Tootega Kinetic 100 Hydrolite Kayak Blue Reviews

4.7 Rating 7 Reviews

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IT’S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN GROW BY THE SEA! Shore is riding on the crest of a wave and picking up momentum all the time. TRUE TO THE ROOTS! Shore offers a huge range of online surf/snow fashion and all the accessories that go with that, however we also have the re-enforcement of a massive knowledge and selection of equipment too. From a summer wetsuit to a fully inclusive surfing package. That’s how it started, all about the water and it’s staying that way! a REAL online surf store.

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“I could not be happier with my kayak and service received”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Just what I wanted it is light to carry and lift on the roof rack (needs 2 people) It is stable to get on/off. I use it on an estuary and it handles perfectly. Downside The small round hatch in the centre is poorly made it cross threads and the rubber seal pops out on tightening it.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I researched the market for a quality sit-on Kayak. I found the walk-through video on the shore website for the Tootega Kinetic 100 Hydrolite and made an enquiry. The staff helped with all my questions surrounding transporting it on my car roof to performance on the water. I was able to purchase with confidence and overall I am extremely impressed and pleased with the Tootega Kinetic 100 Hydrolite, its definitely worth the price tag. Moreover, the shore team helped create a package to get me started which included the RUK rambler kayak trolley and deluxe back rest which complement the Kayak really well. Pro's - The Kayak is lightweight and sturdy. - It tracks remarkably well (even with the skeg in upward position) - Very stable good (slightly raised) seating position - Good storage options - Looks Great Con's - Had some issues with the skeg getting stuck.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“We wanted a kayak that was sportier than the standard all rounder (Wavesport Scooter) we already have but still stable for use on the sea in the usual weather conditions the UK presents us with. Your website was fantastic, with clear and honest advice, and we chose the kayak based on the description on the website. We are thrilled with our purchase! The kayak was delivered in perfect condition, wrapped carefully and protected where needed. We have used it numerous times and it's great! My husband, a qualified kayaker, loves it too especially as it has the watertight areas for storage. We would definitely buy from you again, brilliant service... thank you!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“The Tootega Kinetic (hydrolite) is a great kayak. I had hired out or demo’d various boats including the Perception Triumph 13 during the previous 3 years and I was looking for a shorter / lighter version of this. The Kinetic is that boat - with very similar performance. It tracks well and the hull speed is good - even with the high level of stability (and you don’t often get both). The shorter hull means the boat turns really well and you don’t get pushed around by the wind so much. The weight saving is significant on the hydrolite, a good 5kg below even similar length boats and it really makes a difference when trolleying or car topping. Storage space is good, the rear well easily takes a folding trolley and the front well easily takes the other drybag items such as cags and trousers etc. The seating area is well thought out and drains well, plus the footrests have good spacing, but it’s still worth using a pair of Tootega one-way bungs under the seat. The lifting skeg does give you slightly more straight-line pull for covering distance when down, but it can act as a bit of a trap if you end up in weedy areas. Also, need to remember to pull it up when mooring or entering shallows to avoid damage. It has only got blocked and stuck down once so far. To be honest, unless in a race, I tend to leave the skeg up most of the time to avoid any issues. I have been out 9 times and covered 45 miles in it on the river Thames, since getting it July. Next year I will holiday in the Bournemouth area, so will take it out around the coast then.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“We've already had a lot of fun on it and its stable enough that my 7 year old daughter has been able to mess around on it, on her own as her confidence grew. It's a great fun all rounder for all the family. Light weight, but very robust and will provide many years of fun. The Shore web site provides plenty of detailed information with short videos that helped us select this model from the extensive range which when I first started looking left me perplexed as to which make/model to choose. It arrived exactly when they said and was extremely well packaged.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Thank you for reaching out - I'm happy to help with the survey/review of the boat. I've been out in the Hydrolite a few times now, usually for around 4 hours per session in light coastal conditions down here in Torbay/South Devon. In short, the boat is a winner and my favourite from all of those I have tried in the last 12 months - about a dozen boats. I've completed a year's kayaking with my local club so would class myself as beginner/intermediate stage now - been trained etc, gone on many club trips, but it's still only been 12 months (of near continual kayaking). • What would you say were the Pro’s with this kayak? 