Product Reviews > Kayaks > Equinox Kayaks > Equinox 10.4

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Length: 10' 4" - Width: 29.50" - Starting at: $0.00 See More Details about this Kayak

05-07-2013
Submitted by: JR Young - Rating: 9 of 10
     I purchased one of these 10.4's. love it. I'm retired and needed an upper body lo/no impact exerciser. It met all of my expectations. Only problem was the seat. The two plugs that they used to hold the center of the seat back in place pulled thru the seat material. Costco made it right (replaced kayak!). The fix is a piece of plastic strip. This gives a bigger attachment footprint. No more problems. Have great Kayak days ahead

04-29-2013
Submitted by: BSM - Rating: 9 of 10
     This is a BIG one person kayak. I purchased this for the lazy river kayaking that I do and found that I am a bit swamped in the cockpit. There's enough room for both myself and my dog (a doberman), or it will be perfect for a larger man. It tracks well in the water and has a flatter bottom so it is less likely to drag in the shallows. The only down side is that the front can holder/container never fit right and had to be hot glued to stay in. An easy fix but still annoying when it's brand new. Up side - A great deal at $299.

04-08-2013
Submitted by: JTS - Rating: 9 of 10
     I live in N.W. Oregon and decided I wanted a kayak for retirement exercise and adventure. I wanted to build a wood kit boat but took my wife's advice and bought at Costco (no waiting / no work). I love the stability and the tracking this boat has after trying three other brands. Only negative is the foot peg brackets broke soon so I designed and built two new stainless steel brackets and installed.

03-04-2013
Submitted by: LT - Rating: 9 of 10
     We just bought our 2nd one so that hubby could have one of his own. I got mine last year and love it. I'm 4' 10" and can handle get into and out of my Chevy Astro van and to and from the boat ramp on my own. I don't drag it - I pivot it around and it's ends and that works fine for me. I can't hoist to the roof racks but I don't need to if it's just me going. Now that we have two of them we'll buy the j-racks for our van's top rack and hubby (who is 6'1") can hoist them up and get them down. I know mine was $349 last year, and this year we just paid $299. They don't have the straps and blocks this time but we never used them anyway. And I had absolutely zero problems with my seat and paddle last year.

02-28-2013
Submitted by: Tom - Rating: 10 of 10
     Just bought two of these at Costco. They're great rec boats for the price! Quite fun! The design and configuration is a little different than pictured here on paddling.net, check the equinox website for current info. Price here in AZ was $299 including paddle (no included roof blocks/straps as it seems were previously part of the package).

07-09-2012
Submitted by: Paul - Rating: 8 of 10
     For the price, including paddle and carrier, can't be beat. I bought it last year and have used it several times on Long Island Sound. As long as it's not too windy, it's great. Took it out at night and paddled along City Island - beautiful experience. It tracks nicely and is very stable.

Only problem - it weighs a ton! Well, not a ton, but it's heavy. It's hard to lift by myself, although I can do it. So, if weight is not a problem, I recommend it. But if you're not too strong and will be single handing it on top of a car or onto a yacht, a lighter kayak might be better.

06-08-2012
Submitted by: sb - Rating: 5 of 10
     The kayak itself is very stable and sturdy, however the seat shrinks and curls from heat/sun exposure and the manufacturer refuses to replace it, so plan to spend another $50 to $100 for a replacement seat. My seat is attached to the kayak with rivets/screws so it is not easily removable, and the shrinkage caused the seat to pull up the rivets and detach itself from the kayak.

06-01-2012
Submitted by: dougvg - Rating: 6 of 10
     Nice kayak...for the price. The hardware is pretty low-grade - had to replace all the j-hooks and external hardware. The seats are poor - seat backs come off easily and can't be replaced - had to attached them with cable ties. The price is right, and the kayak works and tracks well, but don't think you're getting a $600 Kayak for $350. You're getting a $350 kayak.

05-04-2012
Submitted by: sastilwell - Rating: 10 of 10
     Bought this Kayak at Costco and absolutely love it. For a first kayak it is the perfect boat for me to hit the water in a short amount of time. It is super stable and tracks well. It is an awesome entry into water-sporting for a small investment.

04-24-2012
Submitted by: dougvg - Rating: 6 of 10
     Good hull with junk for fittings. Nylon/plastic fittings break easily, cords stretch, and seat backs detach and can't be re-attached. The boat is an "almost" - almost ready for prime time, but not quite. The hatches also all leak, even though they are sold as waterproof. Very disappointing to see Costco sell this before it's really ready to be sold, in my opinion.

