Lifetime Tahoma 100 is a budget sit-on-top recreational kayak.
At 10 feet, it provides good maneuverability and, just like any sit-on-top kayak, is easy to get in and out of.
If you are just getting into kayaking, you would love how stable it is.
Made from UV-protected high-density polyethylene, this kayak is colorfast and corrosion-resistant making it durable and suitable for different water conditions.
With a central storage hatch and front and rear shock cords, it gives sufficient storage options for your gear.
Lifetime Tahoma 100 Specifications
Kayak Type | Sit-on-top recreational kayak |
Length | 10’/304.8 cm |
Width | 31”/78.7 cm |
Weight Capacity | 275 lbs/124.7 kg |
Material of construction | UV-Protected High-Density Polyethylene |
Configuration | Solo |
Skill level | Beginner, intermediate |
Weight | 50 lbs/22.7 kg |
Key Feature | Molded footrests |
- Price is competitive
- Comes with a paddle
- Durable construction
- Easy to maneuver
- Good for beginners and occasional kayakers
- Capacious central storage hatch
- Tracks good with deep hull channels
- Self-bailing
- Front and rear T-handles for easy transport
- Adjustable seat
- Cupholder
- Grooved footrests
- Storage hatch goes into hull giving no option of keeping stuff at hand.
- The seat could have been better
- Limited color options
- Weight capacity is not much
- A bit heavy for a single individual to carry
Lifetime Tahoma 100 Kayak Review - A Basic Kayak With Basic Features
Lifetime manufacturers a variety of plastic items ranging from waterproof sheds to basketball hoops.
In kayaks, they are known for producing quality kayaks at a reasonable price.
Lifetime Tahoma 100 falls in the category of a solo recreational kayak and does what it says.
We have put this budget kayak to test and detail below how it fared against different criteria.
Table of Contents
- Lifetime Tahoma 100 Specifications
- Lifetime Tahoma 100 Kayak Review - A Basic Kayak With Basic Features
- The Material of Construction - HDPE Makes It Durable
- Design - Wide Flat Bottom Gives It Stability
- Weight Capacity - Not Much
- Storage - Good Number of Options
- Stability - The Key Characteristic
- Speed - One of Its Weak Attribute
- Tracking - Deep Hull Channels Improve Tracking
- Maneuverability - Spins on A Dime
- Transport - Heavy For a Single Person
- Intended Use and Skill Level – Best for Beginners and Calm Waters
- Accessories - Comes With A Paddle
- Seat - Not Much To Talk About
- Miscellaneous Features
- Price - Affordable and Competitive
- Lifetime Tahoma 100 vs Tamarack vs Tioga vs Triton
- Verdict - Simple and Affordable
The Material of Construction - HDPE Makes It Durable
This kayak has a high-density polyethylene construction. This material is corrosion-resistant meaning it would not rust or deteriorate as most metals do. In addition, Lifetime has used a UV-protective coating which means it does not lose its shine and color when in direct sunlight.
HDPE is a popular material in kayaks because of its low cost, durability, and lightweight.
Design - Wide Flat Bottom Gives It Stability
Tahoma 100 comes at a width of 31 inches with a flat bottom giving this recreational kayak stability it requires.
Weight Capacity - Not Much
This kayak has a weight capacity of 275 pounds or 124 Kg which is not enough if you are a heavy individual. What else can complicate matters is the fact that it does not leave much weight capacity to store your gear. Therefore, keep this in mind if you are planning a camping excursion on this kayak.
Storage - Good Number of Options
When it comes to storage, it has a central storage hatch that goes into the hull. So, basically, you will be storing your stuff in the hull which is not much of a use when on water.
It is a shame that it does not come with a tray or a pouch to keep things at hand. However, you can always use a custom tray or pouch which fits the hatch to make it more useful.
In addition, for your gear, it has front and rear shock cords which are good enough to secure all of your fishing/camping gear.
However, it does not have much weight capacity, so keep that in mind when loading this kayak.
Stability - The Key Characteristic
When it comes to recreational kayaks, one feature that is a must is good stability.
Tahoma 100 is wide at 31 inches relative to its length of 10 feet and this makes it stable. It also has a wide flat bottom which increases its stability on and off the water.
It additionally has bottom chine rails which add to its already good stability.
Speed - One of Its Weak Attribute
As Tahoma 100 has a high width-to-length to ratio, this kayak does not have much speed. Unless you are in a moving current, this kayak can give you quite a workout to make it speed.
