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The Kestrel is a great canoe for the smaller paddler. It is one of the two best performing solo canoes I have ever paddled. At 5'6" and 130 lbs, I find most canoes too big and too difficult to paddle or carry. I got my Kestrel 2 1/2 months ago and have paddled it about 3 times a week since. (I live on a 44 acre reservoir.) I've also paddled it on nearby Boyd Lake, a very large reservoir. I canoe only on lakes (I need to return to where I started) and I don't do whitewater. I like to go fast with a minimum of effort. And I canoe only a couple hours or so at a time. I do not do canoe trips, but I think the Kestrel would be a good tripper. The Kestrel has great glide, turns easily, and is fun to paddle. Initial stability is low because of the narrow width, but secondary stability is excellent. It's also a dream to portage.

The Kestrel replaced my 25 year old Mad River Independence, a canoe I loved. But my fiberglass version (45 lbs) just became too heavy as I have aged. The Kestrel (mine is the Premium + model - kevlar/carbon) performs similarly to the Independence, but is quicker initially, easier to paddle, and a bit less susceptible to wind. The other solos I've paddled (on a test basis in years past) are the Mad River Slipper and Malecite, Dagger Sojourn, Wenonah Advantage and Prism, and Bell Magic and Wildfire. Of those, the only one that came close in performance to my Independence was the Magic. I liked it almost as well. The Malecite was too big and too hard to handle. The Slipper was sluggish. The Wildfire didn't want to go straight. The Advantage was the fastest of all, but the wide width and narrow gunwales made it impossible to paddle at anything less than an uncomfortable 45 degree angle. The worst canoe for me was the Prism; it did not want to move! I'm sure it's a good canoe for a large strong person.

While there are so many canoes to choose from, I doubt there is a better canoe for my purpose and size. I love my Kestrel!