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Is the AFX Expedition Elite a Best All-Round Kayak? Of course, there cannot be only one "best all-round" kayak because we all come in different sizes. Above every other consideration, we should choose kayaks that suit our height and weight. For those 6'+ and 200 lbs.+, for example, medium and small kayaks make no sense, regardless of type or design. I am just over 6' and around 225 lbs. I have owned or tested 60 kayaks in the past decade and a half and have been happiest when the watercraft accommodated my frame. The two that stand out are a 17'6" hard shell with large cockpit and the Advanced Elements AFX Expedition. To cut to the chase, after six years, I sold the magnificent hard shell but have retained the Expedition because of its nearly equal performance and much greater portability for this inveterate traveler. My review makes a case for the Advanced Elements AFX Expedition as a leading candidate for best all-round kayak for the larger paddler. The Expedition holds up to 450 lbs. of paddler and gear and is thus admirably suited for overnight camping trips to remote places. It is 13' long, weighs 42 lbs., and comes out of a medium-sized bag which can be either carried like a suitcase or slung over the shoulders like a backpack. This new version, called the "Elite," comes with a drop-stitch floor, a storage compartment behind the cockpit, an aluminum brace in front of the cockpit, a thwart behind the comfortable high back seat, and a coaming for a spray skirt. It is worth comparing my 2021 Expedition "Elite" and its drop-stitch floor to my 2007 Expedition and its patented BackBone and air mattress floor. The advantage of the "Elite" and its drop-stitch floor is a faster set-up time and incomparable primary stability. Unless you get quite wet, you can leave the drop-stitch floor in place between paddling sessions. The older air mattress floor with BackBone, which is highly recommended, takes a bit more time to install and align. The rewards for the extra effort are a hull speed up to 10% faster and a V-shape to the hull for better tracking compared to the flat shape of the drop-stitch floor and its side chines. Recently, I faced high winds and whitecaps so severe that paddling directly into them was almost impossible. I was glad to have my 2007 Expedition with BackBone on that occasion because I felt the newer "Elite" would have spun around on its comparatively flat hull. The "Elite," though, is so close in its performance under more normal conditions that its faster set-up is a real advantage, so much so that some people who have used the BackBone and then the drop-stitch floor have ended up routinely preferring the newer arrangement. I think both are "keepers," and if I anticipate unruly conditions, I will choose the BackBone in my older model. Otherwise, the new "Elite" is compelling for its convenience. Tip: the drop-stitch floor is hard, like a board, and you might want to put a foam pad on the seat to make your butt more comfortable in long paddling sessions. The older air mattress floor is, of course, much softer but requires, in my experience, the BackBone to improve its hull speed and tracking. Final thought: The AFX Expedition, whether older model with BackBone or newer model "Elite," is portable, performs and tracks well in all but the most extreme conditions (true of all kayaks, even sea kayaks), and is perfectly suited to larger paddlers who are looking for that best all-rounder. I have sold or given away most of the eighteen kayaks I have owned in the past fifteen years but have kept my 2007 and 2021 Expeditions. That tells you all you need to know!