Complete Overview of Pelican Pedal Kayaks

The popularity that pedal kayaks have gained has led to more companies shifting from making paddle kayaks to making pedal kayaks, a good example being Pelican International. The Pelican pedal kayak took kayak fans by storm by offering great functionalities at an affordable cost.

Pedal Kayaks have become quite popular among anglers today. When compared to paddle kayaks, they offer a wide range of benefits such as speed, stability, hands-free fishing, and beginner-friendly functionality.

In this article, we’re going to provide a deep dive on Pelican Pedal kayaks. While we have reviewed dozens of kayaks here, we’re excited to share more thoughts on Pelican as a brand.

You can also read our complete review of Hobie Pedal Kayaks.

The Catch 130 Hydryve

Pelican International was known for making paddle kayak, until recently when they launched their first pelican pedal kayak, The Catch 130 Hydryve. This kayak uses the push pedal system, similar to that of Hobie’s MirageDrive. When you push pedals down, they move the fins underneath the kayak sideways, propelling the kayak forward.

The kayak is made out of multilayer polyethylene and resin. These materials make it sturdier, light, and resilient compared to the regular polyethylene found in other kayaks. The Catch 130 Hydryve is also relatively light. Weighing about 35kg (78lbs), you can tie it on your car, or carry it around with ease.

The Hydryve fins pedal system is ideal, even in shallow waters, since you can speed through obstacles. It’s also environment-friendly since you won’t have to destroy water lilies or other water plants.

The Hydryve system is cleverly housed separately in case of a significant issue, such as running around at high speed. The separate housing ensures you only destroy the replaceable housing instead of the whole kayak. Of course, it’s much better if you don’t get in any crash with your pedal kayak!

The Catch 130 Hydryve can be purchased directly from Pelican, with a one year warranty. The Hydryve pedal system is very light, and you can install and uninstall it easily. If you are to move in reverse, all you need to do is remove the system and change its direction. The pedal system is also adjustable to different angles to ensure your ride is comfortable. You can pedal on barefoot when you want to. You just have to change the footrest to a softer one.

The Catch 130 Hydryve has the features you’d find in other more expensive kayaks. These include rod holders, tackle box management system, padded carpets, and rigging tracks. It also has ample storage and elastic straps to hold the items. This kayak is made in a Tunnel hull design to make sure it’s stable enough to handle the torque and unstable waters. In addition, its hull has floatation to make it buoyant. This is one of the best cheap pedal kayaks available in the market today.

Pros of the Pelican Pedal Kayak

This Pelican Pedal kayak was recently launched, and we love it. Considering the affordable price, this is also a kayak that most people can afford. All the features described above work just fine. Some of the functionalities that we liked include;

Cons of the Pelican Pedal Kayak

The seat design could be improved by making it height-adjustable. Some anglers love a slightly raised seat for better fishing. They should consider attaching a paddle to this kayak, just in case you want a paddle too. The bungee cords should also be enhanced or couple up with tie-down holders to make them more effective in holding your cargo.

Should you get a Pelican Pedal Kayak?

Based on our perspectives of its functionalities, reviews, and price range, we would strongly recommend this kayak. It is great for fishing, exercising, and recreation. Pelican International has a great reputation in building kayaks, there’s no doubt they will keep improving their pedal kayaks.

How to Choose a Pedal Kayak

We all agree that pedal kayaks are some of the best water vessels one can own. Whether you’re into kayaking as a sport, recreation, or for fishing, a kayak is the best. You can use to get even closer to breathtaking sites that are invisible from the shores. However, the pedal kayaks tend to be pricey. If you want to get the best kayak, consider the following factors;

To ensure that you keep the cost low, consider the following tips;

Affordable kayaks options

Hobie Mirage Passport 10.5' Pedal Fishing Kayak Seagrass Green
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Hobie is well known for high-quality kayaks. The Mirage Passport 10.5 is a recent model that is also quite affordable, based on the features it offers. This kayak is powered y Hobie’s famous MirageDrive. All models after 2017 have the MirageDrive 180 that is reversible. This kayak also has the adjustable Vantage CT comfortable seat. The pedal crank can be adjusted to different positions based on the angler’s size. Mounting tracks for your accessories are also available, as well as ample storage.

The storage area/hatch has a waterproof seal that protects items like food and electronics when the kayak is submerged in water. For an easy hands-free control, this kayak has a rudder that you can control at the comfort of your seat. It also comes with a paddle. This would come in handy when you get into areas that aren’t favorable for pedaling.

