My Bonafide RS117/ Is it worth it? 1 Month Later 

Awesome. Good luck with your purchase!

It’s not super fast but paddles well. I used it in rivers and it did just fine. Thanks for commenting

@@markdoutdoors7965 awesome. Yeah but they say it's not good in rapids and my r8vers have lots of them. Flater bottom boats are best. Not that you can't 7se it in rivers. It's just not that good in repods because of the cathedral bottom which is great for stability and calmer waters like lakes and ponds

Not sure. Honestly think it was a cost thing

I just looked that kayak up. That’s a nice kayak! Especially for the price! I make sure I tighten the straps in the bottom of the seat and the back every time before I use it. It doesn’t bother me if I do that. It helps but I understand what you mean. I would love to eventually get a Native Slayer Pedal Drive! Actually Bonafide is a part of Native so I am sure in the future you May start to see some similarities. Thanks for commenting!

@@markdoutdoors7965 from looking at the bonafide seats I'm almost positive that you could order the padded seat cover kit from the ss107 and ss127 and it would fit the rs117. And you are right on the bonafide/native merger, my falcon front hatch uses the same hardware latches that the ss107 uses! I would love to get a pedal drive as well but it does not make sense for the skinny creeks that i fish, I do alot of dragging in the creeks. Enjoy the yak and tight lines brother!

@@andrue17 man that’s a good idea. I am going to look into that! Good looking out! Tight lines man!

@@andrue17 Thanks for subscribing man!

The handles are made well. I never had any issues with them or worried about them failing.

@@markdoutdoors7965 Thanks

I wanted to get them but wasn’t sure they made much of a difference.

Thanks man! I appreciate the compliment. I actually like the seat on the big fish 105 better. I feel like It is more comfortable and the sides are a little higher so it makes it easier to grab on the sides to stand up. On the RS117 seat I have to constantly tighten the straps on the back and and bottom to ensure maximum comfort. The RS117 though is more stable. I stand up all the time on it and never feel like I am going to tip. The 105 felt a little more wobbly. I hope this answers your question.

@@markdoutdoors7965 thx for the reply I appreciate it 😁. Really surprised that the big fish is not the most stable with the trimaran design 🤔. I was considering it but now with the weight and that it is not as stable as the RS117 I will probably skip the big fish. Thx again for your fast reply 🤙

@@patdud1979 Not a problem. I have heard the Big Fish 120 is really stable. The only issue with the Big Fish kayaks is their weight. They also highly recommend to get the beaver tail rudder for it to get the best experience. I feel like the RS 117 being about a foot longer helps with its stability and it too has a catamaran style hull but weighs much less.

Thanks man! That sounds like a great idea. I’m assuming you have one. I know they aren’t cheap but do you think they are worth it? Thank you for the comment and the recommendation!

@@markdoutdoors7965 Hey no problem, yeah I grabbed one just to sit on and loved it so much I bought another for the back portion of the seat but double them up to sit on when I want more height.

@@jdean5937 awesome advice! Thank you!!

I am 5’11. You would probably be with adjusting the foot pedals to the furthest position. It may be cutting it close but you should be good. It has great stability for the price. The SS127 but be a better choice but it is much more expensive. I would say in the 1000-1100 price range maybe check out these kayaks: Bonafide RS117, Wilderness Systems Recon 120, Crescent Lite Tackle or the Perception Outlaw 11.5. I do love my RS117 and can vouch for it. The Crescent Lite Tackle and Outlaw have a little more of an open cockpit that may be more comfortable for you. Thanks for the comment!

Oh and the Vibe Sea Ghost 130 is a good option as well

@@markdoutdoors7965 Thanks, Mark. The Crescent Light Tackle is also on my short list of kayaks that are in the $1,000 range, aren't overly heavy, and have a relatively clear deck (I like to fly fish from my kayak, which is currently an inflatable). But like the Bonafide, no dealer in my area. At some point I'll need to travel to sit in some of the kayak models with limited distribution. The Outlaw would certainly work for the lakes I fish, but probably not the most nimble vessel for navigating rivers. It's a give and take situation with kayaks...Thanks, again.

It depends on if you plan on running class 2 or higher rapids. The Bite has so much initial stability, it's actually hard to edge, which I actually appreciate for the headwaters I mainly fish. I have the Bite. I was really pleasantly surprised at how well it paddles against the current. Even with the seat trimmed all the way forward it is still very manoeuvrable, too. The rs117 and flint would do better for edging in heavy rapids.

Great place to purchase a kayak. Chris the owner was awesome. He stocks a great selection and is knowledgeable. I highly recommend them.

@@markdoutdoors7965 awesome I’m looking at the bonafide kayak as well thanks for sharing

Yes I would. I actually think all three are very nice kayaks. I like the wheel in the keel feature on the Moken for transporting it on my own. It paddled really well but the seat even in the high position still made it a little difficult for me to stand. The Big Fish is extremely stable and has a very high seat with 4 seating positions and it has a removable pod which is perfect for mounting a fish finder and transducer on the bottom. The Big fish is just a heavy kayak at 90lbs and doesn’t track all that well with out the optional rudder. The Bonafide RS117 is over a foot longer than the Big Fish but much lighter. Tracks well and is extremely stable. I love the seat height and the tackle storage around the seat. Honestly it was hard for me to pick out something I didn’t like about the RS117. So out of the three the Bonafide wins!

@@markdoutdoors7965 Awesome thanks for the reply. I was looking at the Rs117 and the Moken after I heard the weight of the big fish. Now I just have to find one!

@@evo08gsr Not a problem. Glad I could be of assistance. Thank you for you comment and for subscribing! Yeah Bonafides can be tough to find.What area are you loc?

@@markdoutdoors7965 I'm in Northern Virginia. Not too far from MD. When I came across your channel I was like oh damn this dude ain't too far.

@@evo08gsr haha nope not too far man. If you are interested in a Bonafide check this place out (link below). It is on the eastern shore of Maryland. Might be a couple of hours from you but he was advertising he had Bonafides available recently. This is where I got mine. Talk to a guy name Chris. He owns the place and is a nice guy. www.bigbassusa.com/

Yeah lighting wasn’t ideal