That’s a great video. I had both of the Ozark Trail boats, when they were made under the Sundolphin name. The sit on top was so unstable that it never got used but the sit inside wasn’t bad at all. It got me into kayak fishing.
I just went and looked at them a few days ago at my local Walmart. The models there are different from the ones in tbe video...2 are the same. I'm not a fisherman and won't want or need and angler kayak, because I'll never use all those fishing accessories, plus the weight is incredible at approximately 60lbs dry. Pelican has a 38lb. 10 footer RamX that I looked at. But really wanted a 120X 12' for tracking. I've paddled a bunch and have done some pretty long coastal treks in Florida and a bunch of inland waterway travels. My go-to is a 12'-13' boat. I weight about 190 and 5'10" so with camping gear and supplies the boat sits nicely on its lines...I mean the ones that I have personally owned. The thing is that I started looking around in my area for higher-line used kayaks and found that I could pick up a used but in really good shape touring kayak for roughly the same price as one of the Walmart kayaks...I found a bunch of Aquaterras 14' for $200-$500 with loads of extras, paddles, seats, bags, etc. And they're real touring designs. I'm a former sailboat builder and a cruiser. My current boat is a 1976 Balboa 26'SK (profile pic). So I'm sensitive to "ugly" designs and all these heavy, big box, blow moulded fishing yaks are UAF. I don't think that I would waste the money. There's actually hundreds of free or cheap kayak plans out there. I'm thinking I'm going to build myself a hybrid kayak/canoe like the TOTO on Duckworks, with actual watertight compartments and bulkheads...nothing over 40 lbs is my motto, making it easy to port and put up on the racks of my SUV. I know these entry level, budget boats have a place...I get it and everyone needs a starting point. But man, a little due diligence and research is worth 2 or 3 cheap purchases. Most people won't make it past the first couple of seasons if they're paddling their asses off and doing donuts on the water cause they can't get the boat to track, or if it weighs a ton and they avoid taking it to the water altogether. Just my thoughts.
Somebody gifted me a pelican 2 seat plastic bass boat that I couldn’t use because it was too heavy for one person to handle especially without a trailer or something. So I am trading it for the setup from Walmart for entry level kayaking. For around $500-$600 you can fully outfit yourself there.
I just bought a Pelican from costco with a 300lb weight limit and im sitting at 280 right now…a little worried i ahould have gone heavier weight limit…havent tried it yet
Hi Ethan, I'm the guy who you helped with the Sapphire Blue Eddyline Rio kayak - again, thank you very much for your help! Even though my wife has a Rio, since we now live on a lake she wants a Pelican Mustang 100 to leave by the dock so she doesn't have to haul the Rio from the garage to the dock. I know storing a kayak in the sun isn't a good idea, and wrapping it in tarp isn't good either. Can you recommend a good way to store a Mustang at the dock so it won't get UV damage, moisture damage, rodents and heat damage?
There are some inexpensive kayak covers folks have asked me about on Amazon. Not sure how well they work but seems like a pretty difficult thing to mess up if it is just about keeping sun off the boat (not on the car). I sell for Danuu and they are awesome but close to the cost of your Mustang.
@@HappyPaddlin - I'll look on Amazon for the covers. How would you recommend I rest the kayak on the dock (e.g. upside down, on its side, on foam pads or camping chairs, etc.)? I don't want to deform the hull if it's sitting there for some time.
@@sman6435 Upside down keeps the rain out so that's your best bet. Big foam pool noodles can help. But, kind of a disposable kayak so at some point it won't be like new if outside for a long time.
There are so many padding options... Different priorities. I'd personally drag a Rio 4 miles with my *ear lobes* before I'd paddle a Mustang from the shore. I'm one of the weird ones... Have a blast out there!
@@rickquist3992 - I agree with you Rick. Both my wife and I have Rios and they are stored in our garage. We live on a lake and my wife wants to kayak more than I do so if kayaking isn't convenient for both of us then it's not going to happen. We can't leave a Rio down on the dock, and toting it from the garage to the dock is awkward at best for one person (a fair distance and down a couple flights of stairs). So, she wants a cheap kayak to leave on the dock and light enough that she can launch and retrieve it fairly easily by herself - hence the Pelican Mustang 100x. When we both want to kayak, we'll both haul our Rios to and from the lake. Sound good to you?
