Old Town Predator Mx Vs. Wilderness Ride 115

[basshead1]

My birthday is next month and so are tax returns and my wife agreed to buy me another kayak. 

I have sat in the Predator and loved it but have yet to find a local dealer that carries a new Ride with the new seat. I have paddled my buddies older ride and it was very stable and not too slow. 

 

I mostly fish for bass and I like to fly fish for bass occasionally if the wind agrees and also hit the salt occasionally for some snook, reds, and trout on grass flats and in the mangroves. I want something I can stand in mainly with a comfortable seat.

 

For those who paddled both which has the better seat? Which is faster? Or should I just look at the Predator 13 vs Ride 135? So many questions, I can not decide. heh

 

Well if anyone has paddled either or or both please let me know the pros and cons if you could.

 

I may also consider a Slayer, who knows.

 

Thanks ahead.

[pcakes55]

SLAYER.  I researched kayaks for almost a year before i bought one. Doesn't get better than the slayer. Comfort, stability, accessories, high/low seat, list could go on.

 

I worried a lot about speed of my kayak when I was buying it. Honestly between the slayer and the two you are considering, there will be no noticeable difference in speed. I paddle with two people who have Tarpon 120's, arguably a MUCH faster kayak than the Slayer. However I out paddle them 100% of the time. 

 

In the ride you will not be able to switch from the low/high seat positions while on the water; that is a huge drawback. I think the slayer is easier than the Predator, but I am not positive on that. The Slayer has a better overall design than both, in my opinion; ESPECIALLY for fly fishing ( I do both).

 

For me, it was between a Jackson Cuda or Slayer. Slayer was more comfortable. Good luck   

[odell015]

As far as a better standing platform I would look at the predator. Are you concerned about weight? The predator is a heavy boat and is difficult to transport if you are alone, however the seat and standing are better IMO.

 

I have not personally sat in the new Wilderness system seats but they look nice. I can also not comment as to the stability of the wilderness systems.

 

I use a Feelfree Moken 10 lite because it is easy to transport and is wide enough for me to stand in if I would like. It is also cheaper. With that being said, have you checked out the Feelfree Lure 11.5? it is a nice boat, has a wheel in the keel for easier transport, and has a good price point. The only downfall is that it is not that fast. If you are looking for speed I would say stick with the wilderness systems. The Lure has a great standing platform and an awesome high low seat.

 

I spent around 20 hours a week in my yak from April-October so comfort for me is big. My seat is not nearly as advanced as the newer boats but I manage in it. Hope that helps.

[basshead1]

SLAYER.  I researched kayaks for almost a year before i bought one. Doesn't get better than the slayer. Comfort, stability, accessories, high/low seat, list could go on.

 

I worried a lot about speed of my kayak when I was buying it. Honestly between the slayer and the two you are considering, there will be no noticeable difference in speed. I paddle with two people who have Tarpon 120's, arguably a MUCH faster kayak than the Slayer. However I out paddle them 100% of the time. 

 

In the ride you will not be able to switch from the low/high seat positions while on the water; that is a huge drawback. I think the slayer is easier than the Predator, but I am not positive on that. The Slayer has a better overall design than both, in my opinion; ESPECIALLY for fly fishing ( I do both).

 

For me, it was between a Jackson Cuda or Slayer. Slayer was more comfortable. Good luck   

Thanks for the reply. I love the way the Slayer looks(gorgeous) but I have heard that it is not as stable as the Ride or Predator but I also hear it has the most comfortable seat. I may have to demo one if I can find a spot close by. 

 

As far as a better standing platform I would look at the predator. Are you concerned about weight? The predator is a heavy boat and is difficult to transport if you are alone, however the seat and standing are better IMO.

 

I have not personally sat in the new Wilderness system seats but they look nice. I can also not comment as to the stability of the wilderness systems.

 

I use a Feelfree Moken 10 lite because it is easy to transport and is wide enough for me to stand in if I would like. It is also cheaper. With that being said, have you checked out the Feelfree Lure 11.5? it is a nice boat, has a wheel in the keel for easier transport, and has a good price point. The only downfall is that it is not that fast. If you are looking for speed I would say stick with the wilderness systems. The Lure has a great standing platform and an awesome high low seat.