09-28-2011
Submitted by: D. P. Santos - Rating: 7 of 10
     I have two of these kayaks. They track great and come ready to go with a roof rack (cheap and cheesy, but it works) and a paddle. I would have given it a 10 for value, but when one of my paddles broke at the base of the blade while paddling in fairly calm river conditions, I was left without a paddle. It broke well within the warranty period, and the customer service rep kept asking me for more pics, detailed summary, the original Costco receipt and finally asked for my address. Two weeks later not a word. When I contacted them for a status they sent me an order form for a new paddle with $24.95 for shipping.

Bottom line it's a good boat, I don't know that they would stand behind it if you have any problems, but definitely figure on having to buy a new paddle, you'll need one.

08-26-2011
Submitted by: Mol - Rating: 8 of 10
     Purchased this little kayak at Costco. It is my first and excellent for the price. It is heavy at 50 lbs but fortunately I live on the water and don't have to heave it too far to launch. The fasteners for the knee supports and seat keep coming off. The seat has zero back support so I have to carry a small cushion. Otherwise I am very happy using it to paddle around my inlet off the Chester River; it is very stable and while not fast, I am in no hurry. It would be fabulous if they offered an optional cover for the main compartment. Storing it upside down prevents rain accumulation but not spiders! I would recommend this highly for the first time kayaker.

07-29-2011
Submitted by: Kurt - Rating: 10 of 10
     Purchased two this June. My family spent a week navigating the same 10 miles of a river that had about 20 rapids. The Kayaks would eventually fill and require bailing. I am going to buy skirts to prevent that in the future. Small waves, maybe one foot high will slosh over the bow and flood into the compartment.

Tracks straight but are heavy to carry around. Real tough material. One kayak has a mis-installed foam watertight barrier that deflects the bottom of the kayak and also allows water into the rear compartment. Since it's now August, Costco is selling Christmas stuff and these kayaks are gone. I'll have to remove and replace it myself, don't want to wait until next year to see if they get some in for a trade.

07-14-2011
Submitted by: Roger Littlepage - Rating: 10 of 10
     I just picked the Equinox 10.4 up at Costco and I am very impressed! It truly combines the features of a touring boat with that of a rec boat. The storage space works great and I love the front storage, once you are on the water, you can not reach the rear hatch. It is one of the most stable boats I have been in, yet doesn't sacrifice speed. I found it very comfortable for my trip. (I'm 5'11" and 200 lbs) The only uncomfortableness I felt was from paddling with gators here in Florida for the first time in the everglades!

The only cons: a little heavy but cant complain with that due to the type of boat. I found it difficult to adjust the foot rests once on the water. The lever is actually elongated to allow you to reach it, but it is very slippery when your hands/the lever is wet. I couldn't pull it towards me while it was wet. Also, the cup holder is quite small in diameter. Those are very trivial concerns.

I tried to buy another but Costco was sold out. After looking, I found out that this is the same boat as those manufactured by "Future Beach". But a heck of a better deal at Costco.

07-08-2011
Submitted by: js - Rating: 7 of 10
     At the store, I noticed all the Equinox 10.4's had big bulges across the entire bottom caused by a too-large foam bulkhead, badly distorting the concave hull. I purchased anyway, this being my first kayak, because it was such a good deal and hoped the flaw wouldn't matter. My first trip out was 16 miles with a group of 30 paddlers, and I clearly was working harder than everyone to keep up. Afterwards, I removed the foam bulkhead and the boat resumed the concave shape as it was originally extruded, except with some minor deviation still where the seat was attached.

I added a set of kayak inflatable pillows for inside the bow and stern (a good idea anyway) and upgraded the paddle because the one you get with the boat has only a single rivet holding each end (didn't want to be up the creek without a paddle!). With the foam bulkhead removed, there is noticeably less resistance and is easier to paddle, and faster. The car carrying kit that was also included with the boat would have cost only about $35, so with buying another paddle, the original package deal on the boat wasn't quite as good as expected, and I'd invest in a better boat to start if could do over. But this is only because I'd like a faster boat to keep up on long rides. If not for that, this is an excellent boat to do about anything and everything else. In comparison, it does have good storage and good fitting lids, a comfortable, upgraded seat, upgraded leg pads, easily adjustable foot rests, and very good stability.

07-06-2011
Submitted by: Paul - Rating: 10 of 10
     I have two of these kayaks, and I couldn't be happier with them. They are a great value. Many used kayaks sell for more than these ones cost new. I'm no kayak expert, but I will be soon. I've already got over 35 miles on them and so far I have no complaints. My wife and kid would like it if they were a little lighter for when they go with out me, but for the money you can't beat these boats.

06-15-2011
Submitted by: Pad-Eelz - Rating: 8 of 10
     Picked up 2 of these from Costco and appears the reviews should go here. We've put them in rivers, lakes and estuaries around here and they've served very well.

Pros - more boat strength and features versus similar priced plastic ones. Sturdy, stable, track well, good balance.