I teach kayaking at a few locations and see the problems that even "less cheap" kayaks have. So i appreciate you showing us the problems with the "even cheaper" kayaks. Question: Why are there so few one-piece kayak paddles on the market (at all prices)? I know two-piece models provide more transportation options (i even own 4-piece paddles) but in kayaking centers, there's little need for break-down paddles. Also, why does every two-piece paddle have to have those extra "feather-holes"? It is extremely rare that anyone, especially not beginners, ever needs to feather their paddle. The main effect of the extra holes is to provide a weak point for early breakage.
One piece paddles are at many outfitters I work with out West. The challenge is resale. Hard for consumers to fit a one piece in their car. So if an outfitter has 100 1 piece paddles to sell every few years it becomes an issue. I personally love a 1 piece paddle. Saves several ounces and agreed on the strength. And, I have vehicles that can haul it.
i can verify Ozark trail is sun dolphin! i have two ride on top angler tens and they are ok i both love and hate them they are not very big and the plastic is thin i had to email them right away cuz the bungy hook screws where already stiped out and a few other issues, so they sent me some rivets and it fixed the problem and replacement parts! they had great customer service! ya my pads came off too! the container can be pulled be hide the kayak if need be! but ya not that great and the paddle holder bungy does not go in to the kayak hull it is just in the molded lip if you would of ran your fingers around the back you would of found there is recessed area the metal tips are back there! good for paddling but not great for fishing and not enough room for camping stuff so needless to say iv got two way better kayaks ordered just waiting to go pick them up!
oh i got the black paddles too and i dont mind them the worst i can say is the drip rings are not great no matter where you put them you still get wet! these are my first kayaks and paddles! so im learning and with in two times of being out in them i realized they where just not going to work for what i wanted them for ! but like i said iv got better ones coming !
Purchased two brand new lifetime charger kayaks from my neighbor for $100 each. Seats are absolutely awful and the paddles are so flimsy it’s embarrassing but for $100 they worked. Now I have a HooDoo 120P pedal prop kayak I paid $700 used. Knew they are $1500. Awesome kayak
Haven’t tried it huh? Pretty fun and easy to get out there in spots that boats can’t get! I had 20 miles of non motorized river access yesterday to myself!
Sun dolphin kayaks are horrible! They tip so easy from being short and so thick from bottom to top. Accessories like foot rest and compartments are garbage. Buy pelican
I respect you telling it like it is. These kayaks are cheap, but they do have some redeeming qualities. Mostly, like you said, they get kids out on the water when they could not otherwise afford to. Well done. I hope videos like this will lead to people spending more money on better kayaks one day. But if not, at least people will know what they are getting.
Bought my first kayak (pelican) and I LOVE that thing. I combat launch that bad boy everywhere! I've leveled up and got a Jon boat but still use it for really skinny water.
It’s called a PAC-Personal Accessory Compartment. Don’t throw it away-I’ll use it👍🏼😆 It’s got a tight seal that makes the PAC waterproof. Plus, I bungee the PAC to the stern of my yak, pulling it behind my yak. Floats just fine & keeps contents dry. Floating behind me, this gives me a little extra storage behind my seat!
Interesting. I’d caution this application you describe in moving water and in other areas. Seen people get hung up w towed items like this and coolers. Honestly, if I have that much gear to haul, I’m going ti choose a different craft vs towing. But, nice to know you’ve found an application that works for you! Thanks for the comment.
My local Walmart cooks all their kayaks from mid-day to sunset in full solar U/V damage conditions. Making all suspect regarding existing if invisible sunshine exposure damage. Making all their hulls brittle, subject to fracture, and mistrust. Hello ?
