This was my first kayak. It's old now and has some leaks. But it has much that I still like better than the new Bonafide SS107 I purchased a few years ago. The Mini-x is light but still durable. at 43 pounds it weighs half that of the bonafide. I have been using it for 15 years. It is easy to handle with plenty of storage for the majority of trips I take. It is much better for creeks and small rivers than the bonafide. It is not fast but still much faster than the barge that the Bonafide is. The one I have is the original design. They redesigned it 10 years ago and I purchased the newer version too. But they moved things around on the deck on the new one making it feel smaller due to the feet placing. I gave that one to my daughter and it fits her much better. I still use the mini often because its just so much easier to move around. Manufacturers have added so much stuff on yaks now that they are much heavier and much more expensive. If you can get a used mini in decent shape I recommend it. I don't recommend the Bonafide SS107 unless you have a trailer to move it to the water.
This kayak is hard to review. Some things are great but other aspects are just okay. The positives: It is fantastic to fish out of! Extremely stable with all the attachment options you could want. I love fishing from the high seat position. The seat is very comfortable. The okay's: its slow, especially in the high position. Its much heavier than it was advertised. I ordered it when they first came out with the SS107. The advertised the weight was at 67 pounds but it is 87 pounds without the chair. For me it's great when you get to where you're going to fish. But just okay in effort needed to get it out of the garage and out to the spot. For younger people than me it could be a 4 to 5 star. But I give it a 3.
I have yet to see anything better in moderately priced SOT fishing kayaks. Light enough for easy transporting. Rod holders and tackle storage. Maneuverable and comfortable. Stable for hard hook-sets and speed-boat waves. Perfect for small rivers, lakes, & ponds. 5'11" & 225lbs. Will get a 2nd one soon.
