Best Modular Kayak Review - Top 6 Options To Consider In 2024 (2024)

Why is it better?

• It can be assembled in a matter of minutes thanks to the patented Snap-Tap system
• It can be converted from a one-person ‘yak to a two-seater with the snap-in mid-module
• The two-part design and relatively lightweight 57-pound hull make it extremely portable and storage-friendly
• It features two waterproof hatches and bungee rigging in the back for additional storage space
• The aluminum mounting rails along the sides allow you to add aftermarket accessories
• It’s equipped with a keel rudder that helps with steering and tracking performance
• The padded EVA foam seat and foldable backrest are pretty comfortable, even on longer trips

The Point 65 Martini GTX is a modular touring kayak made up of three separate parts which, put together, form a 13.7-foot tandem kayak.

But what’s even more interesting, though, is that the mid-section can be removed to turn it into a 9.3-foot solo kayak.

The front and back sections are 70.4 and 56 inches long, respectively, with the additional middle section measuring 64.2 inches long. When assembled as a tandem, the Martini GTX clocks in at 77 pounds, which is definitely on the heavier side.

I have paddled my fair share of touring kayaks, and none of them goes past the 60-pound mark, despite the fact that they’re often a few feet longer than the Martini GTX.

Then again, the Martini has one crucial advantage over those traditional touring ‘yaks:

It can be broken down into three individual parts, making it a lot more manageable and easier to transport. You’re not carrying a full-sized kayak – and if you’re using it as a tandem, there’s likely someone there to carry one of the sections for you, which makes things even easier.

That said, it’s a shame there are no handles on the sides. With the kayak weighing 77 pounds, a pair of handles would’ve made a big difference in how easy it is to carry when assembled.

On the water, the Martini GTX feels nimble and maneuverable, and with a 27.6-inch width, there is no shortage of speed, either. The addition of a rudder with an integrated skeg also contributes to its tracking performance. It’s controlled with foot-operated pedals for a hands-free experience, too.

Now, with Martini GTX being a tandem touring ‘yak, the 530-pound capacity should not come as a surprise.

As for onboard storage, it boasts a large, oval hatch at the back and a smaller, round one at the bow, complete with bungee rigging at the front and mid-section.

If you need more space, it is possible to add another middle section and use it purely for storage purposes. How cool is that?

Technical Specs:

• Length (Solo/Tandem): 9.3/13.7 feet
• Front Section: 70.4 x 27.6 x 15 inches
• Back Section: 56 x 27.6 x 11 inches
• Mid Section: 64.2 x 27.6 x 15 inches
• Weight (Solo/Tandem): 48.5/77 pounds
• Weight Capacity (Solo/Tandem): 265/530 pounds

The Tequila! GTX – the brainchild of the renowned designer and engineer Magnus de Brito – has earned quite a few awards over the years, including the eminent “Best of What’s New 2010” and “Red Dot” awards.

I’d say that’s enough of an indicator of what you’re getting with this kayak.

And to make things even better, it is also much cheaper than the KingFisher – Point 65 N’s other modular fishing kayak.

Granted, none of these modular ‘yaks can be considered budget-friendly, not in the conventional sense of that word, anyway. My point is it’s nice to have options, considering that the KingFisher costs a grand more than the Tequila! GTX.

You’re not sacrificing much in terms of fishing-friendly features, either.

The Angler version of the Tequila! features three fishing rod holders – two are integrated, flush-mounted rod holders behind the seat, and one conveniently sits on a deck mount in the front. The deck-mounted one can actually be removed when needed, and you can even replace it with any sort of compatible hardware.

On that note, the middle section features two additional deck mounts designed to accommodate extra rod holders and other fishing accessories, so there’s room for customizations, too.

One thing the Tequila has in common with the Martini GTX is the 530-pound carrying capacity. It lacks any form of dry storage, though, and instead features open storage with a rear tank well and bungee rigging.

It’s far from a decked-out fishing kayak, let’s get that straight – but for the price, I did not expect it to be. What you’re getting here is a simple but highly practical and customizable vessel.

Technical Specs:

• Length (Solo/Tandem): 9.6/13.5 feet
• Front Section: 65.8 x 29.5 x 11 inches
• Back Section: 65.4 x 29.5 x 11 inches
• Mid Section: 63.4 x 29.5 x 11 inches
• Weight (Solo/Tandem): 48.5/77 pounds
• Weight Capacity (Solo/Tandem): 265/530 pounds

I did a round-up of the best fishing kayaks not too long ago, and… well, you can probably guess where I’m going with this:

The KingFisher earned a spot on that list. It’s actually the main reason why I decided to look into modular kayaks a bit more and see what else is out there.

Now, I’ll be honest with you:

The KingFisher can’t quite compare with many high-end fishing kayaks in terms of sheer value. I believe that you can get a lot more out of a fishing ‘yak at this price point.

Then again, I also understand that the main reason why you’d be interested in getting a modular fishing kayak is not the rigging but the portability and the storage-friendly nature of it:

When it’s fully assembled, it measures 11 feet in length and weighs 70 pounds – which, believe it or not, is actually pretty reasonable for a fishing kayak. But more importantly, it is designed to be broken down into two pieces.

The front section measures 67 inches and clocks in at 33 pounds, while the back section is 65.5 inches long and weighs 40 pounds. That makes carrying it around a lot more manageable.

The one aspect of its design where it lags behind many fishing kayaks is its weight capacity. The KingFisher can support a maximum of 287 pounds, which is pretty limiting – and instantly means it wouldn’t work for heavier paddlers and extended outings that require lots of additional gear.

You still get a spacious, open-storage area with bungee rigging and two hatches with removable gear bins; I’m just not sure how useful they will be, considering the limited capacity.

