There is literally nothing on this brand online yet they have been in business for 25 years and are supposed to be highly regarded kayaks? How can it be that there is virtually nothing a person can find out about this brand?
Hurricane Kayaks | Paddling.com
Sweetwater 126 Reviews - Hurricane Kayaks | Buyersâ⌠| Paddling.com
Hurricane Manufactureâs Site
Search results for âhurricane kayakâ - Paddling.com
Best Hurricane Kayaks For 2024 - Paddling Magazine
If you have a specific question, please ask, someone on here my know the answerâŚ
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Will this help?
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That boat shouldnât need a rudder. Spend those $$$ on a quality PFD.
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Read and compare reviews. Thatâs what I did. The reviews have a common thread that I didnt see in other boats.
Yes, a good PFD is #1. If you have a few bucks left, go for a better paddle than you think you need. It can really make a difference.
I donât think thatâs true, but hereâs what I know about Hurricane. Years ago they had a fairly poor reputation for quality, but they introduced a new line-up maybe 10 years ago that is much better than their previous products. I donât know anything about their SOTs so I canât comment, but I own a Hurricane Sojourn and like it a lot; in fact I bought a second one recently. It competes favorably with Delta and Eddyline, and I think the Hurricane hull is much better than Eddylines.
Customer service is excellent at Hurricane. I always get a very quick same-day response to email inquiries from the company manager. Theyâve helped me with a couple of problems with no hassles.
The company is located in Warsaw, North Carolina. I believe theyâre now owned by Confluence Outdoor. I didnât notice any change in the great service when they were bought out. I highly recommend the company. As for their kayaks, read up on the advantages and limitations of thermoformed plastic so you know what youâre buying and what you can and canât do with it.
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Fingers crossed that Hurricane does better under Confluence/Pelican than AT (Adventure Technology) paddles did ⌠bled 'em dry and shut 'em down.
The hurricane I researched had multiple reviews that mentioned tracking issues.
Hurricane is distributed by Big Adventures (Native Watercraft, Bonafide, Liquid Logic), not Confluence. Good quality boats at a reasonable price. They have a fully functional website, so not that hard to find info on them and the products, and a dealer locator to find someone near you who carries the line.
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I have read that criticism in reviews and Iâm mystified by it. I havenât found it to be true at all with the Hurricane Sojourn 135. Mine tracks perfectly. I think sometimes people have too-high expectations of tracking. You almost always have some wind, waves, or current that influence tracking and you adjust your stroke to stay on course. This is normal. âPoor trackingâ in my opinion is when you have to fight to stay on course, fighting the kayak itself. Definitely not the case with my Hurricane. Thermoformed kayaks, because of how theyâre made, are also unlikely to have defects that affect tracking.
Which model are you looking at? Would you care to describe your needs and intended use of the kayak?
Thanks for that correction. They seem to have increased their prices. Given that fact, itâs a good idea to compare Hurricane,* Delta, and Eddyline with respect to these things that distinguish them:
âMaterial: Hurricane may have the thinnest bottom
âCockpit size: Eddyline is the largest, e.g., Equinox
âHull shape: Hurricane and Delta much more stable than Eddyline in rough conditions!
âHatch volume: Very ample in Hurricane and Delta, excellent for camping; restricted in Eddyline due to the low deck
âThigh braces: Hurricaneâs are removable, a very big advantage in my opinion
For my money Hurricane is the winner because itâs more stable than Eddyline and cheaper than Delta. But buy in the fall and you can find a new Delta for the the same price as a Hurricane.
*Iâm only referring to the Hurricane Sojourn, especially for the cockpit size.
Thanks, what I meant is there hardly anything other than the mfgâs web site and own 2 min youtube videos and I could not find any âindependent reviews by users.â I looked up some canoes by Wenonah and Northstar and they have hardly any reviews either other than the mfg. so I guess paddlers and paddling forums are not into that sort of thing. What I have gathered from talking to several Hurricane dealers is that they are very good well thought out Kayaks. The lightweight Trylon ABS saves a lot of weight and is stiff for efficiency but they are not meant to be used in rocks. This is all fine as we will use them for lakes, slow moving deep rivers and will not be using them in rocky areas. Being a 71 year old 6â3 260lbs beginner I am going to get the Sweetwater 126 and an Osprey for my wife. After comparing it so the Old Town Sportsman which is even more stable but twice the weight and not as fast of maneuverable. The Eddylineâs is not stable enough for me but an excellent Kayak also. I do not see anything else out there that compares for what I am looking for which is primary and secondary stability being number one on my list followed by light weight and not a dog when it comes to speed. Hurricane does a good job on their seats and up-fitting their Kayaks also I am sold! Thanks to all on here.
Got it. The number of reviews will depend on how long a kayak has been on the market. Read the reviews critically. The information that is most often missing in user reviews is how the kayak performs in wind and waves. People say, âItâs very stableâ without mentioning the conditions theyâve paddled in. The same is even true of professional reviews at websites and on YouTube. Watching a guy paddle a kayak across a perfectly calm lake isnât helpful. I stress this because you should get a kayak that you can handle in the worst conditions you might encounter, not the conditions you prefer or hope for.
I am close to your size, or was, and did not think a 12â boat was adequate but thatâs a personal choice. I paddle two 14â boats for that reason and one is borderline .
My partner loves Eddylineâs stability, but does not go out in rough conditions so the lower deck isnât an issue.
Good point. I hesitate to bring it up, but paddling technique has a big influence on tracking too. A very good friend purchased a Swift Adirondack LT a few years ago (after mostly paddling Eddylines) and was quite disappointed with the poor tracking of its round hull. After making the effort to improve paddling technique, the poor tracking issue mostly disappeared.