I am reviewing this kayak as the Pelican Pioneer XR which I purchased from Dick's Sporting Goods in May of 2020; it is essentially the same boat, minus the rod holder shown in the front of this model. It's my first kayak so I am still getting used to it, and at the time I wasn't sure if I wanted a SOT or sit inside.
Build quality appears to be pretty good as I have had no issues so far. It has bungees on the top deck, plus a small one in the center console you can you use hold your phone, 2 Scotty tracks (which I need to get a rod holder and other track accessories for), knee pads in the cockpit, adjustable foot pegs, 2 rod holders, and a rear hatch with integrated dry bag.
The seat is probably what sold me on it, as it's a high quality stadium seat which is removable. I do find it uncomfortable after a couple of hours, but I do have a bad back, and will probably add a seat cushion to remedy that. Seat has 2 small mesh pockets behind it, and the seat is removable. One note on the seat as you may want to lash a bungee across the cockpit when transporting in a J-rack as it does move around - it wont fall out as it requires a bit of a pull to remove the seat - just a note you may hear it rattling around during transport.
The rear storage hatch has a soft close lid which seems pretty watertight but I haven't been caught in any downpours just yet. For me it seems a bit awkward to turn behind me to fish anything out of the back, so I usually store extra items that I may not need right away. After using it a couple of months I would probably prefer something with a milk crate system, but it is nice knowing your items are stowed safely and securely with the deck hatch. I think I would have preferred a hatch up front (again, personal opinion).
It seems to track OK, but I may end up looking for something in a 12' kayak down the road. Stability....I'm still getting used to it, I think a 12' kayak would be a bit more stable in my opinion. I haven't fully tested out how far I can lean before I end up in the drink, something I still need to do.
For a sit in the cockpit feels fairly open to me, but personally I feel a bit cramped, but that is probably because I bring too much stuff with me which I need to whittle down as I get used to packing light for fishing. On the foot pegs, it does not seem possible to adjust your foot pegs while in the water, so its best to make sure they are where you want them while still on shore.
It's a sharp looking kayak, and I get compliments on it all the time, I do wish it came in some other colors, but the yellow color is still dope. One of the best things about this kayak is that it only weighs 43 lbs, which is great for heaving up on the roof and moving around in your garage. It's easy to rack up on your roof, and if your SUV is big enough, you can even throw it inside the cab. Down the road I might look to get another Pelican that is 12' for the tracking and stability. I paid 469 at Dicks so at the price point I really can't complain as it gets me on the water and it is a lot of fun.
Below are the other specs I pulled for this kayak, so you can compare these with the Argo 100 XR Angler specs, I think they are pretty much the same:
Length: 10' / 305 cm.
Beam: 29” / 74 cm.
Depth: 12.75” / 32 cm.
Cockpit Width: 25” / 64 cm.
Cockpit Length: 48” / 122 cm.
Weight: 43 lbs / 19.5 kg.
Max. Capacity: 300 lbs / 136 kg.
Hull Material: RAM-X™ PREMIUM.
