Super stable platform to fish…
Super stable platform to fish from. The tracking is perfect. Love the fact That my keel has a replaceable piece so when it gets beat up from dragging I don’t have to worry about holes. The seat is a game changer. All in all extremely happy.
We did 3 days of Kayaking…
Submitted by:
rskuhn
on 6/18/2019
We did 3 days of Kayaking Lake Wisconsin and love the boat. I am a big guy 6' 290lbs. and the boat handles wonderful. I have the lower sitting mesh adjustable seat that you can slide the seat forward or back to trim out the weight and handling. Yes the boat is heavy but not a problem loading on a roof rack with 2 people. I bought the boat about 4 months ago and it was delivered about 2 months ago. Unfortunately the factory rep. mentioned it may not be made much longer. I just checked out the Wilderness website and none of the Rides appear there anymore. A big loss for the big guy. The Ride 115 and 135 were great boats for the big boys, hopefully they are just making some model changes for 2020. Time will tell. Great boat for lakes and wide rivers. If you are thinking about buying one, do it fast as supplies are low and soon no more.
Have had my Ride 115 for two…
Submitted by:
paddler509368
on 5/28/2019
Have had my Ride 115 for two years now and I am still very satisfied with it. It is a very stable and comfortable fishing kayak. I found that I can fish from it for several hours with out any problem.
This yak is the toughest I…
Submitted by:
paddler237183
on 10/25/2016
This yak is the toughest I have ever owned. They can take some abuse. I am not gentle with anything and this thing can handle me. I have had it in creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds, and salt. Fished on it hunted on it. Dragged through woods swamps, threw it in back of trucks and pulled it with ATVs. You can't go wrong
The Ride is a very good fishing kayak very stable have fished it on lake on large lakes in Wisconsin and rivers to the Colorado river and lake Havasu; only con I have is it is a little heavy.
6'10" and 250# Kayak is…
Submitted by:
paddler237046
on 8/17/2016
6'10" and 250# Kayak is fine. Ride high and seat is high and dry. If you want dry feet you need scupper plugs as water comes up occasionally in rough water but I stand in water ot get on board so I don't worry about that. Plenty stable I have stood up but not while fishing. Landed a 14# pike the other day it took me for e little ride went under and around the kayak no problems with stability. Kind of wish I'd sprung for the fishing outfitted one with the few extra features but the base model was in stock and cheaper but I am adding $60 worth of accessories and haven't even considered a depth finder yet. Needed to get a fish grabber landing the Pike bare handed was exciting.
The length is fine works better for transport. I pickup bed get a boonedox bed extender from ACK and its super stable to transport. I fit that and a native FX side by side in the truck bed and it is a snug fit. The Native FX ultimate works fine too has great features for fishing but at my mass in rough water I like that I cannot get swamped and sunk on the SOT Ride 115. I love the Kayak. I am 55 and stiff so the adjustable seat is sweet I change it every 30-40 minutes and keeps my back moving and I can stay on the water for hours.
Only negative it is a bit heavy but I can load and store it by myself and that balance point handle helps a lot!. I store lateral on garage walls with padded latter hook from Home depot 2 at about $9 each and then I mounted a couple or eye hooks above and use a tie down to snug the end handles to secure and hold it secure. The kayak sits fine on the ladder hooks themselves and secure with hull against the wall but I like the extra safety of the tie down to the handles no accidents with something else hitting and knocking it loose.
Have had this less than a…
Have had this less than a month, been in it twice on a river. It is heavy, so I made a pvc frame with a set of wheels to move it.
It is very stable, supports my fishing gear (multiple tackle boxes, poles, anchor, bla bla) and myself easily. Performance is stable and but not really agile. I made it do everything I wanted it to, but it is not fast. It moves easily and steadily, but I can't get bursts of speed out of it. This may be a SOT vs sit-in/canoe thing. The seat is very very comfortable and is adjustable for height as well as for/aft.
It is large inside and handles all my gear for fishing on a large river (Delaware) including some minor riffles/rapids which it handled very nicely.
My end conclusion is that it is a large safe stable vehicle that very well meets my needs. I am glad I got it. 8 out of 10 because it isn't fast; can't have everything.