Cons - slight leak in one bulkhead solved with some silicone. Footrest can jam too far back requiring quick fix.
I purchased better paddles but included ones okay.

Also own Necky Tofino for ocean waters.
May upgrade singles boats in future but will always keep these for simple easy fun.

03-21-2011
Submitted by: Rooster - Rating: 10 of 10
     I liked this Kayak so much, I decided to buy four. Should make for some good double dates!

07-06-2010
Submitted by: KarenAnn - Rating: 9 of 10
     We recently purchased two of these Kayaks from Costco. So far we love them! We just got back from a vacation to Lake Tahoe, CA. The water was a bit choppy and cool, the boats handled it all with no problems, got a few good sized wakes, took them head on and not a drop of water over the bow. They track straight and we were surprised at how far and fast we went with not much effort. I agree they seem a bit heavy, we had to carry them quite a distance. We do plan on buying some wheels for them. We did a lot of shopping for a Kayak and found that the Costco Equinox was a pretty good deal with the paddles and cartop carrier.

Only problem I have so far is the thigh braces. I am 5'2" with short legs. With my feet on the pegs there is no way my legs can even touch the pads (even with adjustments).

06-22-2010
Submitted by: goonies - Rating: 8 of 10
     Great kayak, I've done over 34 miles in this kayak my only complaint is the seat is terrible on the back, not enough cushion...

04-13-2010
Submitted by: DEM - Rating: 8 of 10
     I'm new to kayaking and when I looked around extensively to find an inexpensive boat with good features the Equinox 124 from Costco won hands down. Great storage, real good paddle for a throw in. most comfortable seat in this price range. paid $320. knee/thigh pads make for a truly comfortable ride. had it for a few weeks now and take it almost daily from my lagoon to barnegat bay outside lbi in NJ.

While it isn't lightning fast it tracks straight forever and is super stable. the adjustable foot rests are a nice addition for a starter kayak as is the adjustable comfy seat. I feel comfortable on the bay in the chop because the boat is stable as anything. one issue so far though - bolt holding in foot rest from outside was loose and was leaking water. tightened it and is now ok. no biggie.

All in all I love this kayak and for the money u just cant do better. i was thinking of getting a two person to take my 6 yr old daughter out with me but she fits perfectly in this with me because of the accommodating cockpit. all i can say is i think all day at work about gettin home to my kayak for a nice relaxing paddle to the bay.

07-26-2009
Submitted by: tdb - Rating: 9 of 10
     This is my first kayak. I am very happy with it. My only complaint is that it is heavy at 50lbs. But it is a lot of fun and I have taken it on the American River and several area lakes. It is easy to paddle and tracks easily.

07-02-2009
Submitted by: shortmarie - Rating: 9 of 10
     I bought this kayak at Costco and liked it so much I bought a 2nd Future Beach Trophy 126. I kayak with my grand daughter and being a 58 yr old women, find it easy to control. I love the easy way it handles in the water and seems to have a lot of features of more expensive kayaks.

06-26-2009
Submitted by: rickmannow - Rating: 8 of 10
     This is the Equinox 124 sold by Costco. I think this is actually made by Future Beach, so I am posting this here. This kayak is a 10'4" version of the Future Beach Trophy 126, but without the fishing gear. It comes with a Future Beach paddle and a car top carrier setup which is a couple of foam blocks and some tie downs. I got mine for $330.

This was my first kayak and I thought it was a great deal. I found myself doing several miles a day and not getting too tired once I got used to it. It is rock stable and tracks like it is on rails! I find this is perfect for sneaking up on wild life since as soon as I see a heron or a beaver I can freeze and the kayak will continue on its course without veering into the bank to turning away. Slowing to a crawl the kayak will just keep drifting and not startle the animal until I am almost on top of it. I can see why this would be a desirable kayak for fishing.

My only complaints are that at 50 lbs, it is a little on the heavy side for a 10 foot kayak. It is a bit slower than my other kayak, a Rhythm 11, and the quality of construction is not so good. I don't think there are any major flaws, but the first one I bought dropped the bulkhead for the rear compartment. It had so little glue on it, that it actually just fell out of place! Rather than to mess with fixing it, I took it back to Costco and got another. That one had a better glue job on the bulkhead, but the first time I put it in the water, I found one of the bolts holding the knee pad had fallen off! Fortunately the special nut was found inside the boat and I can put it back in easily. But clearly, the low cost (and likely profit margin) is showing in the quality. Still, these are rather minor things in the real world and I enjoy this as a second kayak.

I am 6'1" and 210 lbs so that I find my toes are a bit cramped. The dry compartment in the front takes some space from the foot area. Still, I can spend three or four hours in this kayak and enjoy the trip. The seat is mostly responsible for this. It is pretty dense, thick foam rubber and is pretty comfortable.

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