Lifetime Cruze 100

Size and Weight

With a length of 10’ (304.8 cm), the Cruze 100 offers a nice mix of portability and performance on the water.

Although it has a deck height of just 12.3” (31.2 cm), this kayak’s oversized cockpit opening helps you to not feel claustrophobic while you paddle. This also makes it suitable for taller paddlers who sometimes have difficulty fitting inside sit-in kayaks with small cockpit openings.

The Cruze 100 has a 30” (76.2 cm) width, which is fairly standard for a kayak this size. As a result, it provides the stability that most recreational paddlers crave on the water.

As far as weight goes this boat tips the scales at 46 lbs (20.8 kg). While this is by no means exceptionally heavy, it isn’t lightweight, either. But, since the Cruze 100 also has front and rear handles, it’s easy enough for most people to transport to and from the put-in.

Capacity

Lifetime markets this kayak as having a 275 lbs (124.7 kg) weight capacity, which is about average for their line of 10’ boats, but somewhat low in the grander scheme of kayaks of this size.

When we consider that one shouldn’t load a boat beyond 80% of its weight capacity, the Cruze 100 has an effective maximum weight limit of 220 lbs (90.7 kg).

This is generally enough for most small and medium-sized paddlers. However, it’s important to leave a bit of a buffer between your weight and the kayak’s weight maximum to account for any gear you might bring along.

Features

When designing this kayak, Lifetime took a decidedly simple, yet functional approach.

Inside the Cruze 100’s large cockpit opening is a fully padded and adjustable seat back, which is perfect for fine-tuning the lumbar support you need for a day of paddling. It also comes with a seat pad for added comfort on the water.

Behind the seat, there’s a large oval-shaped hatch for below-deck gear storage. This hatch has a sturdy cover, plus a bungee corded system to prevent it from opening accidentally, especially in the event of a capsize.

At the front of the Cruze 100, there’s also a minimalist deck bungee system, which could be used to strap down a map or hold your paddle if you stop for a quick break on the water.

Performance

The Cruze 100 has an interesting hull design that combines a mostly flat midsection with a slight chine at the bow and stern. Subsequently, it offers a good amount of primary stability when paddling along on flat water.

Meanwhile, the forward and aft chine on this boat allows it to better slice through the water. Although the chine isn’t quite enough to provide the Cruze 100 with great secondary stability, it does improve the boat’s natural tracking ability.

Generally speaking, boats with flat or rounded hulls are fairly easy to maneuver on the water. Lifetime made it even easier to take control of this boat and maneuver it in tricky terrain by including multiple footrest positions for paddlers of different sizes.