Reviews for Iqaluit Kayak by ClearWater Design

The only two drawbacks I see in this kayak are:
First, a lack of security lock point, second, its made to move, the faster you paddle the more comfortable it gets. Overall, the workmanship and quality are great.

Anyhow the seat is very comfortable but if you use the inflatable backrest, you will have to adjust it every so often. The rear storage compartment is mostly watertight but I would recommend you use dry bags for any gear.

Paddling in open water is risky business, this boat is suited for wet exits only and takes on a lot of water very quickly once tipped (poor secondary stability). If you plan on paddling on anything other than flatwater, bring a bilge pump and paddle float or you will have a long swim ahead of you.

In summary, it's a great, inexpensive, beginner boat but plan on trading it in if you decide to stick to paddling. That said, if you have the money to but a better boat, don't buy the Iqaluit. The plastics are inferior to what you will see in the bigger brands. I noticed some buckling and bulging in my hull in the first few months. The boat always tracked to the left regardless of who was paddling it due to a large divot which formed on the bottom of the hull. (My boat was stored properly indoors on kayak holders and transported car top on its side in a Yakima rack. - there was no reason for the defect to form.)

Why I chose the Iqaluit: for small paddlers (I'm 5'4" 115 lbs, female size 6 shoe) not so wide or tubby as some of the other intro rec boats. At 46# I can cartop it myself. Five year warranty on a triple layer hull. At just under 12 feet it stores nicely in my small condo yard & can fit inside come winter. At this price the adjustable footpads, sealed rear bulkhead (still bone dry) & for and aft deck riggings cinched it, as did the remarkable amount of storage. Can easily overnight this w. a 2 person tent, bag, food, ministove, etc. I added front floatation just to be safe & still have plenty of room.

Now for the test - after 8 hours of actual paddling: the long bottlenosed dolphin prow cuts the water silently without splash over the bow, unlike, say, the Dagger Zydeco which I almost got. That with the extreme primary stability makes it great for photogs. From a dead stop to 8 strokes I can generate four wake lines at the prow. Moves much faster than I thought, other rec kayakers just stared and a few small engine boatowners out panfishing were intrigued what with the price of gas and all. The Iqaluit moves & tracks well owing to the widest part being behind the paddler, different shape entirely than the bigger Inuvik. Turns, backs up on a dime. At 11'8" you can explore well branched shorelines, narrow creeks and river channels. On a medium sized lake w. boats it handles chop very well using proper technique. Footpegs adjust very easily on land or out there which is important if you need to change position slightly. Coaming smooth topside & above, nice on the legs. And the adjustable seat w. the inflatable lumbar pad is *way* better than kayaks at twice the price! My back and butt thank Clearwater Design for this innovation!