Product Reviews > Kayaks > Emotion Kayaks > Spitfire

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Length: 8' 0" - Width: 30.00" - Starting at: $269.00 See More Details about this Kayak

06-25-2012
Submitted by: DR - Rating: 10 of 10
     Just bought 2 Spitfire kayaks for my 11 and 14 yr olds today. They are a perfect starter kayak for preteens and my husband and I both tried them out and had a blast. Perfect for our tranquil bay off of Cape Cod. Great kayak for the price.

06-15-2012
Submitted by: LC - Rating: 9 of 10
     This is an excellent beginner boat. For the price, you get more than any other beginners boat. This kayak is roomy, light weight and it can hold heavy weight. The only two problems with this boat: no chair and no room to mount fishing rods in the front. The tracking is ok but my son needs to improve his paddling skills. I would use this boat for a buddy wanting to kayak and for kids. With some modifications, this boat can be a gem.

07-21-2011
Submitted by: Wellfedirishman - Rating: 8 of 10
     This is a great starter kayak for a newbie, and I think it will make a good surf kayak for any ability level. I am a 6'2" 230 lb guy, and an active watersports fan (surfing and windsurfing mostly). This kayak will easily float me, and is quite stable even in 2' chop. I took this out on Lake Tahoe CA paddling and had a blast with it. As long as you manage your paddling to maintain balance, it rides easily through and over waves.

It is easy to load on a car roof or in the back of a truck. The construction is good, it is pretty solid and made here on the USA.
Recommended!

07-11-2011
Submitted by: pj - Rating: 9 of 10
     I have had this kayak for one season now. It is something that you can get in and paddle. For the price, that alone is enough. I used to have a top notch Necky, and I used to have an innertube. This is about in the middle. The tracking is not even comparable to a 13 ft kayak, but far preferable to an innertube. It has many more uses than a tube also. It is easy to load, and goes faster than an tube. It is easy to fish off of and does lakes, rivers,creeks, and the ocean. I don't believe it will pop either. As far as comparing it to a 13 ft Necky, it is 1/4 the price.

08-30-2010
Submitted by: ConnorE - Rating: 3 of 10
     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.

08-27-2010
Submitted by: bmackinnon - Rating: 8 of 10
     Family owns 3 Spitfires & ocean paddle along New England rocky coastline & barrier beaches. Spitfire's great boat for getting into coves & tight/low tide spots. Very stable for its size. Carries a lot of gear; must pack wisely. Needs bungees in bow for add'l storage. Molded handles are too shallow to comfortably carry kayak any distance from my PU to launch pt;needs webbed handles.

Biggest problem has been if plastic seatback is set BEYOND absolute vertical upright position, run risk of popping a cleat out of kayak. Neighbor did that by accident when he joined us for an ocean paddle trip recently. Family loves this kayak!

08-24-2010
Submitted by: quickdrawmgrah - Rating: 4 of 10
     I bought this kayak to let guests use. It is great for the price but it's like paddling a square. Fun for the kids and in the light waves at the beach.

08-18-2010
Submitted by: rreis1972 - Rating: 8 of 10
     Purchased my Spitfire just a week ago and have gone out on the LI Sound twice. It easy to maneuver and felt stable -- much fun, especially in the choppy swells. It is a wet ride. I found myself shifting my rear just to drain the splashy kickbacks. It's light,and posed no problem to tie it alone to my roof-rack. As a beginner, I've been pleased with it. Great price, as has been mentioned.

08-09-2010
Submitted by: K.J. - Rating: 10 of 10
     Just returned from a camping trip in which we used our new Spitfire kayaks for the first time. Awesome fun is the main comment I have. My hubby and I just love them and look forward to going again.--in fact are planning on another outing over Labor day.

Interesting note: hubby is 72 years old and I am 70 and just tried a kayak for the first time over the 4th of July week end. Soooo glad we did. I feel safe and secure in my little Spitfire !!

12-02-2009
Submitted by: MAF - Rating: 10 of 10
     This kayak is awesome. Got the motor mount from key west paddle sports. Rigged it for fishing and this boat rocks!!!! It flies with an 18lb thrust trolling motor an with a paddle. Stable, fast, cheap, perfect. Caught many fish from this kayak in the lake, river, and my favorite - ocean!!! Overall best kayak in its class.

08-10-2009
Submitted by: Wilkes - Rating: 10 of 10
     This kayak is perfect for the beginner. At about 225 bucks with tax from Dick's you can't go wrong. I bought one of these for my wife and she loves the boat. I added some carry handles over the "handles" that are molded in and a paddle bungee on the side. The only thing this boat lacks would be some dry storage. This is the best boat in the under $400 class in my opinion.

07-29-2009
Submitted by: gc - Rating: 10 of 10
     The Spitfire is an awesome boat for beginners. For the price, you can't go wrong. If you are interested in owning a kayak but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, the Spitfire is the perfect way to go. Kids love it, and for the price, I got each of my kids their own. What more can you ask from a kayak that costs under $300? I think it was a great deal and would definitely recommend to any of my friends looking for a fun beginner boat at a great price.

07-08-2009
Submitted by: Krupsch - Rating: 9 of 10
     I think for the cost and what you get this kayak is fantastic. It's perfect for beginners, or solo paddlers because its light weight, easy to handle and very very very stable. I've taught several people who are afraid to kayaking to do so with my Spitfire and they feel confident almost immediately.

I find it tracks very well. The only reason its a 9 and not 10 is that the "hand moldings" are not very deep so its awkward to carry sometimes -- and the "paddle indentions" are nowhere near deep enough to actually put a paddle in - but they do add to the contour of the boat.

It's stable, fun, safe and a great ride for flatwater, Class I rivers, and light surf.

06-15-2009
Submitted by: Scott - Rating: 5 of 10
     Background: I grew up kayaking some and am by no means an expert, but have a pretty good idea what makes for a good kayak. I was looking for something affordable to take down to our river house that was easy to swim off of and durable enough for the kids to take out and play around on.

I took the kayak out for a decent ride this weekend and I'll give it a 5 out of 10. It's definitely nothing fancy, but it was comfortable to ride in and was very stable to swim off of. The tracking was not very good, but for what I'm looking for it was good enough.

Overall, if you're looking for something cheap to just have fun in then this isn't a bad option based on the price, but if you're looking to go for long rides then you'd be better off with a nicer kayak.

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