Old Town Twin Heron

Size and Weight

With a length of 13’6” (411.5 cm) and a 31.5” (80 cm) beam, the Old Town Twin Heron is fairly standard in size for a recreational tandem kayak. It also has a 15.5” (39.4 cm) deck height, which provides enough internal volume for taller kayakers – even those above 6’0” (182.9 cm).

While 13’6” is long when compared to a single kayak, it’s certainly reasonable for two paddlers to manage in terms of carrying and loading onto the top of a vehicle. Plus, Old Town built this boat with sturdy carrying handles, making it relatively easy to transport.

The Twin Heron has a weight of 60 lbs (27.2 kg), which is very light for a boat this size. For reference, the Wilderness Systems Pamlico 135T is precisely the same length but is quite a bit heavier at 72 lbs (32.7 kg).

Capacity

Built to carry up to 500 lbs (226.8 kg) of weight, the Old Town Twin Heron is burly enough to accommodate most kayaking duos. For optimal performance, it is usually recommended not to load a boat beyond 80% of its weight limit, so we estimate this kayak’s usable weight capacity at 400 lbs (181.4 kg).

This makes the Twin Heron capable enough for most kayakers to use on day trips. However, it’s important to note that the Twin Heron doesn’t have much in terms of gear storage space besides a rear deck bungee. So, this boat is best used for daytime adventures on local lakes and slow-moving rivers.

Features

The Twin Heron is decidedly simple, so it doesn’t offer a lot of flashy features. Instead, it provides comfort and an intuitive paddling experience.

Within the cockpit, Old Town built this kayak with two Comfort Flex seats. These seats are fully adjustable and offer great lumbar support. They also come with built-in cup holders to help you stay hydrated.

In fact, the front seat is even removable. That way, you can bring your loyal dog along for a paddle without damaging the seat. Or, you can even paddle this boat on your own and use the front space for gear storage during daytime hunting and fishing trips.

Other cool features on the Twin Heron include four flush-mounted rod holders (two at the stern and two at the bow). This allows everyone in the kayak to have full access to their rods so you can get as many lines in the water as possible.

Performance

Where the Twin Heron makes its mark on the paddling world is in terms of performance.

This boat has Old Town’s proprietary Auto Trim Hull, which stops the bow from lifting up out of the water when it is paddled solo. Therefore, the Twin Heron performs just as well when used by a single paddler as it does with two kayakers on board.

As far as stability goes, the Twin Heron has a fully rounded hull. This gives it excellent primary stability, but does make it tippy when in choppy water. So, this kayak is best for flat water adventures in calm conditions.

Additionally, this boat naturally has good tracking ability because of its longer length, especially when compared to recreational single kayaks. That said, the lack of a rudder on the Twin Heron does limit the kayak’s tracking capabilities in choppy waters or windy conditions.

Old Town outfitted the Twin Heron with a Glide Track foot brace system. As a result, kayakers can get more control and power over the boat, particularly when maneuvering in tricky conditions.