Custom Foam Seat

EPIC 18X Sport Seat PERFECTION! Joe at Redfish built me a seat for my 2009 Epic 18x Sport, and it is absolutely awesome. The OEM seat left me with a painful butt and tailbone, and leg numbness after about 5 miles of paddling. After 10 miles, my only desire was to get OUT of the kayak. Redfish seats take care of all those problems, and make the paddling experience absolutely perfect.

Ordering/measurement/installation: It was simple to order from Joe. I had a couple of questions pertaining to the exact generation of my 18x sport versus others he may have built for, so Joe encouraged me to go ahead and take the measurements just to be sure that the product I ordered was exactly right for my boat. He spent time with me on the phone while I took the measurements just to make sure that we were crystal clear on the measurements. After that was complete, he got the seat together and had it ready to ship within 24-hours. There is an installation video on YouTube which shows you exactly how to install the seat. It's simple, but you need to follow the directions to make sure it's installed perfectly. It only takes 1 minute to install the seat, and you don't have to remove the seat track from the OEM seat as there is a cutout in the new seat foam for it. The Redfish seat fits perfectly. The back sits up against the bulkhead perfectly which allows you the maximum amount of room to get your feet and legs inside the kayak. The seat is perfectly molded to the floor, the side padding is a perfect fit, and everything is exactly how you'd dream it to be if you could dream it up yourself.

Paddling experience: The seat is extremely comfortable. It's closed-cell foam so it doesn't absorb water, get heavy, or anything of that nature. It's soft, yet firm, and fits your body well (not sure how he did that, because I didn't have to give him measurements of my backside, but it is as close to a perfect fit as I could imagine). It's solid seating. No movement, no squeaking (which I would get from the OEM seat) and no pressure points in sitting position. It allows me to press on the footboard, use the rudders, and paddle using my knees / hip / core motion as it should be. Have paddled quite a few miles with this seat, and have never felt like I couldn't have paddled double that trip in comfort.

Summary: Experience, craftsmanship, ergonomics, quality, service, expedience, knowledge. These are all attributes I'd give to my experience with Redfish. Very well done, and it made my kayak into something that I can enjoy so much more than before.

2 of my well-respected paddling friends recommended a RedFish custom seat when i bought a second-hand Pygmy Cohoe - a pretty wooden boat, but with only a very Spartan piece of foam for a seat. I am more than satisfied with the whole process, and with the seat.

ORDERING:

Ordering was easy - a couple emails to work out details and pricing, quick check of the website to look at the detailed instructions posted there, one email with 2 simple measurements, done. Joe has done Cohoes before, and already has the major standard measurements for many types of boats. Communication was excellent, and i always got a quick and friendly reply to any enquiry.

ETA was a couple weeks out, but the seat actually arrived within a week. Good package, seat looked great. The box felt so light, at first i didn't think this could possibly be the seat.

INSTALLATION:

Installation in the Cohoe required taking down a couple lateral struts, as Joe had informed me ahead of time, but once those removed, the seat slid into place with just a little bit of force to convince it to pop in under the coaming. 30 seconds, tops, including a swig of adult beverage as mental fortifier. The custom size and shape are perfect, the seat molds well to the hull at the bottom, and to the cockpit on the side and back, and sits securely, jammed under the side and back coaming. Once in place, it is SOLID, no need for velcro, straps, bolts, duct tape, prayer. It stays put when i'm sliding into the cockpit, when wiggling around, or when the boat is upside down, yet can be removed in 10 seconds, say, to clean the boat, if need be. Clever design, well executed.

