It would be nice to see Delta kick it up a notch, get some different colours, at least for special order, I once saw an older purple boat that looked really sharp. Plus I read they used to come with rescue straps on there boats. I always add them to my boats and add vinyl tubing to the deck lines directly behind the cockpit for a better grab.
I have owned my Delta 16 for 12 years and I’ve paddled it thousands of kilometres. If it was ever irreparably damaged, I would immediately go and buy another Delta 16…. Nothing negative to say about it after 12 years of ownership!
We are not that familiar with kayaks, but we were really enjoying your cinematography skills! We are looking forward to some more adventures on your channel.
Looks like a great kayak. Might have to check that out one day when I am finally in the market for one. Also loved the stopping for a good cup of tea. Cheers!
Mike have you ever paddled the Delta 16’? I went to a kayak demo paddle yesterday and tried the Delta 15.5, 16 and 17. First my current boat is a 14’ P&H Venture Islay skeg boat similar to the Delphin, 23” width, with moderate rocker, it turns easily with the skeg up and tracks well with it down. P and H skegs are long. It holds lots as it only has two hatches. It’s 10 years old and I was just thinking about upgrading. I’m 6’2” 240lbs, size 13 feet. It was interesting to paddle some other boats after all that time, watching other paddlers in other boats, some going faster and wondering how my boat speed, and handling compares. I paddled all three Deltas several times on a calm lake. Compared to my 14 , the 15 felt a little too roomy, too round, not as tippy, harder to turn and tiring to paddle. The 17 was marginally faster, but interestingly not as fast as my 14, still felt harder to paddle not as tippy, harder to turn , has a nice foot area and tracks well. The 16 was notably faster , a little faster than my 14 and about as tippy, it tracks well, turns the best of the three, had the least foot room, but about the same as my 14, I just wonder about paddling it in lumpy waters. Deltas have really comfortable seats, my 14 seat I don’t find overly comfortable at the rear of my butt. I would get a skeg boat for sure as I found the rudder hard on the shoulder to pull down, a bit awkward with my big feet. Paddled with a skeg to long I guess. So now I’m still wondering about the 16 vs 17
I have a Delta 17 and my wife has a 15s. I'm 5'10" 175lbs, so I can just squeeze into her boat. Even though the hull design is the same, it's interesting to see how the size/ proportion difference along with a different size motor make a difference. I stress 'motor' because that's what makes the ship go. Since I am bigger and stronger than the 15s was designed for, I can get way more performance out of it. The Delta 17 on the other hand benefits a bigger man of your stature-- for the exact same reasons. The 17 also has better glide and I find it easy to settle into a 'slower' but more powerful (Euro-blade) stroke where I'm rotating my body side to side with a slightly longer stroke-- the same body motion as a long distance speed skater. I find the glide on the 17 is what makes this kayak a pleasure to paddle as it maintains it's speed before the next 'catch'. She's a cruiser.
Hi Mike. very interesting videos. My wife and I are buying Deltas shortly. She'll be going with the 15s - fits her perfect. I am 6' 220lb. Leaning towards the 17 - but will look hard at the 15GT. Any preference at this point??? Also not sure about the skeg or rudder. We're on Lake Nipissing - so can blow pretty good. Like that the skeg is "cleaner", but is the rudder not better for open water? Am getting up in years and need all the help I can get (if the rudder makes that much difference). Also considering Greenland paddles and noticed you have the Gearlab Kalleq, as well as wood. Is the Gearlab a no brainer? I have seen videos of the wooden Greenland in use and the fluttering seems quite pronounced. Thanks.
