Two on Craiglist at comparable prices, both one year old.
Vapor 12 XT Angler VS Dirigo 120
I don’t mind retrofittin the Dirigo with rod holders and a trolly/anchor system if it’s the better bet.
Which would you choose?
None
which huffy?
seriously, if you are looking for a cheap, used kayak, there are much better options if you keep your eyes open.
like?
what comes to mind?
Vapor
Seems like a nice little boat. You came to the wrong place … These guys, I mean elitist are always blowing off. They spend most of their time talking when they should be putting their 3,000 boats in the water.
you don’t mention your size
The Dirigo is a barge – heavy and tall (over 17") with a yawning 49" cockpit and the Vapor is lower (14") and lighter by 10% with a more standard cockpit. If you are a big guy (over 250 lbs or over 6’ 4") the Dirigo might be the better choice but if you are average you might find it a pain to paddle. If you are just sitting in a bayou, maybe the Dirigo – if you have to paddle any distance it appears the Vapor might be marginally easier to move forward. You don’t mention the price so I can’t comment on “value”. Personally, I would not pay more than $400 for either boat.
size and price
I’m 5’11" and 210 lb. All specs I’ve seen say the Vapor is heavier since it is single layer PE and not 3 layer like the Dirigo.
Vapor is 400 dollars firm and the Dirigo is 450 (haven’t asked them down yet).
why hate
Yea, surprised by the hate out of the gate…I will be mostly on slower MI rivers and fishing…some lake including the big lakes on calm days. This will be my first kayak.
dirigo
Dirigo is a fine boat to get comfortable with. Just wear a pfd so you’ll be around for a faster boat later. Good luck and have fun.
Ryan L.
MI
Off topic… but where in Michigan? I’m about 20 miles north of Kalamazoo, up near Yankee Springs.
From your other post, those seem awful expensive, keep your eyes on Dunham’s and MC Sports, they have some decent deals going on right now. I just purchased a Perception America 11 at MC Sports and am really liking it so far. Keep a lookout for deals right now, if you’re set on one of those definitely talk them way down.
Bay City
living in Bay City, and will go to the PM, Au Sable, Manistee, Rifle predominantly…usually meet my GR friend on the PM…
Been looking at the box stores…moderate deals…
I’ll also be yaking with my family (two young boys and a wife afraid of water), so no need for speed or extreme…
Vapor
If you are close to Flint, Rocky’s Great Outdoors has the Vapor for $419.00 new. Its not the angler version but you can outfit it anyway you want it for alittle more. Also, that place has a great selection of gear. $20 more for a new yak, just a thought.
Scott
Reminds me …
of the commercial where their always saying, “what’s next.” It seems that certain paddlers are no different.
toss up
If you going to use it primarily for fishing, either will work fine. The Vapor may save you some setup effort if an anchor trolley is important to you. I don’t use one, but I don’t fish much moving water. And it has the rod holders, I use a homemade dash board, so my rods are in front of me. I like it better than having them in the back, I don’t have to twist to get them. For fishing in a SINK(sit in kayak) a large open cockpit is a must, the Vapor wins again.
Not everybody needs/wants a boat that can take them miles off shore, of across Lake Superior, these aren’t the lightest or fastest boats, but they are fine boats for fishing and enjoying a day on the water.
Good luck and good fishing.
Kayak snobs
are common on this site but there are also plenty of posters that try to steer people towards boats that fit their needs. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.
My first kayak was an Old Town and I still use it but some of the newer models with huge cockpit openings aren’t for me. If that’s what you like fine but you should try some other kayaks to see what’s out there.
At some point you should make an effort to attend a kayak demo. That’s the best way to decide what kayaks feel right for what you want it to do.
thanks
Thanks for the input. I think you understand what I am looking for. If in the future my paddling “terrain” gets modified, then I can shop for another boat that fits better!
Thanks again.