I bought the $319 Equinox 10.4 Kayak + Paddle + Roof Rack from Costco the other day.
I looked all over online for reviews & couldn’t find one, so here goes:
It’s an awesome little recreation boat! I ran into a couple of guys on the Salt River with the same boat & they loved it.
Pros:
Tracks VERY straight for a 10 ft boat thanks to it’s channelled hull.
Turns well, because it’s short.
Has excellent dry storage in the back & a great 4 inch deep dry storage compartment in the front.
Handles front & back seem very sturdy
Bungee Paddle holder near cockpit is low profile enough that it doesn’t get in your way while you’re paddling
Paddle that comes with it has same design as many expensive paddles & is adjustable for both length & feathering.
Plenty of bungees on top to hold a day’s worth of stuff - water bottles, Super Soaker for bailing, and any other misc. whatnots.
There are drain plugs both front and back
Footpegs are easy to adjust
She’s a very stable little boat.
So-So:
Seat’s not the most comfy thing & has no back support above the shell of the boat, but that’s not bad enought to put in the “cons” column.
You don’t get all of the super seat adjustments you get with a more expensive boat, but who cares – add some padding behind your back or a towel under your behind & you’ve got it covered.
It is wide - which can be a “pro” if you like it for stability" or a “con” if you’re not crazy about a wide boat.
The sides are high enough that it takes more effort to get water over the sides than in my lower-profile boats. Great for keeping water out, probably not great for windy conditions - but I can’t say because I didn’t paddle it in the wind.
Cons:
She’s a little heavy, weighing in at either 50 or 54 lbs. depending on what you read, but that didn’t stop my 5’5" girly self from hefting it into the back of the truck, so my guess is it’s actually somewhere in the 35 lb range. It is heavier than my husband’s 10 ft. Wilderness Systems Pamlico – but features add weight, right?
There isn’t a lot of vertical foot space if you like to put your feet straight vertical on the pegs - which are almost more of a round pedal shape.
I’m 5’5" tall & the thigh guards/rests hit me square in the knees. If I’d been sitting in a car, I would have moved my seat forward for a better fit. It’s easy enough to take those out & drill new holes closer so the seat.
You sit in a puddle all day if you get water in your seat because there is no seat drain. I’ll drill a few drain holes there to fix that.
(Obviously I’m not afraid to drill new holes in a perfectly good boat)
The paddle will fill with water, so make sure you put some spray foam in it!
For a $319 boat/paddle combo - you can’t beat it. The issues I have with the boat are easy enough to change with a drill & a screwdriver.
I get all weird & frustrated if my boat doesn’t track straight. I’ve paddled a lot of boats in the 10 ft range & their “squirrelyness” drives me crazy. I also tend to “overpaddle” - meaning I paddle hard enough on both sides to make most boats - what’s the word for “not track straight.” Believe me, if this boat goes straight for me, anyone can do it.
This is the 5th boat in my collection - I have a 13 ft tandem, a touring boat, a river boat & now 2 recreational boats. I’ve paddled all kind of boats from Alaska to Maine. I’ve done several rivers, but not much whitewater.
I will be the first person to tell the world when I don’t like a boat.
I also want the world to know Equinox & Costco have done a great job bringing a good little boat to the market.
New Equinox 10.4 Purchase Thanks for your review. I bought two of these Kayaks at Costco. It seemed like a great deal and, apparently, a lot of people thought so because there were ten Kayaks on the floor on Sunday and only five remaining when I went back on Tuesday.
The roof rack system that came with the package is simple but functional. I was able to secure a kayak quickly and firmly to the car roof inside of ten minutes.
I haven’t had a chance for a test drive yet, but your experience is mirrored by other reviewers I found on the Internet. My only complaint has to do with the seat cushion. It appears to be made of inferior material and looks like it could crack or rip easily with use. I also don’t like the way the seat cushion is secured to the boat (by a screw inserted into a rubber grommet which inserts into a hole in the seat frame). Several of the rubber grommets came out of the seating hole and are difficult to reinsert. A minor complaint but, then again, you have to consider the price and the package. Overall, I believe it is a good package and look forward to getting wet soon.
Equinox thanks for the writeup, I just got back from Costco! Yee ha! Tomorrow morning I hit McCormick Ranch lakes for my 1st ever kayak experience. Maybe see you on the river soon. Your comments made it EZ to make a decision.
Equinox 10.4 review Thank you so much for your very thorough and detailed review!! I now know what to expect from this unknown kayak and I am much more confident to purchase it. Your review helped me a great deal!!! ^.^P
Equinox review 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 doesnt sacrifice speed. I found it very comfortable for my trip. (im 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 couldnt 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.
Equinox 10.4 I just recently purchased the Equinox 10.4 from Costco today. The price was right and I thought, what the heck, I am a beginner and have always wanted one, so why not? I feel even better after reading the reviews and can’t wait to hit Lake Mead within the next few weeks to see for myself how the Equinox handles!
On your tip, I pulled out my foam gun and foamed the paddle, but I clicked it together and then friends came by and I forgot to take it apart so it is glued together... oops. Will have to get some acetone.
Anyway, since I already have a rack on my car the foam blocks included with the kit are not too useful, but the straps are great. I laid my kayak flat and strapped it down, and was able to put the sleeping pads and bike trailer for the kiddo right on top of that. My tiny Chevy Aveo got a lot of looks/laughs, but we had no problems traveling up I-5 at 70 mph.
The kayak itself was very stable. I was reasonably comfortable with my 3.5 yr old sitting in front of me between my legs (no sprayskirt) in Cascade lake on Orcas Island WA, and in the sound near Spencer Spit State Park and around Frost Island in Lopez Island WA.
update- practically indestructible My friend got some crappy tie downs (from REI of all places) and his equinox 10.4 (newer model than mine) flew off my roof rack and hit I-5 as we were going 60 mph down the highway. Fortunately no one was right behind us and so it just flopped safely on the shoulder… Aside from scratches, there was no damage. No cracks, no screws popped out. Pretty surprising.
thanks for review Thanks for the great review. This is a first time purchase for me and I really did not know what to expect. I will have to wait until the weather warms a bit to try it, and I am already getting antsy. This has been on my bucket list for quite some time.