IN USE:

Proof of the cake is in the paddling - very comfortable, as reported by everybody else. The foam hits the right balance between firm and soft: it is comfortable to the sit bones and the hips, while providing good support below and to the side, enhancing control of the kayak for edging, for instance. Kind of a soft brushed surface, very kind to the skin when paddling naked, if that's your thing. Closed cells, so it's not going to act like a sponge and retain water, and will dry quickly. I might drill a couple holes through to limit standing water in the "butt cups" - if i get the approving nod from the builder. :-) In the past ~2 weeks since receiving it, I've done a few 3- or 4-hour outings with zero discomfort, and i am looking forward to pushing longer. I fully expect a major improvement on those longer paddles, over even decent commercial seats i've used in other boats.

Joe, thanks for the great service, and for the fiiiiiine seat. Highly recommended.

Joe, owner of Redfish Kayaks, custom made me a foam seat for my Necky Chatham 16 composite kayak. It fits like a dream. When I paddled it the next day I didn’t bother to stop for over 3 hrs because my bad back was so comfortable. Also, The hand made, mini-cell foam seat promotes upright posture. So I noticed an instant improvement in my lean turns, edging, and the power of my strokes. My boat feels like an extension of my body now. Joe took a great hull with a poor seat and thigh pads and made it into a fantastic kayak.

I have two Pygmy Coho kayaks which were built about 15 years ago. During the whole time of ownership, my wife and I found the seats to be uncomfortable and they had a pronounced effect on sciatica nerve discomfort. We had tried a few different options to improve the seating but were always unsuccessful. During a visit to the Portland Kayak company store, we were again looking for seats and the sales person said they had no options for our custom kayaks but suggested contacting Joe. It turns out that Joe makes custom seats to order for boats. Each seat is custom made specifically to the boat dims. They are a medium soft/firm closed cell foam seat which is pressed into location and is held firmly once installed. Joe made the process very easy and even removed the hips stays expoxied into the boats for a very nominal charge. The seats are very comfortable and much more supportive than the original seats. I just wish we had not waited so many years before making this huge improvement to comfort

I've always liked Pygmy kayak's inflatable thermarest seats, but bought one of these custom seats for my wife's new boat. Investing in the comfort of one's spouse is never money wasted. He told me he was a week out before shipping, and I wouldn't want to create unreasonable expectations for him (and I do live in the same state), but let's just say it was way faster than that. And when I put it in her boat and sat in it, I knew I was going to have to have one. Much better fit at the hips makes it feel like you're one with your boat. And nice on the tush as well! Fit snuggly and perfectly so no need for velcro or anything else to keep it in place. Lots of buoyancy as well. Highly recommend!

I purchased a custom foam seat from Joe Greenley at Redfish Kayaks....and I am wowed and delighted!

I have been paddling and building high performance kayak's for a number of years and was a regular buyer of Joe's seat blanks which were very comfortable and easy to finish with three other boats i had built.

But most recently, I was working a very special project where I wanted a very light weight build and a very high standard of fit and finish, So I basically sub-contracted the seat part of the project to Joe.

Because i was looking for a very light weight boat, the idea of an integrated seat with back support and thigh support in a single package was intriguing. In this approach, using Joe's custom seat, there are no back-bands, cheek plates or associated structure required....so weight is saved. it is also a very clean and professional look.

The only question I had was, "how is Joe going to make a good fitting seat working on the west coast when i am building on the east coast?" Anyway, after some pictures, measurements and conversations, Joe set out about the work and a couple weeks later a box arrives with the seat in it. I put it in the boat and it fits perfectly. I simply mean, perfectly.

Anyway, this boat is a 'show' project and the seat matches the fit and finish of the work. As I said when I opened my review, I am delighted and I get a lot of great comments. Price wise, this is incredibly reasonable for this level of work, and, if you add it up, not a big uplift from buying any other quality seat offering when you also consider a high quality back band needs to be factored into the comparison as well.

Thanks Joe.

After taking the OEM seat out, I weighed both seats and the Redfish seat weighed 3 lbs less. The first run I went 2 hours, and the next day I put in a very taxing 3 hour run. I just cannot believe how comfortable this seat is, and support it offers!

Joe, you really should get in the motorcycle seat business as I would gladly have you make me a couple of them.