This kayak is fast, you can get too specific fishing positions in no time. The polyethylene material makes it light and resilient. This way it’s also cheaper to maintain the kayak since it doesn’t fracture or dent easily.

You can also check out our detailed review of the Mirage Passport 10.5 

Mako 12

Riot Kayaks Mako 12 Sit-on-Top Kayak
$3,399.00

Impulse Pedal Drive, Neptune Blue/Black, 12'4"

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02/18/2024 12:03 am GMT

This kayak is brought to you by Riot. This is one of those kayaks that you would get for a very good price. Unlike the Hobie and Pelican kayaks, this kayak is powered by the rotational pedal. Instead of fins, this type of kayak uses a propeller.

The propeller system has its perks too. You don’t have to remove the drive system when you need to reverse; all you need to do is pedal in the opposite direction. When you’re having trouble maneuvering shallow waters, it is easy to detach the impulse drive system and attach it when it’s clear. It’s quite small and is ideal for solo kayaking. It does have mounting tracks for accessories, storage hatchets, and four-rod holders. You can control the rudder from your seated position. It’s one of the lightest kayaks and the seat is adjustable to the most comfortable position.

Native Watercraft Slayer Kayak

This is one of the lightest kayaks in the market. Despite being light, it’s still somewhat stable and very fast. It’s easy to maneuver even in the sharp corners. Due to its sheer weight, you don’t need to get a trailer. You can just load it on top of your car. With effective rod holders, you can enjoy the breeze hands-free, sipping your favorite beverage.

This pedal kayak uses the push pedal propulsion system. You can move forward and reverse easily. The seat has also been designed to be as comfortable as possible. You can spend hours in the water without straining your body. It’s also very quiet and stealthy; you can sneak on unsuspecting fish.

You should be warned, however, that the Native Watercraft is one of our lowest-rated pedal kayaks. The low weight of the pedal kayak makes it less stable than some of the others on this list.

You can read our detailed review of the native watercraft slayer here.

Reasons why Pedal kayaks are the best

Since they were launched, pedal kayaks have revolutionized the kayaking world. Below is a roundup of some of their benefits;

Types of Pedal Kayaks

There are two main types of pedal kayaks. The push pedals and the rotational pedals. Both of these kayaks use your lower body’s strength to propel the kayak. This drive system is easy to use and perfect when you need to exercise. Lower body muscles are more resilient to such movements compared to the upper body muscles.

Push Pedals

In this type of kayaks, your feet alternate in pushing the pedals. Each pedal is attached to a fin underneath the kayak. Every push of the pedal makes the fin to move sideways. This is the pedal system you’ll find in the Pelican pedal kayak. When you want to move in reverse, you remove the pedal drive and change the direction. This type of pedal drive may be quite vigorous, but it’s less tiring compared to paddle kayaks.

Rotational Pedals

This pedal system resembles that of a bicycle. Your legs complete a cycle each time. As you cycle, you turn the propeller underneath, propelling the kayak. This is the type of pedal system you’ll find in Native Watercraft kayaks. It’s a little bit easier to use. When you need to move in reverse, all you need to do is cycle in a different direction. This pedal system can gain some speed, but it’s through strenuous activity.

Conclusion

Pedal kayaks are, by far the best kayaks to own today. They have more benefits and possibilities compared to paddle kayaks. Some of these benefits include speed, stability, easy to use, storage, being customizable, efficient rudder systems, being favorable to one’s health, among others. Also, with the health concerns being raised about paddle kayaks, pedal kayaks are taking the kayak arena by storm.

However, these extra features make these kayaks quite expensive. With more and more kayak manufacturers joining the pedal game, some are doing their best to make them more affordable. A recent entry into the kayak world is the Pelican’s pedal kayak, The Catch 130 Hydryve. It is relatively cheap and offers great features. These include ample storage, rod holders, Hydryve push pedal system, and a light design.

When going for a kayak on a limited budget, you need to consider factors like weight. Heavy kayaks demand an extra cost to buy a trailer. Maintenance costs should be a consideration. You need to ensure that you get the most basic functionalities in a kayak, as well as the most critical items like the safety items. Despite some of them being too costly, there is a wide range of kayaks that you can get at favorable prices and still enjoy the most essential features a kayak has to offer.

See you on the water!

Article Author
Robert Walker has been a Kayak enthusiast for over a decade. He's owned several different Kayak's, but only recently got into Pedal Kayaks in the last few years. This website is Robert's way of sharing his passion for Pedal Kayak's with the world.