The 15.5 is a very high volume kayak. It is designed for very large paddlers or hauling a lot of gear. The 17 on the other hand has similar volume but longer. It has a better paddling coefficient and has a more efficient speed. If volume is not that important then I would seriously consider the 16. It’s closer in size to your wife’s kayak so they’re better matched to paddle together. As for Skeg versus rudder, the only reason a rudder would be better than a Skeg is to make up for poor paddling technique. They are both design to do exactly the same thing, however people have become a custom to using a Rudder for steering which it is not intended. Quite honestly after owning the 15.5 as well as the 17 I have hardly ever used either the Rudder or the Skeg because of the design of the kayaks. I prefer Skeg 100%. As for Greenland paddles it’s important to use a couple of simple techniques when starting to use one. There are many good videos giving tips on how to hold a Greenland paddle. It’s important to have an 18° angle to eliminate the flutter. Once you learn to hold the paddle offset it would become intuitive and you will no longer have flutter . It’s always good to start with a Wood Greenland paddle. The gear lab paddle is incredible especially for technical rolling. It really slices the water efficiently. But there’s nothing like the feel of wood in your hands on a long day paddle. Good luck on your kayak journey! There’s so much fun and joy to be shared.
Mike, I’m going to be test paddling a Delta 17 next weekend, it will be a rudder version. I’m kind of a skeg guy like you, and unfortunately in Vancouver the two shops that sell Deltas only carry rudder versions. I’m not sure why they never have skeg boats in stock. A skeg boat is a special order. I see Outdoors Oriented sells skeg Delta boats. My feet are size 13 so I always sit with them in a V shape, heels together, toes apart and those rudder pedals seem awkward to press then. Have you ever paddled the rudder version? Any comments you could give me about both versions? Thx Kevin
I’m surprised that they can’t get you a skeg version! Especially seeing as Delta kayaks are made in BC! However the rudder version is as good as a rudder version gets. my first Delta was a rudder. Luckily they are gas pedal design. You can still brace and basically just use your toes for wind correction. I have size 14 and there’s still lots of extra play room wise. Enjoy your test paddle. Would love to hear what you think. 😊👍
I have the 14 and the 16, both skeg only, use them in different locations. I ordered the 14 from a small paddle shop in Minnesota. They didn’t have any problem placing the order ahead of time, added it to their existing order - in late summer or fall is when a lot of the paddle shops will place their big orders for early spring shipment. Where I live, no Delta dealers close by, really no choice but to special order one and travel a big distance to get it (this is same with trying to get any of the Eddyline kayaks too). REI is a crap-shoot, can’t special order one from them, they decide what to stock, but most dealers should be able to get what you want - I think Delta can make any of the touring models with skeg only (14, 15s, 15.5, 16, 17), you just have to order and wait for it.
Thanks for this, one question for you. Many Delta owners have had problems with spray skirts not staying on very well when rolling because the cockpit rim on these boats are not nearly as aggressive as some other kayaks. I was hoping you could tell us what skirt you use when you do rolls, it’s difficult to get a consensus on that when reading the forums. I enjoy your videos.
Great question. Thanks for stopping by. I used to have a Delta cover that popped off a couple of times. They are designed for light touring. Not so much for rolling and major body movements in the cockpit so they will have a tendency to come off the corner. I have a couple of more aggressive cockpit covers designed for ocean play. The level six king skirt is my favorite. It has gel grips along the bottom edge of the skirt that hold tight on to the delta rims. Also I have a seals 1.7 shocker that works good as well. I think this is most likely a problem on a lot of kayaks. Hopefully this helps.
@@MikeProut Thanks Mike. I also have the Delta 17, and have tried a couple different skirts with inconsistent results - I'd like to get one with a rubber rand. What cockpit size do you use for your Level 6 King?
I bought the Level 6 King based on your recommendation Mike. I bought the Large size with XL tunnel size (waist 40). It did fit very tight untilI soaked it in warm water the first time, stretched it on, then let it dry while it was on. It has worked fine ever since.
I actually owned the 15.5 before I owned the 17. In all honesty I just wanted to try them both. The 15.5 has a ton of extra capacity. It had a lot of extra volume that I didn’t need. The 17 has a lower deck volume And is slightly faster. Which basically translated to the 17 having a more efficient paddle speed for longer distances and having a lower deck means it was better for play and rolling. They were both great boats and I enjoyed owning both of them. If you’re into packing a lot of gear and camping out of your kayak then the 15 five is a good choice. However if you like doing some distance and having a more efficient performance boat the 17 is more optimum.
