# ascend thoughts???



## ErikGibb (Apr 29, 2016)

In the market for a new kayak. I would love to have something like a Jackson, but my budget says NO!!!! Can anyone with any experience with a ascend yak let me know the good, the bad, and the ugly about them. I will use them mainly in ponds and every blue moon in small creeks. Thanks for any help.  <((({


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## xg1004 (Apr 29, 2016)

I have an 2015 Ascend FS12T and I love it. It has plenty of space and room for storage. It also has ample room for modifications. Very stable kayak on the open water. 

I normally fish inshore, creeks/rivers, and never had any issues with the kayak. 

It is a little on the heavy side which if you are fishing mainly ponds then you don't really have to worry about paddling against the tide. That can be a little workout. 

If you don't have a truck it may be hassle to load on a car because of the length and weight (depending on which model you get). I tried once on a Ford Escape and gave up on it. I went the trailer route and made life easy. 

Hope this helps.


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## fish hawk (Apr 29, 2016)

I have a 2015 FS12t in camo and have put in a lot of time on the water in it.First for the good.
1 -Price,the $599.00 price tag makes it a great bargain for the budget minded kayaker.
2- Seat,the seat is very comfortable.I have a bad back and a   comfortable seat is a must.i can fish out of it all day with no back pain.
3-Size and storage.The 12t is a very roomy kayak with ample room for all your tackle and gear,large front and back decks would make it a great yak for overnight camping trips.
4- You can stand up on it,at 31",tunnel hull design and a very flat deck having the option of standing is a great asset for any kayak.
The bad:
1-Weight,77 lbs with the seat makes it kind of awkward to handle by myself sometimes,but i built me a cart for hard to get to spots,the coosa weighs 70 lbs with seat.
2-Tracking,the 12 t is not the greatest tracking kayak but is not really that bad,honestly i have fished from a friends coosa and the tracking on it is not that great either,although the coosa does handle whitewater better.
3-Hatches,I had to  reseal my hatches with silicone as water was getting inside the hull,bout a half gator aid bottle full after a day long float.Most of it  was due to the fact of a poorly designed and placed day hatch.They have reconfigured the 2016 models and this should not be a problem anymore.
4-paddling,the 12 t is not the most graceful or fastest paddler but I have had mine in just about any type of water you can think of,except the ocean, from the whitewater on the flint and chattahoochee to flat water ponds and lakes,knock on wood i have never been thrown from or tipped over in it.I have paddled in dam releases of 15,000 CFS and it has gotten the job done.
All and all I have been very happy with my 12t even though they seem to get a bad rap sometimes.


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## Bream Pole (Apr 30, 2016)

I have a Jackson Tripper 12  it and the Cruise 12 weigh 69 lbs with seat.  I can't imagine 8 more  lbs being a deal breaker and to me loading a Kayak on a car or suv would be the pits at any weight.  I can easliy slide mine in the back of my truck and have owned two other kayaks that weighed in the 70's which I loaded in the truck. No 12 ft Kayak is going to be fun trying to maneuver a great distance from vehicle to water. Get or build a cart if that is part of the plan. 

I have never been in an Ascend, but what was said about back trouble and comfort would sell me.  I got the Jackson for the seat.  No trouble whatsoever and the seat in the pictures posted look about like the Jackson seat.  Fine looking Kayak to me.  If that is in budget I'd sure go for it.  Just make sure you get that type seat and not the foam thing.  You can see the different seats for the ascend on the Bass Pro web site.  From all I read it is a good Kayak and a Kayak you can afford is better than not having a kayak.  Just my 2 cents


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## markland (May 2, 2016)

I have the Ascend FS12T as well and love it, does great on small rivers, creeks and open water, tons of room lot's of storage and the ability to stand up is very nice.  Have not had any issues with mine so far and very happy with the purchase.  Sat in that seat for almost 8hrs straight 1 day and never had any discomfort, in fact did not even realize we had been on the water that long until I checked my phone!


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## Flatlander (May 2, 2016)

The wife has the Ascend FS10 and it fits her perfect, the seat is outstanding, only thing
 I complain about is the weight...hauling it up and down to the truck is a pain.


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## TheRiverGiveth (May 2, 2016)

The only experience I have with them is a good friend of mine that I fish has one.  It seems to be sturdy and he has no complaints in the design BUT he gets a substantial amount of water every time he takes it out and that's on still water.  It's even worse on rivers.  He resealed the hatch and a few other tie downs, etc. but it still leaks.   It could be an anomaly but just thought you should know.


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## Kool Hand Luke (May 2, 2016)

Noi have the d10 sit in.i tryed sit on top. Tracked like crap in river. The back being open you can carry a big cooler. Its open like a canoe has cover that buckles over the bac. Weighs about thirty# to me alot more room and equip is not on top.it dosent tale on water at all. I like my equip being down low. Going under limbs. If need stand need jon boat.


