Ok, when I purchased this, none of these ratings really helped, so my rating is going to be very honest and hopefully help some ppl with their purchase decision. First- I'm a big girl- 38 yrs old, 5'5 355 44DDD. Yes, that's relevant, in a moment I'll explain why. I bought this bc it's weight capacity says 400lbs, & I figured it would be a perfect way to figure out if I wanted to, would enjoy or could use a hard shell kayak, without spending $500+ So I'll start with set up- relatively simple. It's heavy when folded up, so if you're weak, or have any mobility problems, this maybe tough for you. I laid it out in my living room and pumped it up. There's 5 air chambers, 2 large, 3 small. I chose to do it at home rather than at the water, simply bc I was so unsure I could do it all alone. I fit it in my Toyota Camry, fully blown up/assembled by angling it from the back seat behind the drivers chair to the front seat in front of the passenger. Not ideal, bc I couldn't see out the back but I was only going a mile. I put mine in at a boat launch on a very slow moving river, which ended up being very helpful bc of the incline of the ramp. I was nervous to try and figure out how I was going to get on this thing without flipping over or making myself look foolish. I decided I'd just straddle the seat & sit in one motion. Done. Since its inflatable, and somewhat flexible I was able to get my leg over it and adjust my position while straddling it and standing in the water. As another reviewer mentioned, the middle sinks slightly. My rear was soaked but I was pleased to be on board. Since the middle sunk slightly, both the front and back end, were lifted out of the water a bit. Now, here's the honesty part. I'm top heavy, my chest gets in the way slightly, and so does my belly, however I am able to sit up right on the floor with my legs together, in front of me, but it's not terribly comfy. I found sitting on the kayak, with my legs in the leg rests, while balancing, very difficult. If you carry most of your weight in your belly, you may want to consider a canoe. The seat back lends little support on this kayak. I ended up sitting with my legs straight out but open with my feet slightly hanging off. Much easier, and gave me a bit more stability. I paddled around for about 2.5 hours on my maiden voyage. Never flipped, but had a few close calls. I was quite proud of my little adventure. When I returned to the ramp I found it slightly difficult at first to exit the kayak. But moving to water that was just about to my knees seemed easier. I used the paddle for leverage, and rocked forward, and stood up. About the kayak itself- very durable. The material used is very heavy duty. I had no fear of ripping or snagging it. The drink holder is useless for bigger folks. The paddle is ok, since I'm a beginner but I can see wanting better quality in the future. All in all if you're a beginner, I think it's a safe way to learn. Great for slow moving, flat water. 400lb weight rating? I'd say it's more like 300lb person max, with 25lbs of gear split between the front & back ends to balance the weight out a bit. But it's fun, relaxing, & gets some exercise in.
