[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] When Lifetime offered me the opportunity to review their newest kayak, the Tahoma Pro I was pretty excited. I have been a Lifetime kayak user for a while now and have been very pleased with my purchases of the Temptation 11 and Spitfire 12T kayaks. I have owned sea kayaks, whitewater kayaks, and canoes. I have done a fair bit of paddle camping and general paddling. Here is what I think of the Tahoma Pro.
The Tahoma Pro is 10' 3" long × 31" wide sit-on-top kayak that weighs just under 50 lbs. It is made in the USA! After unpacking the kayak, I was surprised by how good looking this kayak is. How a kayak looks is perhaps the least important aspect of a kayak - but it doesn't hurt. This kayak also has a removable and adjustable framed seat - I have used other kayaks with framed seats and found them to be miserable. The Tahoma Pro framed seat is actually comfortable and being removable means I do not need to pack an extra chair for campsite and gravel bar lounging. Weighing in at 49.6 lbs, I found the Tahoma Pro to be very easy to load and unload from my roof rack and maneuver around parking lots and boat ramps.
Since moving to Washington DC three years ago, most of my family's paddling is on the tidal Anacostia River out of Bladensburg Waterfront Park. This is an urban river that in addition to chemical and biological pollutants has an abundance of trash. We have pulled over 475 tires, appliances, mattresses, furniture, etc. from the river. The logical place to try out the Tahoma Pro is on the Anacostia River.
After my first time out on the Anacostia River with the Tahoma Pro I was surprised that I liked the framed seat. Because of shipping damage (not a Lifetime issue), I did not expect this kayak to actually float or paddle well - I have paddled this kayak now for 4 days in row and hopefully we will hit the Anacostia River tonight. I have found this kayak to be fun to paddle and fun is what kayaking is all about. From the comfort of the framed seat of the Tahoma Pro kayak I have watched swimming deer, beavers, turtles, osprey catching fish, and sunsets all within the DC Metro Area - this is the why a kayak is so cool.
Because I use a kayak to remove trash from the waters I paddle, my favorite feature is the conservative load limit estimate of 275 lbs. I weigh 170 lbs and the kayak paddles better with less weight but as the photo immediately above shows the Tahoma Pro can handle a bit more than 275 lbs capacity and still be nice to paddle (or if you prefer, stable). I have paddled other kayak brands where the kayak is not fun to paddle with loads below capacity. An overloaded kayak is like a bucking bronco and will seek to throw its load - safety dictates, staying below capacity and Lifetime Kayaks in my experience, state load capacities conservatively. I am also digging the hatch basket - it is so very useful. The drain plug functions well and will be hard to lose. The texturing on the deck surfaces is a nice touch for gripping wet surfaces. This kayak is really well thought out. Anacostia Riverpup likes the front deck - it is a great place to watch the water from.
This is not a whitewater or sea kayak. It does not like being submerged. I would feel safe paddling in waves breaking over the kayak hull, but it will take in water through the holes where the bungees are attached - don't go too far or too hard - this is designed as a recreational kayak. I also swapped out the paddle it came with - it isn't a bad paddle, but it isn't a great paddle and this boat deserves a nice paddle. The paddle it came with will be a nice spare for camping trips.
I thought my Lifetime Temptation was the ultimate kayak for the waters I like to paddle and how I paddle. The Tahoma Pro is a really nice kayak and gives the Temptation a run for the top kayak spot. I hope to see how it does paddle camping the islands around Chespeake Bay later this year. Have fun, wear your PFD, and be safe.
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