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## The mtn man (May 5, 2016)

I have FS128t, I love it, I have 2 complaints though, there is an issue with leakage in a heavy rain, that's the only time I've had an issue with leakage, that's because the hatches position, I have the 2015 model that has the hatches flush with the deck, it's not terribly bad, if it comes a heavy rain , you just need to get out of rain, or after rain pull to shore and drain, the most I had was a couple gallons of water in hull, my second complaint is weight, the fs-128T is a tank weighing in at almost 100lbs. Otherwise, I love it


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## HydraYak (May 5, 2016)

I had a friend who had an ascend for a season. It leaked. Turns out the seals weren't really sealed and the hardware used was not stainless (rusted after on salt trip). This was several years back though so they might have changed some things to improve quality. If you're in the market for a lower end fishing kayak, I'd suggest the Vibe Sea Ghost. It's a smokin' deal. I'm also a big fan of Jacksons and sometimes you can find a good 2nd hand deal; Cuda, Coosa, Big Tuna, Big Rig.


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## fish hawk (May 5, 2016)

HydraYak said:


> I had a friend who had an ascend for a season. It leaked. Turns out the seals weren't really sealed and the hardware used was not stainless (rusted after on salt trip). This was several years back though so they might have changed some things to improve quality. If you're in the market for a lower end fishing kayak, I'd suggest the Vibe Sea Ghost. It's a smokin' deal. I'm also a big fan of Jacksons and sometimes you can find a good 2nd hand deal; Cuda, Coosa, Big Tuna, Big Rig.


I'm really digging the new sea ghost.They can hardly keep up with demand is what I'm hearing.


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## Gold Ranger (May 6, 2016)

I have the fs10 sit in kayak.  This will be my 4th year with it and I have no complaints.  Of course, it's the only kayak I've ever been in/on, so I have nothing to compare it to.


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## abolt2506 (May 14, 2016)

I have a fs128t great stable yak. I stand up and sight fish inshore out of it and have went down the rivers in it some.  Great fishing yak but it does have some draw backs that they may have fixed on the 2016model.
the hatches leak like a salad strainer one trip off the beach and had to turn around and go back in to drain the 10 gallons of water out.   
it is heavy 96lbs 
If slow and steady gets the worm you will have all the worms you need because it is SLOW but it is steady.  I have bowfished off mine several times shooting stingrays and gar 

the hardware on the seat will be rust 

even though there are some draw backs it fishes pretty good


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## 61BelAir (Oct 13, 2016)

We have a FS128T and a FS12T.   Both are 2016 models and they moved/raised the hatches and dry storage around some.   We've had them for a few months now and have done a 3 day trip down the Oconee River already.  We've also got caught in a few thunderstorms in them.   
I have had ZERO problems with leakage with the FS128T.   We really loaded (OVERLOADED) both of them down for the camping trip and still had no water inside the hull of my 128.   The FS12T has taken on a small amount of water in the hull.   I'd guess less than a cup full of water total for the whole time we've used it.   These are also the first kayaks I've been in that the little dry storage compartment stayed dry.   
Neither of us had any experience standing up in kayaks, but found it incredibly easy in both of them.   The padding and especially the pull assist strap are really nice on the FS128T, but aren't necessary for standing.   They could be easily added to the FS12T.
Out of the 2, we both like the FS12T the most overall due to it's lighter weight and lower price.   I just knew we'd need the increased internal storage of the 128 for longer overnight trips.   Rods placed in the 2 forward holders on the 128 are in the way if you are casting, but I can see them being helpful if you were fishing on bottom or using a cork.     

Be sure to check in your local store as we were able to save about $100 on the FS12T in the clearance section.   They said someone had returned it, but I could not find any signs that it had ever been on the water or even loaded in a truck before.  

While I don't doubt others above, I can't comment about them being slow because they still float downriver quicker than we fish.


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## Davis31052 (Oct 18, 2016)

*Ascend*

I have an FS10 as well as my GF, and my daughter and son in law.  Good boats for the money.


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## fish hawk (Nov 16, 2016)

FS12T is on sale black Friday for $549.00 with a free kayak cart included


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## Tadpole23 (Nov 20, 2016)

*Love mine*

I got a fs12t and I love it. It's a little slow but no problem for me. Been in some ruff waves and had alot of water on the deck but the hatch didn't leak much. Have had me all my gear and 7 foot sharks in mine no problem plus take mine hunting and have deer in the front with no problem.


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## fish hawk (Nov 21, 2016)

Tadpole23 said:


> I got a fs12t and I love it. It's a little slow but no problem for me. Been in some ruff waves and had alot of water on the deck but the hatch didn't leak much. Have had me all my gear and 7 foot sharks in mine no problem plus take mine hunting and have deer in the front with no problem.



Awesome


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## LittleDrummerBoy (Dec 2, 2016)

My son and I share the FS128.  Very stable.  Great seat.  Leaks way too much from the top (waves in rough water or rain).  Great on Lanier on good days.  Sub optimal in the Gulf when the wind blows.


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## AllTerrainAngler (Dec 8, 2016)

I have a 2016 128T. Love it. Hunted from it. Fish from it. And my dog is usually with me. I built a duck blind over it and it's still stable. If you're in the Macon/wr area you can gladly try it out.


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