Review: Pelican Clipper 100X Kayak

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

This kayak review is on the Pelican Clipper 100X, a ten-foot one-person sit-in recreational kayak. This kayak is one of a series of recreational kayaks with common features, produced under the Pelican brand.

Description

The Clipper 100X is classed as a hardshellHardshell KayakHardshell kayaks are traditionally made from materials like plastic, fiberglass, or even carbon fiber. These materials make them more rigid, offering better performance and maneuverability as compared to inflatable kayaks.  sit-inSit-in KayaksSit-in kayaks are built with access to the interior of the shell. The seat is inside the hull in a cockpit, as opposed to a sit-on-top where the paddler sits in a recessed space on the top of the boat. Sit-ins are also referred to as deck boats. kayak, designed for recreational paddling on flatwater.

The Pelican kayaks includes a range of eight- and ten-foot hardshell boats which are variously marketed under the “Clipper,” “Sentinel,” and “Argo” labels. These boats are all based on the same hull form, with different deck configurations offered in both sit-in and sit-on-top versions. These are basic kayaks suitable for entry-level kayaking through skilled users, paddling on the flatwatersFlatwater KayakingFlatwater is considered a body of water sheltered from waves, excessive wind, and current. This is typically small lakes, ponds and other tranquil bodies of water such as marshes or swamps. of lakes and calm rivers.

Construction

These kayaks are constructed as two-piece boats using a polyethylene thermoplastic trademarked as Ram-X^TM. This construction is in contrast to kayaks formed as one-piece roto moldedRoto MoldingRotational molding, also known as roto molding, is a production process used to create large hollow plastic parts like containers, coolers, and tanks. The process involves heating a hollow mold filled with plastic resin and slowly rotating it to evenly distribute the melted resin inside the mold, resulting in seamless products with uniform wall thickness. hulls. The use of Ram-X^TM thermoplastic allows for a lighter hull as the plastic can be much thinner while still retaining necessary strength.

As a comparison between weights of a roto molded hull versus this thermoplastic hull, my roto molded Trophy 126, with comparable measurements of 10′ 6″ (126″) L x 29.5″ W x 12″ H, weighs 46 pounds, eight pounds more than the Clipper 100X.

The thermoplastic is advertised as “impact-resistant,” and does handle impacts well. I’ve already (inadvertently) tested this by cinching down my carrying straps too tight while the boat was on my roof rack. The hull pushed in on the rack crossbar, but did not crack, and after I popped out the dent the boat was good as new. The hull responds to scrapes pretty much the same as any plastic boat. The surface of the hulls and decks have a slight “pebbled” texture which creates a satin finish. This satin finish is more appealing to me than the glossy appearance of many plastic boats.

Hull Form

The hull form is advertised as a twin-arched multi-chine cross section. This results in a stable boat with good tracking. Stability is not high enough for standing up in the boat, the way anglers like to do. But, this boat has adequate stability for beginners and more experienced recreational paddlers. The agility/tracking is especially suited to paddling in flatwaters where a lot of maneuverability is required.

Built-in Flotation

This boat also offers a nice safety feature of buoyancy material (styrofoam) tucked into the rear section. I have not tested, but would expect there’s enough styrofoam to keep the boat afloat if it flipped over and filled up with water.

Foot Rests

This boat includes a molded footrest system, as opposed to the adjustable footrests I’m more used to. These molded footrests seem to work well. At 5′ 10″, my feet rest on the second step from back, with two more steps available for people with legs longer than mine. Some ten foot kayaks in this series offer adjustable-style footrests. The eight foot version does not include footrests.

Accessory Parts

One construction feature I find interesting relates to the different models all using the same hull form. My Clipper 100X has pencil-tip sized “dimples” (recessed dots) at various places on the deck section. The Pelican website lists replacement parts for these boats, which includes an exploded view diagram for part identification.

In reviewing this diagram, I can see what parts should/could go at each dimple point. Which leads me to recognize that I could add OEMOEMOriginal Equipment Manufacturer accessory parts if I wanted to.

The website does allow directly ordering replacement/accessory parts.

Storage

Storage is typical for any hardshell boat. During the winter I store my boat on the garage floor along with the rest of my ever-growing kayak fleet. At some point I’ll have to build some type of off-floor storage racks. Given how compact and light these boats are, using a ceiling-mounted hanging storage system is an option.

