As a small person (5'), this boat meets 90% of my needs. It is extremely light weight, which makes loading and unloading--and carrying to and from the dock--a breeze. It is very easy to control--great primary and secondary stability. It does not have deck storage access, but I'm using a Seattle Sports mesh deck bag, which is plenty big enough for my essentials. You cannot beat the price. So, the remaining 10% is divided between the seat back and tracking. The seat back seems like it really would be good for a kid, but I cannot get it to stay on my actual back. I'm looking to replace the seat for this reason. The kayak does not track straight. I've considered adding a removable skeg, but I really don't want to reduce my ability to slide over branches, or beach the boat without tipping over. If I'm paddling consistently, it moves nicely forward in a straight line, but as soon as I pause to look at a bird, or take a sip of some tasty beverage, my 360-degree tour of my chosen water body commences. I'm willing to live with it for now, but if this was a deal breaker for you (or your kid), you may want to know about it.
