Submitted: 08-30-2010 by ConnorE
My family and I have owned 4 Emotion kayaks within the past 5 years and have enjoyed them very much. Emotion kayaks are made to accommodate the beginner paddler, and if you're new to paddling and don't know how often you'll go out and paddle around, then this boat is for you. But, if you have even the slightest amount of paddling experience do NOT buy this boat. The Spitfires are very very short, resulting in the worst tracking I've ever experienced. I've paddled other kayaks in it's price range and ALL of them are better at tracking. Each stroke sends you spinning and if you don't have a good technique some paddlers may be overwhelmed. This just about renders it impossible to get up to speed. The yak also has a high center of gravity causing it to be too tippy for a beginner boat. The ONLY advantage I've witnessed with this boat, over other kayaks in it's price range, is it's size. I have paddled the Charger, the next size up in Emotion's lineup, for about 4 years and it puts the Spitfire to shame in ALL aspects of performance, and it's only 15 inches longer. If you have the money, get the Charger. The Spitfire just isn't worth it in my opinion. |