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Hurricane Excursion 128 Review

Posted by on August 28, 2012

The Deets:

Material: Thermoformed ABS Plastic (Trylon)

Class: Hybrid Day Touring (Light Touring)

Length: 12’ 8”

Width: 25.5”

Weight: 47 lbs

Cockpit Size: 38 x 21 inches

Capacity: 275 lbs

Hull Type: Moderate U-Shaped

Hatches/Bulkheads: Bow and Stern

Rudder/Skeg: No Option

MSRP: $1199

The Review:

Hurricane Aqua Sport made an excellent addition to their lineup of hybrid-day touring (light touring) kayaks this Spring with the addition of the Excursion 128. This model was brought on to replace the Expedition 128 and I’m happy to report that the drastic design changes resulted in a far superior craft!

The Hurricane Excursion 128 is 12ft, 8in long and has a beam of 25.5in which places it firmly in the light-touring class. Like all Hurricane kayaks it’s constructed of thermal-formed ABS plastic called Tryon. In general, thermal-formed plastic is as durable, more UV/ heat resistant, lighter, and stiffer than the traditional polyethylene used in roto-molded kayaks. With that said, the gauge (thickness) of the Trylon used across the Hurricane lineup tends to be less than that used by other thermal-formed manufacturers such as Eddyline. This translates into a lighter but more flexible and, therefore, slightly less efficient craft. Surprisingly, The Excursion 128 weighs in at 47lbs which is not super light for a thermal-formed kayak in this class but still manageable to shoulder and car-top.

I’ve found the Excursion 128 to be worlds ahead of the old Expedition 128 in respect to both tracking and efficiency. Despite only having ~12ft of waterline, the Excursion 128 tracks as if it’s on rails. This is in stark contrast to the Expedition 128 which had more than some difficulty going straight! The Excursion 128 hull also displays a more moderate U-shaped design with reduced beam and volume when compared to the Expedition 128. These positive changes become evident in just how much easier and efficient it is to paddle! The trade-off is a slight reduction in primary stability but this was hardly evident after 10 minutes of paddling and adds to the improved speed. Overall, the hull dynamics of the Excursion 128 are fairly comparable to the Current Design Vision 120SP and the Epic GPX. However, the $1199 MSRP may make the Excursion 128 an attractive alternative to these composite models for folks who need to mind their wallet!

Unfortunately, many of the flaws in the Excursion 128 can be found in the outfitting. I’m a big fan of the generous (but not overly so) cockpit size which allows you to retain that feeling of “wearing the kayak” without feeling jammed into it. However, the seat and thigh-braces need some work. I found that the seat used in the Excursion 128 is less comfortable (more rigid) than earlier Hurricane seats and sub-par when compared to others on the market. The seat-back raises a good 4-5 inches above the cockpit rim and it really gets in the way when attempting re-entry. The thigh-braces are simple, sticky-backed, foam pads which match the “hybrid feel” of the cockpit but could be replaced by more contoured and performance-oriented pads to take this boat to the next level. My final note on the outfitting highlights the exceptionally small (day-hatch-sized) forward hatch opening which impedes proper access to that space for gear storage. A standard-sized front hatch should be considered on future iterations of this craft.

Most of my paddling in the Excursion 128 has been on flat water in light conditions. It’s clear that the Excursion 128 excels in this sort of environment and would be well-suited for beginner and intermediate paddlers looking to explore lakes, rivers and estuaries. Based on its exceptional tracking and good stability, I’m confident that this craft would also perform well in light, near-coastal conditions. The minimal rocker makes me feel like it could become a wet and bumpy ride if conditions got too big (2-3ft seas, maybe). The addition of a nylon spray deck could help compensate for this at bit. Overall, the Excursion 128 is very nice to paddle and offers a great alternative to the Current Design Vision 120SP for budget-minded paddlers!

-Kayak Dave

Pros: Affordable price point, excellent tracking and efficiency, good cockpit size, Made in USA

Cons: Sub-par cockpit outfitting (especially the seat), small front hatch opening impedes access

Demo Notes: I have test paddled the Excursion 128 exclusively in calm, flat water conditions.

Kayak Dave Rating:

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