Escape 12

A really nice touring/expedition kayak. Having around 200hrs on various bodies of water, I give it 4 stars. It’s pretty darn good at most everything, but not top notch in any category. However, its very versatile and well rounded. Tracks very well with rudder. Not the fastest, but fast enough. 8mph is the fastest I’ve paddled it with a 3-4mph current. I avg 2-2.5 mph with leisurely effort. 1-2mph against strong winds 15-20mph. It’s also just nimble enough to avoid hazards in moderate currents. Lots of storage space for long distances. We had room to spare for a 4 day adventure. At 65ish lbs, its not by any means light, but still light enough for a quick evening after work lake paddle. My fave pros: 1- storage. We like multi day adventures, and the large hatch makes gear storage pretty easy. 2- It has handled everything I would expect and then some - with ease. I’ve not tried any serious whitewater - nor do I intend to. I’ve also not had it in the ocean or coastal waters. I have had it in some pretty rough chop and have surfed 3-4’ waves. :) 3- it has really nice looking lines on the water. I think it’s a better looking boat than most. 4- Rudder. Our paddle style is more.... leisurely down river.... it’s nice to be able to clip the paddle on the side and sit back with a cold beverage. :) My cons: 1- comfort. At 6-3 and 225 lbs, i have a couple gripes. At my height, I really need to be able to extend the foot pegs farther to maximize comfort - which I can’t do without losing rudder function. Having my legs up higher increases pressure on my booty - and the seat doesn’t offer a lot of cushion. The seat also doesn’t offer a lot of support. We have 2 of these and my much smaller lady has no issues. 2- weight capacity. While there is ample storage volume, the weight capacity is rated for 300lbs. Again, only an issue since I’m a big fella. Fortunately, as an avid backpacker, most of my overnight gear is lightweight. But fully loaded, and I’m def close to the limit - and smidge less stable.