Tracking - Deep Hull Channels Improve Tracking
In smaller kayaks, you lose speed and tracking. The same can be said about Lifetime Tahoma 100. Tracking is not the best when starting out, however, it improves when the kayak is in motion.
In addition, it has deep hull channels which improve its tracking to some extent. However, tracking is not one of its strong points.
Maneuverability - Spins on A Dime
One thing you will love about Lifetime Tahoma is its maneuverability. Give it to your 10-year-old and even he/she will be able to maneuver it easily.
Transport - Heavy For a Single Person
Tahoma 100 comes at a weight of 50 pounds which is a bit heavy for a single person to carry. In addition, considering the user base it intends to serve, kids and beginners, it is a bit on the heavy side. Therefore, you might need someone else to help you move it or have a kayak trolley.
However, to transport it to and from water, it has front and rear T-handles which are handy.
In addition, it has handles on the sides which are useful for carrying and loading the kayak.
Because of its small size, you can put it in the back of a truck for easy transport.
Intended Use and Skill Level – Best for Beginners and Calm Waters
This kayak is an entry-level recreational kayak. It does not have any added features to make it suitable for other uses. You would have to make drastic changes to make it serve you other purposes.
Obviously, you can use a single fishing rod to cast and stay hooked to it because there are no rod holders.
This kayak is also a good option for you if you are an occasional kayaker and do not want to spend much on a kayak that you use once in a while.
Accessories - Comes With A Paddle
When it comes to recreational kayaks, there are not many accessories needed except a paddle. You will be glad to know that Lifetime Tahoma 100 comes with a paddle.
This paddle is of good quality and breaks down into two pieces for easy storage.
There is a paddle keeper on board which is a good feature to have if you are not using the paddle when on water.
Seat - Not Much To Talk About
Companies manufacture budget kayaks at the expense of one feature or another. Unfortunately, in Tahoma 100’s case, it is the seat.
The so-called seat is just a backrest which although adjustable is not much to talk about. There is not much padding to support your back.
What makes matters worse is the absence of bottom support. So, you are basically sitting on a hard kayak surface with no butt support.
Therefore, if you are planning long excursions on this kayak, I would recommend getting another seat. Stadium seats are comfortable and affordable alternatives.
Miscellaneous Features
One feature that I really like about this kayak is the molded-in multiple footrests. These provide comfortable seating and can compensate for the bad seat to some extent.
In addition, this is a self-bailing kayak. However, rather surprisingly, some of its drains do not have plugs for them. I would advise getting them from your near sports store and if you can’t get the exact size, get some standard golf balls, they fit in those holes perfectly.
There is also a cupholder on board which is in between your legs. So, you can place your bottle of drink there, and is a cool feature to have to keep you hydrated when on water.
Price - Affordable and Competitive
Lifetime Tahoma 100 comes at around $250-300 depending on the time of the year you are buying.
Price-wise, considering its features and overall stability, I would say it is highly competitive.
At a time, when even an average sit-on-top kayak is priced at around $500, this is a good buy.
Lifetime Tahoma 100 vs Tamarack vs Tioga vs Triton
As said earlier, Lifetime is producing a variety of budget kayaks.
They come in a variety of lengths and types. They have a number of kayaks at the 10-foot size including Tamarack Angler 100, Lifetime Tioga, and Lifetime Triton Angler 100.
The table below shows how they compare against either. You would note that they come at the same size and use the same material giving them the same general attributes like durability and resistance to different environmental forces.
However, Tamarack and Triton come with a top-mount rod holder and two flush-mounted fishing rod holders making them suitable fishing kayaks.
Tahoma 100 and Tioga, on the other hand, are recreational kayaks and come with basic features.
Attribute | Tahoma 100 | Tamarack 100 | Tioga 100 | Triton 100 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions (Inches) | 120 x 31 | 120 x 31 | 120 x 31 | 120 x 31 |
Kayak Type | Recreational | Fishing | Recreational | Fishing |
Construction | HDPE | HDPE | HDPE | HDPE |
Weight Capacity (Pounds) | 275 | 275 | 275 | 275 |
Verdict - Simple and Affordable
Above, we had a detailed look at Lifetime Tahoma 100 and how it fared on different aspects.
In summary, it is durable with its UV-protected high-density polyethylene construction.
Its flat wide bottom with chine rails make it stable.
Although speed and tracking may not be the best of their attributes, it is extremely maneuverable making it suitable for beginners and occasional kayakers.
Price is its strong point which is competitive, to say the least. In addition, it comes with a paddle which further enhances its worthiness.
It has ample storage to store your gear and comes with front and rear T-handles which make its transportation effortless.
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