@@MikeProut I am the exact same size as you but my feet are size 12.. Is the 15.5 good for our body type or is the 17 better? Online the stats show that the 17 has more storage space..
I think the 17 would be a better fit for you. Do you have a retailer near you where you could try both boats? Size 12 feet would be absolutely no problem for either kayak.
@@MikeProut No, unfortunately I don't have anything near. Which is why I am interrogating you haha. I was going to order the 15.5 GT because of reviews I've watched. But since watching your video, I began to wonder of the 17 would be more appropriate for my size. We have many lakes around and canoe circuits that I would like to go on, which take between 3 to 10 days to complete, from what I am told. I have tried a friends kayak before and have been on a few canoe camping trips when I was younger. I enjoy the kayak a lot more but I only have like 2 hours of experience with them haha. I may have to make a journey to try some. The nearest kayak store, with touring/sea kayaks is an 8 hour drive away from me.. There are some closer but they just have fishing kayaks and small white water kayaks. Thank you for your time!
It would be nice to see Delta kick it up a notch, get some different colours, at least for special order, I once saw an older purple boat that looked really sharp. Plus I read they used to come with rescue straps on there boats. I always add them to my boats and add vinyl tubing to the deck lines directly behind the cockpit for a better grab.
I completely agree! A color refresh would be awesome. Sounds like you know how to dial your boat in perfectly. 😊👍
I have owned my Delta 16 for 12 years and I’ve paddled it thousands of kilometres. If it was ever irreparably damaged, I would immediately go and buy another Delta 16…. Nothing negative to say about it after 12 years of ownership!
Agreed! Awesome kayaks. Glad to here you are happy with it!
I got mine last year, love it!
We are not that familiar with kayaks, but we were really enjoying your cinematography skills! We are looking forward to some more adventures on your channel.
Thank you so much for the kind words! 😊🙏 very much appreciate it. Stay tuned!
@@MikeProut for sure
😊👍
Very well done Mike, great review, thoroughly enjoyed it
Thanks brother!
Congratulations on a successful purchase. She is a real beauty! I wish you good travels together and new cool videos.
Thank you! Stay tuned! 😊👍
Looks like a great kayak. Might have to check that out one day when I am finally in the market for one. Also loved the stopping for a good cup of tea. Cheers!
It’s all about stopping for a good tea! 😊👍 Definitely worth a good look and a test paddle.
great video and i love your kayak looks awesome hello from Australia
Thank you for leaving a kind comment! Very much appreciated. Wonderful to connect with someone from Australia! Cheers!
Mike have you ever paddled the Delta 16’? I went to a kayak demo paddle yesterday and tried the Delta 15.5, 16 and 17. First my current boat is a 14’ P&H Venture Islay skeg boat similar to the Delphin, 23” width, with moderate rocker, it turns easily with the skeg up and tracks well with it down. P and H skegs are long. It holds lots as it only has two hatches. It’s 10 years old and I was just thinking about upgrading. I’m 6’2” 240lbs, size 13 feet. It was interesting to paddle some other boats after all that time, watching other paddlers in other boats, some going faster and wondering how my boat speed, and handling compares. I paddled all three Deltas several times on a calm lake. Compared to my 14 , the 15 felt a little too roomy, too round, not as tippy, harder to turn and tiring to paddle. The 17 was marginally faster, but interestingly not as fast as my 14, still felt harder to paddle not as tippy, harder to turn , has a nice foot area and tracks well. The 16 was notably faster , a little faster than my 14 and about as tippy, it tracks well, turns the best of the three, had the least foot room, but about the same as my 14, I just wonder about paddling it in lumpy waters. Deltas have really comfortable seats, my 14 seat I don’t find overly comfortable at the rear of my butt. I would get a skeg boat for sure as I found the rudder hard on the shoulder to pull down, a bit awkward with my big feet. Paddled with a skeg to long I guess. So now I’m still wondering about the 16 vs 17
I have a Delta 17 and my wife has a 15s. I'm 5'10" 175lbs, so I can just squeeze into her boat. Even though the hull design is the same, it's interesting to see how the size/ proportion difference along with a different size motor make a difference. I stress 'motor' because that's what makes the ship go. Since I am bigger and stronger than the 15s was designed for, I can get way more performance out of it. The Delta 17 on the other hand benefits a bigger man of your stature-- for the exact same reasons. The 17 also has better glide and I find it easy to settle into a 'slower' but more powerful (Euro-blade) stroke where I'm rotating my body side to side with a slightly longer stroke-- the same body motion as a long distance speed skater. I find the glide on the 17 is what makes this kayak a pleasure to paddle as it maintains it's speed before the next 'catch'. She's a cruiser.
