If you are considering to buy a good fishing kayak that is ready to take fishing while still leaving your wallet alive, you are on the right track. In this Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 Review you will find everything you need to know.
While the Tamarack Angler 100 might not be the ideal kayak for some people, it makes an excellent choice for a wide range of anglers. In this review we will help you decide if you fit within that range… or if maybe you are better investing in something else.
From the yak’s performance on water, its fishing features, tips and advice, all the way to an analysis on what current owners think of the Tamarack Angler 100. If you have a question in mind, is very likely that we have answered it in this article. Please check the table of contents below to go directly to any section, or just scroll through and start reading.
If you are in a rush with no time to go over this review in detail, but want to check some great deals for the Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100, click here to go to Amazon.com where you will find awesome prices and accessories.
Contents
The Tamarack Angler 100 Performance on Water
The Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 has been designed for extreme safety and stability. The hull bottom is very flat, which the kayak very stable and hard to flip. On top of that, the hull shape has multiple chine rails that further increase its stability.
Tracking on the Tamarack 100 is also very good. Although this kayak does not have a keel system, the hull is also designed with an integrated skeg on the rear. In addition, the complete bottom of the yak has a tracking channel. These two features make the kayak very easy to keep on track, with little to no effort while paddling.
With a length of 10 feet, this is also a very maneuverable kayak, fit for tight spaces and easier handling for turning and maneuvering quickly.
The Storage Capabilities of the Tamarack 100
The Tamarack Angler 100 has two areas of open space where gear and items can be carried, and secured to the kayak through shock cords. One at the rear and behind the seat, and another one at the very front. The rear space is the biggest, allowing to easily carry a milk crate or multiple bags. The front space does not fall behind, and even a bit smaller that the rear area, you can manage to fit some good amount of gear.
My personal opinion regarding carrying capacity is that is not so much dependent on available space, but more related to the overall weight limit of the yak. There is so much volume you can fit in any kayak, independently of brand and model. But the carry weight is a different story, and where you can make a difference.
Keep in mind that the total recommended weight limit for the Tamarack 100 is 275 lbs. / 125 Kg. So depending on how much you weight, you will have a better picture of the additional gear you will be able to carry.
In addition to the open spaces, the yak comes equipped with two 6” hatches, that give access to the inside of the hull. Here you can store some of your items too. One hatch is located in the rear, behind the seat. The other hatch is in the center, just in front of the seat and while seated and paddling will be just between your legs.
Both of these hatches prove very good protection against water, but are not waterproof! Please keep this in mind, and if you plan on storing valuable items that can get damaged by water, consider using some dry bags.
Another consideration regarding the hatches, is that they give access to the full inside of the yak’s hull. If you start dropping a lot of items inside, it might get difficult to get the one you want at any moment. Our recommendation is to get some dry bags and strap them with some cord that you can keep attached to the inside of the hatch lid. This way, you are keeping all your items dry and you can get to them very easily, no matter if they had drifted away a bit inside the storage area.
Ready to fish with the Tamarack 100
The Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 has a few fishing features, that while simple and minimalist, are just what you need to get started. Even usual and advanced anglers might surprisingly find that this is all they need.
To the sides of the seat backrest you will find two flushed fishing rod mounts. One to each side. Most fishing kayaks come with some sort of flushed mounts for your rods. Some have even more than this. This will let you bring two fishing rods comfortably and keeping your paddling session free from obstacles while you approach your fishing spot.
To the front and right side, this kayak has a mounted rod holder. A better option while focusing on fishing and you need to adjust the tackles or rest a bit.
In addition to the rod holders accessories, there are two flushed small compartments that you can use as well to aid in your fishing sessions. Between your foot rests there is a small flushed in rectangle. It will let you drop any small items in there, including… your tackles and bait while your are changing them. The same goes for the cup holder, in between your legs while sitting, closer to the seat.
Whether you use any of these flushed small spaces as an aid in your fishing ritual is a matter of personal choice. But many anglers find those simple additions to be just right for them
How comfortable you will be on the Tamarack Angler 100?
Out of the box, the Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 is a great yak for short fishing sessions, comfort-wise. The key feature for comfort is, as you might have already guessed it, the seat.
