For the price, I think it's hard to beat the OT Vapor 12. The cockpit is very roomy. The built-in paddle holders are a nice touch as is the easily adjustable seat back. I velcroed foam cushions to the seat bottom and the seat back and greatly improved the comfort for very little money. The boat tracks fairly well and is very stable. It's a fairly "bare-bones" kayak, but I added deck rigging, paddle clips, and the above-mentioned foam seat cushions to make it a little bit nicer for not a lot of money.
All in all, I'm very happy with my Vapor 12... it's a great beginner kayak without making a huge investment. I feel that we all think nowadays that we just HAVE to have the latest, greatest and most expensive of whatever it is that we are currently "in to" and later on, when the newness has worn worn off, we are left with an expensive "toy" sitting around that no longer thrills us. With the Vapor 12, a little money will get you a lot of enjoyment and you can always upgrade later on if your interest still remains high.
All in all, I'm very happy with my Vapor and would recommend it to others who are interested in kayaking.
I got the base model Vapor 12 at Dick's Sporting Goods. They had the 12 for the same price as the 10, $379. After a $10 off coupon I had the boat for $369. Not a bad deal.
Pros:
- Stylish look.
- Large cockpit, big enough for me and my 2 year old son.
- Stable.
- Tracks nicely, even in the wind.
- Nice fore and aft carry handles.
Cons:
- Base model has an open deck well. Carrying a small rubbermaid container will keep things dry.
- No deck bungees.
- Thigh padding is almost worthless.
- Plastic edge along cockpit is sharp.
Fixes:
I placed some rubber auto edging around the inside of the cockpit to soften the edges. My pain concern was my son cutting himself on the plastic. It is also uncomfortable to pick up the kayak with the sharp edge. I plan on doing my own deck bungees and a set of bungees over the deck well.
Overall:
I like the kayak. For the price I feel like I did pretty good. I was having a hard time finding a 12 foot kayak in my price range that could perform and have enough room for me and my son. If I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat!
Traded in my OT Loon 138 as it was getting heavier each year. Got the Vapor 12 basic. This is an amazingly cheap boat, cheap seat, no bungee cords, etc, but exactly what I was looking for. Added a drain hole, bungee cords fore & aft, padded seat, and better cockpit coaming and now it's a pretty decent boat all for under $400.
Tracks well and very stable. Suggest the 12' rather than the 10' sold in most stores, as the 12' tracks better and the extra deck handles waves and mild whitewater so much better.