Summary

Price At Time Of Writing | $1,797.00

Our Overall Rating | 88 out of 100

Pros - Performs well in the water, good storage

Cons - Tedious setup, long drying time, very heavy

Overall - Great kayak. Just takes a bit of time to dry it out

Technical Specifications

Open Size - 396x81cm

Weight - 19.1kg

Load Capacity - 204kg

Packed Size - 83x52x26cm

Our Analysis & Ratings

Really solid in the water with a good storage capacity, this is an enjoyable kayak to paddle. The cockpit is comfortable and there is a curved bar that lifts the deck to give you the little bit of extra space you need for your legs.

It is really heavy at 19.1kg and does take a long time to setup and pack down but if you mainly plan to use it for touring that may be ok. It’s embarrassingly comfortable, and the good quality floor and materials make this a great kayak in the water.

Performance - This kayak has excellent tracking in a straight line. It's fairly fast in the water and a real pleasure to paddle with good handling. The quality drop stitch floor provides a pleasingly hard surface and inbuilt skeg helps you stay straight, which makes this a really quality paddle.

Construction - As with all Advanced Elements products this is a quality construction - this one in particular though has a great drop stitch floor. Durable, with rip-stop fabrics and PVC tarpaulin, it certainly won't fall apart on you. There is also plenty of storage space making this a great touring kayak.

Setup/Pack down - The Expedition Elite has a lot of inflation points and does take a bit of time to set up with the mismatched valves and considerable pumping required. It does also need time to dry before putting back in the bag on account of the materials used. We found it a bit of a palaver – but not so much so that we didn’t want to take it out again!

Portability - At 19.1kg this is the heaviest kayak we reviewed. The bag does come with shoulder straps which makes it a bit easier to carry. The trade-off for the weight is a very high quality kayak though.

Comfort - This is one of the most comfortable kayaks we tested. The finish is quality with a good seat and a comfortable cockpit. We'd be happy to paddle for hours without issue. There is plenty of leg room and an adjustable foot rest if you like to use them.

Overall - Great kayak. Just takes a bit of time to dry it out.