TRAK 2.0 - Folding Kayak
My review of the TRAK 2.0 folding/skin-on-frame kayak.
TLDR; the best folding kayak on the market.
Why I bought the TRAK 2.0
Having kayaked my Oru Bay St for four years, I had reached a point in my skill level where I was ready to upgrade to something else.
My main criteria:
Fit - thigh braces, foot pegs, seat, overall connection with the boat
Weight - ability to carry the kayak both assembled and in the bag independently
Sea worthy - ability to handle challenging conditions
Space for gear - ability to store camping gear inside the kayak with ease
I was debating between the TRAK, Oru Coast, or a non-folding sea kayak. After being frustrated with kayak rentals on a trip to Norway - paddling such an epic place in a crappy rental with a broken rudder - that was it. I was getting something I could fly with. This narrowed it down to the Oru Coast and TRAK but after test paddling the TRAK I knew I had met my next kayak.
Initial Thoughts
Duncan, a TRAK pilot in Vancouver, took me on a test paddle of the TRAK. My first thoughts were damn, I am flying in this thing! It felt so much faster than my Oru. But when I got my TRAK delivered and had to set it up on my own, it felt a bit overwhelming. This kayak was definitely more complex than my Oru and I questioned if I had made the right choice. But over time, assembling the kayak became a lot easier.
Over Time
I’m now two years into paddling my TRAK - I’ve taken it on multi-day kayaking camp trips to some epic oceanfront campsites. I’ve practiced edging, bracing, self-rescues and even rolling (though I haven’t quite got the hang of it yet). I’m intrigued by TRAK surf camps to learn kayak surfing, and feel like there are endless places I can take my skill set with this boat. I’ve also gotten really good at packing the expedition float bags for camping trips.
Things I’ve learned with the TRAK - I hate the standard white seasock that comes with it with a passion. The black aquatherm seasock was well worth the upgrade and feels like it stays put in the boat. The expedition bags are much more durable for camping trips and are worth the investment if you’re into kayak touring. And although I’ve assembled and disassembled the boat a million times, I still end up cursing somewhere in the construction process. It’s not that it is hard or complicated, it’s just that I get distracted, I miss a step, or my hands are slippery from the lube that you 100% need to apply to various components every time. It actually doesn’t take that much longer than the Oru assembly - I’ve timed it (10 vs 15 min). But it feels longer. There are more steps to pay attention to and do in a particular order.
In terms of wear and tear, nothing has really broken on my TRAK yet. I frequently inspect the vinyl skin and am surprised how well it has held up despite some accidental run-ins with rocks and shells on the water. The only issue I’ve had was with the string that pulls down the latch to separate the combing from the frame - the string broke, and at the time I couldn’t get the latch to pull down with my hand. Thankfully I found a construction flag that fit perfectly and is what I’ve been using until I replace the string with a metal ring. If my hands aren’t wet or full of lube I can pull it down with just my hands. But this is a relatively minor issue all things considered.
I think some of the biggest differences between my TRAK and Oru are the fit/shape and maintenance. The fit of the TRAK on my body (feet, thigh, butt) connection is great. I feel snug and well supported. The fact that I can change the shape of the rocker on the water is pretty darn cool (and practical). The downside is that the TRAK has more high end parts to accomplish these features and so you need to spend more time rinsing the boat and taking care of all those components which sounds easy but when you live in an apartment can actually be quite challenging. Thankfully my building has a hose in the garage that I can use, but I’ll admit I don’t rinse the boat and components as often as TRAK probably recommends.
Pros:
Fit - thigh braces, foot pegs, seat all adjustable and fits well
Comfort - very comfortable for kayaking long distances
Light weight enough - probably max weight I could carry independently
Folds - ability to store inside, take on a plane/bus/inside your car (no roof rack needed)
Included accessories - includes float bag, sea skirt, sea sock, and carrying case on wheels
Time to assemble - 15 minutes
Long term durability - 7 year warranty
Pack down size - I can easily get four TRAKS in my Kia Soul with the seats folded down (!!)
Cons:
Maintenance - TRAK recommends you rinse all components with fresh water, especially the jacks. More high end parts that need to be taken care of
Ease of assembly - need to slow down and do things in the correct order of operations, need lube every time
Price point higher than other folding kayaks
Overall take
I love my TRAK - if you’re looking for a folding kayak it doesn’t really get better than this. This is a boat that will keep up with you and your skillset, and won’t degrade in quality over time as it isn’t made of plastic components.
I like that I have a 16 ft sea-worthy kayak that I can manage completely independently - I don’t need any assistance getting this in my car, setting it up, or carrying it down to the beach. At ~50lbs it is probably the max weight I can carry, especially when the tide is out! But I can certainly carry this kayak a decent distance.
I also really like the pack down size - I can fit my kayak and a ton of camping gear in the back of my small car. It is one thing to fit the boat in your trunk, but another to still have space for all the other gear you need to bring. I also really appreciate that all of the required safety accessories like float bags, come standard with the TRAK - this is a critical piece of safety equipment.
If you’re an intermediate to advanced paddler - you’ll love this boat. If you’re a beginner it may be a bit much to jump into, but even if you don’t appreciate all the features today, your skills will grow there.
TRAK Pilot
I love my TRAK so much that I’ve actually joined the community of TRAK owners who take people out on test paddles and try the boat. If you’re interested in a test paddle, or are ready to buy and are looking for a sweet discount - hit me up! I have the occasional promo code for up to 10% off a TRAK 2.0 kayak for my blog readers - just DM me on any social media platform.
