hence no perfect "10" review.) But over several months, I tried out more than a dozen boats from various manufacturers, and I couldn't find one better for the money than the 500, by a fair margin. And the advice you'll get by talking to Steve at QCC directly, on the phone, is priceless.

I wanted a boat that could bail me out, no pun intended, if I got into trouble. Recently, I was out on Tomales Bay, north of San Francisco, when winds unexpectedly ramped up to 20+ miles per hour. There were some nervous folks in my group, and rightfully so. But I wasn't even using a skirt at the time, and I never felt that uneasy. The 500 is as steady as a rock in choppy water, yet it also can be quite satisfying to paddle across a calm lake. For what it’s worth, I prefer the rudder model for its flexibility in paddling under any conditions.

Yes, given my aging legs, I would have liked to have a slightly longer cockpit. But I get in and out okay. The seat base is just fine. As for the back band, it's like a bicycle seat – no matter what band you put in a boat, someone will probably want to change it anyway. (I added an IR ergonomic back band for about $70, worth a lot more in comfort.)

I've noticed that a lot of cheaply-made kayaks offer very comfortable backrests to make themselves more appealing – but I would rather put my bucks into first-class design and handcrafted American construction, not to mention a boat I can count on. I've got a kayaking T-shirt with a slogan that expresses how I feel about paddling in my 500: "The road to Heaven may not be a road at all."

Performance is off the end of the scale - always the fastest kayak in my paddling group (despite my very limited skills), accelerates quickly, glides forever, very seaworthy, easy to turn, great storage capacity. Top quality construction throughout, very helpful factory support. Rarely ever have to use my skeg, but when I do it gives just the right amount of tracking, and it works fine.

The company isn't widely known, but I doubt that anyone who becomes familiar with the QCC500x would ever want any other brand of comparable kayak. I plan to paddle it forever in the lower Chesapeake Bay and James River. Thanks to QCC for making a superior American product.

This kayak can haul tons of gear, which is exactly what I wanted it to do. The hatches are huge and the capacity is enormous. No more backpacking stoves for us, the rear hatch swallows a two burner propane stove with ease. Just keep shoving stuff in and push off. The boat barely sinks further in the water and is still fast and smooth. I love it.

Originally I was not sure it fit very well, and an email to Steve got me a thigh support pillow and turned the seat into a comfortable place. The cockpit is very large, and at 6'4" and 210, I still have lots of room left over. I did have to pad up the underside of the cockpit for a better fit. If I had to do it over again I would not pay for the thigh supports as my thighs come no where near them.

The boat lean turns very easily, behaves fairly well in the wind, handles waves with ease, and is very fast. According to my GPS I have hit 7+ MPH in short bursts. It isn't the sleekest looking kayak, but the workmanship is exemplary and the customer service excellent. Get one.

This was my first real kayak, so it was hard to know how to rate it back then. My paddles are usually a short harbor paddle and then out to the ocean. Now that I know a little bit better what I'm doing, I feel that this is a great kayak. I think it tracks really well even in the wind. When put on edge, I think it turns quite well and is easy to correct. I seldom use the rudder in the ocean, leaving it for the harbor when I just like to paddle lazily along. Of course when I got it, it felt very tippy for a beginner, but now I feel very comfortable. I can edge it over quite a bit and feel secure. I recently took an edging class where I had to paddle a much shorter Seaward kayak. I thought it would be much more maneuverable because of its length, but it was a dog compared to my 500. I still only give it an 8, only because I haven't paddled very many boats to compare it to, but has certainly filled my needs. Also, 3 years ago I really hated the Rapid Pulse seat. Now that I'm in better kayak shape, I really don't think it's too bad. I'm still going to go back to my ratcheting backband though.

For the record I'm 6' tall, female and ~#175 so that is scraping the lower height/weight limits for the 500.

I'm happy with the fit, speed and space. I'm thrilled with the stability in high seas. The 500 is great for camping, I've taken it on a 10day trip and end up carrying items for friends with less space. Also, I wasn't too cramped at the end of the day.