For reference: I'm 66 yrs old, 5' 10" and 275#. My past experience is mostly canoes (latest an Old Town Pack, 5 others including a David Yost play boat, Mohawk solo etc) and Perception Acadia and OT Otter kayaks.
Well-built, stable kayak.…
Submitted by:
paddler236726
on 4/29/2016
Well-built, stable kayak. Perfect for a days float or fishing, extended trips, and even duck hunting. Convenient storage and a very comfortable seat. Would purchase again.
If you are like me, you got…
Submitted by:
paddler236730
on 4/29/2016
If you are like me, you got the bug to go fishing, you like adventure and the outdoors so you thought, "why not take up Kayak Fishing!" Kayak fishing has many benefits, and whether you were attracted to the sport of kayaking, like the maneuverability and access a kayak brings or you’re seeking it because a big fishing boat is outside your realm of practicality, it quickly became obvious that there are an overwhelming amount of choices out there and an equal amount of clever marketing to have you feeling exhausted before you even start paddling (not the adventure you were looking for)! If you’ve managed to navigate through all the noise and landed on a few choices, one of them being the Wilderness Systems Ride115x, here is a candid review in the hopes of making your decision easier.
The Ride115x by Wilderness Systems is an awesome boat, made in the US from high grade plastics and under scrutiny of top notch quality control. You won’t find random holes cause from air bubble
s that form during the casting process, in fact it’s hard to find any imperfections, even every decal will be perfectly aligned etc. This boat cuts through the water and tracks as you would expect. In my opinion, Wilderness Systems is the ROLEX of Kayaks and the below pros and cons are based on the following criteria: comfort, speed, agility, stability, price, features, storage, and customization.
Pros (top 10 random order):
Very stable
Easy to stand and fish
Lots of convenient storage
Light weight, easy one person load with optional cart
Includes sliding accessory rail system compatible with yakattack line of products
Paddle bungee at bow for quick secure holding
Comfortable, adjustable seat (3 positions, 2 heights, moves on rail system)
Best lock handles I’ve seen (locking special key hex bolts allow you to secure to your roof rack with a bike lock).
Side Handles for easy two person loading
Integrated fish finder setup (awesome)
Cons (top 10 random order):
More stable than most but not the most stable for standing
Hard to store long rods
Not predrilled to receive trolling motor
Limited foot space for standing, grooved platform makes comfortable standing difficult.
Seat does not fold away completely for standing
Seat forward facing only
Best lock handles I’ve seen (locking special key hex bolts allow you to secure to your roof rack with a bike lock).
Not completely dry storage (same goes for most kayaks on the market)
Not the least expensive, great but not the best value.
Final Opinion: If you are looking for a great boat on a medium budget, this is a great value. It’s a step above entry level with many extras standard. If you have a few extra buck burning a hole in your wallet check out the Wilderness Systems ATAK for more speed, stability and features. Hope this helped and best of luck!
I bought the 115 Ride because…
Submitted by:
gtmjm4
on 4/27/2016
I bought the 115 Ride because of it's stability, the seat hi-low feature and the rail system. I'm 6' tall and 245 lbs. so this kayak is able to accommodate my bulk.
I LOVE this boat. My husband…
Submitted by:
paddler236687
on 4/4/2016
I LOVE this boat. My husband and I each have one that we use primarily to fish on the lakes and rivers near us. The space and comfort in this boat is exceptional, but my favorite feature is how absolutely stable this thing is. Someone else's review mentioned it's a tank, which is also how I refer to my boat. You can stand on it, you can hang your legs off one side, you can coast through rapids and fast water and feel completely secure and stable the whole time.
The cons in my opinion are worth the trade off, but worth mentioning. It's a heavy boat. That's the price you pay for comfort and stability. It is definitely hard to load on the roof of a car and it does take some muscle to maneuver quickly and get up some speed in the water. We've compensated by getting a small trailer for them and they excel on the river float fishing trips we take.
I would buy this boat all over again in a heartbeat.
