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Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak
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With its full array of features, the Emotion Kayaks Spitfire brings the fun of sit-on-top kayaks to the casual paddler at an incredible value.
- Extremely light weight allows kayak to be transported by the solo paddler
- Highly maneuverable 8 ft. length excels at fun and games in still waters and light surf, and stable hull design inspires confidence and tracks well
- Specially compounded polyethylene hull resists abrasion and UV light and offers durable good looks
- Specialized blowmolding process produces a strong hull of consistent, exceptional quality
- Seat back increases support and folds down when storing the boat
- Molded-in cup holder keeps beverages handy
- Aft storage tank well with bungee rigging secures your gear
- Toggled carry handles ease transport to the water
Made in USA.
Item 788110
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Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak Customer Reviews
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
- Stable (25)
- Compact (23)
- Easy to lift (21)
- Comfortable (20)
- Easy in/out (20)
Cons
- Poor tracking (9)
- Difficult to paddle (5)
- Not enough storage (5)
- Slow (4)
Best Uses
- Flat waters (21)
- Rivers (16)
- Day trip (15)
- Ocean swells (8)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Casual/ recreational (10), Recreational (10), Beginner (5), Advanced (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (10)
Reviewed by 28 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-10
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Pros
- Comfortable
- Compact
- Easy Entry & Exit
- Easy To Lift
- Easy to Paddle
- Good Maneuverability
- Stable
Cons
Best Uses
- Day Trips
- Flat Waters
- Kayak Camping
- Ocean Swells
- Rivers
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
For its size/price, Spitfire doesn't get any better. I live on the seacoast & run a summer eco-kayak trip business. Primarily I take clients on near-shore coastal trips, but also do inland lake/pond eco-tours. Most are day-trips with occasional camping trips to coastal barrier beaches. I've surfed & kayaked since 1960. When researching kayaks, my priority was a STABLE kayak to accomodate a wide range of abilities, sizes & ages of my clients (8-80 years). Also, since I was buying a large number of kayaks, the price-point of Spitfire was attractive. Yes, storage is restricted in rear well. But with drybags I provide & instructions on how to pack smartly my clients carry alot of gear. Note: I provide my clients lunch on daytrips, which they carry themselves in each kayak. For overnight trips I carry all my client's camping gear, etc in a rubber boat I tow behind my Spitfire. I've read some reviewers complaining about Spitfire's lack of straight tracking. From my extensive experience, the ability to keep any kayak paddling straight (even in seabreezes) is all about the paddler's stroke technique. Others complained kayak is slow. OK, so if you want to go fast, then buy a speedboat! Relax, enjoy the natural scenary you're paddling past. Finally, someone complained that the seat of their pants got wet. Really? You'll survive getting wet; after all that's part of the fun of kayaking.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Comfortable
- Easy Entry & Exit
- Easy To Lift
Cons
- Difficult to Paddle
- Poor Tracking
Best Uses
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
If I could give it 1/2 star, I would. We purchased two of these kayaks for our anniversary after reading the reviews. We are returning them to REI as the tracking makes is very difficult to enjoy out on the lake. We spent the day out on the lake and had to fight with the kayaks almost the whole day...making an enjoy outing into a struggle on the water. I would not recommend this kayak.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Comfortable
- Compact
- Easy Entry & Exit
- Easy To Lift
- Easy to Paddle
- Stable
Cons
- Poor Tracking
- Slow
Best Uses
- Day Trips
- Flat Waters
- Ocean Swells
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
Tremendous fun at a terrific price! I'm middle-aged and over-weight, but I wanted to go out on Duxbury/Plymouth Bay, enjoy the water, and have a lot of fun while getting good exercise. I spent nearly every day of 3 weeks of summer vacation in this kayak, and loved it! My young son and his friends also had a blast with it. Here are the many pros and a few cons.Pros: The seat and the footholds make for real comfort. I don't know why so many people had trouble with the seat-back breaking, but if you inadvertently put your weight on it to get in or out of the kayak, it could break. There is plenty of room to pack a picnic lunch, drinks, and some personal items for a several hour jaunt.As I said, I'm middle-aged and over-weight, but I was able to get in and out of this kayak very easily (and keep my dignity in tact...) It's very easy to pull up to a nice swimming spot, slide out, and then get back in.Stability is excellent. I took the Spitfire on a 4-mile trip in heavy swells and white-caps, against the wind and the tide. I rolled over the waves with no problem. My husband -- an experienced sailor and water nut -- once tipped out of the kayak in the wind and waves while putting it to the test, but he was able to get back in very easily.Durability is also excellent. My son and his friends spent ours horsing around in this kayak, dumping each other out of it, towing it around, and (ahem!) dragging it over rocks to bring it back up to shore. Portability is good. I can readily pick up this 38 lb kayak and carry it 10-15 feet over the rocks and onto the beach, and it can be loaded onto the car roof rack by one person.Maintenance is a breeze! Water doesn't accumulate inside this sit-on-top model, as it just drains down the scupper holes. Wash it off with a hose and wipe it with a clean rag, and it looks as great as the day I bought it!Cons: Well, there's only really. The tracking is poor. I had to work extra hard when paddling with friends who had sleeker kayaks. However, theirs cost $1,000 or more, and mine was a mere [$] on sale.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Stable
Cons
- Difficult to Paddle
- Poor Tracking
- Slow
Best Uses
- Flat Waters
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
Purchased for my wife who is a beginner.