The boat is fast. I got talked into taking a racing workshop (mostly folks with K-1's or QCC700's) My boat looked like a barge compared to the others, but by the end of the class I hadn't humiliated myself, kept up with the slower racers and the instructor seemed impressed. I paddled some of 700's which convinced me I'd made the right choice for me.

The problems: The QCC500 weather cocks a bit, so my rudder is usually in use. This raises ire from purists but I'm fine with it. The seat developed cracks within 2 months. Nothing deadly and nothing that duct tape could not fix, but nevertheless it was annoying in something so new. Phil and the gang at QCC said they would take care of it by replacing the boat when production slowed down. It took awhile, but they exchanged the boat during their slow season. That alone impresses me - the honorability of the company. They are good company to deal with. Definitely worth consideration if you are looking for a new kayak.

It rides like my cousin’s old Lincoln on flat water and handles harbor and wind chop well, although it is more subject to wind than any boat I’ve owned. The weather cocking is sort of inevitable with such a high volume boat. Initial and secondary stability are both very good. It rolls easily and turns well. It responds to leaned turns fairly well too. I keep this boat because I believe on flat water camping trips it would be a total gem. Trouble is, living in San Diego I have so many day paddling options available but I also have too many kids and responsibilities to have enough time to expedition or camp.

I have found the 500 really doesn’t like holding a line in stormy, close swells. It wants to turn on the face and line up with the troughs. Most boats will want to do this, but the 500 is even more insistent. And with the small rocker the bow goes under water in every trough when the swells are coming from behind. Being so high volume, it always seems to pop up, but it requires some care. And the 500 doesn’t surf. It turns sideways to the wave face every time, so unless I race in between waves I will be doing a braced slide with every landing in surf. And the high volume makes me fear the dreaded windowshade rolling in anything bigger than about 2’ surf. Bottom line is that for every day use other than the protected bay I never seem to choose the 500. I have a British sea kayak that is much more fun in surf, swells, around rocks, and in storms. I have a surf boat that is way more fun to play with although much less comfortable, and I have a long sit-on-top that is much more fun cruising from beach to beach with beers in the bay. So I’ve kept the 500 for the once or twice a year that I can go camping, and for the dreamed-of trips to the Green River in Utah or Black Canyon in Nevada. As an only boat, you would probably choose this only if you want to paddle fairly flat water or if you intend to do a lot of camping or expeditions.

This boat is perfect for me. It is very fast - suprisingly so for a big boat. Loaded down with about 35 lbs of gear on a Lake Tahoe camping trip it handled big, rough chop well and still paddled fast. The Sealline rudder is awesome - being able to change the foot positions from the cockpit is great on a long paddle. The boat holds a ton of stuff and the hatch covers are engineered very well. It is a beauty.

Not sure what the guy who did all the complaining about service meant. Phil was great with me. He supplied me with extra deck rigging mounts so I could retrofit my Sisson for my girlfriend (that boat fits her great). I would encourage anyone to consider a QCC boat.

I must say I wholeheartedly disagree with the scathing review listed below by Michael. While I have not always gotten a prompt reply to emails, anytime I have just picked up the phone and called the customer service has been phenomenal. I just took delivery on a brand new QCC 700XL (my 3rd QCC boat by the way) and it took 3.5 weeks from my order to in my hands. It is absolutely beatiful and exactly as I ordered it. Can't wait to get it out on the water and try it out. I'll post a review under the 700XL section as soon as I do. But as for Steve and Phil, they're top flight. As you can see from my review, I had my 500XL damaged in delivery and they still made the entire transaction hassle free!

Feel free to email me if you have any follow up questions on their products or services. I am a big fan of the boats and the company!

