Hey, so about to get out of Iraq and looking to blow some money on a nice new folder. Had been thinking all year about buying a K1 but after reading a few articles and seeing how the canadian to us dollar ratio has gone I started to think about buying the TRAK kayak. Has anyone tried one…anyone have any insight on how it compares to a new K1?
Jeremy
5500 US??
Looks really sweet. but I could build 10 to 15 Yost folders for that kind of money…
Any kind of rocker you would want…
Paul
yeah, steep, though…
I guess the point is that you probably don’t want to travel with 10-15 Yost folders of varying rocker.
Price aside, the concept is neat-o.
Welcome home and thanks
Try http://www.foldingkayaks.org In the discussion forum under other kayaks, there is a thread comparing the Trak to the Khatsalano.
I would give you the direct link, but the site is down at this time
I demoed one…
…at the West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium. Thought it was really a nice looking kayak for a folding kayak, but didn’t like how it paddled. Clever idea, and pretty tough, but my thighs didn’t stay under the braces while rolling, the cockpit felt too high, and it just felt altogether boxy. Not trying to diss it, but I wasn’t too excited by it. Everyone fits differently, however, so I wouldn’t take my word as generally indicative of anything.
at first i thought it might nice to add
to the collection but then i saw a zipper on the back deck??? is that right-a zipper! then i reflected back to a folbot we’ve got…zippers dont belong in/on a true sea kayak—just one man’s opinion.
Zippers!
I didn’t know the better boats had them too. My sterns had high quality zippers but they still broke in small surf.
well that’s my point
in neither of my feathercrafts will you find a zipper…what’s the first thing to fail on your jacket or sleeping bag, the fabric or the zipper? zippers have come a long way though over the years, i even had a spraydeck with zipper in the middle…it was waterproof even…must emphasize WAS.
So I’ve been mulling it over, took a nap between this post and my last—adjustable rocker hmmmmm…most paddlers I know adjust the rocker by leaning the kayak and that means adjusting the rocker is nice when turning-get it?
The TRAK does have a nice ratchet system for stretching the hull-never seen it-maybe its like a mini-hydralic? If so something else to fail…
I’m not such a Feathercraft whore, give me something better and I’m there, but zippers are not better than welded, hydraulics aren’t better than simple levers.
Now if I was on TRAK’s payroll and I had a bit tit to nurse on then TRAK would have hung the Moon 
Luckily I don’t have to pimp anything, just call it like I see it.
Remember those mens fashion boots
of the 70’s, the ones with zippers on them? Besides kayaks, that’s another thing that zippers don’t belong on.
Dogmaticus
observation
The Trak 16 looks beautiful the few times I’ve seen them at symposiums, on inspection it seems overly complex. The nicely machined hydraulics seem to be ready to suck in sand and jam at the wrong moment for example, and I doubt I’d use them while paddling since they are under the skirt. The overall dimensions are more rec-paddler than expedition, needs about 1 foot in length and about 4" less beam but could be good for some. I agree with the deep cockpit assesment as well, but that’s relative for each.
I think I’ll wait for them to simplify things…and cut the price by half or so.
one thing i’ve noticed about manufacters
is that once then come out with something they stick with it 'till death. A good example is the 4th hatch…the newer manuf’s are already there as evidenced by TideRace and Prijon (in Europe). The ‘old’ companies here in the USA (with the laudable exception of Lincoln Canoe and Kayak) have not embraced the 4th hatch and shrug off any notion of incorporating such into new models.
So TRAK will most likely stick with the zipper and the hydraulics alluded to above as possibly jamming. $5000 rec boat, hmmmm.
Adaptation-rare in the kayak industry.