Submitted: 02-23-2004 by wac
I've had one for 3 years now and love it. I haven't tried anything but flat water yet (other than a bouncy trip one windy afternoon inside a sandbar on Washington's Strait of Juan de Fuca). The speed is good, but quite a bit more sluggish with 2 passengers (I take kids with little additional paddle power). You can fit an adult and 2 younger kids, but they get a bit cramped in terms of leg-room. The rudder is great, and makes it quite turnable, even with 2 people and at speed. I also have a 2-person Stearns, which the Helios literally blows out of the water (comparatively, the Stearns would be a 4 or 5 rating). ABSOLUTE BEST feature -- the Helios breaks down, cleans up and rolls up like magic. One of the few things in nature that EASILY fits inside its original bag. Excellent all-around. |