We all paddle for our own reasons. Some people like to explore, some people like to challenge themselves, and some people just like spending time with friends and family. Whatever your reason for kayaking, if ‘relaxation' is part of what you love about kayaking, this might be the chill-out kayak of your dreams… or it might be the kayak that you have dreams in! So let's dive into a full and unbiased Perception Hangtime 11 review.
Perception Hangtime 11 Specifications
Price: $950 (USD)
Length: 10’ 10”
Width: 33”
Weight: 68 LBS (31 KG)
Capacity: 350 LBS (160 KG)
Best Use: Recreation
The kayak features, above all else, a padded stern seating area. It also has a reclining seat, six cup holders, a paddle park, a padded deck area, molded footrests or footwells, and bow storage with a bungee.
The great thing about paddling is that there really is a type of paddling for everyone. For some people, it's about going out and really pushing their boundaries. For other people, it is more about just getting out on the water and having a relaxing experience outdoors with friends and family. And that of course, is what the Perception Hangtime 11 is all about.
Portability
This is about an 11’ long kayak which is relatively short for a kayak making it easier to move around. It is also 68 LBS, which is about what you would expect for a kayak made this way. So it is not light or particularly heavy, making it a fairly portable recreational kayak.
Comfort While Paddling
Comfort is what the Perception Hangout 11 is designed for. So let's, first of all, talk about the comfort of paddling this kayak. The Hangout 11 comes with a really nice seat, something that Perception is really known for. It is not a fully framed seat. It has an adjustable frame at the backrest so you can choose to set it up for active paddling or chilling out. But it is sitting, with a nice thick pad, on the floor. That means it doesn’t contour as much to your butt as a full-framed or suspended seat, and there is the potential to get a soggy butt.
The other feature the seat has are straps on the side that allow you to lift the front of the seat in order to support your thighs. This provides your upper legs with great support so your legs don’t just flop down.
On the downside, there are the footwells. I am never a fan of footwells for two main reasons. Inevitably there is not a perfectly comfortable sitting option as footwells give you fewer options for leg length. The other problem is that you get a lot of support on your heel, but not enough on your foot's ball. So I usually prefer foot pegs and foot braces. But this complaint is by no means a deal breaker.
Comfort While Lounging
With the adjustable seat that you can crank right back, you can lounge very comfortably in the seat itself. Alternatively, the lounge seat is surprisingly comfortable. It is nice, big, and contoured, and the headrest can be adjusted to whatever position makes you feel most comfortable. It was really nice for resting on and off the water. You basically have a beach chair just built into the kayak.
Stability
The Perception Hangtime 11 is absolutely stable. It is a 33” wide kayak so it is designed to be stable as opposed to fast-moving. The pontoon-style hull of the Hangtime 11 lends itself to stability. You can stand up in it and in all honesty you would be hard-pressed to flip the Hangtime 11.
Performance
The Perception Hangtime 11 is designed for chilling out and not for paddling long distances or winning any races. That said I was surprised by how well this kayak tracked when paddling forwards. It has the pontoon hull, but also a nicely shaped bow that really helped cut through the water better than I was expecting. It is obviously not fast due to its dimensions, but it did a good job at tracking.
Features
The main feature is the lounge seat in the back, and that does a great job doing exactly what it is designed for – being a chill-out kayak!
Otherwise, you have the storage space with the bungees which is a handy feature if you want to bring a dry bag or other things with you on a paddle. There is also a paddle park which I used when just floating around. Behind the seat, there is a lot of storage, and even some extra bungees to put a tackle box or another gear bag.
There are not a tonne of features, but every feature on the Perception Hangtime 11 works and makes a lot of sense with the design of the kayak.
Value
Let's talk about the overall value of the Perception Hangtime 11. This kayak costs $950 (USD) which falls into the sub $1000 (USD) kayak. There are many kayaks in this price range and this is one that, if relaxing and chill-out floating sessions are your style, is pretty good value. Yes, there are definitely things I’d like to see in it such as foot braces. Yes, you will get a little wet using the seat which is not suspended, or sitting on the lounge seat. But overall it's great value for what it is.
This kayak is largely designed for chilling out in warm conditions and just going for a chill paddle with friends and family. So this is a great recreational kayak. You don’t see many innovations in kayaks and sometimes they can be gimmicky. But for me, the addition of a built-in lounge chair is awesome for the right person, making this the ultimate chill-out kayak. I tested the Perception Hangtime 11 on the Flint River.
PFDs/Life Jackets: NRS Odyssey PFD (Touring and Rec)
Kayaks: Perception Hangtime 11
Paddle: Aqua Bound Manta Ray Carbon 2-piece
Shirts and Tops: NRS Guide Short Sleeved Men’s Shirt
Paddling Shorts: NRS Benny Board Shorts
Sunglasses: Wiley X
