Today I’m gonna compare the three sit-on-top kayaks I have at my home; Which are the Pelican Blitz 100X Kayak, Field & Stream AXE 100, and my wife’s which is the Pelican Bandit 100 NXT. To start off the simple specs…
Specs
| Kayaks: | Pelican Bandit 100 NXT | Pelican Blitz 100X Kayak | Field & Stream AXE 100 |
| Type: | Sit-On | Sit-On | Sit-On |
| Size: | 10ft L x 30in W | 9’6″L x 32in W | 10ft L x 30in W |
| Weight: | 40 lbs | 44 lbs | 49 lbs |
| Carry Capacity: | 300 lbs | 300 lbs | 280 lbs |
| Drink Holders: | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Foot Pegs: | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Scupper Holes: | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rod Holders: | No | Yes | Yes |
| Added Items: | No | Carry Case For Rear | No |
Features
All of them provide roughly the same features and specifications but the Pelican Blitz 100X is the only one with two drink holders and it comes with a standalone removable case. It’s also the shortest of the two with a slightly wider body.
The Field & Stream has a lighter weight limit of 280 pounds as the others have a 300-pound load capacity. Yet, it’s also, unfortunately, the heaviest at 49 pounds.
The Pelican Bandit 100 NXT is the lightest of the three at 40 pounds but unfortunately doesn’t have any fishing rod holes.
So when it comes to the features, both Pelicans are roughly tied but the Field & Stream is the clear loser as it’s the heaviest, with the lowest weight capacity.
Performance & Stability
As for performance and stability, both pelicans are nearly identical but I’ll give a very slight edge to the Pelican Blitz. I think it’s slightly more stable than the Bandit and even more so than the Field and stream. Both Pelican’s twin-arched multi-chine hull that enables higher speeds through rough waters while remaining stable.
Meanwhile, the Field & Stream AXE 100 has a sharper hull which helps you cut through waves better. Yet, it’s slightly harder to maneuver than the other two.
In my opinion, the Pelican Blitz provides slightly better performance than the other two. However, the difference between the blitz and bandit is extremely minimal. It’s close to unnoticeable.
Build Quality
As for the build quality, both the Bandit and Blitz are constructed of Pelicans patented RAM-X™ material providing a lightweight but tough build with impact-resistant capabilities. Me and my buddies used Blitz many types in a variety of situations and it never gave us any issues.
We’ve also used the Field & Stream AXE 100 in a variety of situations and for the extremely affordable price, being cheaper than the other two, its overall build does exceed the price range. However, it did come with serious issues that I had to fix after the first outing. This leads us to the downsides.
Downsides
While the Bandit has a minor downside of not having a fishing rod and the Blitz is the most expensive of the three, the Field & Stream came with a serious issue that was vital to fix. In various areas throughout the kayak, water was leaking through filling up inside of the hull which could be extremely dangerous. I ended up, patching the holes myself using a blow torch and plastic from a home depot bucket. But even after that, water seeps through in other areas, but not nearly enough to be worried about. However, I am going to fix the other areas where it leaks water soon.
Overall, the Field & Stream is the only kayak with a serious downside whereas the other downside is based more on opinion.
Our Winner
Out of all three kayaks, my favorite is the Pelican Blitz 100X due to its great build quality, additional features, stability, and shorter length for added convenience.
However, the Bandit 100 NXT might be a better bang for the buck if you don’t need fishing rod holders since it’s almost $100 cheaper and doesn’t lack much in performance compared to the Blitz. I hope this article helped, and if you liked it stay tuned for more. Thank you for reading!
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