The Seat
The Tamarack 100 comes with a seat molded directly in the hull of the boat, covered by a pad for your butt. Also has a nice backrest that is adjustable to the position of your liking, using side straps.
Although this is an acceptable seat for short sessions, you might start to feel uncomfortable on longer trips of several hours. This is very subjective though, and will depend a lot on your body type, weight, level of fitness and all sort of other aspects. But in general, this yak’s seat is less comfortable for long sessions compared to higher price range kayaks.
But don’t be discouraged about this fact. Consider if you really are going to be out on long fishing sessions very often. If you think you do, there are a few very cost effective improvements you can do on your own to increase the comfort of the default seat.
First, you might be able to find an additional cushion to place on top of the butt pad. This can really be all you need to make you comfortable for hours on end.
Another advice is to try to keep the backrest as straight as possible. If you have it reclined, your back will not have proper support. This usually will make you fatigued earlier and sore on the lower back.
Another key aspect to notice in terms of comfort, are the scupper holes. Why is this related to comfort you may be thinking? Well, there are a few people that want to avoid getting wet and having water coming in the yak as much as possible, and scuppers play a key role in this.
How scupper holes work?
The scupper holes are a key feature on most kayaks. You might’ve heard the words “self-bailing kayak” or “self-bailing boat”. This basically means that the boat will allow the water that comes in, to go out, without you having to do the “bailing”. The boat will take care of it thanks to its hull design and the “scupper holes”. These holes are strategically positioned in the boat’s hull. When the water comes in due to choppy water, wind or waves beating the boat, the water will flow to these scupper holes and will be eventually drained back to the lake, river or sea.
But this will happen ONLY if the weight in the boat is light enough to allow this. A boat with too much carry weight can sink deeper in the water, and the scuppers will let more water in that what they allow to go out.
The general mechanism works like this in any kayak, but depending on their design some brands or models can be more effective than others. But no matter the model, there is no escape when you go overweight with your carried gear. The scupper holes can also be closed using scupper plugs. This is a good technique to apply in this scenario, if you can control the water that comes in from other means, when you expect good water and weather conditions.
For the Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100, some paddlers have reported problems with water coming in from the holes, especially the scuppers located beneath the seat. You have to keep in mind that this yak recommended weight limit is 275 Lbs / 125 Kg in total. Deduct your body weight to that, and that’s what’s left for you gear. If you are a big guy, you might be the only “gear” allowed!
So if you are close to the weight limit, you might find that plugging the scupper holes will work on your favor. You will have to experiment on what works for you under different scenarios, but you know have the basics and enough information to know what to do and plug or unplug your scuppers when needed.
If you need scuppers for the Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100, check these. Have been tested and fit perfectly!
The Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 Specifications
| Maximum weight capacity | 275 lb. / 125 Kg. |
| Width | 31 in. / 78,7 cm. |
| Height | 14 in. / 35,6 cm. |
| Draft | 5 in. / 12,7 cm. |
| Length | 120 in. / 304,8 cm. |
| Weight | 52 lb. / 23,5 Kg. |
Watch the Tamarack Angler 100 in action
In the video that follows you will see the Tamarack Angler 100 in real action, on the water. What’s really interesting is that the reviewer is a big guy. This kayak is well suited for small to medium sized anglers, but the reviewer on the video found a nice option on this kayak too:
In this second video, the same person goes on a more detailed review of the kayak out of the water, and guides you through its features:
What Customers Say about the Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100?
At the moment of this writing the Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 had a 4.2 stars rating out of 5 in Amazon.com, with 152 customer reviews. From those, 81% are very good ratings in the 4-5 star range. Only 12 % of the ratings are in the lower range of 1-2 stars. The remaining 7% is in the middle ground, with a 3 star rating.
Let’s start by briefly describing our impressions related to the low rating customer reviews. There was a huge amount of customers that described problems related to the delivery and package handling of the product, thus giving the bad 1-2 star rating. But this has nothing to do with the kayak performance nor quality, and really hurts the product reputation due to a non product related factor. So keep in mind that almost half, if not more, of the lower ratings are due to people taking revenge with the kayak instead of with the delivery company.
How to properly make online purchases and handle possible delivery issues?
