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My experience with folding skin-on-frame kayaks has been limited to a 15 year old K-Light Plus that I owned for less than a year. I liked that boat well enough to order a new Kurrent 2.0.

I was first attracted by the esthetics; it's a good looking little boat and by the large cockpit that allows much easier and quicker entry and exit. Of course, hull and deck materials have improved in the Feathercraft boats over the years and I appreciate the welded decks that are completely waterproof. Another improvement is the cockpit coaming which is now an integral part of the deck which is stiffened by the simple insertion of two curved plastic splines on each side of the cockpit.

The Kurrent's performance is similar to the KL. The upswept bow does provide a drier ride in choppy conditions and I felt that the Kurrent had less tendency to weathercock in a quartering wind. So far as speed is concerned, the Kurrent moves along as well as any well designed 13 foot kayak; it cruises at about 3.5mph with minimal effort. Much more than that requires effort that is out of proportion to the return but then one doesn't buy a short boat for fast paddling. I prefer to say that the Kurrent is a 'quick' boat; though it holds a course very well, it take just a couple of turning strokes to change course 180 degrees. The Kurrent 2.0 is a very maneuverable boat an an all-around good swimmer.

If you're looking for a folding kayak that is light weight, relatively easy to put together, comfortable, seaworthy and a joy to paddle, this could be the boat for you.

I've paddled hard shell kayaks for 21 years and the K Light Plus is my first experience with folding kayaks. This little boat moves along very well for its length,it's lively, maneuverable and very satisfying to paddle. Its 33 pounds makes it the lightest boat I've ever owned and that's a very good thing, too. I bought the K Light as an entry level folder with thoughts of moving up to a longer faster Feathercraft but I like the this little boat well enough to make it my only folder. I would like to have a more recent model with the Sealskin deck and improved coaming. A longer cockpit would be an asset but isn't available with the K-Light. These improvements would be reason for a 10/10 rather than the very complimentary 8/10 I've assigned.

I've finished my first season with the Caribou and, without reservation, can score it an 8 out of 10. My last boat was an Arctic Hawk and I feel that the Caribou is an improvement in almost every way. She is a playful, lively boat but sure-footed and predictable when the going gets a bit gnarly. With the skeg up [which is most of the time] the Caribou maneuvers easily, carving graceful turns. With the wind on the aft quarter or running down a steep chop, using a bit of skeg makes keeping a straight course an easy task. I find the cockpit quite comfortable but it may prove a tight fit for anyone in the 200 pound category. I especially like the light weight of the boat; the standard fiberglass layup is just about 50#.