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One of my fishing friends has the Old Town Vapor. We traded kayaks for an afternoon. I found the Vapor did not track as well as my Loon 138 or my Loon 126. But where the Vapor really shined was the huge cockpit. Ideal for taking a lot of fishing tackle and is very stable. The Vapor is also lighter than any of the Loon series making loading and unloading from your vehicle much easier. The Vapor also is more affordable.

My previously rating of the Wise Rod Holders was 1 star. After contacting Wise Customer Service and they replaced the defective units. So I upgraded them to 3 stars. They are sturdier rod holders out there but this product is priced fairly.

The Atwood kayak with rubber tires is priced less than the same cart with solid wheels but works just as well. The strap that comes with the cart is worthless. I use 2 cam buckle straps with my cart. Many people using this style of cart complain that their boats fall off the cart. If you use straps crisscrossed your boat will stay on even pulling it over rough terrain. There is a leaning curve to this cart. The cart easily breaks down and folds to secure or store in your kayak. It gets the job done. PRO: Light weight easily beaks down and folds to store on or in your kayak. CON: When you open the box they come in you find the rubber tires really smell bad. It does go away with time. You need to keep the tires inflated properly or the valve stem gets sucked into the wheel. You have to hold the wheel in one hand turn the tire with your other hand to get it to pop back out. Minor inconvenience.

The Hook2 5x Splitshit Fishfinder features broadband sounder, Downscan imaging and GPS plotter. The display is very bright and easy to read in sunlight. If you install the transducer to read thru the hull you lose the Downscan function. Pro: Easy to use option menus with a little practice in demo mode, easy to see bright screen, downscan image if transducer is mounted externally, runs a long time on a small 7Amp Hour battery. Cons: The screen scroll speed is too slow and can not be adjusted, depth is only displayed at the top and the bottom of the display, the GPS plotter is exactly that no mapping, downscan wont work reading thru the hull. If your planing a fishfinder and plan on shooting thru the hull there are better choices. Including some that will record and map the water you are on at the same price point.

The sun isn't always our friend and the NRS H2Ozone Sun Sleeves offers UPF 50 protection from the sun and bug bites to when you are out enjoying the great outdoors. They also wick sweat and help keep you cool on hot summer days. PRO Protection from the sun, don't restrict motion. CON None

The A/M 24 Inflatable Life Vest is so comfortable you forget you have it on. This is a type II vest made by Oynx. It is auto or manual inflation.

Pro - No padding on the back to make sitting in you kayak seat uncomfortable Doesn't interfere with casting when fishing You forget you have it on Auto or manual m

Con - Not suitable for white water kayaking

The fiberglass shaft Bass Pro Ascend Tournament Kayak Paddle is an affordable light weight upgrade to any aluminum shaft entry level paddles. They feature a fiberglass-reinforced nylon blades and light fiber glass shaft and adjustable feather angle. It also has a a notch to assist with lure recovery.

I found this paddle to be a big improvement over my old aluminum shaft paddles. The notch for line for lure recovery has come in handy but can catch vegetation if going through Lilly pads or similar. This can be over come with a small piece of Gorilla tape to cover it up if needed. this paddle has proven to be durable.

Overall can't be beat for $79.

I actually bought the Loon 126 standard and rigged it myself for less than the $100 up charge for the Angler Version. Only difference is the recessed rod holders and anchor trolley. I don't like flush mount rod holders so put a pair of Wise adjustable recessed mount rod holders behind the seat and another on the removable console. The Loon 126 is fast and easy to paddle. The removable console has a gear track ideal for mounting your depth finder. You could even put a battery for your depth finder in the removable console if you liked. I chose to just put it behind the seat. Your depth finder can read through the hull so no need to make something to hang it over the side. The hulls are made of Polylink 3 and are very durable.

In the past I have used the Wise Rod Holders and they held up well for a value priced item. It seems the quality isn't what it used to be. I left my old Wise rod Holders on my Loon 138 kayak when I sold it and bought a new set for for my new Loon 126. The new ones haven't lasted one season. The problem is the small white plastic piece used to keep the rod retaining ring on falls off. It was held on by a rivet. When this happens the white ring that holds the rod down can pop off.

The old axiom "You get what you pay for" has proven true again

I chose the Attwood Deck Mount Rod Holder to use on the front of my Old Town Loon 126. It comes with a base that allows side mount or surface mount. The surface mount was perfect to attach to the removable work deck. I have used several brands of rod holders in the past and the Attwood is much more sturdy than the others. There are more expensive rod holders but these are just as good if not better. I put cheaper ones in the rear and wish I went with the Attwood deck mount.