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Pakboats Puffin Saranac 15 Double Folding Kayak

GRAY

Pakboats Puffin Saranac 15 Double Folding Kayak

$729.93
$1075.00^*

REDUCED PRICE You Save 32%

(3)

Item # 785549

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Perfect for 2 paddlers on a day trip, the Pakboat Puffin Saranac 15 Double folding kayak expands your horizons for adventure by compactly storing in a portable package!

Simple assembly takes approximately 25 min.; Puffin Saranac 15 stores in a 29 x 10 x 14 in. bag, included
Open-decked boat allows easy loading and unloading—perfect for fishing, island-hopping or warm-weather excursions (deck sold separately)
Rugged, abrasion-resistant PVC-coated synthetic fabric skin fits tightly over frame, creating clean lines and smooth paddling
Anodized aluminum frame is strong, lightweight and corrosion resistant; longer sections of frame are shockcorded like tent poles to ease assembly
3 longitudinal rods—2 gunwales and a hinged keel—attach to cross members inside the skin to create a taut, easy-to-assemble craft that anyone can put together
Inflatable tubes with 4 separate compartments between frame and skin increase tautness, ensure flotation and eliminate pressure points
Inflatable, urethane-coated seats stand up to heavy use and adjust to provide a perfect fit
Removable deck effectively seals out water; simply hook over the ends of the hull and attach with a rip-and-stick seal (deck sold separately)
Kayak converts to a single-seat configuration by moving the thwart; single-seat deck sold separately
Includes pump, repair kit and storage bag

Imported.

Item 785549

An oversize shipping charge of $40 applies to this item (plus regular shipping fees). Or ship it FREE to any REI store for pickup. Please allow up to two weeks for delivery (except for inflatable and folding boats).
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Pakboats Puffin Saranac 15 Double Folding Kayak Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Pakboats Puffin Saranac 15 Double Folding Kayak

2.7

(based on 3 reviews)

67%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Easy in/out (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Reviewed by 3 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-3

Dec

2010

(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Know what you are getting

By renoroger

from northern Nevada

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Compact
Easy Entry & Exit
Easy To Lift
Easy to Paddle

Cons

Poor Tracking

Best Uses

Day Trips
Flat Waters

Comments about Pakboats Puffin Saranac 15 Double Folding Kayak:

I was intrigued by its light weight of 27 lbs and wanted something much lighter than the Klepper Aerius double I had paddled for many years. I found the initial assembly very difficult. One of the plastic connectors broke during the first assembly. I received the repair part very quickly plus a couple of spares. The performance on the water needs getting used to. The craft does not track well but performs better in the single configuration. The 400 lb capacity is a stretch, with two adults totalling 350 lbs, it seems overloaded. This is a recreational kayak akin to a beach toy. I sold mine after using it perhaps 5 times. I recommend it with reservations. Try it before you buy it.

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Aug

2010

(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Saranac 15, Summer 2010

By LW_

from Northwest US

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Compact
Easy Entry & Exit
Easy setup takedown
Easy To Lift
Easy to Paddle
Fishable
Good Maneuverability
Packs small
Stable

Cons

Moderate tracking

Best Uses

Day Trips
Fishing
Moderate wind OK
Remote lakes
Swell up to about 1ft OK

Comments about Pakboats Puffin Saranac 15 Double Folding Kayak:

