It has a comfortable seat in an open cockpit, and the smaller design makes them easy to handle both on and off the water. A sit in kayak is a good choice for beginners. A recreational kayak is perfect for fishing, river travel, or a leisurely stroll around the lake. There are several types available for sale at Farm and Fleet. Meanwhile, the taller testers (including 6’ 0”) gave the Zeniths a higher rating.Head to the local Blain’s Farm & Fleet store near you to buy your next Sun Dolphin kayak or Lifetime kayak and enjoy an outdoor water fun adventure. The second-to-shortest tester (5’ 2”) said that she was constantly banging the paddle against the sides of the cockpit. The Zenith sits lower in the water (as one tester put it, “I’m too close to the water in the teal ones”), and thus you need to lift your paddles higher. Speaking of height, the Lancer won for those of us who are short or short-waisted. This was especially true for the shorter testers – one of whom said the Lancer’s foot rests were very comfortable for bare feet. The Lancer also won in our tests for the most comfortable foot rests.
The Lancer also has pads along the rim of the cockpit – this is much more comfortable for carrying (the raw plastic is sharp!) as well as more comfortable for your knees if you’re one of those people who likes to fidget their feet while kayaking (I wouldn’t be one of those, now would I?) That said, the Lancer’s seat pad is a bit squishier and it’s definitely higher quality. Let’s just say that neither the Lancer nor the Zenith win contests for being comfortable to sit in for hours on end. Kayaking by the McKeil Spirit, a laker delivering material to a cement factory Lancer vs. Winner for Design: Lancer because it has more features, though the Zenith is easier to paddle in a straight line It’s too shallow and wide to be really useful for water bottles, but a can of soda would probably be fine. The Zenith does not have a paddle holder.Ĭup Holder: The Lancer model comes with a cup holder in front of the seat. I find it useful, but I don’t use it enough to make it a must-have. It’s only useful if you want to set down your paddle while you’re out on the water, or maybe while carrying the kayak from the parking area to the launch – it’s not safe for transport. Paddle Holder: The Lancer has a piece of elastic and a peg for attaching the paddle to the kayak. This is a problem if you try to turn one upside down, but for general purpose it’s really nice. But the truth is that neither one is easy to use, which is a pity since I find myself emptying out water almost every time I use the kayaks.īackrest Latch: The Lancer has two clips that allow the seat backrests to be clipped into the upright position. The cork stays in the Lancer very well unless you unstop it – so while it won’t come uncorked by its own while you’re kayaking, you’re more likely to lose it while emptying the water out of the kayak (and good luck getting it uncorked with wet fingers). The Zenith drain system is much easier to use, but occasionally it will pop up while I’m kayaking and water could come onboard if the water was rough.
The Lancer has a hard plastic cork that is unscrewed to allow the water out (the part of the cork that stays inside of the kayak is wider than the drain hole to keep it from falling out). The Zenith uses a pop-off bit of rubber that is firmly attached to the kayak (you won’t lose it easily). Keep reading for a more detailed review of the two kayaks.ĭrain Hole: Both kayaks have a drain hole on the top of the stern. It’s also easier to cut a straight line across a lake in the Zenith. It’s also preferred by 8 out of 10 testers.īut the Zenith is a great deal, too, with a lower price tag if you’re just trying to get started with kayaking without a large investment. So I’d recommend the Lancer on the basis of coming with a paddle, extra accessories, better durability, a more comfortable seat, and the pads on the edge of the cockpit. Overall, the Lancer wins 6 categories to the Zenith’s 4 categories. I’m happy to report that 1) they’re super stable and it’s unlikely you’ll flip one even when climbing back into them after swimming, and 2) they handle waves better than you’d expect a small boat to – but you’ll still get wet if it’s windy.
A couple of us have even jumped out of them to go swimming. Four women and six men have tested the kayaks in conditions ranging from cold and windy to calm and blistering hot.
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