Lightweight for easy loading and unloading. Convenient storage, very comfortable seat, easy to adjust, absolutely no complaints. The skeg helps steering a lot.

I bought an Aspire at REI around 10 years ago. It’s still going strong, and it sits outside all year round. Just got this one for wifey, so we can do a river float nearby- and do a few lakes. You can’t go wrong with the great design, skeg tracking, and back support for us old farts. Very stable & maneuverable. Company also sells replacement parts, as my old knee rest pads are showing some wear. Fair prices 👍

I've owned well over a dozen (maybe 2 dozen) kayaks over the last 20+ years of Kayaking. From 17ft sea kayaks, to sit on tops and even some high end inflatables. Although I still have a sea kayak, sit on top, and Inflatable, this WS Aspire 105 has become my favorite, most used all around Kayak.I purchased this in Spring of 2023 but waited until now (late fall 2023) to give my review after several dozen outings with her.I live in the Midwest so my sea kayak is really overkill for me unless I'm on Lake Michigan, which is only a couple times a season. I wanted a lighter weight, more stable, carefree kayak for my everyday local kayaking.I first tried the new Pungo 120 and after half a dozen outings I sold it. For me the Pungo did not track/glide well for me. Many correction strokes were required especially when paddling at a leisurely pace. The V bottom of the Pungo was not like my Sea kayaks V bottoms I've owned. It did not add to the tracking or glide, it just made it rock from side to side especially when coasting.I have retractable skegs on my sea kayaks and I always prefer that feature over a rudder in my longer boats, and wished the Pungo had one.I decided to try the Aspire 105 mainly because of the skeg feature. WOW, what a difference. Even though this Aspire is not even 11 feet long, It tracks/glides as well as, and in some cases even better than, some of my past sea kayaks with the skeg down! The stability is as stable as my sit on top kayak (also a WS), I can actually stand while getting in and out of it from a launching pier. The kayak weight is relatively light compared to other kayaks I've owned, and the Aspire is well balanced for carrying on your shoulder for short portages.I always loved WS kayaks because the seat is so comfortable, the Aspire seat included. I love the large cockpit opening and the integrated small dash area (I hated and never used the Pungo removable dashboard). I also purchased the full splash skirt with full zipper, extending kayak season for when it gets colder out, keeping the warmth inside the cockpit (and also cold water drips).I have had this kayak on larger lakes with 2 to 3 foot chop and in windy conditions and the stability and tracking is incredible to me, it handles like a much longer boat.Is the Aspire as fast as sea kayaks, No, but I'm not competing or trying to break any records, I kayak for enjoyment, relaxation, and exercise. It's also not the slowest kayak I've ever had either, with the tracking so outstanding, I believe its as fast if not faster than the Pungo which gets high overall reviews.For those who may be wondering, I did contact WS about my Pungo before I sold it and sent then many photos of the hull, body, etc...thinking there may be a manufacturing issue causing my poor experience with it. They were willing to send another copy of the Pungo if they could see any signs of a defect, but there was none. I then decided to sell it, but I did not lose any $$ because I got it on sale and when I sold it it was still in like new condition and the price went up.I've always loved WS kayaks, and the Aspire 105 has become my favorite current all around use kayak.

One of the best all purpose recreational kayaks out there, period.This is a well built kayak that feels a decent bit lighter than the equivalent weight Perception Joyride at 50lbs that I checked out at a store, even though this has a much nicer well designed metal frames seat, a skeg, much more load capacity and a skid plate!!! I can carry it with one hand (5-10 160 lbs male) holding the side edge near the seat for 50-100 feet, but recommend a kayak cart for longer distances. The rear bulkhead was actually well sealed (which was a huge plus, the description on WS says its merely got foam floation blocks - this must have a been a late additional model year upgrade in July 2022 when my Kayak was built). The Seat is so good NO other non-WS kayak has anything like it, its much better than the seats in even the expensive Eddyline kayaks.The galaxy color is different Vs the photo on WS and amazon (no black in it but dark blue), but still excellent (see my photo).Delivery was on time per the Amazon estimated delivery window, driver called me 10 mins away. Kayak had cardboard below and was wrapped in plastic - all in all it was LIGHTLY packaged which made for easy disposal but risked being damaged. Fortunately the kayak was perfect. The only negative was the deliver driver and his assistant didnt wait while I inspected the kayak, they said it would be in good condition and dropped it off and drove away, lol. If the kayak was damaged given they didnt let me inspect it I would have rated the delivery much lower.

I originally had the pungo 120 and it was so unstable, tippy and too long to maneuver in rivers. Because I loved the seat in my pungo, I stuck with wilderness systems and opted to try the aspire 105 as it was available when no others were because of covid. And I'm so glad I got it! It's very steady in the water and is easy to get in and out of. I think part of why it's more stable is its slightly wider than the pungo. Also, unlike the pungo the aspire has a skeg which works perfectly to keep the kayak straight. The cup holder is secure and in a comfortable place. The seat is amazing and customizable. Its nice to sit up a little higher when your back needs a break from lounging and paddling. I would highly recommend this kayak for calm rivers and lakes.

This kayak is fantastic, the three stars is only because my experience with Amazon and the XPO delivery company was horrible. Long story short, the kayak was delivered 1 month late and damaged. Amazon gave misinformation about delivery times multiple times, and XPO did a terrible job properly handling the boat, not to mention NO masks on delivery in the middle of a pandemic. Back to the kayak, this kayak is fabulous. Super comfortable seat, tracks well, retractable skeg works wonders in wind/current. The kayak is worth the money, but buy it from a licensed dealer. The marginal discount isn’t worth the hassle.

This is a great boat and exactly what I was hoping for. The skeg makes a HUGE difference and keeps tracking true. The seat is really great. It's comfortable for 3+ hours, and amazingly adjustable. The bulkhead/storage is spacious and dry. I prefer a slightly wider boat, and I can even cross my legs in this one. Super stable but still very quick in the water, and tracks great. At 48lbs, I can get it up on the car by myself with little effort. On top of it all, I love the color! Solid boat, highly recommended.