I wasn't sure if I would like kayaking. I am a biologist who loves the outdoors and wanted to get out on the water but didn't want to spend big bucks on an expensive kayak. I also lived on the 5th floor of an apartment building and had to be able to carry what ever I purchased up and down the elevator. After a few weeks looking around I ended up trying the swifty and absolutely loved it. It was small enough to carry in the elevator (just) yet secure and safe enough for a complete novice like myself to go out in some nasty storms on the St Lawrence and come back alive (and generally with a huge smile across my face). All in all I would say great value for money. My only regret is that the same wide shape size that gives it its stability also makes it a little slow going if you want to get from point A to point B in a hurry. But then it would probably have to be a much larger kayak and it would never have made it up the elevator in the first place and I (and now my girlfriend...another swifty owner) probably would never have taken up kayaking.

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A friend and I had the idea of kayaking acrossed northern minnesota one summer and the guy at oshman's told us to try out the swifty. At the time, we were looking for a good value and something that could hold four months of stuff. The swifty was great! My only problem is that I wish it had a little bit more space in the back. We ended up stuffing our packs behind the seat and straping the bag frame to the rear deck. Other then that, it never let us down. We nicknamed them "kayak by rubbermaid" because of the way the body would pop back after any thing we did to it. We even got mine wrapped around a rock in some fairly fast moving water, but after getting it back on shore, it popped back into shape. My girlfriend is looking to get into kayaking soon so I'm buying her one of the newer swifty's to start out with. Overall, I would recommend the swifty to anyone looking to get into kayaking and wants a boat that will take that "first-timers" abuse. Also a great starter boat for kids.

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I've floated ALL the Missouri and Arkansas Ozark/Ouachita streams in this boat and would recommend in heart beat IF your "tired" of the basic canoe float and ready to move up to something MUCH more maneuverable but still has pretty good hull speed. I've even taken it on the St. Francis albeit not during hight water........BUT it will do 99.9% of all class 2+ into 3. In addition, last August myself and two other buddies did a 4 day float out of the Swifty on the St. Croix up in Minnesota and had a blast. Keep in mind that you have to pack light (SD Clip flight, NF Bright Sky bag, some Sealine dry bags with provisions and your fishing pole). The aftermarket deck bungy "kit" the post up above describes can be had at the local hardware store by spending all of $10 for bungy cord and plastic anchors. Mine came a paddle leash, and spray skirt. If you don't want to spend that much money for the Perception boat, buy the Old Towne Otter for $250. I've got one of those too for my girlfriend and she loves it.

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Old Towne Otter

This is a great boat to get if you're in the "am I going to like this?" mode. It's very stable, pretty easy to transfer from the car to the water, and the open cockpit is comfy. Not the tightest tracker, as the bow twitches with each stroke. There is some storage behind the seat, but this is mostly a short trip boat. Decking lines would have been nice, but you can buy a $15 aftermarket kit from Harmony, Perception's sister company. The drain plug is a nice feature, as is the beverage holder. Basically, a good entry boat.

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larger touring boats

My wife and I spent most of the week in our Swifty's on the Saco River in North Conway, NH. WE HAD A BALL! It's light and maneuverable enough to go upriver and down for hours without fatigue. The drain plug makes it a snap to empty any water. Very affordable, one of the best recreation investments we have ever made. We can't wait to get back in the water!

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