Profile

Name: paddletramp

Most Recent Reviews

I've been paddling my Halifax (sold as the Dagger Apostle in my area) for the better part of a year on inland lakes, the Mississippi river and Lake Superior here in Wisconsin. This is my first full-size sea/expedition kayak and here is what I love, and hate, about this boat:

First, lets get the bad out of the way. It's heavy. At around 70 lbs, the Halifax/Apostle can be difficult to load and unload from on top of my car, and can be pretty sluggish on the water. For reference, I also have a Perception Sonoma 13.5 and that thing could easily do circles around my Dagger. Dagger also really dropped the ball on design on these boats as well. While most boats sold under the name Halifax are monochromatic, every boat I've seen under the name of Apostle has this ugly 3-color paint job which makes it stand out like a sore thumb compared to nicer kayaks.

There is much more to this boat that I like rather than dislike, however (and hence the 5-star review). This thing is built like a tank. I have no fear seal launching it on steeper shorelines, and rest easy if I scrape on rocks in shallow water. The Halifax/Apostle also has phenomenal primary and secondary stability, which allows me to paddle with confidence any time of the year regardless of water temperature, assuming the water is ice free of course. The last thing, and probably my favorite thing about this boat is its carrying capacity. I have over-packed for 3 day/2 night trips and had room to spare in this boat, and I bet I could easily pack a week's worth of gear on longer trips without having to strap anything to the deck. My friends and I have nicknamed my boat "the barge" and it definitely fits.


Overall, I would recommend this boat to anyone who is looking for an entry-level sea kayak and isn't too concerned about weight or gracefulness.