Pedal fishing kayaks have exploded in popularity over the past 5 years. They are particularly popular for fishing purposes, as they let you move the boat around while keeping your hands free. However, one of the downsides of pedal kayaks is that they can range in price anywhere from $1,600 to over $5,500! Perception released the Showdown with the goal of offering a high-quality pedal fishing kayak at an affordable price. Now, I'm traditionally more of a strict paddler, but I stretched out my hammies and slipped on my best peddling shoes in order to see if the Perception Showdown is worth the money. Let's comb through the basics and then I'll give you my thoughts across key categories.
ABOUT THE PERCEPTION SHOWDOWN 11.5
Price: $2,129 USD
Length: 11′ 6″
Width: 36″
Weight: 90 LBS (41 KG)
Capacity: 450 LBS (204 KG)
The Showdown features an elevated frame-seat with a junk drawer underneath. It also has double barrel rod holders on both sides, four heavy-duty handles (one at each end, one on each side), and the side handles double as gear tracks for adding accessories. In terms of storage, there is a removable and portable bow pod, and the stern tank well has bungees and is crate-ready. Finally, given that this is a pedal fishing kayak, it of course has hand controls to operate the rutter.
Side Note on Safety:
Before we get into my personal thoughts on the Perception Showdown, I wanted to give a quick shout-out to the American Canoe Association (ACA) free online paddling course. I know these things are tempting to skip over, but I highly recommend you take the time to check it out. Paddling is generally safe and enjoyable, but when things do go wrong, they can escalate quickly. Often, a bit of key information can make the difference between an inconvenience and a disaster. And did I mention it was free? If you're reading this blog then that means you're probably already at your computer, so go ahead and click this link to find out more.
How portable is the Perception Showdown 11.5?
Well, 90 pounds is a lot to lug around. This is relatively manageable compared to some fishing kayaks that can weigh as much as 120 pounds, but still, this is a hefty boat. You really should consider a kayak cart. And if not, you should bring some strong buddies along for the day. Even more ideal would be if you have a trailer to tow this thing and to prioritize sites with a boat launch. That way you won't have to drag the Showdown to and from the water.
Is the Perception Showdown Stable?
This kayak was specifically designed to be a stable platform to fish from. It has done that job wonderfully. The seat is in a high-position, which is great for getting a lay of the land (or water), but this also raises the center of gravity quite a bit. Even so, there was not even an inkling of instability to be felt. The elevated sitting position also makes it easy to stand up, which felt rock solid in this boat. This is what I hoped for from a 36-inch-wide platform. Stable, stable, 100% stable.
How does the Perception Showdown kayak perform?
Typically when you have a very wide, flat, stable kayak, you naturally lose a fair amount of speed. That's certainly the case with the Perception Showdown. But this is what I expected and therefore, I wasn't disappointed. No one has found that magic formula to circumnavigate the basic laws of physics (…yet!). All that being said, for how chunky this boat is, I thought the pedal-drive-system moved it along surprisingly well.
Is a pedal fishing kayak maneuverable?
I found that with the assistance of a paddle, the 11.5-foot Showdown turned like how a shorter kayak should. Unfortunately, the built-in pedal and steering system alone doesn't turn this kayak very fast, or with a tight radius. Again, given how much water this thing has to displace, it makes sense that it's not a nimble boat. So just a heads up to future Showdown owners, whenever I wanted to turn sharply, I just picked up my paddle to help make it happen. Having a paddle on-hand is far from a deal-breaker. In fact, if you do want to stand up at all then it's a must-have anyway.
Is the Perception Showdown comfortable?
Oh yes! The suspension seat is like a beautiful butt pillow, and the low-lumbar support is great too. Even with all the pedaling, I felt comfy and secure. And whenever you get tired, the reclined position induces instant naps. This is where the superior stability comes into play again. Whether I was pedaling, kicking back, or standing up and stretching out, there was never any weeble-wobble. This allowed me to relax fully.
How are the features on the Perception Showdown?
For starters, I was very impressed with the pedal-system. It was smooth and easy to work in both the forward and reverse directions. The only thing to be aware of is that the pedals don't kick up at all, which means if you collide with anything beneath the surface, they are going to take the full brunt of the impact. So I certainly recommend steering clear or shallow, rocky waters or you could do some damage pretty quickly.
I also thought the removable storage pod was a really cool feature. I like that at the bookends of your adventure how you can bring it into the garage or storage area and load/unload it easily, without having to be within reach of the more cumbersome kayak.
The side handles/gear tracks are an intelligent use of the space. Normally, if you were paddling, having accessories on the side would impede your stroke. But you don't have to worry about that in a pedal kayak. I could see a lot of good utility coming from these features.
One optional add-on that I appreciated was the soft-shelled storage unit that clips onto the side of the seat. It's the perfect size for a tackle box or any other little goodies you might want to have close by. Plus, I found that it acted as a nice hand rest while I was cruising around and steering with my opposite arm.
The only feature that didn't wow me was the junk-drawer under the seat. It didn't get in the way or anything, but I just found it to be a little small and flimsy. Maybe that's something that would come into play with a prolonged fishing session.
Is the Perception Showdown 11.5 worth it?
Well, it depends on who's asking. This kayak is for a specific niche. Not everyone would value a heavy, pedal kayak at this price-point. However, those who are in the market for this type of boat would really value the Perception Showdown 11.5. Sure, you are paying a premium for the loads of quality features in this thing, but the Showdown is still on the less-expensive end of the pedal fishing kayak spectrum. If you are a passionate angler who wants a stable, comfortable, hands-free craft, then I'm confident that you will get tremendous value out of this kayak.
I hope you enjoyed this review. For more tips, gear reviews, and Paddle Tales adventures, check out PaddleTV.
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