I have a 2015 Ride 115 Max…
Submitted by:
paddler236667
on 3/14/2016
I have a 2015 Ride 115 Max with the Air Pro Max seat. I'm not going to reiterate all the standard features that all the rides have, but I will say that the Ride comes well equipped to fish. I've added Yak Attack Mighty Mounts to the rear flat areas with Yak Attack Zooka Tubes, A Yak Attack Panfish mount pole with Gopro Hero 4 and, most importantly, a Harmony/Widerness stabalizer bar that mounts to the front tracks that gives you a leaning post and aids in balance while standing and fishing in the Ride. We live in Central Florida so most of our fishing is intracoastal, Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River Lagoon, and some choice inlets.
The Ride takes all conditions in stride. I have never felt uncomfortable or felt like I needed a different boat. It's advantages far out way the tradeoff of a slight edge in speed, (my wife has a Tarpon 120) or the added 10-15 lbs of it's competition.
If you want a stable, solid, and suprisingly manuverable fishing platform, I'd say that you need to seriously consider the Ride 115 Airpro Max.
I have the Ride 115X with the…
Submitted by:
paddler236547
on 9/30/2015
I have the Ride 115X with the max seat. This is a fantastic fishing kayak, the stability is outstanding, the max seat with the hi/low setting is extremely comfortable. Lots of storage space and hatches do not leak my my previous Tarpon 120 did. The down side is this kayak is heavy so loading and unloading takes some muscle. Tracking is just ok, not great and you are not going to set any speed records either. This kayak is wide and very,very stable so you are giving up speed but that is to be expected with this hull design. My Tarpon 120 could run off and leave the Ride 115 for dead, but it did not have near the stability or the comfortable seat. I gave the Ride 115 a 9 just because of the weight, only real drawback I can see.
Yes I would highly recommend this as a fishing kayak
It is a solid and well-built…
Submitted by:
paddler236258
on 7/8/2015
It is a solid and well-built stable kayak. you can easily stand up in this thing and fish in relatively calm waters standing up, however, it is not very car friendly to load because of its weight, ideally a truck will work better for this kayak. But after having it for 10 months that I realized it wasn't for me and I sold it to get me a tarpon 120 so I can cover a lot more water for fishing, but for others, I do recommend this for fishing in closer proximity and the price is OK.
I was looking for a stable,…
I was looking for a stable, versatile fishing kayak and I found it in the Ride 115. The Ride 115 is agile enough to float through class II rapids, and stable enough to stand in and fish. There are plenty of compartments for storing fishing gear and food, and it is rated for up to 500lbs, so it floats well even when heavily loaded. Paddling across a lake is no problem... the 115 tracks well and is fast enough to get where you need to go.
Initially I had trouble deciding between sit-on-top or sit-in, and I'm glad I chose the sit-on-top, because it is safer for me since I kayak alone a lot of the time. If I tip, the kayak will not fill with water, which is a big safety and convenience issue. The only con of this kayak is the weight. It is heavier than others its size and makes it a bit harder to move around, but the stability is worth the weight, in my opinion.
All in all, a great kayak for fishing in rivers and lakes!
I bought the Ride 115 for…
Submitted by:
paddler236258
on 6/8/2015
I bought the Ride 115 for it's handling and stability for fishing. It does the job well, too well I should say. Definitely not the fastest kayak but I don't think it was made to be a racing kayak, there are others that will get you to your fishing spots a little quicker.
When making this purchase I…
Submitted by:
paddler236241
on 5/27/2015
When making this purchase I was originally going to buy the Tarpon 120. I have paddled the Tarpon before and it's fast and tracks well. Instead, I decided to purchase the Ride 115. The reason for this decision is because I wanted to paddle out into the bay and do some crab fishing with traps. If you know anything about crab traps, you know they can get heavy - which I worried abut tipping the boat.
The Ride 115 is very stable, it tracks just okay - not poor but not great, and it's on the heavier side. The weight makes it a little more difficult for me to get out on my own, so now I don't go out as often. If I had it to do over again, I would get the Tarpon 120.
Summary
Pro's:
Very stable
Tracks decently
Good fishing machine
Lots of storage
Comfortable seat - even for a person with low back issues
Cons:
Weight, weight, weight
Could track better
Hatches are not 100% water tight
The Ride 115x is an awesome…
Submitted by:
paddler236058
on 11/14/2014
The Ride 115x is an awesome kayak. The only issue with it is the weight. It's hard for me to load into my truck. In the water it can't be beat.
