Kayak Reviews

Welcome to our wilderness systems kayaks reviews. Please look at the kayaks models that were reviewed by their owners and anglers. The wilderness systems kayaks brand is well know for quality kayaks, and you owe it to yourself to look at the different models of kayaks they offer when shopping for one. After browsing through the reviewed kayak models, please consider taking a few moments and leaving your wilderness systems kayaks review with us.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Robert, who reviewed the Wilderness Systems Kayaks Tarpon 140 model kayak on 07-02-2006. It was given an overall rating of 9, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I have owned my Tarpon 140 for a little over a year now. Jdclwaw98 was 100% right on the money with his comments. A rudder is an absolute must with this kayak. I too bought mine without it. About a month ago I got a Feathercraft rudder kit from Kayak Fishing Stuff. It made a 1000% difference for the better! Before the rudder I sometimes had to paddle 30+ strokes in a row on the left side in wind, swell, or current just to keep the kayak from doing "doughnuts". The rudder completely solved this problem. The Tarpon 140 is an absolute pleasure to paddle now. The hatches are another issue. I can comfortably fit (2) 7 ft rods with the reels attached down the front hatch and retrieve them on the water. I would like to see more below deck storage added. Other than storing your wallet and keys, the small round hatches are pretty much worthless. One of the features of the Tarpon 140 that I like is the size on the tankwell. It is big. I use a full size milk crate in mine with pvc tubes for rod holders. I also added 2 flush mounts behind the seat and a Ram tube where the drink holder used to be. I wasn't to wild about the stock Wilderness Systems seat setup. I replaced it with a Surf to Summit GTS Elite Angler model. I also use a Seairsports self inflating seat pad. It is a lot more comfortable than the stock setup. I also added a Eagle Cuda 168 fishfinder. I mounted the transducer inside the hull under the seat. In my opinion the Tarpon 140 is not a fast kayak, but it paddles very well. I would recommend the Tarpon 140 for a fishing kayak, provided you have a rudder.

Suggested Changes: None, I am very satisfied with my Tarpon 160.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Cesar Carig, who reviewed the Wilderness Systems Kayaks Tarpon 160 model kayak on 06-11-2006. It was given an overall rating of 10, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I bought my Tarpon 160 2 months ago and I love it. I have owned several kayaks before but this one tops it all. It tracks really smooth even without the rudder, its fast and quiet. I cant complain. This is the kayak that every kayak fisherman should have.

Suggested Changes: None, I am very satisfied with my Tarpon 160.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Htrain, who reviewed the Tarpon 160 model kayak on 03-14-2006. It was given an overall rating of 10, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I bought this Tarpon 160 as a 2004 close-out and have used it in coastal protected waters. Very stable and low to the water. With all the wind and current I would certainly recommend the rudder. I have since added two rod holders but this really isn't the best for fishing. The model after with the open storage is better suited. As for extended trips, this has good room with large waterproof hatch covers.

Suggested Changes: None

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Shawnatclaytor, who reviewed the Pungo 140 model kayak on 02-09-2006. It was given an overall rating of 9, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I bought the Pungo 120 in 2004 (which my wife loves). I liked it so much I bought a Pungo 140 in 2005 which I liked even better. I did a lot of research prior to me buying a Pungo series yak. I must have sat in 30 different makes and models before I made my decision. The primary use for me is fishing local rivers in south western Virginia and when I can, saltwater fishing close to the Chesapeake Bay. Since I have two, my wife uses the 120 because it requires less effort to maneuver. The fishing possibilities are endless in the Pungo. I am just now getting my 140 rigged for fishing (rod holders, cleats, electronics, etc.). What really got me excited about fishing out of my yak was that I hooked (not landed) a huge Musky back in the summer. During that pleasurable struggle, the yak was as stable as I could have ever hoped for. I never have to worry about flipping.

Suggested Changes: Easier to secure front and rear rubber hatches

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Permit, who reviewed the Tarpon 120 model kayak on 11-23-2005. It was given an overall rating of 10, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: Bought my new T120 (2005 model) in september and have loved being on the water with it since. The layout is designed for fishing, with multiple places for rod holders, and fish finders. I chose to rig mine with a scotty triple mount (old style) where the round compass mounting spot is located. On it i have my fish finder, scotty rod holder and gps. This left my working area clean and snag free. The ride is extremely dry, but i had a problem with water entering thru the scuppers located behind the seat, so i just plugged them. Glide is good, and i find it easy to paddle. The aft tankwell is perfect for my milk crate and a cooler. All in all, i am very pleased with the T120, and look forward to a full season in it in 2006.

Suggested Changes: I would love to see a 10 or 12 inch hatch in front of the seat, would make for more practical storage.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Bigjonboat, who reviewed the Pamlico135T model kayak on 07-22-2005. It was given an overall rating of 10, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I am very pleased with my Wilderness Systems 135T. I bought 2! I am a big fellow and I intend on dropping some pounds soon. I liked this little vessel because of the 600pds capacity. I am 6'4" and weigh 350+. I am the parent of 2 small children and I enjoy time on the lakes with my family. My wife who is much smaller and lighter than myself enjoys the ease of paddling and tracking. Due to my size, I simply slid the fore seat to the center position and set my 3 yr. old between my knees for recreational paddling. This simple arrangement gets the Kayak setting perfectly in the water. I later modified a milk crate that fits between my knees, it fits nicely, in his spot! (At least for the next couple of weeks.) I am currently in the process of sliding the rear seat up and placing a cooler behind it. With the crate between my knees, I will still have enough room for one of my kids the sit in the front seat and fish with me! We are soon moving from Alaska, back home to Eastern Oklahoma so I should keep it in the water quite a bit down there. It is an wonderfully crafted kayak, with as many configurations and uses as there are users. Lots of "Bang for the Buck", I recommend this boat.

