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Feature - December 2011
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Readers Choice Awards
This is the third of our triennial Readers Choice awards. We invited readers to our website from January to June to cast votes for their favorite kayaking equipment. When we tallied the results there were a number of familiar names among the winners and a surprise or two. With only one exception, we had first-hand experience with the winners and could easily vouch for the gear that our readers held in high esteem.
After the survey we drew a name at random to be the recipient of two drysuits and two PFDs, generously donated by Kokatat. The winner was West Seattle kayaker Jonny Layefsky. Jonny and his wife, Lezlie Jane, got their pick from the entire Kokatat line and chose Meridian drysuits, not surprisingly the winner here for best drysuit. Lezlie topped her drysuit off with an Orbit Tour PFD and Jonny opted for the MsFit Tour, our Readers Choice for best PFD.
We congratulate all of the manufacturers represented here and extend our thanks to all of the readers who cast their votes.
(We’ve had a great response to the our Readers Choice survey and we’ll be making the awards a regular feature in our December issues. The Awards will still be triennial, but we’ll be spreading the product categories out over three years. Next year we’ll ask our readers for their votes for the best schools, outfitters and guide services. The following year we’ll put paddling accessories to the vote and in three years we’ll put the focus on kayaks and paddles.)
Best Extended Touring Kayak
Romany Explorer
by Sea Kayaking UK
 The kayak that our readers chose for extended touring does not have a huge cargo capacity, so for a long cruise you’ll have to think like a backpacker when it comes to the gear you carry. What was likely more important to those readers who voted for the Explorer was its ability to handle the rough conditions that you’re more exposed to the farther you paddle. In our review of the Explorer, one of our test paddlers took on 30-knot winds and 3-foot waves and concluded: “The handling in stronger winds and the behavior in confused seas are addressed admirably by this kayak.” A second reviewer, after paddling the Explorer in 20-knot winds and 2-foot waves, wrote simply: “It makes sloppy conditions uneventful.” You couldn’t ask for more.
$3,720
www.seakayakinguk.com
Best Wooden Kayak
Coho
by Pygmy Boats
The Coho has been on the market for 14 years and hasn’t lost any of its appeal. When we reviewed the Coho in  1998, it drew high praise from a 5’2” woman and a 6’2” man alike. The 17’6” by 23 3⁄8” kit kayak weighs only 39 pounds, making it easy for smaller paddlers to carry. For our reviewers the Coho was “beautifully responsive” and “tracked quite well.” One put it “on the top of my list for an expedition-style kayak,” and another rated it “my hands-down favorite of all the boats I have reviewed. I would recommend it to anyone.” Varnished wood and light weight always make a good first impression but only performance on the water could give the Coho its longevity.
$995
www.pygmyboats.com
Best Day/Weekend Kayak and Best Rough-Water Kayak
Romany
by Sea Kayaking UK
 The Romany placed first in two categories. At 16’ by 21 1⁄2”, the Romany is a compact kayak designed for medium-sized paddlers. Although it is relatively narrow, it has enough initial stability to suit novice paddlers and enough secondary stability to please advanced paddlers. It has a combination of good tracking and high maneuverability, and its low profile allows the paddler a wide range of motion and is well suited for a variety of rolling techniques. The keyhole cockpit provides a sure grip for boat control and the sloped aft bulkhead helps drain the cockpit in reentry techniques. All these characteristics make for a kayak that is well suited to taking on dynamic conditions that make for challenging and exciting outings.
$3,720
www.seakayakinguk.com
Best Take-Apart Kayak
Khatsalano
by Feathercraft
I recall seeing the prototype for the Khatsalano when designer Doug Simpson brought it to a Paddlefest many  years ago. It was much sleeker than any folding kayak I’d seen and I couldn’t wait to paddle it. It looked like a Greenland kayak and when I got aboard it performed very much like one. It had a snug, secure fit and decks low enough to slip under the wind. It was a bit on the tippy side because Doug had not yet incorporated the internal sponsons. On the next iteration he added transverse tension to the skin and increased the stability. The 17’10” by 22” Khatsalano is compact, but with gear tightly packed in small dry bags you could easily get away from it all. There is an option for a rolling rib that lowers the back of the coaming—well worth considering for the fun you’d have doing Greenland rolls.