Pros: stable, gets you on the water, inexpensive.
Cons: Slow, doesn't track well, Doesn't handle waves well, heavy, difficult to carry. Really slow.
We ended up returning a buying a more expensive boat that she enjoys much more.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Comfortable
- Compact
- Easy Entry & Exit
- Easy To Lift
- Easy to Paddle
- Stable
Cons
- Slow
Best Uses
- Day Trips
- Flat Waters
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
This is a great starter kayak for a newbie, and I think it will make a good surf kayak for any ability level.
I am a 6'2" 230 lb guy, and an active watersports fan (surfing and windsurfing mostly). This kayak will easily float me, and is quite stable even in 2' chop.
I took this out for 5 days on Lake Tahoe CA paddling and had a blast with it. As long as you manage your paddling to maintain balance, it rides easily through and over waves, wake, and anything encountered on a big windy lake. It is not particularly fast (not enough for long trips), but sufficient for having fun, riding waves, and messing about.
Since it is a sit-on-top, it is simple to exit and enter the kayak, even when in deeper water.
It is fairly light so easy to load on a car roof. One nice thing about this kayak is its compact length: it can fit fully inside an 8' truck bed, and will probably fit inside a regular SUV or wagon if the passenger seat is laid down (I have not tested this, but if my 9' surfboard can fit inside, I think this will too).
The construction is good, it is pretty solid and made here in the USA. For REI's price the value is hard to beat.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact
- Easy Entry & Exit
- Easy To Lift
- Stable
Cons
Best Uses
- Day Trips
- Flat Waters
- Rivers
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
I am new to kayaking, didn't want to spend a lot of money, and have best access to flat-water lakes. The Spitfire fits the bill. It's fun and easy to use. Another plus is its size/weight -- easy on and off my four-wheel drive roof-top luggage rack.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Comfortable
- Compact
- Easy Entry & Exit
- Easy To Lift
- Easy to Paddle
- Good Maneuverability
- Stable
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
Great value in a kayak. Ease of entry and exit and transportability all played a part in deciding on this kayak. Using it primarily on lakes, this is easy to maneuver and stable. With this years model, Emotion provided a back seat padded cover so it makes it an enjoyable kayak all around.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact
- Easy Entry & Exit
Cons
- Poor Tracking
Best Uses
- Flat Waters
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
Had to tighten the screws down and one hook in the back holding the criss cross bungees was broken. Took it out for the first time today and was overall very pleased with it. I'm using it in a large state park lake and it is easy and fun to use. Not the best or the fastest and the tracking definitely has some challenges, but I would put anybody in this kayak. I am glad I bought it. For the price, seems like a good purchase.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy Entry & Exit
- Stable
Cons
- Difficult to carry
- Difficult to Paddle
- Does not track straight
- Poor Tracking
- Slow
Best Uses
- Flat Waters
- Lake use
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
Purchased for my wife who is a novice kayaker. We used it for a week in the intercostal and ocean. It is a very stable kayak and really inexpensive. The downside it that the Spitfire is very slow, very wide, and does not track well. I found it similar to paddling a bathtub. We returned it and haven't looked back. Probably good for the kids or someone who wants to get on the water cheaply, but you will quickly outgrow this one.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Easy To Lift
- Stable
Cons
- Not Enough Storage
Best Uses
- Flat Waters
- Rivers
Comments about Emotion Kayaks Spitfire Sit-On-Top Kayak:
This is my first kayak purchase. I use it to go up bays and creeks in order to spot wildlife from the water. I'm not a kayak enthusiast and just wanted something that didn't cost a lot but would allow me to get out on the water. I have certainly spent more than the cost of this boat on kayak rentals.
I go out for 1-2 hours at a time. I can load this on my car by myself, need assistance with SUV. I wish there were something to grip on the sides of the boat for easier loading. I have never felt like I was going to flip off of it or unstable.
I don't need great tracking and knew a wider, shorter boat likely wouldn't provide that. I rarely want to go in a straight line anyway. I have wildlife A-D-D so one minute I want to view an eagle left and the next minute I want to view a heron right. If I did want to paddle more in a straight line, I would have to list tracking as a con, but I would also have known this boat likely wouldn't be the best choice.
I did do some research to figure out how to "speak kayak" before I bought the boat. I would recommend that if you're clueless as I was.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-10
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