Best all around kayak?

If you plan to be in this for a long time go straight to a pedal kayak.
Save yourself the growing pain of upgrading later. IMO it’s difficult to paddle and fish the same time in current/windy conditions.

Plenty of previous pedal vs paddle posts on NCKA for your research. Logan, use the 'search' function and do some research on the board.  Lots of info.

For a newbie "first yak" info, it's disengenuous to present a pedal yak as a be-all, end-all. Or as an 'upgrade.'   Yes, it is difficult to paddle and fish at the same time, especially for one who has never learned to paddle. There is an entire spectrum of skills and fishing opportunities that many anglers miss out on by limiting themselves to a pedal kayak.

Bushy 

What Bushy wrote is spot-on. And, there isn't a best all around kayak for everyone.

The height, weight and strength of an individual can make one boat feel better than another. You must try several at least if not many to fine the one for you.

A wet ride for someone else may be sufficiently dry for you. A slow boat for another can be stable and predictable for another.  If you are a person who buys the current car of the year just because the reviewers deemed it so, any declared best will be right. I believe you need to take them for a ride to see.

I agree with everyone on T13. In my opinion it is the best all around kayak hands down.

Would like to throw the Malibu two into the mix for ideal learning kayak. Personally spent years on it fishing crabbing and surfing it. As a beginner it will limit you just enough to get your chops up, while enabling you to learn how to handle a little more boat, making almost anything else way safer and easier.

Xoxo
- hapatoughlove

I'm going to throw in with Bushy.  I started with a Tarpon 120, moved to a Hobie Revolution 13, and got rid of that for a Trident 13.  I hated trying to get the Hobie to match the way I fish.

I have two Tridents now, a 2015 T-11 and a 2011 T-13.  Both are drier rides than the Hobie because water isn't entering through a drive well, but that said, kayaking is a wet sport and you're going to end up wet in any kayak you buy.

Speed wise, I had a friend pull away from me paddling his old Prowler 12 in heavy chop and I couldn't keep up with him in my Revo 13 (with Turbo fins).  He knows how to paddle properly and can almost get that short, wide Prowler up on plane.

Both my Tridents and the Revo proved to be about equal for primary and secondary stability, which surprised me given how different the shape of their hulls are.  I prefer the Tridents if I have to head into swells because the Tridents' bows ride up faster.  The Hobie felt more comfortable taking a swell at a slight angle.  All three of them were confidence inspiring.

The best thing you can do is stop reading and asking questions and instead go plant your butt in different kayaks until you find the one that feels right to you.  What's right for me is unlikely right for you, and vice-versa.

29 inches tends to be a more narrow boat compared to others, The Trident has always smoked my Hobie Quest and we are the same length, but the bow and hull are not similar. The Trident always seem to be a faster boat than my Quest. That said you should paddle a couple and see if it meets your needs. No boat does everything perfect, but the trident is a good boat and for the price point they get the job done with little fuss.

Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 #micdrop

Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 #micdrop

Naw, that's just nostalgia.  I paddled a P15 years later and it really isn't all that.  It was back then though!

Wanna fight?   

-Allen

Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 #micdrop

Naw, that's just nostalgia.  I paddled a P15 years later and it really isn't all that.  It was back then though!

Wanna fight?   

-Allen

we should hav a decathlon for kayaks and riders like MBF to settle the best all around ride. 

Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 #micdrop

Naw, that's just nostalgia.  I paddled a P15 years later and it really isn't all that.  It was back then though!

Wanna fight?   

-Allen

we should hav a decathlon for kayaks and riders like MBF to settle the best all around ride. 

Like the Raptor vs Scupper Pro race in Monterey for the first PIF Day?  RAvensblack vs Jim Martin who was only 10 minutes behind at the finish line.  He WAS more dry, however.

Bushy

If I was worried about speed I’d get a fast kayak. If I want an enjoyable all around  ride it certainly wouldn’t be any of the OK 

Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 #micdrop

Naw, that's just nostalgia.  I paddled a P15 years later and it really isn't all that.  It was back then though!

Wanna fight?   

-Allen

I just say that because I paddled one for years. Ocean, lakes, rivers, hunting ducks, deer, and even used on an elk hunt. Pretty all around if you ask me. My sons NuCanoe is the shizzle but it is a TANK to paddle and weighs a ton, but you can do anything on it. Been so long since I have been on a kayak I don't know what is what anymore. Yeah I'll fight

Ocean Kayak Prowler 15 #micdrop

Naw, that's just nostalgia.  I paddled a P15 years later and it really isn't all that.  It was back then though!

Wanna fight?   

-Allen

I just say that because I paddled one for years. Ocean, lakes, rivers, hunting ducks, deer, and even used on an elk hunt. Pretty all around if you ask me. My sons NuCanoe is the shizzle but it is a TANK to paddle and weighs a ton, but you can do anything on it. Been so long since I have been on a kayak I don't know what is what anymore. Yeah I'll fight

Oh, it definitely is a good all around kayak.  Best though?  Yeah, let's fight!

-Allen

Ocean Kayak Prowler 13.

Ocean Kayak Prowler 13.

Do you even fish bro?