A month ago (2018 aug) I've bought this beautiful new S18s excel.
I'm a beginner, 47, 70kgs started paddling a year ago using a recreational kayak.
Just like the previous reviewer, I've tested the SR and found it a bit too advanced - went swimming in slight waves. I'm just learning the technique and I'm not a very strong paddler, my speeds are 8-9km/h only on a ~5km run (my usual daily, flat water),
I'm topping out around 10km/h currently.
However, with this kayak I can keep 7-8km/h averages over 10km distance without problems. On short runs (~2km) I can average 9km/h.
I've found the design & the manufacture both to be flawless, comfortable, a joy to live with and very stable (even though when I first sit in, it felt a bit wobbly - the primary stability isn't what I'm used to in the recreational).
The footrests are rock solid and easy to adjust, the bucket is a perfect shape for my bottom, the handles are positioned perfectly for carrying.
Those storage compartments are well thought-out, the rear one is really huge. I reckon that's a big advantage over the SR in fact. And since I couldn't use the SR's superior speed at this point anyway, it's definitely the better choice for me.