Thanks for your comment and awesome input. Totally agree! I can squeeze into a 15s as well. Lol. Although it’s really tight. 😊👍
Mike...you really make great video's...wish you would produce a few more.
Thank you sir! That means a lot!
Shiny red Deltas are the best!
😊🙏100% agreed!
Review starts about the 5 min mark.
👍
Hi Mike. very interesting videos. My wife and I are buying Deltas shortly. She'll be going with the 15s - fits her perfect. I am 6' 220lb. Leaning towards the 17 - but will look hard at the 15GT. Any preference at this point??? Also not sure about the skeg or rudder. We're on Lake Nipissing - so can blow pretty good. Like that the skeg is "cleaner", but is the rudder not better for open water? Am getting up in years and need all the help I can get (if the rudder makes that much difference). Also considering Greenland paddles and noticed you have the Gearlab Kalleq, as well as wood. Is the Gearlab a no brainer? I have seen videos of the wooden Greenland in use and the fluttering seems quite pronounced. Thanks.
The 15.5 is a very high volume kayak. It is designed for very large paddlers or hauling a lot of gear. The 17 on the other hand has similar volume but longer. It has a better paddling coefficient and has a more efficient speed. If volume is not that important then I would seriously consider the 16. It’s closer in size to your wife’s kayak so they’re better matched to paddle together.
As for Skeg versus rudder, the only reason a rudder would be better than a Skeg is to make up for poor paddling technique. They are both design to do exactly the same thing, however people have become a custom to using a Rudder for steering which it is not intended. Quite honestly after owning the 15.5 as well as the 17 I have hardly ever used either the Rudder or the Skeg because of the design of the kayaks. I prefer Skeg 100%.
As for Greenland paddles it’s important to use a couple of simple techniques when starting to use one. There are many good videos giving tips on how to hold a Greenland paddle. It’s important to have an 18° angle to eliminate the flutter. Once you learn to hold the paddle offset it would become intuitive and you will no longer have flutter . It’s always good to start with a Wood Greenland paddle. The gear lab paddle is incredible especially for technical rolling. It really slices the water efficiently. But there’s nothing like the feel of wood in your hands on a long day paddle.
Good luck on your kayak journey! There’s so much fun and joy to be shared.
Interested in your dry suit , have you done a review of that? What brand is it?
Yes. I have done a couple of reviews. I will put a couple links below.
czcams.com/video/Az10TPkNRsY/video.html
czcams.com/video/zHViMR9lMyI/video.html
Mike, I’m going to be test paddling a Delta 17 next weekend, it will be a rudder version. I’m kind of a skeg guy like you, and unfortunately in Vancouver the two shops that sell Deltas only carry rudder versions. I’m not sure why they never have skeg boats in stock. A skeg boat is a special order. I see Outdoors Oriented sells skeg Delta boats. My feet are size 13 so I always sit with them in a V shape, heels together, toes apart and those rudder pedals seem awkward to press then. Have you ever paddled the rudder version? Any comments you could give me about both versions? Thx Kevin
I’m surprised that they can’t get you a skeg version! Especially seeing as Delta kayaks are made in BC! However the rudder version is as good as a rudder version gets. my first Delta was a rudder. Luckily they are gas pedal design. You can still brace and basically just use your toes for wind correction. I have size 14 and there’s still lots of extra play room wise. Enjoy your test paddle. Would love to hear what you think. 😊👍
I have the 14 and the 16, both skeg only, use them in different locations. I ordered the 14 from a small paddle shop in Minnesota. They didn’t have any problem placing the order ahead of time, added it to their existing order - in late summer or fall is when a lot of the paddle shops will place their big orders for early spring shipment. Where I live, no Delta dealers close by, really no choice but to special order one and travel a big distance to get it (this is same with trying to get any of the Eddyline kayaks too). REI is a crap-shoot, can’t special order one from them, they decide what to stock, but most dealers should be able to get what you want - I think Delta can make any of the touring models with skeg only (14, 15s, 15.5, 16, 17), you just have to order and wait for it.
Thanks for this, one question for you. Many Delta owners have had problems with spray skirts not staying on very well when rolling because the cockpit rim on these boats are not nearly as aggressive as some other kayaks. I was hoping you could tell us what skirt you use when you do rolls, it’s difficult to get a consensus on that when reading the forums. I enjoy your videos.
Great question. Thanks for stopping by. I used to have a Delta cover that popped off a couple of times. They are designed for light touring. Not so much for rolling and major body movements in the cockpit so they will have a tendency to come off the corner. I have a couple of more aggressive cockpit covers designed for ocean play. The level six king skirt is my favorite. It has gel grips along the bottom edge of the skirt that hold tight on to the delta rims. Also I have a seals 1.7 shocker that works good as well. I think this is most likely a problem on a lot of kayaks. Hopefully this helps.
Yes it does Mike, thanks!
@@MikeProut Thanks Mike. I also have the Delta 17, and have tried a couple different skirts with inconsistent results - I'd like to get one with a rubber rand. What cockpit size do you use for your Level 6 King?
Yeah, I have had real trouble with my immersion research shockwave staying on. Obviously you are not having the problem. Great video. Thanks!
I bought the Level 6 King based on your recommendation Mike. I bought the Large size with XL tunnel size (waist 40). It did fit very tight untilI soaked it in warm water the first time, stretched it on, then let it dry while it was on. It has worked fine ever since.
Why did you chose the 17 over the 15.5 GT?
I actually owned the 15.5 before I owned the 17. In all honesty I just wanted to try them both. The 15.5 has a ton of extra capacity. It had a lot of extra volume that I didn’t need. The 17 has a lower deck volume And is slightly faster. Which basically translated to the 17 having a more efficient paddle speed for longer distances and having a lower deck means it was better for play and rolling. They were both great boats and I enjoyed owning both of them. If you’re into packing a lot of gear and camping out of your kayak then the 15 five is a good choice. However if you like doing some distance and having a more efficient performance boat the 17 is more optimum.
@@MikeProut I am the exact same size as you but my feet are size 12.. Is the 15.5 good for our body type or is the 17 better? Online the stats show that the 17 has more storage space..
I think the 17 would be a better fit for you. Do you have a retailer near you where you could try both boats? Size 12 feet would be absolutely no problem for either kayak.
@@MikeProut No, unfortunately I don't have anything near. Which is why I am interrogating you haha. I was going to order the 15.5 GT because of reviews I've watched. But since watching your video, I began to wonder of the 17 would be more appropriate for my size. We have many lakes around and canoe circuits that I would like to go on, which take between 3 to 10 days to complete, from what I am told. I have tried a friends kayak before and have been on a few canoe camping trips when I was younger. I enjoy the kayak a lot more but I only have like 2 hours of experience with them haha. I may have to make a journey to try some. The nearest kayak store, with touring/sea kayaks is an 8 hour drive away from me.. There are some closer but they just have fishing kayaks and small white water kayaks. Thank you for your time!
I think you will be happy either way. Good luck and enjoy your new kayak when you get it.😊👍
Весло плохое. Надо спортивное
This is making me want to get out in the water right now. I don’t know anything about kayaks but enjoyed the review. Man does that ever look fast! 🛶
Ive got extra kayaks! Just say the word and we’ll be paddling! Thank you so much for watching my friend!