Transportation

Unless you happen to live on a lake with a private pier and/or boathouse, getting a kayak between home and water is always a challenge. Transportation of the Clipper 100X is relatively easy. The boat is light enough that I can still get it up on my Jeep Cherokee roof rack without any special handling equipment.

I’m presently just letting the boat rest flat on top of the racks, but at some point I may invest in J cradles. I use cam lock straps to tie the boat down, snagging the straps around the front and rear edges of the kayak’s coaming. As I’m only transporting the boat five miles on secondary roads at slower speeds, I normally do not use front or rear tie-downs. If I were to transport this boat at highway speeds for longer distances, I would use the extra safety tie-downs. I would slip the tie-downs through the boat’s “T” handle cords.

Of note is that the eight-foot version will fit completely inside my Jeep. This involves folding down the front seat, but it does work. The ten-foot boat will not fit with the tailgate closed, but could fit in a larger SUV.

On The Water

The biggest advantage of a hardshell over an inflatable is setup time at the water. I do believe the longest interval of time known to modern science is the nominal 20 minutes needed to set-up an inflatable kayak. A hardshell doesn’t have this issue, but I still have to get into and out of the boat once it’s on the water.

Entry and Exit

The boat has enough stability for me to get into and out of this boat from a pier. Being able to enter and exit off a pier is especially great for winter paddling when the water is cold and dry feet are nice.

The floating pier at our favorite paddling spot is about 30 inches above the water, which presents a mobility challenge to this certified senior citizen. With enthusiastic help from my wife, I can slide down from the pier to stand in my boat, then quickly sit down, without tipping it over. Getting up and out is a bit trickier, but I’ve managed to do this and stay dry. So far.

My wife has the agility of a cat and slips into and out of her boat seemingly without effort.

Handling

TrackingTrackingThis relates to how straight the kayak moves. Does it continue in a straightforward motion after you stop paddling? If it does, then it has good tracking. is an important feature of a kayak. This boat tracks quite well and is still very maneuverable. It’s also the lightest boat I’ve paddled, and this light weight makes a positive difference in handling.

While not inherently fast, this boat is a real pleasure for flatwater paddling.

Comfort

The seat is reasonably comfortable, for kayak seats. There’s plenty of adjustment for the back rest, and the padded bottom does provide decent cushioning. My feet can rest comfortably on the footrests with my knees against the edge of the cockpit coaming. One item I wish it does have is knee brace pads along the edges of the coaming. The Clipper 100X does not come with pads, but they are listed as accessory parts and something I’ll probably add in the future.

Onboard Storage

One area where this boat lacks is onboard storage. This boat does have a rear storage compartment with hatch cover. But the storage space is barely large enough to store a light jacket. I suspect this small space is a trade-off for filling the rear section with buoyancy styrofoam. The only other storage is the bungee cord rigging on front deck, and whatever I can tuck inside the front of the boat between my feet.

On the flip side, I do have a conveniently placed drink holder on the “cockpit table,” a flat area at the front of the cockpit. This cockpit table may be called a “dashboard” on other boats.

Given the lack of storage space, I would not use this boat for kayak camping. But, it’s fine for packing a lunch and water for a day’s worth of paddling.

Company Support

There does not appear to be any dealer networks supporting this boat series. The boats are marketed primarily through various retail sporting goods stores including REI, Cabela’s, and Dicks Sporting Goods; and online through the Confluence Outdoors website.

Warranty

Pelican advertises a lifetime limited warranty against manufacturer defects, and a 1 year warranty on parts and accessories. All warranty claims are done directly through the Confluence website warranty page.

Purchase Price

At the time I purchased my kayak, the MRLPMRLPManufacturer Recommended List Price was $250 for the eight-foot models, and $340 – $390 for various ten foot-models. These prices are competitive with other brands of similar-sized and equipped recreational kayaks. Given these boats are distributed through large retail chains, it should not be hard to find discounts through year-end closeout sales or other promotional events.

Conclusion

I consider this series of kayaks to be excellent entry-level boats that a person can continue to use as they gain more experience. Its appears very durable, is easy to transport, offers comfortable seating with responsive handling and is fun to paddle.

Thanks for reading my review, and happy paddling!

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