I've used this boat ~5 times since purchasing at REI this summer, all on lakes around the northwest. Its my only boat, doesn't take up room at home and gets me on the water so I love it. Setup time after 2nd try ~20min. Takedown time ~15-20min.I didn't buy the deck, I just run it open in both the 1 seat and 2 seat configurations.- Solo paddle on Lake Washington in some wind/chop was OK+- Double paddling w/ my wife on Lake Washington in moderate wind, and chop from other boats at about 12-18" was pushing it-- didn't stay out long and took a little water onboard in diagonal chop (low free-board. would have been OK w/ a deck cover)- Solo paddle w/ fishing gear on cascade lakes is the sweeth spot for this boat. Have done this now in modest winds (less than 15kts) on a couple lakes. (yes, easy enough for any kayak if you can drive to the lake.)- Packed the boat strapped to an external frame backpack for an hour climb to a remote cascade lake and set it up for fishing last weekend. Weight was about the same as carrying my 2yr old daughter on a hike, no surprises. Wind ranged from none to a bit (~10kt gusts, maybe 5-8 sustained for part of the day) That day alone was so enjoyable I'd buy the boat again w/o hesitation. Exploring small islands, fishing remote pockets, and getting to paddle where there is no other sound of people/cars/any machinery. One shoreline approach I could hear some stomping retreat in the dense trees above (probably an elk or bear) as I rounded a point and came along the shore. I paddled it several miles that day in various wind conditions and found it fast, easy, and goes right where I want it to go. Yes, occasionally corrective strokes were needed, but I'd expect similar performance from any ultra-light boat even if it didn't pack down. Plenty of room behind the paddler to stow a full size frame pack. And your hiking photos will look better from a waterline perspective (my opinion about my own pics)Tracking: Its an ultralight boat. It rides high on the water, your weight is in the middle which makes it tend to want to spin off center course in a breeze. It flexes and rides over swells, not through them, which I find fun and confidence inspiring that it stays high in the water. Better tracking solution: (for solo use) bring a drysack and put your boots in it and stuff it in the bow. Better yet bring an extra sack and fill the dry bag w/ ~10-15lbs of water and put that in the each end. This helps the boat track much better, especially when crossing diagonal waves/chop. (drybag w/ water suggested by the paddling guy at REI and proved a good solution)I plan to try a couple modifications:1) strap-on keel-strip reaching the length of the hull in hopes of improved tracking.2) Bring some extra cordage to lash the ribs to inner keel-frame, especially under where your weight sits as I've found the plastic connector separated on a couple ribs leading to the keel frame riding lower than it is meant to near the middle of the boat.I'll paddle some more and try to post some pics, but overall very pleased with this capable boat. Looking forward to adding overnight gear to my pack and doing some paddling/camping on remote lakes w/o any road access...I don't know anybody that works for pakboat or REI. I looked at other packable boats like Feathercraft, some inflatable kayaks, even Old Town "pack canoe", and decided the performance to cost tradeoff was good. I feel the quality of the materials on the boat is good. Lowest quality part of the kit is the pump-- seems fragile, use it gently. Getting it back into the bag is pretty easy. Carrying the boat on my shoulders to get it in the water is really easy. [...]Now I just need to find more time to get on the water.

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Oct

2009

(32 of 33 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

It Floats

By tanford

from SF Bay Area

About Me Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy Entry & Exit

Cons

Difficult to Paddle
Expensive
Poor Tracking
Slow

Best Uses

Flat Waters
Spinning in circles

Comments about Pakboats Puffin Saranac 15 Double Folding Kayak:

I thought this kayak was the answer to my problems...A folding kayak for that can be used as a tandem kayak as well as a solo. The idea is good, but it just was a nightmare handling on the water.

The good thing about it was it's lightweight, easy to assemble, and it floats. But that's about it...sounds as good as a pool toy...an expensive one.

The hull is curved so it doesn't completely sit in the water..which doesn't allow the bow to slice through the water. It has a shallow arched bottom so tracking is almost non-existent. There is no rudder or rudder kit available...all these things make for the perfect toy if you want to go nowhere fast on the water. Add wind and choppy waters and you are in for an exhausting, frustrating time. Where's the fun in that?

The set up I had was the kayak, the additional/optional double deck, and I tried it with Sevylor's rudder kit. The cost..close to $1400. The rudder does help, but with no proper mount for the foot control pedals, that then becomes another headache to deal with. For that amount of money, you'd expect better handling/tracking. I do, at least. The deck does not fit properly..the fit seems like it went through the wrong wash cycle and shrank a little and you're now forcing it to fit. I contacted Pakboat to ask if there was a sequence to attaching the deck but they were no help. "Just attach the front and back." Which was what I was doing and then trying to stretch the sides out.

I gave it a few chances to impress me. Paddling lakes and estuaries...calm and windy days. I thought I just needed some time to get use to the handling, but the tracking issues, the slowness, all the corrective strokes to try to stay in a straight line got way too annoying and exhausting. It's going back to REI...

Buy this if you want to spend a lot of money on an open deck "canoe" looking kayak that you will use on a calm lake, on a clear windless day, paddling very short distances and don't mind going slow and zigzagging to your destination. It was very disappointing.

Service and delivery comments:

Customer service was no help.

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Displaying reviews 1-3

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