The plastics have UV stabilizers though a few months of all day UV exposure is not ideal. It’s the components (seat pads, clips, bungee, etc) that really can be damaged by a couple months of UV abuse plus parking lot grime. I guess a car lot has some of this going on too!
@@HappyPaddlin That's right. I forgot about that. Metro places, the prices are always driven up, but states that are rural with hardly any metro areas, prices are low. I had horses when I was young and Dad had to move from Pensacola to Newnan GA and I noticed as a young girl the prices were driven way up on everything. We weren't rich and I had to work for my horses. Dad explained that when you live near a metro area, you have to pay the prices the area wants to squeeze out of all the doctors, Lawyers, pilots, etc. that are in high number in such areas. That was a hard lesson I had to learn early on, all those years ago. That is why I have always had to wear second hand clothes all these years, but at least I am rich in Christ.
I gained some insights listening and watching this video. So, thank you for that. However, maybe next time you could do what you can to reveal the hull. Some have some sort of keel and some are flat bottomed. Some have skegg's some don't.
Quest is Dick’s Sporting Goods in-house brand name but made by other manufacturers which includes Lifetime I believe. I’ll do some reviews. The reason is business based.
I once bought the $22 paddle because I needed a quick but cheap replacement. It worked, but it was the worst paddle I've ever had. I ended up duct taping it together in the middle, that's how bad the connection was. The car topper on the other hand, I have no big complaints with. I wish it came with 4 cam straps, but that's about it. I've had it for a few years now & just replaced the cam straps included with it with a pair of upgraded Thule straps. The old cam straps replaced the polyvinyl rope I had been using to secure the kayaks bow and stern to the car. The rope had been what I really wanted to replace. The Thule straps I got were too short to use on the bow and stern, vut worked well across the hull. The green cam straps in the kit are long enough though.
Get a used Necky or Ocean Kayak for a better kayak for half the price. Most Walmart yaks are made to accommodate plump individuals and are made so wide and flat (for stability and logistics) especially on the bottom that they have terrible tracking ( meaning they have a lot of side to side movement when paddling which means lots of wasted energy)
Buying used is a great option and lots of options out there these days. I have paddled the Tamarack Angler a bunch though and for a 10’ boat (not many Necky or Oceans in that range) it was a great time on the right type of waters. Vid on channel of that.
I've owned 3 first one I bought for $35 Sun dolphin sit in was up in the woods for about a year had lots of patch work but not a single spider one I got now is the pelican argo 100x it's much better than that sun dolphin it's been in a barn for awhile still haven't gotten a spider yet an spiders are everywhere in the state I'm in
Such a huge service to entry level paddlers. Thanks for taking the time to make this.
That’s a great video. I had both of the Ozark Trail boats, when they were made under the Sundolphin name. The sit on top was so unstable that it never got used but the sit inside wasn’t bad at all. It got me into kayak fishing.
Thank you for this, it was really informative for a novice like myself.
Goes through the water pretty easy, no problems being new to the sport
Big Box 'Yaks have inspired many new enthusiasts. Ethan's advice is worth heeding...
Cool thanks for posting unfortunately most Walmarts where I live no kayaks
They do stock online as well!
A lot of great information here, thank you.
Very useful and helpful!