Before purchasing, I paddled at least 8 or 9 different kayaks for a few hours each. I thought that a plastic kayak would be best, because it could handle abusive treatment like running up onto a rocky shore. Along the way, I tried kayaks from Perception, Necky, Dagger, Current Design, and Wilderness Systems, to name a few. My kayak trials typically entailed a half day of paddling, although a few models were rejected after an hour or so at kayak demo days. The plastic kayak I enjoyed the most was the Wilderness Systems Tempest 165. That boat handles extremely well and fit my body (and butt) very well also. If a paddler doesn't want to spend the money on fiberglass, kevlar, or carbon fiber, the Wilderness System's Tempest (or Cape Horn series) is definitely worth checking out. However, once I paddled a couple of fiberglass boats (Swift Labrador Sea and Caspian Sea), I decided to explore better materials.

I relied on the reviews in Paddling.Net and found that QCC was consistently rated the highest by its owners. People always say that "word of mouth" is the best recommendation. In this case, it prompted me to explore the QCC website and talk with Phil about the different models. The model QCC500 is the best fit for me in the QCC product line, and I promptly ordered a DEMO model from the website. It arrived the next week, however, despite being well packaged and clearly marked, the trucking company decided to pick it up with a fork lift (holes in the box) and drop it on end (cardboard looked like an accordian). After carefully unpacking and inspecting the boat, it had a couple of cracks in the side and upper shell. I immediately contacted QCC expecting they would say something like: send it back and we'll issue you a credit towards another kayak. I was very pleased when they suggested that I use the current kayak for a 2 - 3 weeks while they build a new one exactly to my specs. Not more than 3 weeks later, the kayak arrived at the local truckiong company. I unpacked it on-site and re-packed the old one to return to QCC. In case you have any doubts or fears about doing business direct with the factory, you can rest assured that QCC offers SUPERB customer service and support. I would highly recommend QCC to anyone seeking an excellent fiberglass, kevlar, or carbon fiber kayak... at about 25 to 35% less than you would pay to a retail outlet.

In regards to the handling of the boat, fit, finish, quality of materials, workmanship, etc., the QCC is equal or superior to every competitive kayak I have seen or paddled. I use it every week to explore the rivers, intra-coastal waterways, and lakes in Florida and could not be more satisfied.

In regards to the comparison to plastic kayaks, one strong benefit of my QCC is the 43# weight, which I can carry under one arm. The plastic boats in similar sizes are all around 60 to 65#, which typically requires two people to carry to/ from the water.

Any questions, please feel free to send an e-mail to me. Other owners of QCC kayaks will also attest to the "WOW" factor of these kayaks. They look awesome!

The 500X I bought was Kevlar with a rudder. After researching all models on the net for about a year before buying, I am convinced that you will not find a similar new model anywhere for the price. If you have any questions contact me at my profile, and I will be happy to answer your questions. If you live in southeast PA. maybe we can set up a demo paddle. No, I do not work for QCC. I just want to help a company that has treated me very well, and their boats should set the standard for other companies to follow.

The Q500X is a large kayak with two large flush hatches. There is more cargo space in the Q500X than I can imaging using. The hatch covers are not your typical black rubber you have to stretch over the hatch. The covers are built out of kevlar and have automotive type seals. The covers are even finished on the under side to give it a nice finish.

The Q500X water line is 16"4" which makes it a true tracker and very stable. The seat is an upgraded seat, which is very comfortable. A large cockpit and tall deck makes it easier for those of us with size 12 shoes and 38" waists. At 220 pounds, the additional space is welcomed.

Ordering the kayak on the Internet is a little strange. However, the staff is very helpful and takes extra steps to explain everything to you. I do not think you could buy a nicer kayak then the QCC kayaks at any price. The Package Deal was $2,700.00 including shipping. The Package Deal included the Q500X kayak in Kevlar, Feathercraft rudder, Lightning composite paddle. Lotus PFD, cockpit cover, spray skirt and bilge pump with float. Fiberglass would have been $300.00 less but at this price kevlar looks pretty good.

The hardest part of buying the kayak is waiting for it to be delivered. The kayaks are not sitting in a warehouse waiting to be shipped. When you order the kayak, it is custom built for you. The color selection is almost unlimited.

I would strongly recommend QCC to anyone looking for a composite kayak. Give them a call and tell them what you are looking for. They have a no risk refund policy if you do not like your kayak. I cannot image anyone not liking their kayaks. Kudos QCC.