I went for the Ride 115x.…
Submitted by:
JimboG
on 10/16/2014
I went for the Ride 115x. Installed a decent Lowrance Fish finder on it. Well pleased with the performance of the boat. Only issue is the weight. Very heavy. Tracks well, stable enough to stand up, tons of storage, well designed for fishing. Would definitely recommend this product and wouldn't hesitate to purchase again.
I have fished out of several…
Submitted by:
paddler235917
on 9/3/2014
I have fished out of several kayaks, the Ride 115 being the most stable one I've fished from. The Ride 115 has plenty of room for the rider and a comfortable seat which slide forward and backwards to adjust the weight of the kayak when packed for camping. I've been through some pretty rough rapids and the Ride 115 is like a tank. Actually very much like a tank so that its slower than I prefer. I fish with buddies that have Jackson Coosa and I find it hard to keep up with them while fishing.
The Ride 115 will hold up to 500lbs which is another plus when going on our camping trips but I find the front hatch is somewhat smaller than I like it's hard to pack my gear on the inside which is very spacious but the size of the opening makes it difficult to put what I need in it. The back storage area has plenty of room to strap down a cooler and dry bag.
Overall I'm very pleased with the Ride 115. Would love to see the minor improvements that I mentioned. I would have rated it a 10 if it wasn't for the Ride 115 being one of the slower kayaks on the water and the small door/hatch in the front for storage.
My brother bought two Ride…
My brother bought two Ride 115 kayaks by Wilderness. I paddled one on the Gasconade River in Missouri a couple weeks ago. This is a great boat. Super stable.. Love the adjustable seat. My only complaint is the weight. At over 75 pounds it is hard to lift onto the top of a van or pickup by myself.
The boat tracks very well and has plenty of room. The seating position is high which is great for fishing, but probably catches more wind than my Tarpon.
This kayak is great for heavier kayakers. I'm 330lbs and it is a dry ride as far as the scupper holes go. The cockpit stays dry, but there is some water that comes through the scupper holes there. The seat is somewhat comfortable, but could be improved. The kayak is very stable, and you can stand up in it if you are daring. I would buy this kayak again if I had to do it all over again.
If you're looking for a stable fishing machine this kayak is it! Whenever I'm in my Ride 115 I'm amazed at how secure I feel in the water . . . which lets me concentrate on fishing instead of balancing. There's lots of storage space for gear, including two sealable hatches into the hull and one bungie corded rear compartment behind the seat, perfect for a cooler or large tackle box. The seat is fully adjustable and it's easy to find a comfortable position, and the kayak is so stable you can even hang your legs over the side to cool off when necessary. I'd buy it again with no questions!
I've had my Wilderness…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 8/12/2013
I've had my Wilderness Systems Ride 115 angler for about 6 mos. I am almost totally satisfied with it. It has tons of storage, with 2 dry hatches and a storage well behind that seat (where I keep my tackle box). The seat is very comfortable for long hours on the water fishing, and is adjustable... front to back and the seat back goes up and down. It has very good rod storage, with 1 Scotty rod holder and 2 flush mount rod holders.
The Ride 115 is easy to propel and tracks very straight. My one complaint is that it is very heavy. At 78 pounds it is difficult to launch by myself, but a pair of dolly wheels may make that easier?
This is my first kayak, and I couldn't be more pleased with it. It is very stable... I've tried standing up in it, but have not yet mastered that skill. I'd give it a 9 out of 10, all in all a very good fishing kayak.
Great Kayak. Just got back…
Great Kayak. Just got back from a 6 mile float with it. I know that doesn't sound long, but it was on a crowded float stream. There were a ton of rafts with drunks everywhere. Unfortunately there was no fishing, but the Ride 115 handled like a dream. It took to the water with a nice glide and exceptional mobility considering its girth. I carried the provisions for the other two people that were rafting. Obviously they couldn't keep up with me, so I did a lot of upstream paddling to meet up with them. The Ride was excellent. I didn't give it a 10 because it was so crowded at the bends and turns (rafts bottlenecking) that I could not really run it through the full paces. I would highly suggest a serious look at this kayak!!!!
Bought 2012 Wilderness Systems Ride 115 in Feb 2012.
Pros:
Stable enough…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 7/25/2013
Bought 2012 Wilderness Systems Ride 115 in Feb 2012.