$5,800 (Canadian)
www.feathercraft.com
Best Open-Water Racing Kayak
18X
by Epic
 With two world champions at the helm of Epic Kayaks, it’s a safe bet that their boats are designed for speed. The 18X is one of the few kayaks I can paddle in excess of 7 knots, and surprisingly it doesn’t make huge sacrifices in stability to make that speed attainable. Built on to the fast hull are all the things that make the 18X an able kayak for open-water racing or fast touring. I did a 90-mile cruise in the 18X Sport—virtually the same kayak, but with a load waterline 3⁄4“ wider—and had no trouble moving a full load of camping cargo at a steady 5 knots. It was a pleasure seeing the landscape go by that fast. The 18’ by 22” 18X is available in three layups that weigh from 34 to 45 pounds. If speed’s your thing for racing or cruising the 18X is your boat.
$3,295 to $4,295
depending on construction
www.epickayaks.com
Best Sit-On-Top Kayak
Sea Island Sport
by Chesapeake Light Craft
Our readers voted for a wooden kit kayak for the best sit-on-top (SOT) kayak, a type that has been dominated by rotomolded plastic for decades. We didn’t get a chance to paddle it, but took a close look at its lines. Using  plywood to create an SOT has some limitations—unlike plastic plywood can’t be molded into just about any shape imaginable—but the result is a kayak that has sweet curves, edges that accentuate the form and fine, graceful ends. Chesapeake Light Craft’s Sea Island Sport is 15’ 6” long and 27” wide and weighs 48 pounds, appreciably lighter than plastic SOT of similar size. The sponson-type hull provides good stability and tracking. The self-draining cockpit is designed to accommodate paddlers up to 275 pounds.
Plans: $99; A kit with precut pieces: $672; Complete kit: $984
www.clcboats.com
Best Women’s Kayak
Eliza
by Necky
 A good kayak is one that fits. The Eliza was designed to be a good fit for women. The cockpit ergonomics are sized for women and the hull is scaled to be a good match for women’s size and strength. Keeping the wetted surface of the hull low makes it more easily driven at typical cruising speeds. The Eliza is 15’ 4” long, but I’d hesitate to call it a short boat for the implications that makes. It is a full-sized sea kayak for paddlers up to 150 pounds, and it gives paddlers in that size range the same high level of performance that larger kayaks do for larger—and typically male—paddlers.
We reviewed the polyethylene version of the Eliza in 2007. The reports from the three women who tested that boat were so positive that instead of sending it back to Necky I had my sister buy it.
$2,649.99 (composite, skeg)
$1,549.99 (rotomolded, rudder)
www.neckykayaks.com
Best Double Kayak
Passat
by Seaward Kayaks
The Passat is a 22-foot long tandem kayak that is a slender 26 inches wide. One of our reviewers (in tests in 1999) noted that the Passat was “not too deep or wide. It had none of the bulky feel of other doubles. It feels very much like paddling a single.” It drew praise for its speed and for its playfulness in waves. It responded well to techniques normally associated only with single kayaks. 
One couple reviewing the Passat “did seven rolls without a miss and our coordination wasn’t perfect.” Our trials concluded that the Passat was “a rewarding boat to paddle. This kayak will tempt a pair of motivated paddlers to perfect tandem rolls, braces and other advanced techniques.”
$4,850
www.seawardkayaks.com
Best Everyday Paddle
Camano
by Werner
 The Camano is designed for a relaxed low-angle cruising stroke, the kind you could sustain for hours on end. The blade has no tendency to flutter so you can keep a light grip on it. At just 28.3 ounces, the straight carbon-shaft 220-cm model with fiberglass blades is easy to swing. (An all-carbon Camano is 25.25 ounces.) The dihedral blade tends to pull a pinkie-thick swirl of air into the water, and while I could get an airless stroke if I worked at it, that bit of air creates just enough slip to soften the stroke. For a cruising paddle, that can be a good thing. The Camano does its job by not leaving you feeling worn out at the end of the day.
