Advanced Elements Packlite Kayak Review

I used a double bladed kayak paddle and sat in the boat as I would do a regular kayak, legs out in front of me pointing towards the narrow end. It's shape is that of a large teardrop, with a high wall at the stern giving some decent back support.

The 90cm width is wider than your average plastic or fiberglass kayak which makes it remarkably stable. That said it's not so wide that paddling it becomes a chore. Switching from a boat more than twice its length and 20 times its weight meant a very different set of handling characteristics. For example it's possible to turn the boat around 180 degrees literally on a sixpence with a single draw stroke which makes it incredibly nimble and manouverable The downside to this is that it takes a while to get used to the bow skitting left and right a little with each paddle stroke when going forwards. A little practice and its soon mastered though and perfectly possible to make good forward progress.

Whilst on Mull it was used daily on island hopping trips with stretches of open water half a kilometer wide. I hasten to add that we didn't take it out in high wind or strong tides, but that in sensible conditions it was perfectly usable as an exploratory vessel. Obviously portages were a doddle!

Read Advanced Elements Packlite Kayak Review on the Heason Events website.

Advanced Elements PackLite Kayak

Advanced Elements Packlite Kayak Review

Date: 02/07/14