Our Best Old Town Kayak Reviews
One of the oldest and most trusted brands when it comes to fishing and recreational kayaks, Old Town Kayaks offer a robust and inexpensive experience for people who want to get their paddles wet and try out yaking.They’ve been around since 1898, and for a century have lead the market in just about every kind of small river boating sales, from canoes, to kayaks, to small water rafts.
One of the reasons why I like Old Town in particular, is you can tell that they’ve put a lot of effort into their yakangling varieties, and fishing is clearly their focus. Their kayaks are designed from several different materials, and they are a close second compared to Malibu when it comes to technological implementations and options, yet all of their products still remain quite affordable.
They let other brands mess around with inflatable varieties, Old Town is all about hardened kayaks, they stick to what they are good at. The material they use in all of their kayaks is called LT9000, which is a high grade plastic compound blend layered three times with the polyethylene substance, a highly durable plastic. Like steel compared to iron, although polyethylene is durable and hard, it is very light, and can withstand a ton of abuse.
Reviews of the Top Models
Loon 111 Recreational
The Loon 111 is Old Town’s leading recreational kayak, and has been one of the most popular family kayaks for over a decade. Its extremely light, at just 45 pounds you will be able to lift it with relative ease, and offers good comfort and stability. You’ll be able to feel confident in the product no matter you skill level, whether expert of beginner. The Loon also has a very roomy cockpit opening, with lots of space, you will be able to enter or exit the kayak with relative ease. Also, like most of the products with this brand, you’ll notice it features a classic design that allows for increased tracking, including rear deck bungees, a cup holder, adjustable foot braces and seat and a mounted paddle holder.
Twin Heron Angler
Although its a tandem designed for multiple anglers, the Twin Heron is Old Town’s best fishing kayak. It features a unique and innovative auto trim hull which gives the yak additional stability and control no matter how many occupants(It has one large cockpit but two seats). You also have the option of removing the seat located near the front, just in case you want to go at it alone with some additional equipment or bring a dog, making the Twin Heron the perfect complimentary hunting kayak. A few of its other features include 6 Cannon mount receivers, 2 Cannon rod holders, a glide track adjustable foot brace, and the ability to hold up to 500 pounds.
Dirigo Tandem Plus Double
Although the Heron Angler was pretty nice, as a stand alone tandem the Dirigo is the best of the pair. It offers better control, and features two cockpits which are non-adjustable, but both paddlers should have easy access to the areas the dry hatch and Click Seal hatch. The Dirigo just overall is very comfortable, it has padded seats and an adjustable foot brace for both paddlers, plus you can remove the second seat for additional storage. A few of its other features include deck bungee, cup holders, and carrying handles for easy transport.
Twister
The Twister is the brands featured sit on top kayak, but its pretty a-typical for the style. Its very wide and the seat is a little lower to the ground than you would expect, but that provides additional stability, control, and tracking. Its specifically designed for beginners who need the extra stability support, and comes with a ton room so you can pack heavy even though it isn’t a tandem model. Included in the kayak is a large tank, paddle holders, carrying handles for easier transport, and a skid plate to prevent damage to the bottom.
