Aquaglide McKenzie 105 Review
Rating
Performance: 7
Size/Weight: 9
Durability: 9
Setup: 10
Value: 8
OVERALL: 8.6
Easy-to-use kayak that does it all
It's hard to find anything wrong with Aquaglide's McKenzie 105 and trust us, we looked. This kayak works well in calm water, choppy waves and even whitewater. It's built to last and has lots of small touches that make paddling more enjoyable. Will it be as good as a dedicated whitewater kayak in rapids or as fast as a long touring kayak on flat water? No. But if you want one kayak that can handle almost anything, this is tough to beat.
Comparison
Rank: #1
Open Size: Shorter and wider
Packed Size: Small
Weight: Lighter
Capacity: High
Best For: Any kind of water, such as lakes, rivers, or mild rapids.
Good Stuff: Works everywhere, easy to control, lightweight, fast to set up and pack away, plus smart little details.
Not-So-Good Stuff: A stiffer drop-stitch floor would help and it doesn’t come with footrests.
Final Say: If you want a tough, high-quality kayak ready for any adventure, this is a fantastic pick.
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Aquaglide McKenzie 105 compares to others in our list of the Top Ten Inflatable Kayaks or see how we choose the best inflatable kayak.
Specs:
Open Size: 10.5’x3.25’
Packed Size: 30x22x13in
Weight: 19.6lbs
Capacity: 300lbs
Approx Price: $599.00
First Impressions
The McKenzie comes with a good-sized backpack that has shoulder straps and a side handle, so you can carry it like a briefcase if you want. Since it's light, this actually works. The bag fits the kayak, seat and has a little extra space for a pump. We couldn't fit the paddle inside, but it was easy to strap it to the outside.
The kayak is made from Aquaglide’s Duratex, a tough fabric-reinforced PVC. The seams look strong and well-made and Aquaglide trusts the material so much that the side tubes don’t even need an extra inner layer.
You get a seat, fin, valve adapter, repair kit and the backpack with the kayak. The fin is a nice touch because it fits a standard US fin box, so you can swap it for a bigger or smaller one if you want.
Setup/Packdown
Setting up is easy. There are three air valves close together for the floor and side tubes. The kayak has the ideal PSI printed right on it, so you won’t over- or under-inflate. It took us about 6 minutes with a good pump, which is normal for most kayaks we’ve tried.
Once inflated, clip in the seat (there are six buckles, but it’s not hard). Flip the kayak over, slide in the fin and tighten the screw. The side handles make it easy to carry, especially since the kayak is light.
Packing up is just as simple. Rinse off the PVC, let it dry, take out the seat and fin, then press the valve buttons to let the air out. Like with other kayaks, we had to practice folding it right to fit it back in the bag the first time, but it wasn’t a big deal.
Paddling Experience
The McKenzie handles great for a kayak that works in so many conditions. Usually, you have to choose between going straight or turning easily, but this one does both well, thanks to the fin. It’s wide enough to feel stable and turns better than long, skinny kayaks, but the V-shaped hull and decent-sized fin also help it track straight.
Without the fin, it doesn’t go as straight (which makes sense and isn’t a big deal if you’re in whitewater). We took it on calm water and waves and it did great. The pointed bow and stern helped it ride over waves and the low profile kept it from getting pushed around by wind. The self-bailing drains slow you down a bit on flat water, but that’s the trade-off for having them in whitewater. A friend took it down some rapids and said it worked well, though he liked the Driftsun Rover better just for whitewater.
The seat is comfy with good padding and support, but it can slide if you don’t tighten the straps enough. Once we did, it stayed put.
But here’s the weird thing for such a well-made kayak: no footrest. Pushing against something helps you paddle better, so we really missed having one.
Also, the floor is stiff but still a little soft. We’d have loved a firmer drop-stitch floor, though that might have meant losing the V-shaped hull.
Final Verdict
We had a blast with the Aquaglide McKenzie 105. It’s tough, easy to use, and works in all kinds of water. There are a couple of small things we’d change, but overall, this is a great kayak that won’t let you down.
Want to see how the Aquaglide McKenzie compares to other kayaks we tested? Head over to our list of the Top Ten Inflatable Kayaks.
Water & Outdoors reviews are written by our staff writers, who combined have over fifty years of experience on the water and outdoors. We may earn commissions if you choose to buy through a link you’ve clicked on our website, however this does not influence our reviews. For more information, please see our Editorial Policies.