1. The boat tracks beautifully and is comfortable to sit in and what most surprised me, in relation to my use of smaller kayaks in light coastal conditions, is how manoeuvrable the Hydrolite is in tight spaces while rock hopping the local coast. I went out rock-hopping News Year's Day with three friends in their Diesel's and Dagger GTX's - small fast boats - but had no problem keeping up, even in a headwind. So, the hull design, to my eye, is very good. My 7 year old can even paddle it up and down the local beach (with me wading behind) without difficulty or feeling unsafe due to its stability. 2. On its excellent stability, on the water I find I am able to shift around in my seat to take pictures 360 degrees around myself without fear of capsize - I can also easily retrieve items from the rear tank well without fear of a swim. Looking forward to trying it in surf. 3. Choice of foot rests is also a strong feature - you really can find your optimum position and posture within the boat before paddling. 4. The dual storage holds are an excellent feature (I keep my camera in the day hatch), as is the large rear tank well; I am so pleased the latter was fitted because it holds my kayak trolley. I often suffer from back pain - induced by lifting kayaks - which is why I bought this model, as it's a lighter boat; so at either end of my paddle I can use the trolley that actually goes out to sea with me. This removes the problem of running back to the car and leaving the boat unattended on the beach, to collect the trolley after completing a paddle. So, the idea that everything I need on a paddle can go from the car to water and water back to car, in a single trip, is fantastic. Also, when I tour and camp this year, I have decided to take this boat and not my sit-in. The boat has actually made me realise I can be more adventurous on distance - that is the most satisfying feature. Usually, I think, too far for a small boat. Now, I'm able to consider longer paddles to better places. The paddle keeper is also a great idea; so useful when taking a drink of water, taking pictures, or fishing, and while getting in and out of the boat. I find I use it continually. • What are the cons? 1. I'm never convinced the skeg - which I rarely use - fully descends from the hull. There's no convincing sense of it having dropped, nor appreciable difference in the handling of the boat once it has dropped. My suspicion is it rests half-in and half-out of the hull. When the sea is warmer this summer, I will swim under the boat and check. 2. The biggest drawback is so simple to fix: the little metal bars/rungs to which one would attach the seat-strap clasps are too thick within a small curved hollow on the hull to easily get the locking clasps fitted; same with clasping a paddle leash. If those plastic contours had been molded deeper inside the top of the kayak hull, the problem would be solved; same solution if the metal fittings had been made narrower. I'm surprised they weren't more thoroughly tested for seat-strap fittings. I eventually managed to strap a seat into the boat but cannot get it out now. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure a seat is essential. My first two trips were done without an attachable seat and I was comfortable over three hours-plus (and I have a bony ass). 3. The lid of the day hatch should be on a string fastened to the boat. Too easy to drop if wearing gloves or in a swell. 4. Even though this boat only weighs in at 19 kilos, it is bulky out of the water and slips and slides around the side of a car, and is also difficult to "bear hug" - it's bulkiness makes it hard to get on and off a car single-handedly. But, I guess, that is the problem with almost every single kayak going - getting them on and off cars without destroying your back. But it is too heavy and bulky to carry any distance alone - I'd say a trolley is essential. • Would you recommend this kayak to a friend? Yes, and have done. The other kayakers I have been out with immediately saw its advantages - not fiddling around with recalcitrant spray-decks, nor having to empty their boats - as well as how well it performs and they all wanted a go. • Did you speak to customer services before purchasing? How did they assist the buying process? I did a great deal of online research first to assess the right sit-on top for me - I looked at scores. I'd tried a few in the past and they were either no good for distance, hideous colours, or far too heavy for me to lift. The weight was the deciding feature. What I needed was a sit-on I could tour in, eventually fish and snorkel off, that wasn't too heavy for my back and that could keep up with faster boats on club trips. My first choice was the Perception Triumph 13, as I fancied going on long journeys. But it was impossible for me and my bad back to lift alone. The Hydrolite was the perfect compromise on weight while retaining many of those touring features, and could probably go similar distances. So far, so good: it has ticked almost every box. I did speak to someone on the phone too just double-check on a few details too. • Did you find the videos/descriptions on the website to be useful? Yes and watched the film a few times. But Tootega's own site is missing the video that should accompany the model.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago