Wilderness Systems Aspire 105 Review

It's hard to blend glide and maneuverability seamlessly in one boat. Wilderness Systems does it here in the high-quality, feature-rich Aspire 105.

Performance Comparison

Glide and Tracking

Kayaks are designed to glide smoothly and continuously along the water without much effort or resistance, allowing you to pass through your surroundings quietly and stealthily. In most cases, slender, lighter boats with exaggerated V-shaped hulls will slice through water and waves with less friction, making for easy and flowing movement. That said, with today's technology and ingenuity, boat manufacturers have found new ways to transfer some of the attributes of long and narrow designs to help smaller and wider kayaks glide. Even with the girthy 29-inch beam, its compact 10-foot, 6-inch length, and its flattened hull, the Wilderness Systems design team was able to design the Aspire 105 to track and glide with surprising skill.

The drop-down skeg and dual inverted keel lines help this kayak track and glide, making up for what it lost when they gave it a flatter hull with little to no integrated keel (a flat hull promotes stability.) The boat's relatively hard chines (where the bottom and sides join) bolster tracking, which allows for a smoother, more uninterrupted paddle and ride. Additionally, the bow's pronounced V-shaped nose and upswept hull cut through the water, keeping the boat straight.

Stability

As mentioned above, the flatter hull on the Aspire helps create its notable stability. With the pointed bow and drop-down skeg, which is controlled by a pull cord, paddlers get the sense they are gliding along in a much more proficient touring-style kayak. The upswept bow and pointed nose help it slice through the water and track with less effort, feeling stable and secure all the while. This kayak will ride up and over waves easier than most boats of its size. Still, even with all these features promoting straight tracking and glide, this kayak could never keep up with an actual touring kayak, which is designed strictly for speed and efficiency over longer distances. But that's what makes the Aspire such a great choice — you receive a little bit of everything, from very reliable tracking and glide to excellent stability and maneuverability.

Maneuverability

Typically, shorter and wider kayaks are much easier to turn and maneuver around in tight spaces. That's one of the benefits of having a smaller recreational boat compared to a much longer and less maneuverable touring boat. Wider, more maneuverable vessels will have a flat bottom and a much less exaggerated keel from bow to stern. The Aspire 105 has both of these design features and is very easy to move around as a result. This boat's size and hull design make it incredibly simple to turn around 180 degrees with just a couple of sweep strokes. At times this kayak almost felt and handled like a whitewater kayak and is a fun and playful boat to paddle.

To make up for the boat's shortness and wider berth, Wilderness Systems added those dual inverted keel lines and a spring-loaded drop-down skeg. There is a trade-off when using the skeg, however. Dropping it down will keep your boat from veering off course in windy and choppy conditions. It will also significantly diminish your ability to make a short-radius turn. But that's the nice thing about being able to raise or lower it — you can choose the amount of glide or maneuverability you'd like at any given time.

Ease of Transport

At 10 feet, 6 inches long the Aspire 105 is still on the smaller end for a recreational kayak, despite possessing some touring kayak features. It's heavy, but even at 48 pounds, it's still light enough to wrangle onto a car's roof rack and small enough to fit into a van or in the back of a pickup truck.

The durable, grippy, soft rubber that covers the carrying straps on the bow and stern prevents the polypropylene webbing from cutting into your hands while portaging your boat to your vehicle or around obstacles. If you do choose to shoulder this boat by yourself, be aware that it can be difficult. The seat's hardware connects to the kayak right around the perfect balance point for carrying this kayak on your shoulder. It can be done, but it feels a little awkward and unbalanced at first. It may take some getting used to before trying to walk long distances.

Comfort

Wilderness Systems offers state-of-the-art design and attention to detail regarding comfort. The Phase 3 Airpro seating system is highly functional, extremely comfortable, and can contour to any size paddler. This ensures a snug contact point for more control and efficient paddling.

Ergonomic elements are abundant in this seating system, starting with the comfortably contoured seat and backrest. Specialized foam padding with vent holes varies in density to provide extra cushioning under your legs and around your spine while also comfortably supporting your sit bones. The flexible backrest provides a cutaway for spinal support and moves with your back. The well-thought-out leg lifter area has a softer edge and is contoured under your thighs, cupping your bottom securely in the seat.

The Airpro system also features a tough, durable mesh cushion covering that promotes ventilation, keeping your back and the padding in your seat dry. Easily accessible controls are thoughtfully situated to eliminate strain while adjusting the seat. Wilderness Systems also used simple, highly visible icons on each strap to identify their adjustment points and functions.

Padded thigh and knee bolsters or braces along the inner coaming of the cockpit not only provide a little cushion and protection from the hard, narrow plastic but also help you lock into a more stable paddling posture.

The Aspire 105 leads the industry with its Sidelock XL Foot Brace system. It places the foot brace adjustment beside your thighs, allowing you to adjust them while seated.

The generously-sized cockpit makes for easy access in and out, even for larger paddlers. But on windy and wavy days, you might want to consider investing in a spray skirt to stretch around this large cockpit. This will keep waves from breaching the cockpit and swamping your boat with water.

Construction Quality

At first glance, this kayak looks incredibly strong, sturdy, well-designed, and seaworthy. The high-density roto-molded linear polyethylene will withstand years of use. With just a minimal amount of care in transporting and storing this kayak, you can keep it like new for years to come.

Now let's take a moment to talk about the durability of the features and outfitting, starting with the seat. The Phase 3 Airpro 3 might as well be a high-end camping chair. The seat cup, the leg lifters, and the seat back are constructed with very strong, durable plastic. Firm, supportive foam cushions feel and look like they can withstand whatever mother nature may send their way, and the tightly woven mesh covers are resilient and difficult to tear.

The webbing for the seat back and leg lift adjusters, and the bow and stern grips are sufficiently reliable for their applications. The bungees used in the seating system and on the bow and aft of the cockpit are high-quality and thick enough to stand up to frequent use over many seasons. The Sidelock XL Foot Brace system is well designed, and the foot braces and bracket, which lock into different setting slots on the side rail, seem durable. However, the adjustment bar that slides the foot braces up and down on the attached rail might need extra-gentle use because the plastic feels slightly flimsy.

As for the Orbix dry storage stern hatch, it is well-built and watertight. We filled the cockpit with water and left it overnight to see if it would seep through the silicone-glued sealed foam barrier. Not a drop came through, but we still aren't 100% convinced that this watertight seal will last the life of the boat without a little do-it-yourself maintenance down the road.

Should You Buy the Wilderness Systems Aspire 105?

Wilderness Systems boats usually price out a couple of hundred dollars above an entry-level kayak, but their value and construction stand up to their price tag. The quality of its outrigging, the comfort in its seat and cockpit, and the durability of its construction alone will outlast any of its cheaper rivals and make up for the added cost of this boat. Add in the boat's exceptional versatility and all the extra features, and you will see why the Aspire 105 is well worth a little extra cash.

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