Those are drag boxes. Tie it to the rear and pull it behind you. They work but not very well
I just went and looked at them a few days ago at my local Walmart. The models there are different from the ones in tbe video...2 are the same. I'm not a fisherman and won't want or need and angler kayak, because I'll never use all those fishing accessories, plus the weight is incredible at approximately 60lbs dry. Pelican has a 38lb. 10 footer RamX that I looked at. But really wanted a 120X 12' for tracking. I've paddled a bunch and have done some pretty long coastal treks in Florida and a bunch of inland waterway travels. My go-to is a 12'-13' boat. I weight about 190 and 5'10" so with camping gear and supplies the boat sits nicely on its lines...I mean the ones that I have personally owned. The thing is that I started looking around in my area for higher-line used kayaks and found that I could pick up a used but in really good shape touring kayak for roughly the same price as one of the Walmart kayaks...I found a bunch of Aquaterras 14' for $200-$500 with loads of extras, paddles, seats, bags, etc. And they're real touring designs. I'm a former sailboat builder and a cruiser. My current boat is a 1976 Balboa 26'SK (profile pic). So I'm sensitive to "ugly" designs and all these heavy, big box, blow moulded fishing yaks are UAF. I don't think that I would waste the money. There's actually hundreds of free or cheap kayak plans out there. I'm thinking I'm going to build myself a hybrid kayak/canoe like the TOTO on Duckworks, with actual watertight compartments and bulkheads...nothing over 40 lbs is my motto, making it easy to port and put up on the racks of my SUV. I know these entry level, budget boats have a place...I get it and everyone needs a starting point. But man, a little due diligence and research is worth 2 or 3 cheap purchases. Most people won't make it past the first couple of seasons if they're paddling their asses off and doing donuts on the water cause they can't get the boat to track, or if it weighs a ton and they avoid taking it to the water altogether. Just my thoughts.
Somebody gifted me a pelican 2 seat plastic bass boat that I couldn’t use because it was too heavy for one person to handle especially without a trailer or something. So I am trading it for the setup from Walmart for entry level kayaking. For around $500-$600 you can fully outfit yourself there.
I just bought a Pelican from costco with a 300lb weight limit and im sitting at 280 right now…a little worried i ahould have gone heavier weight limit…havent tried it yet
Let us know! I some some folks doing a lazy stretch that may have been similar and we’re doing ok but in waves it would have been tough!
There doesn't seem to be a lot of YT reviews of the Eddyline Rio with actual paddling.
ua-cam.com/video/poQJz4hmYRE/v-deo.html
Nice but kind of expensive new. Eddylines are abundant in the used market around my home, but still really pricey.
Hi Ethan, I'm the guy who you helped with the Sapphire Blue Eddyline Rio kayak - again, thank you very much for your help! Even though my wife has a Rio, since we now live on a lake she wants a Pelican Mustang 100 to leave by the dock so she doesn't have to haul the Rio from the garage to the dock. I know storing a kayak in the sun isn't a good idea, and wrapping it in tarp isn't good either. Can you recommend a good way to store a Mustang at the dock so it won't get UV damage, moisture damage, rodents and heat damage?
There are some inexpensive kayak covers folks have asked me about on Amazon. Not sure how well they work but seems like a pretty difficult thing to mess up if it is just about keeping sun off the boat (not on the car). I sell for Danuu and they are awesome but close to the cost of your Mustang.
@@HappyPaddlin - I'll look on Amazon for the covers. How would you recommend I rest the kayak on the dock (e.g. upside down, on its side, on foam pads or camping chairs, etc.)? I don't want to deform the hull if it's sitting there for some time.
@@sman6435 Upside down keeps the rain out so that's your best bet. Big foam pool noodles can help. But, kind of a disposable kayak so at some point it won't be like new if outside for a long time.
There are so many padding options...
Different priorities.
I'd personally drag a Rio 4 miles with my *ear lobes* before I'd paddle a Mustang from the shore.
I'm one of the weird ones...
Have a blast out there!
@@rickquist3992 - I agree with you Rick. Both my wife and I have Rios and they are stored in our garage. We live on a lake and my wife wants to kayak more than I do so if kayaking isn't convenient for both of us then it's not going to happen. We can't leave a Rio down on the dock, and toting it from the garage to the dock is awkward at best for one person (a fair distance and down a couple flights of stairs). So, she wants a cheap kayak to leave on the dock and light enough that she can launch and retrieve it fairly easily by herself - hence the Pelican Mustang 100x. When we both want to kayak, we'll both haul our Rios to and from the lake. Sound good to you?
Prices?
Often different depending on location and time of year. See ‘23 Walmart update vid on my channel with this spring’s pricing. 😀🛶
I teach kayaking at a few locations and see the problems that even "less cheap" kayaks have. So i appreciate you showing us the problems with the "even cheaper" kayaks.
