Englehart Products, Inc. EPITOUR

I have recently had the opportunity to test the Epitour kayak offered by Englehart Products, Inc. I consider myself pretty lucky actually, because this turned out to be one of the greatest boats I have ever paddled. 

Right from the start, I knew this boat was different. At 14 feet 2 inches, it has some very aggressive lines and the staff here at Outdoor Equipment Guide started calling it the stealth ship. The Epitour is of a deep vee design and features a hard chine. Hard chines originated in the frame designs of Greenland aboriginal skin boats. They have one sharp angle (or chine) on each side of their hulls. Kayakers can do leaned turns by leaning the boat outward on a turn. To turn right, lean left. The opposite from how you lean a bicycle. When upright, the keel of the Epitour kayak keeps it going straight. Lean this hard chined kayak over far enough, and the chine will start to function as a keel. However, since the chine is curved, the boat starts to carve a turn, very efficient once you get used to leaning away from the turn. Everyone on the staff wanted to get into this boat and give it a try and this was before it was even put into the water. When we received the boat, the first thing we did was go over the boat’s construction and features.

The polyethylene used in this boat is very strong and exceptionally durable. We cartopped the boat for 8 hours and found that it did not retain any evidence of the ratchet straps or of the rack. Many of the boats out on the market will “oilcan” quite easily and require some time in the sun to return to normal. The boat showed very little bottom wear while dragging it in and out of the water on a sand/gravel mix that makes up the shore line of the lake we use for testing purposes. While still out on the shoreline, I sat on the deck of the boat looking for bending or bowing of the plastic while under my body weight, which is over 200 pounds. I found nothing.

Because this is a touring boat, there are some other areas to look at before putting into the water. The Epitour has ample waterproof storage area in both the bow and stern of the boat. The Bow storage area is accessible through a six-inch waterproof screw top hatch and the stern are is accessible through an eight-inch waterproof screw top hatch. The boat also features waterproof bow and stern bulkheads.  The Epitour also has deck bungees, which allow for even more gear to be carried. The seat of the Epitour is made of molded plastic, features a very comfortable removable backrest and is intended to be outfitted with the included hip pads. The correct placement of the hip pads ensures that the primary paddler experiences a snug custom fit with the boat. A set of knee bumps is also included with the boat. If you place the included pads correctly according to the include instructions, the end result will be a custom fit boat that responds to the paddlers actions and offer optimal control. The Epitour weighs in at only 50 pounds and with proper lifting techniques can be handled by most paddlers pretty easily. The web strap carrying handles at each end make two-man transport easy. 

Once we had the Epitour outfitted correctly, it was time to put it into the water and get to the real testing. Once I got over the initial wobble that comes with getting into any new boat, I quickly realized just how maneuverable this boat was. The boat tracked straight and I really didn’t need too many correcting strokes to keep the Epitour going in my intended direction. While under paddle power, I was able to lean away from the turns just a bit and experience amazing turning ability while still feeling shaky in a new boat. This really went a long way to showing what this boat is capable of. As my new boat comfort level rose, I was able to lean further over and experience even more dramatic turning and I soon became aware that this was one of the most maneuverable touring kayaks I have ever paddled.  

If you are looking for a touring kayak that offers a great mix of quality and value, look the Epitour, you will not be disappointed. To contact Englehart Products, call 877-790-9912 TOLL FREE or visit their website at www.emc-epi.com

By: Justin Boyette