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This is my 4th kayak, and definitely my favorite. I was a bit leary of the 22" hull, because my last kayak felt so unstable that I sold it at a huge loss. But this Equinox is superb. It fits like a glove and handles beautifully, allowing me to regain my confidence.

I am 64 years old and have some serious arthritis, so I didn't want to buy a 17'6" kayak and suffer loading it alone. The Equinox is easy to load, and light enough that I can carry it for short distances. The length is perfect for me since I am usually just day tripping but want better quality than a roto boat. All of the detailing is good quality and I like having a rudder for the times I paddle on large open bays with strong prevailing cross wind. Outside of being pricey, I can't say anything bad about this boat.

I fell in love with a Barracuda cloth Swift Bering Sea and bought it for that and its light weight. Before the Bering Sea, I had a QCC with a rudder, but the Bering Sea came with a skeg and I thought what the heck, why not. So, from the beginning, I loved the fact that I could easily carry the Bering Sea and put it on my car by myself. The skeg was another story, I never found that it was easy to paddle with the skeg; infact, in touch conditions I never wanted it down.

Now come the real negatives. First, the Barracuda cloth: while it looks sharp, forget it if you damage it. I had an accident and poked a quarter size hole in the prow. Once the clear gel coat is off, just touching the aluminized Kevlar takes off all the aluminum. I paid to professionally repair the damage, but you can see the repair. Also, the clear coat scratches easily. In terms of handling, I find I have always struggled with this yak and never felt comfortable in it. My QCC handled great in choppy water, wind and wake from powerboats, but the Bering Sea has not. Last year I dumped it 2 times and had to be rescued - not fun. I am getting rid of mine ASAP.