Question: Why are there so few one-piece kayak paddles on the market (at all prices)? I know two-piece models provide more transportation options (i even own 4-piece paddles) but in kayaking centers, there's little need for break-down paddles. Also, why does every two-piece paddle have to have those extra "feather-holes"? It is extremely rare that anyone, especially not beginners, ever needs to feather their paddle. The main effect of the extra holes is to provide a weak point for early breakage.
One piece paddles are at many outfitters I work with out West. The challenge is resale. Hard for consumers to fit a one piece in their car. So if an outfitter has 100 1 piece paddles to sell every few years it becomes an issue.
I personally love a 1 piece paddle. Saves several ounces and agreed on the strength. And, I have vehicles that can haul it.
Kayaks much cheaper at Tractor Supply for the same boat.
i can verify Ozark trail is sun dolphin! i have two ride on top angler tens and they are ok i both love and hate them they are not very big and the plastic is thin i had to email them right away cuz the bungy hook screws where already stiped out and a few other issues, so they sent me some rivets and it fixed the problem and replacement parts! they had great customer service! ya my pads came off too! the container can be pulled be hide the kayak if need be! but ya not that great and the paddle holder bungy does not go in to the kayak hull it is just in the molded lip if you would of ran your fingers around the back you would of found there is recessed area the metal tips are back there! good for paddling but not great for fishing and not enough room for camping stuff so needless to say iv got two way better kayaks ordered just waiting to go pick them up!
oh i got the black paddles too and i dont mind them the worst i can say is the drip rings are not great no matter where you put them you still get wet! these are my first kayaks and paddles! so im learning and with in two times of being out in them i realized they where just not going to work for what i wanted them for ! but like i said iv got better ones coming !
Couldn’t you cut a pool noodle and stick it on
My thoughts... and Tractor supply has a better price.
Purchased two brand new lifetime charger kayaks from my neighbor for $100 each. Seats are absolutely awful and the paddles are so flimsy it’s embarrassing but for $100 they worked. Now I have a HooDoo 120P pedal prop kayak I paid $700 used. Knew they are $1500. Awesome kayak
Jesus Christ loves you❤
Cthulhu doesn't.
its a wet bin , fish tank lol
dear fishing kayakers, do you enjoy being barely bigger than the fish you're trying to catch?
or is the waterskiing part of the fun?
Haven’t tried it huh? Pretty fun and easy to get out there in spots that boats can’t get! I had 20 miles of non motorized river access yesterday to myself!
Don’t waste your money on garbage go get a real kayak
Seen a lot of smiles in these boats over the years by folks on little lakes, ponds, etc. Just best if used properly in appropriate waters.
Sun dolphin kayaks are horrible! They tip so easy from being short and so thick from bottom to top. Accessories like foot rest and compartments are garbage. Buy pelican
I respect you telling it like it is.
These kayaks are cheap, but they do have some redeeming qualities.
Mostly, like you said, they get kids out on the water when they could not otherwise afford to.
Well done.
I hope videos like this will lead to people spending more money on better kayaks one day.
But if not, at least people will know what they are getting.
I bought an Ozark Trail sit in. Very happy with it.
that's what I'm looing at. the model I'm seeing at Wm looks slightly different, though.
Bought my first kayak (pelican) and I LOVE that thing. I combat launch that bad boy everywhere! I've leveled up and got a Jon boat but still use it for really skinny water.
It’s called a PAC-Personal Accessory Compartment. Don’t throw it away-I’ll use it👍🏼😆 It’s got a tight seal that makes the PAC waterproof. Plus, I bungee the PAC to the stern of my yak, pulling it behind my yak. Floats just fine & keeps contents dry. Floating behind me, this gives me a little extra storage behind my seat!
Interesting. I’d caution this application you describe in moving water and in other areas. Seen people get hung up w towed items like this and coolers. Honestly, if I have that much gear to haul, I’m going ti choose a different craft vs towing. But, nice to know you’ve found an application that works for you! Thanks for the comment.
These aren't the best but they'll work for 90% of people's use cases and they are the cheapest and easiest way to get somebody into kayaking.
