6 min read
Sun Dolphin Excursion 10 Fishing Kayak Review
| 4.2/5 high performance great features |
Today were going to go through the sun dolphin excursion ss 10 sit in fishing kayak. These kayaks are sold in many stores they retail very cheap they usually go for at least 430 dollars plus shipping. The kayak is great for beginners and those new to the kayaking sport. We will be focusing on the ss which is the improved model over the regular excursion and comes with many added features that set it apart from the original.
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Pros - Sun Dolphin Excursion 10 Review
- Great for short and recreational kayak trips
- Designed for stability but not high speed
- No problems tracking
- Smaller kayak can fit in some trunks
- Stable does not tip very easily
- Great for shorter kayaks since it has adjustable foot rests
Cons - Sun Dolphin Excursion 10 Review
- Some reported defects like a foot brace that broke on first use and carry handle that may break, however this can be easily returned and replaced
- Paddle is reported to not be too great so we recommend an aftermarket paddle
- Rod holder placement is behind the kayak some complaints about this
- Some user complains about tracking however others saying tracks great
- No pad for seat bottom may want to get your own
Walk-through of the Kayak
Some general information about the kayak. The color is olive green although they do offer a sand color as well. We ended up taking off all the sun dolphin stickers.
Its made out of high density polyethylene. Its 10 feet long 30 inches wide and 13 inches tall.
The kayak itself weighs 44 pounds and the weight capacity for it is 280 pounds. For a smaller person 150 pounds it gives plenty of room for fishing gear and anything else you may want to bring along for a day out on the water.
- Starting from the front of the kayak the first thing you see is the handle at both ends for ease of carrying which has a great grip.
- The next thing we have is the front scupper hole, scupper holes are used to drain the water from the kayak so you can just twist it and unscrew it and it will come out to drain the kayak at the end of the day in case you get any water within it.
- After that there is a water bottle holder at the top it’s nothing special and works pretty good for being bungees in. It isn't too far a reach for when you’re sitting down and keeps your drink nice and secure.
- Next we have the swivel fishing rod holder. When we put in a rod it fit in nicely and you have a longer piece protruding form it to keep the rod secure. This works pretty well although with a smaller rod it may be a bit wiggly. The one bad thing about it is because how its made you cant position it how you want because the handle of your rod would get in the way of the actual kayak since its protruding out. You can do everything you want to do with it and its not the best but it does work and holds the rod pretty well. It does also come out if you wiggle it a little bit it pops out for more space. A little latch closes and hides the space if you don’t want to go fishing that day. As we mentioned the problem would be facing it outwards since the restriction of moving your rod limits it.
- Next there is a console that’s pretty basic with one bungee and some cup holders keeps everything nice and snug.
- There are some thigh pads for when you’re sitting in the kayak to give you more comfort if you’re a little more heavy set. They are a nice comfortable foam and the right hight for it it will definitely help you enjoy the kayak more.
- At the bottom of the kayak there are some foot braces they stay in place and provide some good support.
- The seat is actually surprising comfortable it is made out of the same foam as the thigh pads and is very easy to fit your back and is really comfortable for when you’re out in the water and sitting up. Behind it there is a large hole that goes back to the back of the kayak for more storage space accessible right behind the seat.
- Under the seat there is another convenient little storage area that unscrews and is fairly deep going to the back of the kayak which is a nice little compartment to keep some things for easy access we recommend keeping your anchor there.
- On both sides of the kayak there are hooks with bungees underneath it for a nice convenient paddle holder. You just put you paddle against the kayak and pull the bungee over and it holds your paddle very steady.
The kayak comes with a paddle. Its not the best paddle but it will do for basic paddling we recommend you get a better paddle in the future as the free one is not the best quality.
- There are areas at each side of the cockpit of the kayak were you could probably store some tackle or storage boxes for more space.
- Behind the seat there are two flushmount rod holders which both work as they should. One we can use for the rod and another may fit a nice good sized net and they will both fit relatively well.
- The portable accessory carrier at the back makes up most of the storage for the kayak. It has a good amount of storage including the bungee cords to make sure everything stays in. When you take the chords off you can actually take the whole plastic lid off and use it for more storage.
- At the back there is another handle and scupper hole.
Final Verdict - Sun Dolphin Excursion 10 Review
Overall the sun dolphin Excursion 10 looks like a decent kayak for the price. If you’re looking for a cheap fishing kayak to just get started in the sport and you don’t need all the extras like secret storage compartments and additional storage areas and super high quality materials this kayak is perfect for you. We would recommend it to get started but if you want something more serious and your thinking of staying in the sport for the long term we would recommend going up an extra few hundred dollars in price point.
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