The Old Town 10 Vapor Recreational Review

Recreational kayaks are designed specifically for calm, protected waters or slow moving rivers. While not perfect for fishing, they are exactly what you would expect.  They are basic ‘yaks that are meant to be used by paddlers with entry-level skills and experience.

Even though they are all designed with the same purpose in mind, there are still some boats that are better than others. The best in the class may be the Old Town Canoes and Kayaks Vapor 10. After reading this list of pros and cons, you may agree.

Old Town 10 Vapor Pros:

Durability:  The Vapor 10 is made from heavy duty linear polyethylene. The material is inherently resilient and difficult to breech. The most damage that you may see with this boat is the occasional dent from hidden underwater objects.

These dents can be easily pushed out once you are off the water. You can look at this YouTube video for tips on how to do it.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpuIJzMotDg)

Stability and Tracking:  There are two types of stability with a ‘yak: primary and secondary https://paddling.com/learn/primary-secondary-stability/

Primary and secondary stability are both increased by a boat’s width from centerline. The 28.5” width of the Vapor 10 will help everyone keep their boat upright in most conditions.

The Vapor 10 sits lightly on the water and is easy to keep on course with very little paddling experience. That makes it great for a beginner or a lazy float down a local river.

Load bearing:  The Vapor 10 can hold up to 325 lbs. That is an exceptional load rating for a 10′ boat. There is a stern well for storage for your gear, as well. Unfortunately, the well is not covered, so you will need to carry your gear in a waterproof backpack.

Ease of Transport:  No one wants to struggle loading their boat or getting it to water’s edge. At 48 lbs, the Vapor 10 is light enough for easy transport and quick portage, while the built in carry handles let you keep a solid grip as you hike.

Cockpit:  Perhaps the most difficult aspect of paddling is the size and comfort of the cockpit that you need to sit in. The cockpit of the Vapor 10 features a wide mouth, thigh/knee pads, adjustable foot braces, a paddle rest, drink holder, and an adjustable seat.

Before we jump into the cons of the Old Town Vapor 10 Footer, let’s look at some additional video details of this particular Kayak.

Old Town Vapor 10 Cons:

The Vapor 10 features the adjustable Comfort Flex XT seat. The adjustable aspect of the seat is great, but the padding is lacking to say the least. Many owners say that the seat becomes uncomfortable early on and almost unbearable after a few hours on the water.

The issue is easily overcome by sitting on a personal flotation device or buying a seat pad. You can get a waterproof seat pad from any camping gear outlet.  It’s also a single carrier kayak – not recommended for more than one person, so if you need a tandem kayak then you’ll need to check out these.

Despite the padding issue, the Vapor 10 from Old Town Canoes and Kayaks is a great recreational boat for flat water. With a little bit of work, you can add some rigging to hold your fishing rods or adapt it to any other use you may have in mind.