![]() The older air mattress floor is, of course, much softer but requires, in my experience, the BackBone to improve its hull speed and tracking. Tip: the drop-stitch floor is hard, like a board, and you might want to put a foam pad on the seat to make your butt more comfortable in long paddling sessions. Otherwise, the new "Elite" is compelling for its convenience. I think both are "keepers," and if I anticipate unruly conditions, I will choose the BackBone in my older model. The "Elite," though, is so close in its performance under more normal conditions that its faster set-up is a real advantage, so much so that some people who have used the BackBone and then the drop-stitch floor have ended up routinely preferring the newer arrangement. I was glad to have my 2007 Expedition with BackBone on that occasion because I felt the newer "Elite" would have spun around on its comparatively flat hull. Recently, I faced high winds and whitecaps so severe that paddling directly into them was almost impossible. The rewards for the extra effort are a hull speed up to 10% faster and a V-shape to the hull for better tracking compared to the flat shape of the drop-stitch floor and its side chines. The older air mattress floor with BackBone, which is highly recommended, takes a bit more time to install and align. Unless you get quite wet, you can leave the drop-stitch floor in place between paddling sessions. The advantage of the "Elite" and its drop-stitch floor is a faster set-up time and incomparable primary stability. It is worth comparing my 2021 Expedition "Elite" and its drop-stitch floor to my 2007 Expedition and its patented BackBone and air mattress floor. This new version, called the "Elite," comes with a drop-stitch floor, a storage compartment behind the cockpit, an aluminum brace in front of the cockpit, a thwart behind the comfortable high back seat, and a coaming for a spray skirt. It is 13' long, weighs 42 lbs., and comes out of a medium-sized bag which can be either carried like a suitcase or slung over the shoulders like a backpack. of paddler and gear and is thus admirably suited for overnight camping trips to remote places. My review makes a case for the Advanced Elements AFX Expedition as a leading candidate for best all-round kayak for the larger paddler. To cut to the chase, after six years, I sold the magnificent hard shell but have retained the Expedition because of its nearly equal performance and much greater portability for this inveterate traveler. The two that stand out are a 17'6" hard shell with large cockpit and the Advanced Elements AFX Expedition. I have owned or tested 60 kayaks in the past decade and a half and have been happiest when the watercraft accommodated my frame. For those 6'+ and 200 lbs.+, for example, medium and small kayaks make no sense, regardless of type or design. Above every other consideration, we should choose kayaks that suit our height and weight. ![]() Is the AFX Expedition Elite a Best All-Round Kayak? Of course, there cannot be only one "best all-round" kayak because we all come in different sizes.
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