 

I spent around 20 hours a week in my yak from April-October so comfort for me is big. My seat is not nearly as advanced as the newer boats but I manage in it. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the reply. My buddy had the Lure but got rid of it because he said it does not paddle well. I have a bad back and I think that low back seat may not work out well for me either. 

Weight does not really bother me because I have a small trailer. Lately I have been using my Bass Raider and I handle that by myself with very little grunting so the Predator will be easy. hah

[basshead1]

Here is a list of some things the Slayer has going for it over the other two:

 

- Wide open deck layout. This will be extremely important when you're fly fishing and stripping line on to the floor in front of you. 

 

- Front handle is from port to starboard, opposed to the Ride's handle which is the opposite. This will cause the kayak to want to roll on its side when you are transporting it. This is EXTREMELY annoying. The Predator handles kind of suck compared to both (in my opinion).

 

- Slayer comes with a transporting wheel on the keel. This makes moving it on hard surfaces SO much easier. 

 

- High low seat can be changed with one hand, in a matter of seconds. This is awesome when water starts getting choppy, you can just plop the seat right down into the low position. For this reason alone I would not consider the Ride.

 

- Ability to store your rods between your legs while you are fishing. This is key when you are rotating through various set-ups every few casts. It is a royal PIA to have to reach behind you to grab a different rod.

 

- Stability is subjective. While the Predator and Ride are both wider than the Slayer, you could argue that the Slayer gives you the ability to stand with a wider stance than the other two. 

 

If you decide to go Predator, I would recommend the MX over the 13. The center hatch on the 13 will be more of an annoyance opposed to an open deck (my opinion). Whichever you chose, try to embrace the "less is more". 

The Predator MX seems more open than the Slayer or the Ride but I do like how the Slayer has the padded deck. I read that the Slayer does not come with a spot to put your paddle or scupper plugs for the storage areas too. Scuppers are no biggy but no paddle holder is kind of a big deal considering I would need to make holes in the hull to add one. This will be my 4th kayak and my previous 3 all had paddle holders which I used a lot.

 

Where do you keep your paddle when not in use? I use a leash so I could always just let it drop in the water but that

doesn't sound very organised and I am kind of ocd. hah

 

Also how hi does the slayer sit? My buddy's Cuda sits real high and he gets blown everywhere. I know the Predator sits high so it will have its wind problems too. Right now I have an Ascend fs10 and it sits really low and the wind barely moves it, I had a Perception Pescador which would get blown a little but nothing compared to my buddy's Cuda.

 

Hold on there is more. lol

Also I read that the wheel in the keel causes a bit of drag. Have you noticed it at all?

[pcakes55]

The Slayer has the geartrax grove along both sides, you could purchase the paddle holder such as this one (it may be included with kayak when bought new, not sure): 

 

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/accessory.cfm?id=118

 

Personally, I slide one end of the paddle between the front bungie straps and the cover of the front stoage area. I find this keeps the paddle secure and out of the way, but easy to access as well. 

[pcakes55]

Also how hi does the slayer sit? My buddy's Cuda sits real high and he gets blown everywhere. I know the Predator sits high so it will have its wind problems too. Right now I have an Ascend fs10 and it sits really low and the wind barely moves it, I had a Perception Pescador which would get blown a little but nothing compared to my buddy's Cuda.

 

Hold on there is more. lol

Also I read that the wheel in the keel causes a bit of drag. Have you noticed it at all?

 

Any sit-on-top kayak will have more problems with the wind compared to a sit-inside; there is more mass above the water line to act as a sail. It would probably be comparable to your buddy's Cuda. Best way to remedy this is plan your drifts. It would also help if you add an anchor trolley/drag chain, but you can add that after you have some time on the water. You will never enjoy the wind in any kayak..I wouldn't let that weigh in as a decision factor for whatever kayak you do buy. 

 

The bottom of the wheel sits flush with the keel... I haven't noticed any kind of drag from it to speak of. 

