TRAK Folding Kayak

Product Description

TRAK's T-1600 performance folding kayak is one of a kind. If you think you need to compromise performance to get your kayak to unique paddling locations, think again. TRAK’s rigid, adaptable hull gives optimal performance in various paddling conditions and for diverse skill levels (beginner to expert). And it only takes 10 minutes to assemble right from your closet. How is this all possible? Experience it yourself…

Features

• High-performance portable kayak with adaptable hull
• Hydraulic system lets you adjust hull shape for speed or maneuverability
• Sets up or breaks down in 10 minutes; fits in handy storage bag
• Built-in, watertight Keder storage system; comfortable command seat
• Measures 16 feet long and weighs 48 pounds; 5-year warranty

Top Reviews

so good luck there
by Phillip O. (5 out of 5 stars)
December 3, 2014

Amazon was offering a huge discount on the (discontinued?) green model over the Thanksgiving weekend, so I took the plunge. That was actually my preferred color, so good luck there.

Took the Trak out for a long paddle today and I was completely satisfied with its performance. With its hard chines, the hull reminded me of a Current Designs Caribou, both in looks performance. Smooth glide and plenty fast. The seat and cockpit were more comfortable than any other kayak I've ever owned, but it might simply be a good match for me (5'11, 190 pounds).

Today I assembled the boat in my garage for the first time and used my bicycle and a light-weight bike trailer to haul the Trak 6 blocks down a steep hill to the bay and back, with no problems whatsoever, even when hauling the boat back up the hill. With this set-up, I can haul the boat assembled or simply load the entire kit bag on the trailer for a ride down to the beach.

The quality of the materials and workmanship is impressive. Based on the older assembly/disassembly video, it looks like the newer version of the boat has some improvements, including custom nylon bags to hold and organize the most critical components. The Trak assembles and disassembles much faster than my old Feathercraft and the good folks at Trak provides plenty of detailed guidance (video and lengthy written documentation, along with a quick cheat sheet). Surly Trak must have borrowed some ideas from other folding kayak makers, but they've made some significant improvements. I have no idea who the crazy designers and engineers might be, but hats off to all you geniuses.

So, who needs this boat? If you're like me, you travel a great deal for work and sometimes have lengthy stays away from home. A folding kayak is the perfect solution. When I'm home, I plan to keep the boat assembled on the top bunk of my boat rack. When I travel, the boat's coming with me, so I don't have to rent some cheap plastic toy when I really want to paddle. I'm a day paddler and don't plan to use the boat for touring, so I'm unable to offer any insights on the Trak's capabilities in that area.

For comparison purposes, I've owned the following sea kayaks over the years, but sold them all due to frequent moves, both international and domestic: A large volume CLC touring boat; an Impex Currituck; a Current Designs Caribou and the Feathercraft Big Kahuna mentioned above. The Trak is my favorite boat, by far, because it meets my needs and paddles great.
↭ 🍁 ↭
Beautiful folding kayak-worked well in the Hawaiian surf
by Michael A. Duvernois (5 out of 5 stars)
September 7, 2010

It took me a lot more than the ten minutes advertised to get going the first time I took this out, but it's probably not a bad estimate after a few tries. The hardware is light in weight, but seems solid and dependable. The one I had had been used a fair amount, but seemed in good structural shape. It handled the surf off of Oahu's windward shore just fine and Felt fine making a surf landing onto a mixed beach of sand and rocks. I'm used to inflatable kayak surf sandings, bouncing off of the beach and bounding up again. This was a different experience, and I might have swam in towing the kayak if I had thought it through ahead of time.

Anyway, beautiful kayak, solidly built, reasonably transportable with a car (it was a bit hard to manage on the bus), capable of quite rough water, in fact probably much more capable than I am, and probably pretty good for the (substantial!) cost. Bang for the buck is difficult to evaluate when you get into several thousand dollars for a kayak, really depends on whether you need/want the features/robustness or would be just as happy with something lesser but still functional. Ford versus Jaguar.
↭ 🍁 ↭
Trak T-1600
by Richard E. Hervey (5 out of 5 stars)
October 21, 2011

I ordered a Trak T-1600 in the dead of winter after only doing online research. YouTube videos showing its use in whitewater were a great help in in reassuring me that the Trak was more capable as a kayak than I was as a paddler. My intended use was for flat water, but I still was interested in the Trak features and needed a portable kayak that I could take along in a 5th wheel camper.

My first look at it confirmed that the quality of all the parts was first class. I was especially impressed with the skin. I beleive it to be the best on the market after comparing it with others at canoe and kayak shows. The assembly process is straightforward and becomes second nature with practice. The hydraulic pumps are a brilliant way to set the tension of the hull. But that's not all as they allow this to be a shape shifting kayak while on the water. This amazing feature allows a paddler to adapt to changing weather conditions or to differing bodies of water as needed. So, if you are looking for a high performance portable kayak take a serious look at the Trak T-1600. It's a uniquely capable and beautiful kayak.
↭ 🍁 ↭
Goes together well, can't do a layback roll
by potameid (4 out of 5 stars)
July 27, 2014

A friend let me try of one of these recently.

It seems overall a very nice boat. I am just docking a star because of my own difficulty rolling it.

It assembled easily and securely with some coaching about tips. The construction and materials seem solid and high quality.

It was a very nice boat, handled well, easy to keep on an edge and it was a cool feature to be able to adjust the rocker while in it.

I would appreciate a more whitewater-type of outfitting like Wilderness Systems has in their boats. Lose the hard plastic seat back and get a flexible back band. More padding around the knees and more substantial thigh braces. These are all modifications I would add if I were to own one.

I just need to get more comfortable with my forward finishing rolls if I want one of these. I can roll almost anything (various whitewater boats, my 16.5' Tempest, an 18' QCC 700x, my boyfriend's Looksha with a cut down seat back, etc) But I couldn't get this boat up with a standard layback Greenland roll. The back deck is just way too high for that. I even tried adding a booster cushion under my seat, to no avail.

Since a layback is my current go-to roll in a pinch (I paddle sea kayaks with a Greenland paddle), I won't be buying one of these unless / until I dial in my forward-finishing rolls.

*If this is not the "TRAK Folding Kayak" product you were looking for, you can check the other results by clicking this link.  Details were last updated on Nov 26, 2024 07:52 +08.