Perception Sound 9.5 Review

Read What I Thought Of The Sound 9.5 From Perception Kayaks

You get what you pay for, which is why many beginner kayakers end up with miserable stories of lugging around backbreaking kayaks or of kayaks light enough for them to carry but that wiggle and wobble and dump them into the water if they even look the wrong way.

Sound familiar?

There had to be something better out there for people who want to get into kayaking but don’t necessarily want to spend a couple of grand on a top of the line kayak.

Enter the Perception Sound Sit Inside kayak.

Perception Kayaks Sound 9.5

Outdoor Veteran Rating

★★★★★★★★★★ 9.5/10

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Review of the Perception Sound 9.5

The Perception Sound is 9’ 6” or 290 cm long and 28” or 71 cm wide. It weighs 38 pounds or 71 cm, which is pretty light, especially for a rotomolded kayak. It can hold up to 300 pounds or 136 kg, plenty of room for you and your fishing gear!

The Perception Sound 9.5 is marketed as the feature-rich recreational fishing kayak. They are not mistaken! It has comfortable seating for your rides, the stability from a tri-keel hull, and the ability to easily add in fishing rod holders, camera mounts, fishfinders and much, much more. It was designed to be the affordable recreational kayak that has the comfort and features of a higher-end kayak.

The Perception Sound is perfect on your local lake, river, or calm coastal waters. It’s sturdy on the water and easy to get in and out of. If you are looking for a whitewater kayak or one that can handle rougher coastal waters, this may not be the boat for you. It is meant as a recreational boat and so does not have storage for longer trips.

Pros:

• It has a padded seat, backrest and leg padding for comfortable kayaking. There are also adjustable foot braces.
• The Solo Mount Base makes it easy to customize without any drilling or cutting.
• It has saltwater hardware and finishing. There’s no extra work required to take it out into the ocean or saltwater bays.
• It’s very light-weight and easy to transport.

Cons:

• It’s not stable enough for an angler to stand up in it while fishing.
• Because it’s short, it doesn’t track the best.
• There are no water-tight compartments or hatches; there is a dashboard panel with bungee cords where you would be able to attach your own water-tight bags.

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What Makes Up The Perception Sound

Materials and Build

The Perception Sound is a rotomolded kayak. This means that they took polyethylene (plastic) power, poured it into a mold, and melted it to create a seamless kayak. This type of kayak can take quite a bit of beating. I’ve taken mine through creeks where we had to hop and drag ourselves over logs that had fallen, and it came out no worse for the wear on the other side.

Repairs are hard on these boats since you can’t replace one specific section of it. However, with this being the cheapest method to build kayaks, replacements aren’t typically that expensive. They are sensitive to long stretches of sunlight. When you store them, be sure to keep them in a garage or storage shed to maintain their longevity.

Stability

The Perception Sound is an excellent balance between stability and trimness. It’s a narrow kayak at 28”, but it maintains its stability with a tri-keel hull. The sit-inside designed gives you even more stability. This might make it a little challenging to get in and out of, but trust me, when you are on the water, you will be thankful for it!

As a fisher, it’s important to note that this kayak is not stable enough to stand up in. Depending on what kind of fishing you do, this might not be the best kayak. However, if you are looking for a casual kayak that is easily maneuverable and easy to paddle, this might be the one you’re looking for.

Storage

No matter what you are doing, it’s essential to have adequate storage on your kayak. The Perception Sound has an ample rear open storage with bungee cords lacing the top. This is especially helpful for those fishers who want to take along fishing gear and coolers. Because it’s a large open space, there is no water-tight storage available. It’s quite easy, however, to fasten a water-tight bag to the bungee cords.

I’ve found it helpful to have a water-tight bag packed anyways, whether you have a water-tight compartment on your kayak or not. That way, you can have your kayaking essentials already in that bag and when you want to go paddling, grab the bag and go. It’s also helpful to have important things like your keys and phone double-protected, just in case.

Comfort

The cockpit is open, giving you room to move your legs around. The seat has thick padding. The back of the seat is held by straps, making it adjustable. The footrests are also adjustable, which will help you fit the kayak to your size. I’ve learned the hard way that it’s harder to paddle when the footrests won’t move, and my legs are too short!

There is also leg padding on the cockpit edges. This is extremely nice when you want to rest or move your legs around. It’s not just padding for your legs though. It also gives padding to your arms and elbows, especially those fishers resting their arms and poles on the side of the kayak.

Solo Mount Base

The Perception Sound comes with two mounting points for the Perception Solo Mount Base. All you have to do is screw in the mount, and you can add accessories like a fishing rod holder, a fish finder mount, a camera mount, or an extra cup holder. The possibilities are endless.

Perception Kayaks Sound 9.5

Outdoor Veteran Rating

★★★★★★★★★★ 9.5/10

Check Price

Handling

The Perception Sound is a shorter kayak, but it is narrow and tri-keeled. This gives it the unique ability to break the standard stereotypes. It is very stable for beginner kayakers, but it can slice through the water without difficulty. This makes it helpful when you are traveling back up the river instead of following the current.

It tracks (or goes in a straight line) very well for its length, and with the right paddler, it can keep up with longer, more aerodynamic kayaks without much extra difficulty. Because it’s short, it’s easily maneuverable.

Conclusion

The Perception Sound is an excellent kayak for casual paddlers who want a kayak to explore their local lakes and streams. It’s also great for fishers who wish to use a kayak that can cut through the water and current better than a sit on top, wide kayak. It has the comfort for long stretches on the water, is stable as a rock and can be easily modified. If this sounds like the kayak for you, click here to check it out further.