[Juan Veruete]

I have extensive experience with the Ride's including the Ride 135. It will handle the water you mentioned very nicely. The 135 is a great "all around" kind of boat.

 

I fly fish out of my 135. I don't find the hatch etc. hinder me in term of stripping line into the cockpit area. I push my foot pegs all the way forward when fly fishing so I don't get the line tangled in  them but that would be true for any kayak.

 

I go about 240 and can stand in the kayak for long stretches of time. Paddle from the standing position, fly fish etc. In any kayak, you will need to practice standing to get a feel for it... but the Ride 135 is very stable and makes it easy. Everyone I've taught to stand in my 135 is up an running in minutes. If yoiu want to feel more secure when standing, you can get a standing bar made for that kayak specifically. I don't feel the need for one so I don't use it.

 

The New AirproMax seat is a great piece of engineering and VERY comfortable. I've put 8 hours + in the seat with no problem. It's got three position. The high position is high and make it for a big guy to stand.

 

The best thing about the Ride is the ability to move the seat on a slide and trim the boat out so it is level on the water. This is HUGE when it comes to dealing with wind. If your boat isn't trimmed then it will spin all over the place in wind and make it VERY hard to fish.

 

Hope this helps.

[Predator130]

Changing seat position on the water is very possible for the record contrary to what was mentioned above.  Also no amount of comments here will tell you what you need since everyone's got the best, otherwise they'd own something else.  Demo Demo Demo!  You need to spend some quality time in a boat before you can decide what is best for you and you may make the wrong decision the first time.  Fortunately with these name brand yaks you can usually get a lot of your money back out of them and go another route.  I won't tell you the Ride 115 is the best cause it's not for everyone in every situation.  I do enjoy mine though and I find it comfortable, stable, and a little slow.  That being said I'm almost never more than 2 miles from the ramp so speed is irrelevant to me, I can't catch fish at full tilt.  

 

 

Is the ride stable?  You tell me.

[buzzed bait]

i have a ride 135 and love it....  VERY stable is almost an understatement.  

you really do need to paddle as many as you can before buying.  just like everything, you have individual preferences like everyone and it just boils down to trial and error.  having seen the predator in person i say you wouldn't be disappointed with either choice you make.

[basshead1]

Well there is a demo day this Saturday at a semi local kayak shop but it is over an hour drive and I already have plans to go fishing with a few buddies. Hmmmmm decisions decisions.

They told me that they will have Rides and Slayers to test along with Diablo and Hobies so it will be fun if I decide to not go fishing instead. hah

Maybe I can get my buddies to go demo with me. My local kayak club is having a meetup this Sunday so I may blow off the long ride and see who will let me test out their boat at the meetup and then I can fish both days this weekend. hah

 

 

I have extensive experience with the Ride's including the Ride 135. It will handle the water you mentioned very nicely. The 135 is a great "all around" kind of boat.

 

I fly fish out of my 135. I don't find the hatch etc. hinder me in term of stripping line into the cockpit area. I push my foot pegs all the way forward when fly fishing so I don't get the line tangled in  them but that would be true for any kayak.

 

I go about 240 and can stand in the kayak for long stretches of time. Paddle from the standing position, fly fish etc. In any kayak, you will need to practice standing to get a feel for it... but the Ride 135 is very stable and makes it easy. Everyone I've taught to stand in my 135 is up an running in minutes. If yoiu want to feel more secure when standing, you can get a standing bar made for that kayak specifically. I don't feel the need for one so I don't use it.

 

The New AirproMax seat is a great piece of engineering and VERY comfortable. I've put 8 hours + in the seat with no problem. It's got three position. The high position is high and make it for a big guy to stand.

 

The best thing about the Ride is the ability to move the seat on a slide and trim the boat out so it is level on the water. This is HUGE when it comes to dealing with wind. If your boat isn't trimmed then it will spin all over the place in wind and make it VERY hard to fish.

 

Hope this helps.

That seat is one of the reasons The Ride is at the top of my list now even though I have been in love with the Predator since it was released.