This review is going to cover both the
Malibu 2 xl
and the
Tarpon 130T; two comparable boats for around the same
money. Both are large
tandem sit on tops capable of taking two
adults and a child or extra luggage on board.
I have just got back from a couple of days in the
Gower
with three others and we have given both boats a thorough testing.
The fours of us are:
Me: keen
white water paddler and
a reasonable amount of sea kayaking.Simon: Plenty of
white water experience although it
was a while ago plus keen
surferRachel: Little bit of
white water kayaking, mostly
flat
water recreational paddling.
Zoé: Very little experience of
kayaking ever.
So we had a good range of abilities and viewpoints from
which to look at the boats.
On day one we took in a paddle to the top of
Worm’s Head
and back. We had a few little surfs on the way in the 2 foot swell with Me and
Rach in the
Tarpon and Simon and Zoe in the
Malibu 2 xl.
From the off I found the backrests on the
Tarpon very
supportive and although there is no padding under the seat, the boat was very comfortable.
The
storage on board is excellent too. We had a
dry bag
strapped to the stern with
cags, shoes, lunch and t-shirts for
everyone! We also had a couple of bits in the easy to use
storage hatches.
The boat rode out through the waves very confidently and
once we were out back cut effortlessly through the still water. After about 45
minutes we reached
Worm’s Head and were greeted by two
seals,
this turned to three, then four, then five and so on! A couple of them came
within 3 metres of the boat and one even followed us for a few hundred metres as
we paddled up the
headland. What a fantastic experience, one that has happened virtually every time I've paddled at the Gower and West Wales!
On the paddle back we swapped over. Simon and Zoé immediately commented on how comfortable the back rests on the
Tarpon
were and despite have the
Ocean Comfort Pro Backrest attached to the rear
of the
Malibu which does give great support, it can’t compete with the
hinged back rests on the
Tarpon.
Both boats seemed to paddle efficiently through the water
though the
Tarpon looked more composed. This was a help as Zoé’s lack of
experience
kayaks meant she was getting quite tired and Simon was very
grateful of such an efficient boat to keep up with Rach and me.
I was impressed with how well the
Malibu performed.
It lacked some of the poise of the
Tarpon but was still very efficient
through the water. There is definitely more space aboard the
Malibu and
I found I was able to take longer strokes using my torso more than in the
Tarpon
where I sometimes hit Rach in the back with my paddle. The seating position is
not quite so roomy as the
Tarpon but I think this is due to the fact
there is genuine space for a child on board. The deep
moulded footrests
were supportive through.
We had a few more surfs and swapped around boats a bit more.
The general consensus was that the
Malibu was happier to turn and carve
whereas the
tarpon was happier in a straight line.
The next day we headed out into the surf. The girls were
both too tired and fancied sun bathing so Simon and I decided to take the
Malibu
out together. What a blast! We spent two hours in the
3.5-foot surf
and by the end we were having long rides along the line of the wave, carving
back up and dropping in again and again! Other
surfers looked baffled by
this and I can honestly say the
Malibu exceeded all my expectations in
its abilities on the
wave!
A trick Simon and I also worked out very quickly is if the
front person crouches and jumps just as you paddle over a wave they are flung
15 feet into the air! Great fun!
Both these
kayaks are fantastic and I think most
people would be happy with either. However both do have their strengths and
weaknesses. The
Tarpon 130T is definitely the most comfortable
and efficient for covering longer distances. It also has more useful
storage.
The
hinged seats are incredibly supportive and really help reduce
fatigue.
However the down fall of these is you lose the flexibility
of the
Malibu 2xl and when I wanted to have a go in it on my own
I simply moved the seat to the middle and away I went. This isn’t an option on
the
Tarpon without buying another backrest. Also there is more space on
the
Malibu for a
child. The
Malibu also excels in the
surf.
Basically there is no ‘better’ boat here. For touring and
carrying kit for two, the
Tarpon 130T gets my vote. For all round
versatile use and surfing the
Malibu 2xl wins.
Ross Tiley