Suggested Changes:

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Going Postal, who reviewed the RIDE model kayak on 06-09-2005. It was given an overall rating of 8, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: Overall I really like the ride. It is very stable and comfortable. The claims of being able to stand up on are overrated, but the people who do this may be a bit smaller than I am. I am took off a couple of points for the foot braces, the ones that came with the boat seem very fragile, and flex alot. I have upgraded them to a set with aluminum rails. The ride paddles nicely, but has a tendency not to track straight (just slightly) in current and wind. This seems to be a problem with all sit on tops I've paddled, so it doesn't bother me when my Ride does it, it isn't as bad as others I've used.

Suggested Changes: Different foot Braces.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Didge, who reviewed the RIDE model kayak on 06-03-2004. It was given an overall rating of 7, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: Bought the ride model as my first fishing kayak and found it to have great initial stability and it's construction was top notch. You can easily stand up in it on flat water but not it chop. The seating was low and comfortable but a little wet. The nose is pretty low in the water so expect to get fairly wet launching through surf. It is a water sport and you know it w/this kayak. All in all I give it a 7 for it's great stability and construction.

Suggested Changes: You can virtually forget about accessing the hatches on the water which is a big problem when using it as a solo-sportfisher. This plus the wimpy tankwell alone lost the 3-points on my rating scale. I've since purchased a Cobra fishndive.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by h2owagon, who reviewed the Tarpon 140 model kayak on 05-26-2004. It was given an overall rating of 9, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I did alot of checking on the Tarpon 140 and the Malibu Pro Explorer and Extreme. I'm sold on the Tarpon 140. When I started looking, I also started looking into how I wanted to rig it. For me, the Tarpon suited best. It's got plenty of room for bait tank/crate, rod holders, fish finders, gps's, etc. The paddling is smooth and stable. It track true and is easy to maneuver. I'm 6'2" and 220#. As far as stability goes, it is excellent. It's not as stable as the Malibu yaks mentioned above, but I'm very comfortable in it. I'm starting to rig it now, so if there is anything that you shouldn't do, I'll update this review.

Suggested Changes: Not yet

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by jdclaw98, who reviewed the Tarpon 140 model kayak on 03-23-2004. It was given an overall rating of 9, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I love this Yak! It is VERY stable, I have been out in mine 6 times now. (I actually bought 2 ... 1 for my wife and one for me). It seems to be made to fish out of and is quite comfortable to sit in. I am usually in mine for 4 to 5 hrs at a time without any discomfort. I have a scotty mount on the front and have used a crate behind my seat to store misc. gear and extra rod holders. I also carry a small "dry bag" behind the crate. A few other points to consider... I bought mine without a rudder (couldn't afford it at the time). I would STRONGLY recommend you have one installed on when you buy it! Without it, it occasionally has problems tracking. Also, it is somewhat difficult load and unload because of its "empty" weight. I weigh 225 and can "horse" it by myself, but my wife cannot load and unload by herself. To get around this, you can build or buy a small "wheeled" carrier.

Suggested Changes: The front hatch has a large opening, but because of the design, you cannot store much equipment inside. I would add more storage inside the yak.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by Scott Shaw, who reviewed the Pungo Classic model kayak on 01-25-2004. It was given an overall rating of 10, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I bought my Pungo several years ago when it was the Pungo,before the 100,120,and 140 series came out,hence the term classic. I love this yak,it does everything well.It is quick,turns easy,yet holds direction well it all seas or wind conditions.It is stable , and has a generous size cockpit to handle larger paddlers.It would make a great first boat,but still fills the bill for a paddler with more skills.If you get it up to speed,then lean opposite to the direction of turn,it will carve it's own way around without paddling in light wind,and only a nudge with your paddle otherwise.Why they changed the design is beyond me,probably some kind of market strategy.The classic form , with it's hard chine's is functional and unique.Wilderness's catalog says that the new model is an improvement,but they invented the right yak,and then screwed the pooch with the new models in my opinion. A few of the older models are still around,grab one if you can.

Suggested Changes:No, as I said, they should have left well enough alone on the original design.

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by I-FISH-2, who reviewed the PUNGO 140 model kayak on 04-22-2003. It was given an overall rating of 9, where 1 is low...10 is high.

Comments: I DO "NOT" WORK FOR OR REPRESENT WILDERNESS SYSTEMS. THIS IS MY FIRST KAYAK. 14' long, new model. VERY stable;I will use for fishing lakes and mild rivers. This is a rec yak, no white H2O. The Phase 3 System seat is like a LazyBoy recliner. Unbelievable comfort. I had her in 2' white caps with No spray skirt. Perfect into the waves with some minor washing over deck. Going with the wind and 2' waves it is much harder to keep perpendicular to the waves. I even let it sit for 5 minutes in the trough PARALLEL TO THE WAVES, (unsafe, I know), and the Pungo was perfectly stable, so much so that I could put the paddle down and take a drink of water. Never any thought to dumping her. By the way, their Customer Support is superb. They are willing to assist in any way. I love this yak. I need to learn how to put in a trolley anchoring system to allow anchoring anywhere from bow to stern. ANY IDEAS BESIDES DIRTY DAVES? I-FISH-2

Suggested Changes: 1. Rear oval bulkhead cover is a bitch to put on securely. 2. Not enough deck cords supplied, I will have to put them on and drill lots of holes in deck. 3. Would like toggle handles vs the OEM 2 point straps, but now I'm picking nits. Great yak. I-FISH-2

This Wilderness Systems Kayaks review is by I-FISH-2, who reviewed the PUNGO 140 model kayak on 04-22-2003. It was given an overall rating of 9, where 1 is low...10 is high.