Fiberglass: Straight Shaft $265, Bent Shaft $340
Carbon: Straight Shaft $340, Bent Shaft $415
www.wernerpaddles.com
Best Performance Touring Paddle
Ikelos
by Werner
The Ikelos delivers a lot of power. It takes the water cleanly and has plenty of blade area to get a solid grip on the water. At the finish of the stroke the blade pops out of the water like a pinched melon seed. That and the low swing weight make for a very quick turnover. The broad blade offers great support for braces and its smooth back is buttery smooth in sculling. The grip is slightly oval for positive blade control. The 25-ounce weight of the 210-centimeter Ikelos is a delight and yet the shaft is quite solid without any detectable flex in the water even when applying full power. Whatever power and skill you have the Ikelos will effectively translate into speed and boat control.
Straight Shaft $390, Bent Shaft $465
www.wernerpaddles.com
Best Racing Paddle
Mid Wing
by Epic
 I’ve been using an Epic Mid Wing for a few years now and even though I’ve covered several hundred miles with it, I still enjoy watching the Mid Wing blade take the water. If the water’s dark, the carbon fiber blade just disappears and locks in. It slips in cleanly without dragging even a slender vortex of air. It’s that easy-to-achieve clean entry that gives the Mid Wing a lot of power. The two-piece Mid Wing has an adjustable ferrule that will set at any degree of feather and allow a 10-centimeter variation in length. The early Mid Wing ferrules tightened with Epic’s Length Lock threaded collar. The new system, Length Lock 2 (shown here), employs a small lever to tighten the joint. It’s easier to operate, especially if your hands are cold and wet.
The Mid Wing is not the biggest, most powerful paddle Epic makes, but it’s easy on the arms and can put a lot of miles astern in short order.
$1,449
www.epickayaks.com
Best Towing System
Sea Tec Tow Line
by North Water Paddle Sports Equipment
There are times when you have to be able to deploy a towline quickly to get a fellow paddler out of a dangerous situation. The North Water towline makes that possible. The generously sized bag rolls up into a compact package with a snag-free carabiner at the ready. To clip in, all you have to do is pull the carabiner. There’s no need to unclip it. Four feet of towline—about as far as you can reach—will slip freely out of the bag. After you get clipped in just peel back the Velcro to open the bag and let the float, the bungee and the remaining towline follow. A brass clip inside the bag allows you to set the line at any length up to 55 feet. After the tow the bag is large enough to swallow up wads of line and get it tucked safely away. Simple, effective and very fast.
$124.95
www.northwater.com
Best Deck Bag
Baja
by Cascade Designs/SealLine
 The Baja deck bag from Cascade Designs/SealLine is solidly built of welded vinyl and has a stiff plastic sheet arched inside to make it easier to get your hands on the gear you need. A vinyl flap and thick piping called Zip Lips keep water away from the plastic coil zipper. Most of the water that got in my Baja dripped in from my hands, or seeped in during rolling drills. There are deck bags on the market that are fully waterproof, but anything you’re likely to use while you’re under way should take kindly to water, even if only from wet hands. Ease of access is more important and you can quickly open the Baja with one hand. Broad bands of Velcro keep the Baja securely fastened to the deck lines even when blasting through a wall of green water.
$99.95
www.cascadedesigns.com/sealline
Best Dry Bag
Kodiak
by Cascade Designs/SealLine
The Kodiak dry bag does three jobs well: Of course it keeps gear dry, it compresses to make the best use of your cargo space and then when you get to camp, a quick glance through the full-length window lets you know what’s inside. The seams are all neatly welded and the roll top has a stiff band in a sleeve to assure that the first rolls that close the bag are wrinkle-free and air tight. The purge valve is an interesting combination of mesh fabric, a spongy material and a thin flap welded in place around a vent in the clear urethane window. As long as you don’t press the valve flat against the inside of your storage compartments the bag will conform to the cargo space and compress as you pack in more gear.
In 7 sizes from $22.95 to $44.95
www.cascadedesigns.com/sealline
Best Specialty PFD
Guide
by Kokatat
I’ve been using Kokatat’s Guide PFD for several years now and although I’ve crawled across a lot of kayak decks with it, it has held up without any damage or signs of wear.