I picked up one of those paddles for $5 on clearance... they marked all three down
My local Walmart cooks all their kayaks from mid-day to sunset in full solar U/V damage conditions.
Making all suspect regarding existing if invisible sunshine exposure damage. Making all their hulls
brittle, subject to fracture, and mistrust. Hello ?
The plastics have UV stabilizers though a few months of all day UV exposure is not ideal. It’s the components (seat pads, clips, bungee, etc) that really can be damaged by a couple months of UV abuse plus parking lot grime. I guess a car lot has some of this going on too!
Very nice thank you!
Something you can use to cover the sharp edges with, is a pool noodle.
Cut it and put a slit in it.
Trim lock is way more elegant. That’s what the manf’s use! But thanks for the hint.
It would have been neater to get the price point of each vessel, in order to see what your getting for your money, but thanks for the overview.
Thought about this but the prices change all over. I have another vid just released that does go into pricing at Walmart.
@@HappyPaddlin That's right. I forgot about that. Metro places, the prices are always driven up, but states that are rural with hardly any metro areas, prices are low. I had horses when I was young and Dad had to move from Pensacola to Newnan GA and I noticed as a young girl the prices were driven way up on everything. We weren't rich and I had to work for my horses. Dad explained that when you live near a metro area, you have to pay the prices the area wants to squeeze out of all the doctors, Lawyers, pilots, etc. that are in high number in such areas. That was a hard lesson I had to learn early on, all those years ago. That is why I have always had to wear second hand clothes all these years, but at least I am rich in Christ.
I gained some insights listening and watching this video. So, thank you for that. However, maybe next time you could do what you can to reveal the hull. Some have some sort of keel and some are flat bottomed. Some have skegg's some don't.
I have a newer vid on the channel that might help. Thanks for the constructive feedback.
Is quest the same as lifetime? Why are they named differently?
Quest is Dick’s Sporting Goods in-house brand name but made by other manufacturers which includes Lifetime I believe. I’ll do some reviews.
The reason is business based.
Boats go under water
Why no price on the first?
Prices were changing all over at this time, and still are. Figured a quick search on Walmart gives you most updated.
@@HappyPaddlin everything that you gave a price for is constantly changing.
I once bought the $22 paddle because I needed a quick but cheap replacement. It worked, but it was the worst paddle I've ever had. I ended up duct taping it together in the middle, that's how bad the connection was.
The car topper on the other hand, I have no big complaints with. I wish it came with 4 cam straps, but that's about it. I've had it for a few years now & just replaced the cam straps included with it with a pair of upgraded Thule straps. The old cam straps replaced the polyvinyl rope I had been using to secure the kayaks bow and stern to the car. The rope had been what I really wanted to replace. The Thule straps I got were too short to use on the bow and stern, vut worked well across the hull. The green cam straps in the kit are long enough though.
Good info! The old cheap paddle makes a great car snow scraper!
Is the car top carrier used for a single inverted kayak only?
"Be careful of the sharp edge, it's something you might hit your shins on"
Captain Picard hit his Shinzon.
Your welcome Star Trek nerds...
Get a used Necky or Ocean Kayak for a better kayak for half the price. Most Walmart yaks are made to accommodate plump individuals and are made so wide and flat (for stability and logistics) especially on the bottom that they have terrible tracking ( meaning they have a lot of side to side movement when paddling which means lots of wasted energy)
Buying used is a great option and lots of options out there these days. I have paddled the Tamarack Angler a bunch though and for a 10’ boat (not many Necky or Oceans in that range) it was a great time on the right type of waters. Vid on channel of that.
Enclosed kayaks are the worst unless you enjoy big spiders crawling on u while floating down the river
Never ever had a spider on me in a kayak. Cockpit covers for storage and transport. Skirt.
I've owned 3 first one I bought for $35 Sun dolphin sit in was up in the woods for about a year had lots of patch work but not a single spider one I got now is the pelican argo 100x it's much better than that sun dolphin it's been in a barn for awhile still haven't gotten a spider yet an spiders are everywhere in the state I'm in