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I did ALOT of research before buying my first kayak. I was looking at price, construction and the options that I wanted (a dry hatch, 2 sets of bungees, a nice seat, foot pegs, and thigh braces). I settled on the Blackwater because it met all of my requirements.

Now, I'm not a pro and don't have much experience, but this is a great starter kayak. The stern dry hatch is roomie, though you may want to add a little silicone to the hole where the skeg line runs through. It seems pretty snug, but when you REALLY tip the kayak, a little water does make it in. Speaking of getting wet..you will in rapids. The bow of the boat will go down under the water and bounce back up with liquid! So be ready. I don't get soaked, but if it's cold it sucks.

I've read the other reviews that the boat is terrible at tracking w/out the skeg. In a river, it helps. Lakes you can go with without. Why do you need to be in a straight line anyway? The other options, like the foot pegs, are easy to adjust. The thigh braces are nice. The seat is very comfortable and the adjustments are easy.

All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase. And I would recommend first-timers to give it a try.

I researched several different PFD's before deciding on the PFDiva by MTI.
As a female paddler the thing I hated most about life jackets is the "squish" you get from wearing one. I'm endowed in the bust department and I don't like feeling like a sausage being packed into a case.

I chose the MTI over the Stohlquist and the Kokatat women's PFD's was price, the "adjust a bust system" and well color. I went with the Mango because my boat is the sunburst orange/yellow (I'm a girl..girls like to match their stuff).

The adjust a bust system is great. It works for the mini bust and the biggies like myself. It comes with two sized "fillers". Mix and match as needed. The other thing I liked was the cut of the vest. I have more arm movement, it doesn't ride up and the adjustablity is wonderful. There's a right amount of pockets for storage. Too many and the vest would be crowded.

The only thing I hard time with is the zipper. It's hard to zip yourself up esp when you have the bust supports in. I fixed that by slipping it over my head. The flotation placement is spot on! I tipped out of my kayak and the vest kept my torso up and didn't bump me in the chin. Great vest!!