Pros:
- Stable enough to stand up and fish in
- Very stable in rough water
- Large trunk space behind seat for storage
- Very comfortable seat
- Large hatch on nose of kayak for under-hull storage
- Convenient hatch between paddler's legs for easy access to under-hull storage
- Kayak tracks well on flat water, turns very tight in river currents, and is generally very maneuverable.
- Has optional raised seat to reduce pain in legs on long trips.
- Seat adjusts very easily.
- Rubber piece on back of kayak so dragging doesn't damage the hull, rubber can be replaced due to wear.
Cons:
- Trunk is molded with a curvature that make sit hard to find a cooler that fits well in the space.
- Heavy
After owning my 2011 Ride 115…
After owning my 2011 Ride 115 for about a year now, I can finally write a review. I have both the hi and low seats for the boat and it's rigged for fishing.
Pros: it is super stable, it's easy to stand and fish, has a weight capacity of a barge, and tracks well. I trust the boat in the biggest of waves and with inside storage I know my gear is safe. Did I mention that rod and reels can be stored inside the hull, that's a huge bonus.
Cons: It is heavy, with the shape of the hull and weight there's no way I could car top it like my Native Ultimate.
If it weren't for the weight and I was limited to only one kayak in my fleet, this would be it. It has awesome storage capacity, a comfy high seat, stable, tracks well, and in general a very well thought out design.
Final thought, I put it in the same category as a Native Slayer, but it's a good bit cheaper with more storage for your gear!
As a 305 lb whale of a…
Submitted by:
paddler235064
on 6/27/2013
As a 305 lb whale of a paddler, I can assure those of you who are also a bit bulky that this boat is amazingly stable.
This, as far as I'm concerned, is the fat guy boat of choice. This boat paddles well (you won't win many races for speed) and tracks pretty well for such a short boat. It's a tad bit bulky and heavy to transport for one person without a cart for any real distance but the stability, comfort, and paddleability (I'm positive that is a word) make it well worth the extra pounds.
My high seat broke before I…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 6/12/2013
My high seat broke before I got it on the water. The bottom plastic tray cracked from leaning forward. I ended up putting a rubber bottom on it so it would bend. The rest of the boat is good.
Just got back from 3 days on…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 2/28/2013
Just got back from 3 days on the St. Johns River in Astor, FL with the Ride 115 with the new high seat. What a difference that seat makes! In my last review I could only manage about 3 hours before my back & legs gave out, but with the new high seat 6 plus hours was no problem at all. The seat is still not as comfortable as the Native Ultimate, but it is a lot better than the low seat. The higher sitting position does not affect the stability of the ride. The only down side is the weight, but I remove the seat when loading & unloading. I am looking forward to checking out the new Native Slayer, mainly due to the seat, but I am really enjoying the Ride with the new high seat!!
I've had the Ride 115 for a…
Submitted by:
paddler234830
on 10/31/2012
I've had the Ride 115 for a couple months now and must say it is a very stable fishing platform. It paddles extremely well for its size. The only complaints are the weight, which I am getting used to, and the seat. I can only manage about three hours before my back gives out. I guess I am spoiled by my Native Ultimate seat, I can fish from it all day with no back pain. Now if I could get my Native seat to fit the Ride!!!!
My son recently got the…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 10/1/2012
My son recently got the family into kayaking. We were fortunate that friends allowed us to borrow a few of their then 14 kayaks (the family has grown). We got a good feel for what would work and what wouldn't. My son picked a Tarpon 140 for his personal boat. I bought a Pescador 12 through Ebay and my wife claimed it as her own. I had the opportunity to pick a Tarpon 120 or the Ride 115 and went with the Ride. The Pescador 12 and Tarpon 120 are very close and I thought something a little different would fit the bill.
I find the Ride is built very solidly. It offers an extremely stable ride with lots of space for an afternoon at the beach or paddling in the mangroves. It is heavy, but once in the water that is not a major factor. It's width to length means that it is usually a little slower than other boats of similar capabilities.
I am contemplating purchase of a carbon shaft 250cm paddle to maximize performance. The seat is very comfortable and accommodates my 6' 210lb frame very well. The hatches offer excellent access to below deck storage space that adds to the versatility of the Ride.
Overall a very well built boat that offers a lot of paddling pleasure.
