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Wilderness Systems should never have designed and sold the Alto. Why? After paddling one, who would want anything else? Mine was purchased for ocean paddling and surfing the ever changing sandbars off of St. Simons Island, Georgia some time around 2005 along with the much sexier Wilderness Systems Tempest. The Alto was recommended as the boat of choice by the guides at Southeast Adventures there. Quickly, the homely Alto became the favored boat and the Tempest was sold. When life for me ends, I want to be put out to sea in the Alto, which has earned the name "Maelstrom."

The tracking challenges that some describe are minimal, using my shallow dip, wide out, waist turning paddling style, even in stiff winds. It responds quickly and predictably when turning. As some others have noted, the Alto's primary stability (for this 6 foot, 205 guy) is not terribly great, but its secondary stability gives confidence. While not as fast for racing as my previous sleek fiberglass Khaya (only a few built by Walter Stapleton in Winter Springs, Florida), it has proven to be the most durable, reliable, and fun boat of the many I've owned or tried out. It's only flipped when taking on huge breaking waves broadside while pushing my luck four feet from the beach. Now in my mid 70s, it's hard to exit gracefully...I just ask others to look the other way or revert to my larger cockpit old man kayak for use on Lake Oconee. But for distance and exploring, it's the Alto.