Lifetime Manta 10 ft Tandem Kayak, 90116

My husband and I did quite a bit of research on kayaks before deciding on this one. We went with this one for its stability in the water. We feel very safe and secure and it seems like it would be difficult to tip over. The only drawback we have found is it is a little more difficult to steer because of its width. For us, it's a winner.

Great kayak, very stable. Both me and my wife like it a lot. I have lots of Lifetime products and everyone of them are durable and fantastic. highly recommend all lifetime products.

I've had my Manta now for a couple of months. It has been in both saltwater & freshwater lakes. Great to fish out of by myself, and equally fun to run tandem. I fished Galveston Bay with no issues at all. She fits INSIDE of my Toyota van! I'm no small guy, but with my wife aboard, we easily paddled around our 8 acre lake. My 6'2 .. 240 lb son took his THREE kids out for a ride a few weeks ago! This is a do-all craft. I've owned over 25 boats from 27 ft sailboats on down. This is the smallest boat of all and so far, the most fun. I am 72 yrs of age and I love this yak!

So not traditional kayaks by any means...but my family can stand on them like a paddle boat, jump off them, get back on them in water over their heads as well as paddle along comfortably and not flip over, even in choppy water. I had rented the sit-inside kayak and my daughter tipped hers. If we had been in deep water there was no way she was going to dump out the water and get back in. We wanted something to paddle in but have fun in as well without fear of tipping over. I bought this tandem kayak, the small lime green single kayak for my 10 year old (has a little swim up platform on back) and the blue lotus/calypso for my 14 year old. The tandem was for me and my other daughter or husband...but now I guess it will be me and the hubby as my 12 year old wants a blue calypso as well. My husband says their ugly but looks certainly aren't everything! Looks kind of funny with 4 stacked on top of my kia soul but there is no way to put them in the vehicle...

It doesn't come with paddles, even though the yellow version does include paddles at the same price. You have two call and make them send you the paddles if you buy the green one.

On the plus side it's relatively light, very short (10ft vs 12-16ft for others) and because it is so wide (36" vs most tandems 30-34") very stable. You also sit very high (especially back sit) that you stay dry. But there all downside when conditions are not perfect.... My biggest issue is that is was VERY slow and hard to get back as soon as the wind picks up it becomes a huge wind anchor (because it is so high/wide) and started really worrying I wasn't going to get back with the kids even though I was peddling as hard as I could, but we were drifting down wind. Some friends on ocean kayaks (single and double) where smoking us and had no issues getting back up wind (I also own a scrambler 11 for ocean diving which I use a lot. Totally different efficiency). Also there is NO WAY to peddle comfortably with a small child in the middle - I kept hitting her back even when she nudged herself as far forward as possible (see second pic - she's sitting normally there.). I wish she could sit backward (back against front person) but the seat mold isn't shaped that way. Will have to try that next time. don't believe the info videos... there is no way a 10ft can handle 3 people when most tandems for just 2 are 12-16ft. Also tracking (going straight) isn't great - you have to alternate front/back of you will sigg-jagg all over. Ton of rocker to the boat (= slow). If you're on a flat lake with no wind and want to just goof around, yeah it's a great very compact and dry kayak. Otherwise a liability IMO as soon as you have any wind. Going up for sale to get a long and narrow 2+ people that sits lower in the water.

Have owned for a few years, pretty stable, had to add better back rests. The lack of a keel (the bottom is quite rounded both front and back) won't let you track (go straight.) Any speed above a crawl and it turns dramatically left or right depending on who knows what. Hard to imaging you guys didn't put one in the water and paddle it. Has a small leak somewhere I can't find.

Have rented beach tandem kayaks a number of times and never had the difficulty keeping them going in a straight line that we did with this one. Felt like we were fighting it all the time. Besides the tracking issues there isn't a rear hatch as stated that we could find and after taking it out there was water in the supposedly sealed interior. There is a drain plug(which we made sure to tighten) to drain the interior hull.

The kayak I received was obviously used previously and I had to return it the same day I received it. I was extremely disappointed that I received a used kayak when it was supposed to be new. There were two deep gashes (5 inches and 3 inches long) and the entire kayak has scrapes and scuffs along the edges and front. There was also plugs installed in the kayak but there were some objects inside the kayak that rattled around when it moved. There was a bag of plugs included but since there was a set already installed, it was again obvious that it was used. It was a Father's Day present for my husband and since we had to return it, I didn't have him a gift from our girls for Father's Day.

Have owned other kayaks we wanted to try a tandem one. This one is not for a more serious fisher/kayaker (i.e. my beloved wife). Cannot paddle with a fishing pole in one of the stands as it interferes. You are actually sitting on the cup-holder, so it is not very convenient. Though sitting "up high" may keep you out of the water, it also creates more wind resistance. No complaint about the customer service, as everyone we contacted was very attentive. The kayak did not fit our purposes. Probably great for someone who is not to serious about fishing.