Ocean Kayak Malibu Two Tandem Kayak Review
It’s impossible to overstate our love for the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two Tandem Kayak, and these sentiments are shared by many others. Ocean Kayak even claims that this is the most popular sit-on-top tandem kayak in the world.
This kayak has been brilliantly designed for versatility, and as a result, it can handle almost anything.
The 34” beam, along with a triple-layered hull, result in incredible stability, so you can safely paddle it in bays, lakes, rivers, marshes, swamps, and in the ocean. Not only is it safe, but it also provides a comfortable ride in calm or choppy waters.
The versatility allows you to use it for touring, fishing, and diving. And if you want a real thrill, you can ride it in the surf. Ocean Kayak is known for making high-quality durable products and the Malibu Two Tandem Kayak is no exception. It should give you many years and even decades of fun if properly cared for, due to its triple-layered polyethylene hull.
What makes this kayak even more fun is that it has 3 seating positions with a weight capacity of 425 pounds, so the whole family can be comfortable riding in it. You can also take it out for solo rides. If you tend to feel hemmed in when in tight spaces, you’ll love how spacious the cockpit is on this sit-on-top kayak.
As we continue this review, we’ll go into more detail about the features and performance on the water. You need to have a clear idea of what it’s like in order to determine whether this kayak would be your best option.
Why People Across the World Love This Kayak
- Offers amazing versatility
- Has outstanding stability, which makes even beginners feel safe
- Exceptionally high weight capacity allows for multiple riders
- Very spacious and comfortable
- Made of high-quality materials with long-lasting durability
- You can ride it solo, tandem, or with your family
- The hull comes with a lifetime warranty
Features
The very basic kayak design of the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two is what makes it so versatile. A single paddler, two paddlers, or two paddlers with two kids plus the family pet can comfortably ride onboard.
What gives this kayak its outstanding durability and stability is its triple-layered polyethylene hull. It can be safely ridden on calm waters, in medium-sized waves, larger ocean swells, and even in powerboat wakes.
Other features are as follows:
- Open cockpit with three seating positions to accommodate two paddlers and one or two kids.
- Paddlers have multiple footrests with overlapping footwells so the paddlers in the center can brace their legs.
- Molded-in seat wells accommodate two Comfort Plus adjustable seats.
- Two padded Comfort Plus adjustable seatbacks.
- Toggle and side carry handles on both the bow and stern for carrying food and gear.
- Three dry storage hatch molds (bow, center, and stern).
- Gear straps to secure items.
- Secure screw-in drain plug.
- Skid plate to protect the keel.
User Experience
Portability
The Malibu Two Tandem kayak is 34” wide and weighs nearly 60 pounds, which makes it difficult for one person to lift up and place into a cartop carrier. It’s definitely a two-person job to load it up and to carry it from the car to the water. If you’re taking it out for a solo ride, you can use a kayak cart to move it to and from the water. Once the kayak is in the water, you can easily jump on it because it is an exceptionally stable kayak.
Comfort
With a weight capacity of 425 pounds, the Malibu Two kayak can easily accommodate your whole family. There are three seating positions, two adult seats with a small seat in between. This means there is sufficient space for two adult paddlers and one or two kids (or dogs).
Because this is designed for tandem rides, there is plenty of space for two adults to paddle in unison with no worry of colliding paddles. You can just as easily paddle solo and use the extra space for your fishing or camping gear if you’re on a trip for several days.
No matter what your level of paddling experience, your height, or weight, you will be perfectly comfortable riding on the Malibu Two sit-on-top kayak. It has plenty of stability and paddlers have several footrest positions. This kayak is open and spacious enough to keep you from feeling claustrophobic.
It comes equipped with padded seats with adjustable backrests, so you can sit up straight or adjust them to lean backward. They should be perfectly fine for short rides. But for longer ones, or if you suffer from back problems, you may want to get more supportive kayak seats.
One drawback of this kayak is that it lacks ready-made storage compartments. It does have three molds for hatches, but you would need to buy and install those separately if you want dry storage. It does have straps for tying things down, but these are insufficient because they’re simply too short to be of much use.
Because the Malibu Two has outstanding stability it can be used for fishing and/or diving. While these activities are not what this kayak is specifically designed for, it can easily be modified for them.
Performance
There is no way you can tell just by looking at it how incredible the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two performs on the water. Being 34” wide with a triple-layered hull makes it incredibly stable even when it’s navigating powerboat wakes and ocean swells. Beginners can be perfectly confident riding it in the ocean because it won’t tip over. And the big bonus is that you can have a ton of fun riding this kayak like a surfboard.
The keel of the Malibu Two is designed to track extraordinarily well in the water. But if you’re looking for speed, you may be disappointed. But it can cruise quite fast when the paddling is done properly. This may not be the nimblest of kayaks, but it can be sufficiently maneuvered.
Pros
- Highly versatile kayak for multiple activities that you can enjoy anywhere.
- Very spacious and comfortable for an entire family or to use for solo rides with room for camping gear.
- Perfect for solo or tandem paddling.
- Has outstanding stability.
- Top-quality build with long-lasting durability.
- Comfortable seating with ample legroom and several footrest positions.
- Large, non-confining spacious cockpit.
- Attractive color options.
- Hull has a lifetime warranty.
Cons
- It’s too wide and heavy for one person to lift and place in a cartop carrier.
- The kayak paddles are not included, so they must be purchased separately.
- Does not come with any ready-made storage compartments. So, you will need to purchase the hatches separately, but there are molds to install them in.
- Comes with drain holes but no scupper plugs for preventing water from coming in.
- Comes with cargo straps, but they’re too short to be of much use.
- The backrests on the seats do not offer enough support for lengthy paddling sessions.
Overall Rating
Our evaluation has determined that we can confidently rate the Malibu Two kayak as follows:
Price: 100 %
This competitively priced hardshell kayak offers an incredible value for such a high-quality, amazingly versatile tandem kayak.
Material: 100%
The kayak’s triple-layered polyethylene is hull has proven that it is tough enough to withstand practically anything. It can be routinely dragged over grass, dirt, branches, sand, and can crash into rocks for years and still remain intact.
Design: 95%
This may be a very basic design, but it has been well thought out to provide not only safety, versatility, and stability, but also comfort. However, the Malibu Two does lack speed.
Overall: 98%
The Malibu Two Tandem kayak is a remarkable all-around kayak that can be used for multiple activities in a variety of waters. These kayaks can last for decades of frequent use with proper care. It would be very difficult to find a better value for the money.
Conclusion
The Ocean Kayak Malibu Two Tandem Kayak is one of the most popular kayaks on the market, due to its multipurpose design and versatility. If you’re looking for the type of kayak that can be taken anywhere and used for different activities, you can’t do better than a Malibu Two.
This kayak can be used for paddling on calm waters, in the surf, fishing, and diving. You can take it out in the ocean with your family without worrying about powerboat wakes. This is the perfect family kayak, but you can also use it for solo kayaking. It’s large enough to carry the gear you need for camping trips, but you can’t expect a lot of speed.
If you are planning to use your kayak solo, there are faster ones on the market that are a lot easier for one person to carry. Serious paddlers might be better off with a kayak that is longer and narrower for lengthy tours.
