We’ve been through a couple of boats that were a little bit out of a typical person’s price range. Especially for those of you who are just starting out in the kayak world. We totally understand that investing up to 4k on a kayak may seem like an outrage. Today, however, we got to test out a great bargain of a product.
This kayak basically has all of the features that many of the top of the line expensive kayaks due at a third of the price. You can imagine our excitement when we came across it. We were actually looking for a kayak that we could recommend to new users. Since most people tend to start out buying boats only based on their low price. When they get them out into the water though, these boats’ performance ends up really frustrating people.
source: kayaksandpaddles.co.uk
Ultimately steering potential lifetime kayakers away from this great pass time. We hope that this boat will cultivate the passion for being out on the water.
About The Product
The boat in question is the Wilderness Systems Pungo 120 Kayak. Much to our surprise, there were multiple great reviews all over the web. We were surprised because we were not that familiar with the brand when we got it. This is a 12-foot boat which means it actually competes directly with the Hobie Mirage boats and the hurricane skimmer line.
It has a good hull design that allows you to flow decently in the water. When it comes to paddling in a straight line, you won’t have a problem. Stability isn’t one of its strongest suits, but that also depends on how choppy the water is and how well you can distribute your weight around in the boat. The adjustable seat may be what wins a lot of people over. You can fit just as comfortable if you are 5 feet tall or 6 feet 5 inches tall. Weight is also not a major issue.
It can hold a passenger that weighs over 250 pounds. Also regarding its weight, it is only around 50 pounds so most people can handle it alone. Making it easier to transport in and out of the water. Not crazy about the number of add-ons this kayaks offers, but it does come with two great hatches to keep your belongings dry. Overall a simple boat that anyone could potentially get good fun out of.
A Quick Summary
What We Like
There are plenty of things to like on this boat. The ability to adjust the seat and other features so that you are perfectly comfortable gives it a major plus. The storage systems are also pretty good. The two hatches are strategically placed so that you can put items you need easy access to in the front. As well as a very large dry storage hatchet in the back where you can carry a lot of different items.
The thigh and knee padding on this boat is something we feel often gets overlooked. One of the first issues a person encounters on cheap kayaks is the fact that your legs and arms may constantly be rubbing against the kayak itself. It only takes a couple of times for you to develop bumps, bruises, cuts and even blisters on a hot day!
source: kayaksandpaddles.co.uk
That fact, that this can be avoided on this boat may bring a lot more people into kayaking! Like we said before overall it is a very good boat, but it does have specific features that may cause you to encounter some problems.
What We Do Not Like
We generally feel that this kayak had a lot more potential and kind of fell short in some areas for no apparent reason. This is not a fishing boat, but it very well could be if they had just placed to rod holders on the sides. You could argue that you could place the rod in the cup holder, but they just don’t seem deep enough for us to feel comfortable doing so.
This makes the kayak totally a one trick pony and that really bothered us. Like we mentioned, in the beginning, this is a kayak that is not as stable as it could be. It’s still not likely that you are easily going to fall out, but sometimes it tends to lean a little to one side. Which make paddling a tougher task at times. Not to mention it makes novice riders feel insecure at times.
This might just take a little getting used to, but it also may scare people into not using or buying. The seat is great, but sometimes the material gets too hot! This won’t be an issue for everybody, but just had to point it out!
Where To Buy
When you are new to buying these products it is perfectly normal to have certain doubts about what product to buy and how to buy. When it comes to Wilderness systems products like the Wilderness Systems Pungo 120 Kayak you can check it out in many showrooms across the country. If you want to sit on this kayak before you buy just find the dealer nearest for you.
That way you can go into the buying process with a little more experience than just reading online reviews. If you are confident that this is the boat, you want to buy don’t hesitate to add to your Amazon cart and get it in a couple of days. Even with the shipping costs, you will still pay a very decent price for a boat of this caliber.
source: amazon.com
Conclusion
There are some issues with this boat, but they are mainly add ons. That you could make the argument should not be included in a boat within this price range. That doesn’t mean that it is not a good boat as is. If you are looking to buy a mid range boat to upgrade from a cheap inflatable version or even a kids kayak this is a great option. Especially since you won’t have to break the bank to get it!
Our Rating