Online purchases are a reality for most of us now, and we need to learn how to proceed properly. We went over this topic in another article, but let’s touch this topic here again. The great benefit of purchasing online, is that it takes you just a few minutes from your phone, tablet or computer, wherever you are, and then you get to do something else while waiting for the delivery of your product. Its great. You get more information about a product online that you would ever get in a real store. Make the decision yourself with no pressure, and make the purchase when you are ready. All in pajamas, from the comfort of your own bed or favorite couch! And you are done! Well almost…
This is NOT over yet. There’s still one more little step you still need to perform. Receive and inspect the package. You need to understand that someone that is not you, is managing that package from the warehouse to your door. Some of these people might be having a bad day when dealing with your package and mishandle it, resulting in damage to your “newly” purchased product. Is your responsibility to inspect the package and its contents BEFORE you accept the delivery. This is all normal and you should not feel rushed just because the delivery guy has the truck’s engine on or makes an effort to look hurry. You cannot afford a poorly delivered product. The delivery company makes money thanks to you, purchasing online goods, so they might as well pour you a cup of coffee and smile all the way while you inspect your package!
Take a logical amount of time to do a quick inspection of the package exterior. Notice any damage to it. Then let the delivery guy you will quickly open to inspect the contents are in order before signing. Open the package and quickly check the general condition of the product.
Usually everything should be alright. But there are cases when is not. If you detect something not acceptable, you should not accept the package. Make this clear to the delivery guy. And remember that this is NOT a fight with the person delivering the product. He or she is just working, treat them with respect, but make your point. You purchased a product in good condition, and you are receiving a damaged one. That was not the transaction you paid for. You might need to note this in their papers and sign it as a “not received” and explain why. Be firm about this. And do not take it too seriously. The only thing this means is you might need to wait a bit more for your product to arrive. Do not feel bad, this is part of the process.
Think about it this way: What do you do in the supermarket or grocery store if you realize that the milk package you just picked up has a leak? Do start blaming the Milk company and swearing in the checking line while paying for it anyways? Or you just return it to the shelf and pick a non-damaged one?
Now back at the review analysis…
The few other lower ratings mentioned some problems with the scupper holes. From our point of view, they did not have a clear understanding of how to handle them.
Thankfully you are reading this review and you already know how to manage the scuppers to your advantage. The other complaints you might hear is about the storage hatches leaking water. But again, the manufacturer is very clear in stating that these are not waterproof containers. It even provides a leakage plug in the front of the kayak to remove the water after a paddling session! This, as with many other bad reviews, is a clear indication of a lack of research and understanding of the product purchased.
But the rest and the vast majority of the ratings and reviews come from very well satisfied owners, sharing good advice and nice experiences with a kayak that proved to be a great product for themselves.
If after evaluating this kayak you think it might be a good fit for you, you have great chances of counting yourself among the very satisfied owners of a Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100!
What you get when you buy the Tamarack Angler 100?
The default kayak purchased almost in every store or online would just contain the kayak itself and all the parts that constitute the full assembled kayak (cords, rod mounts, etc.). No paddle nor PFD comes by default. But that doesn’t mean you cant find some bundle as part of an offer on some stores.
In addition to the kayak itself, the manufacturer offers a 5 Year Limited Warranty. This covers any manufacturing defect or problem, but not the expected wear and tear from normal use. Keep in mind that you must retain a copy of your sales receipt to make a warranty claim. Lifetime offers the possibility of filling an online warranty claim or send it through email. You will have more detailed instructions on how to proceed in your warranty card that comes with your new kayak.
The Verdict
If you are looking for your first fishing kayak and your budget is a bit limited, the Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 is a great choice. It’s very stable and secure to fish from, and has all the fishing features needed to be out in the water as soon as you get it. It’s great for middle sized to small anglers. But even if you are a big guy this might work very well, provided you understand how to work with the scupper holes and plugs to your favor (as we described earlier in this review).
If you are still not convinced and need another low budget option, you can check out the Sun Dolphin Journey 10 SS.
If your budget can stretch a bit more, the Vibe Sea Ghost 110 or the Vibe Yellowfin 100 are great options, with a lot of good features.And in case you decided to go for the best of the best, the Perception Pescador Pilot 12 is an excellent choice for top level angling, lots of features and even a pedal propulsion system.