The Pursuit of Ultimate
The Pursuit of Ultimate
We started by asking the question, “What qualities does a kayak need to be the best… the ultimate, touring kayak?” We asked all our fans and thousands of kayakers. We got lots of feedback, then we went to work. That was in 2015 and it has been our relentless pursuit since.
Honouring Beginnings
Reinventing a watercraft that's over 4,000 years old has not been easy. But it's been a fun challenge and one heck of a journey. Honouring the Inuit origins of the skin-on-frame kayak is something that we know makes our modern watercraft unique and special.
How To Begin
Our team started out by compiling hundreds of survey submissions from our community to learn what features, qualities and capabilities a portable skin on frame kayak would need in order to be worthy of the title "Ultimate".
We arrived on the following Benefit / Experience / Perception qualities in order to rank importance and must-have characteristics for the TRAK.
- Tough, Durable, Rigid, Lasting
- Quality Construction, Components, Well-Designed
- Stores Easily, Available When Needed
- Performance, Paddles like a Hardshell
- Easy of Setup, Assembly
- Portable, You can take it with you
- Versatility, Changes Shape, Suitable for a Range of Paddlers
These features were measured in a number of ways, and compared to other kayaks in the current market place. We compiled that all into a big spreadsheet.
Expanding the idea of the Touring Kayak
When we think of a "touring kayak", most paddlers think of long trips, expeditions and weeks long adventures. While we love those journeys as well, we wanted a boat that travels to and from those adventures just as seamlessly as it paddles. TRAK Kayaks were developed to re-imagine that idea of a touring kayak that tours well itself!
Unexpected Uses
While developing a "touring kayak" for oceans, lakes and hard to reach waterways, we stumbled upon more and more TRAK paddlers who loved the ease of portability for urban storage, or transportation by bicycle, or not needing a roof rack to transport as key aspects of their boat. We've since incorporated those aspects as a key focus of our development.
Next Month's TRAKing Our Course
Do you know the SOURCE of the kayak? We've discovered that its history is as brave, resilient, and raw as the people who created it. We are honored to share this history with you, and we believe that in order to evolve, you must venture back to your roots to identify where you came from.
2 Responses
Pedro Julian Castro Martinez
I’m existed to become a TRAK kayak owner soon. I’m traveling from Italy to Florida’s Lake Placid to pick it up in my sister’s house. I did previously paddle extensively in a feathercraft folding kayak extensively in South Corea. Unfortunately I had to cut the structure in half to be able to transport it bak to Italy. The aluminum stringers have been rust frozen…!!! Since then, 2011, I have living with the intention to replace the kayak and did search around the world until I found the TRAK kayak as the best replacement of my previous folding kayak.
Thanks to all the people involved in the manufacture of TRAK kayaks.
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Pedro J. Castro
December 14, 2023
After reading my previous comment I felt awfully ashamed about my poor English. A couldn’t but correct is now:
“ I’m to become a new TRAK 2 kayak owner soon. I’m traveling from Italy to Florida’s Lake Placid to pick it up at my sister’s house. I have paddled extensively in South Cores in a Feathercraft folding kayak. Unfortunately I didn’t follow the instructions regarding kayak’s periodical oiling requirements of the aluminum tubing. I kept the kayak assembled por a long period of time. Returning to Italy I had to cut the aluminum structure in half to disassemble the kayak. The tubing had stuck solid at the joints. Since 2011, I have had the intention to replace the Feathercraft kayak. I did make a serious research and found the TRAK 2 kayak, the best replacement for the previous folding kayak I had “
Thanks to all the people involved in the manufacture of TRAK kayaks.