Loon 120

Built around the seat

The Loon 120 exists to be comfortable. Old Town's Active Comfort System 2.0 seat has a wide, well-padded base, an adjustable-height and adjustable-tension backrest, and sliding foot braces that reach a genuinely wide range of leg lengths. Combined with a 30-inch beam and 375 pounds of capacity, it is the kayak we recommend most often to larger paddlers and to anyone who has previously given up on kayaking because their back or hips hurt after an hour.

The cockpit that thinks like a desk

The removable work deck in front of the cockpit is the feature owners talk about: it holds a phone, a chart, a camera or a sandwich within reach and out of the water, and it lifts out when you want the full open cockpit back. A Click Seal bow hatch keeps overnight gear dry, bungee rigging on the deck holds a jacket or a dry bag, and there is a paddle clip so you are not juggling a blade while you rummage.

On the water

At 12 feet with a fairly full bow, the Loon is a stable, predictable, forgiving hull. It is not as quick as the Pungo — the Pungo is the sportier boat of the two — but it tracks well, turns without drama, and hardly notices a wake or a chop that would make a 10-foot hull twitchy. Old Town's limited lifetime hull warranty is the most reassuring in this segment.

What you give up

It is a premium recreational kayak at a premium price, and at 54 pounds and 12 feet long, transport and storage need planning. It has no fishing features and no standing platform. Amazon stock on specific colours comes and goes; if the colour you want is unavailable, check back rather than settling for a shorter hull.