4 min read
Old Town Canoes & Kayaks Vapor Review
Kayaking is an exciting outdoor activity that’s blown up in recent years as quality kayaks and equipment become more affordable for those interested in the hobby. Often times the most overlooked piece of equipment when kayaking is the kayak itself. People tend to have issues with the size of their kayak and fitting themselves comfortably into it with a nice balance between space and tightness. A second major issue is the stability of the kayak, for some people they prefer a kayak with a little more roll potential so they have more control of their movement in faster rapids. It’s common knowledge though that for beginners and people who usually kayak to relax or fish a more stable boat will help keep you afloat. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Old Town Vapor 12XT Angler. A sturdy kayak that does a lot of things really well but that doesn’t stand out for any unique innovations. This kayak is not one of the most used for fishing but it can definitely be used as a fishing kayak.
Vapor 12XT Angler’s stability
The Vapor 12XT Angler is known for its’ stability on the water. The boat manages to be stable due to its’ length and width coming in at 12 feet long with a beam of 281/2 inches. The sit inside hull design gives the user a low seating position which helps keep the center of gravity lower adding more stability in the boat but also maneuvers the boat’s weight in such a way that you get a nice speed boost meaning this kayak can sail very quickly on rapids. A nice addition is the patented Old Town Comfort Flex seat which is very comfortable which in turn keeps the user stable by allowing them to relax instead of constantly readjusting.
Taking a look at the cargo and space options on the Vapor 12XT Angler
The comfort level of this kayak is great with a very spacious interior and a lot of modifiable systems to make it easy to use for people of all heights, and sizes. As I mentioned earlier the Comfort Flex seat is a nice addition because it helps prevent you from shifting constantly. In addition to a comfortable seat, there are adjustable foot braces that enable the kayak to accommodate different sized users. One of the surprising things about this kayak is the sheer volume of space to fit a person with an extra large cockpit opening and, like sit-on-top design kayaks, the Angler includes a molded intake well in the stern.
Shortcomings of the Vapor 12XT Angler
The only major issue I can find with the Vapor 12XT Angler is that it lacks more dry storage space for tools and equipment. Also, there’s a meager amount of outfitting available on the Vapor 12XT Angler when you buy it directly from the store. If there are specific tools or additions you need to your kayak though it’s not hard to fit aftermarket parts to the kayak but unfortunately there’s no way to solve the dry storage problem so that’s something you’ll have to be comfortable with.
Pros & Cons
Pros: alot of adjustable settings to make the user as comfortable as possible regardless of their size, the highly efficient design gives you great speed and stability, produced by Old Town one of the oldest and most reputable companies in the kayaking industry.
Cons: Lack of dry storage space with no fix, meager outfitting that has to be supported by aftermarket add-ons.
Final Thoughts
If you are new to the hobby of kayaking I’d strong recommend this boat as a great first kayak that has a very well rounded performance and as you get more comfortable kayaking and want to experiment with no attachments or fishing you’ll always have the option to throw on aftermarket add-ons. If you are a more experienced kayaker looking for something fast and with good primary stability then I’d also recommend this kayak, if you’re looking to spend a lot of time on the rapids and need more storage though there are definitely better options to suit your needs. I’d say people who like to fish would benefit the most from this kayak since it has all the essential tools to be a great fishing vessel with the added benefit of plenty of standing room.
Where to buy
Resources
Buyer Guide to best Fishing Kayaks – www.kayakingjournal.com/best-fishing-kayak