It is a nearly permanent home for my essential safety gear. The top-lading pocket is just right for my VHF radio and the side-loading pocket on the left holds a tethered laser flare. I keep a sheath knife strapped to the lash tab and carry a folding knife in the mesh pocket tucked behind the front zipper. A quick-release tow belt slips behind the pockets. It has a stainless-steel triglide backing up the quick-release buckle, but I don’t thread the belt through it. The buckle is sufficient for towing. Broad bands of retroreflective material assure nighttime visibility. The Guide has covered a lot of miles with me and it still has a lot of good years ahead.
$222
www.kokatat.com
Best Footwear
Kicker Wetshoe
by NRS
In an age when shoes are getting inexplicably complex, the Kicker is a breath of fresh air: styling based on function, not flash. 
The ridged sole has a good combination of flexibility for comfort in the cockpit and stiffness for protection from rocks on shore. The sole wraps up around the entire perimeter, especially at the heel where it rests inside the kayak and at the instep where it stabilizes your foot. A rubber panel protects the Kicker from wearing at the point of contact with the foot braces. A Velcro strap across the arch and a cinch cord at the ankle keep the Kicker in place. The toe has nothing to snag on your foot braces. What more would you need?
$39.95
www.nrsweb.com
Best PFD and Best Women’s PFD
MsFit Tour
by Kokatat
The MsFit Tour was initially designed for women but its design and features have found a wide following either side of the gender divide. The fit is adjusted by straps at the shoulders, sides and waist. The front sports two side-zipped cargo pockets and a top-loading pocket that will accommodate a VHF radio. A lash tab placed to keep a rescue knife handy at the shoulder has a panel to tuck the sheath tip neatly inside to prevent it from getting hung up on towlines or deck lines. Retroreflective bands on the shoulders provide good nighttime visibility.
It’s reassuring that our readers chose a PFD with a generous capacity for gear. It suggests the PFD is where they carry essential gear. That’s in keeping with what a Coast Guard rescue swimmer told me: “If it isn’t on you, you don’t have it.”
$147
www.kokatat.com
Best Drysuit
Meridian
by Kokatat
Jonny Layefsky and his wife, Lezlie Jane, chose Meridian drysuits as the winners of our survey drawing. The Meridian is a Gore-Tex drysuit with reinforced seat and knees and an overskirt to keep water from seeping into the cockpit. The latex wrist and neck seals are protected by stretchy neoprene cuffs. The Meridian comes in both a men’s and a women’s cut and has options for a relief zipper for men, a drop seat for women and integral Gore-Tex socks.
$1,020 (men’s, relief zip)
$1,070 (women’s, drop seat)
www.kokatat.com
Best Wetsuit
Farmer John
by NRS
 The NRS Farmer John wetsuit has been gussied up a bit since I got mine about six years ago. The front and ankle zippers, the kneepads and seat reinforcement are the same, but the blind-sewn seams now have contrasting stitching and there is a band of stretchier fabric-faced neoprene around the arm openings. The seams are glued on the inside, as before, but the glue lines are much slimmer and softer. The changes add a bit more comfort to a suit that was already comfortable.
$89.95
www.nrsweb.com
Best Paddling Jacket
TecTOUR Anorak
by Kokatat
Good design is in the details, and the TecTOUR Anorak has them covered.
The waist overlaps a spray skirt inside and out and cinches snug. The outside seals with a comfortably wide stretchy band with two Velcro tabs. The sleeves are cut with very full armpits to keep the fabric from chafing. Gusseted pockets on both sleeves add capacity to the gear you carry on your person. Neoprene gaskets seal the wrists while the neck has a less watertight but more comfortable and openable seal. The zippers all have grippy rubber pulls that are easy to grasp with wet gloved hands. When the hood’s zipped up a piled-faced tab makes for comfortable contact for your chin. There are stripes of retroreflective material for good visibility at night. Of course, Gore-Tex breathable fabric is the logical choice for a top-notch jacket where moisture management inside and out is critical for comfort.
It’s all very well thought out and I can’t imagine what Kokatat could do to improve it.
$435
www.kokatat.com
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