Perception Tribe 13.5 Tandem

2020 is the year when Perception decided to revamp the Tribe kayak series making them more sophisticated and streamlined.
The Tribe 13.5 Tandem 2020 became more versatile, user-friendly and comfortable not only for the recreational paddlers but for kayak anglers as well.

Size and Weight

Perception Tribe 13.5 Tandem is 13’5″ (411.5 cm) long, 34″ (86.4 cm) wide and with a deck height of 14″ (35.6 cm). Weighing 79 lbs (36 kg), it is a bit cumbersome to load and unload. However, being designed for two, 79 lbs are no problem to share the weight while loading it into the truck or onto the racks. Transportation and storage will require some landing gear, tailgate extender, or cart because of the length.

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It comes with a weight capacity of 500 lbs (226 kg) and bungee rigged compartments for stowing your gear and accessories. Unlike some of the other similar-sized kayaks such as the Perception Rambler 13.5 Tandem, the Tribe 13.5 has 50 lbs (22.7 kg) less storage limit to accommodate gear for longer trips.

Materials

Perception makes their kayaks from a proprietary High-Density Polyethylene material using the company-specific, one-piece rotational molding technology. The process involves pouring beads of polyethylene into the mold, which gets heated up and slowly rotated so that the material fills up every nook and cranny. After the mold cools down, you get a one-piece, leak-proof construction that is extremely rugged and durable.

Features

The Tribe Tandem comes with toggle handles at the bow and stern and flush-mount carrying handles on the sides.

Starting from the front, it features a bungee secured medium-sized tankwell, two sets of molded footrests, and foot ribs, each containing four of each type per paddler. The foot ribs serve for supporting your feet when you’re not using the footrests. They also provide stability and push off while paddling.

In front of each seat, there’s a molded cup holder and a 6″ day hatch with a cat bag inside.
According to the manufacturer’s recommendation, it is best to pack all of your things inside sealed dry bags, no matter if you’re stowing the items into the hatches. This especially applies to the gear put in the tank wells.

The Tribe Tandem 2020 features new framed seatbacks that allow different seating adjustments and better back support for paddling or resting.
The seat bases are padded with the standard quick-dry relatively thin padding that could use some extra cushioning for trips longer than two or three hours.

One more new addition to the Tribe 13.5 is the two Solo mount recesses that allow adding different accessory mounts, depending on your choice of activities.

The Tribe 13.5 also comes with a replaceable skid plate that protects the stern keel from damage while portaging.

Performance

The Perception Tribe 13.5 offers remarkable stability that allows tandem-cruising and paddling different environments. Its streamlined hull smoothly cuts the water enabling the kayak to track well even in choppy water. The lowered deck profile makes the kayak less susceptible to wind.

The boat’s versatility comes from the slight rocker, which enables the Tribe to turn quite effectively for a tandem vessel. Another performance booster is the elongated tracking keel at the bottom, which, coupled with the 13.5-feet length, allows picking up speed instantly. Even though the Tribe 13.5 is easy to paddle, still we cannot expect to be fit for racing.

That said, Perception’s Tribe 13.5 may not include adjustable footrests or paddle parks. Still, for the price point, it offers excellent efficiency in various waters as not many tandem kayaks can.

Warranty

Perception kayaks are warranted against material or manufacturing defects in the hull and deck for 5 years from the date of the original purchase of the kayak. Parts, accessories, and outfitting are warranted for one year.

To learn more about Perception Kayaks’ warranty terms and conditions, click here.