On the plus side, it features flush-mount rod holders, a transducer pocket for the fish finder, and gear tracks for adding aftermarket accessories.

It doesn’t lack stability, either – despite a relatively narrow, 31-inch beam – thanks to the trimaran hull.

Comfort is another area that doesn’t leave room for complaints; the KingFisher Game Chair and the EVA foam padded deck are specifically designed for kayak anglers, providing a significant improvement over the AIR seat featured on the Tequila GTX.

Technical Specs:

• Length (Solo/Tandem): 11/16 feet
• Front Section: 67 x 31 x 11.8 inches
• Back Section: 65.5 x 31 x 11.8 inches
• Mid Section: 67 x 31 x 11.8 inches
• Weight (Solo/Tandem): 70/108 pounds
• Weight Capacity (Solo/Tandem): 287/573 pounds

The first thing you should know when talking about the Falcon is that it is much more affordable than other kayaks in Point 65’s current line-up. In fact, it costs less than a grand – making it the perfect budget-friendly choice.

Don’t worry, though:

The budget-friendly price tag doesn’t automatically mean compromises were made in its design. You’re still getting a durable, simple, and versatile sit-on-top kayak, even if it doesn’t have many bells and whistles.

The Falcon measures 8.7 feet long and weighs only 40 pounds, making it the shortest and most lightweight kayak featured in this round-up. That is generally a plus storage and portability-wise – but things get even better when you add that it breaks down into two 54.3-inch sections.

One of the main downsides is the Falcon’s limited capacity.

The Solo version supports only 220 pounds of load – which is nowhere near enough for a bigger guy like me. I couldn’t test it out properly because, even without any additional equipment, I was still ten or so pounds over the limit.

That might be a “me” problem, though – and I’m sure smaller paddlers can still enjoy the Falcon. Storage-options-wise, it features a relatively spacious, mesh-covered tank well in the back, with bungee rigging in the front. Oh, and there’s a Quick-Lock hatch, too.

And whenever your budget allows it, you can upgrade and get the mid-section that will allow you to convert this single-seater into a tandem.

Sure, it will bring the kayak’s weight up to 60 pounds – but it will also raise the weight capacity to 485 pounds, which is great news if, like me, you can’t squeeze yourself into the “Solo” version.

Technical Specs:

• Length (Solo/Tandem): 8.7/12.75 feet
• Front Section: 54.3 x 26.2 x 10 inches
• Back Section: 54.3 x 26.2 x 10 inches
• Weigh (Solo/Tandem): 40/60 pounds
• Weight Capacity (Solo/Tandem): 220/485 pounds

I’m generally pretty impressed with the speed and tracking abilities of the kayaks in the Point 65 line-up. But while they’re all exceptional in their own regard, the Mercury GTX takes it to another level.

This 13.5-foot kayak is, at this core, a performance-oriented touring kayak. It’s fun to paddle and tracks as straight as an arrow – the Symmetry skeg system helps a lot in that department – while still delivering a more-than-decent level of stability, even when out in open water sea kayaking.

The kayak’s front and back sections measure 60.2 and 61 inches, respectively – but there is also a third, 46.8-inch bow section. Disassemble the kayak, and you’ll have three parts that weigh 24 pounds each. The whole thing weighs a reasonable 55 pounds, in case you were wondering.

The cool part is that the bow section actually fits into the co*ckpit – making the Mercury that much easier to store. I’d like to see you try that with any other touring kayak out there!

And as with other Point 65 kayaks I’ve reviewed so far, you have the option to add a mid-section to your Mercury GTX and turn it into a tandem.

Yes, it means you’ll be carrying more weight, and the added length will affect its maneuverability – but honestly, you’ll hardly notice a difference in the kayak’s performance.

One of the things that bug me – same as with the Falcon and KingFisher – is its capacity. At 286 pounds, it’s nowhere near high enough to accommodate gear and supplies for extended, multi-day outings.

It does have some solid onboard storage solutions, though – including a larger, oval hatch at the back and a round one in the front. Plus, there is on-deck bungee rigging for securing other gear.

So, I guess the Mercury GTX is more of a day-touring kayak.

Technical Specs:

• Length (Solo/Tandem): 13.5/18 feet
• Front Section: 60.2 x 23.6 x 13.8 inches
• Back Section: 61 x 23.6 x 10.2 inches
• Bow Section: 46.8 x 17.3 x 10.2 inches
• Weigh (Solo/Tandem): 55/77 pounds
• Weight Capacity (Solo/Tandem): 286/530 pounds

And finally, there’s the Mojito – a modular kayak that, like its siblings, can be transformed from a single-seater into a tandem. At this point, it’s pretty obvious that this turned out to be a round-up of Point 65’s kayaks, huh?

The Solo version measures 10.8 feet in length – but throw in the mid-section, and you get a 15.7 feet long tandem recreational kayak that clocks in at 86 pounds.

That sounds like a lot, I know – but as you know by now, Mojito breaks down into three individual segments.

On that note, the front and back section both measure 65.7 inches in length, with the middle one measuring 61.8 inches. Weight-wise, that’s roughly 28 pounds per segment – which is more than manageable for two people to carry.

I was kind of disappointed to learn that it has a 440-pound load capacity, though.

That’s not too bad, but I was expecting it to follow in the footsteps of its siblings, the Martini GTX and the Tequila GTX, both of which come with a 530-pound capacity. The most disappointing bit is that both kayaks are actually shorter and lighter than the Mojito.

On the plus side, the Mojito still boasts some great storage options – including two round 24-inch hatches and an open storage area with bungee rigging. It also features aluminum rails – so there is room for customization. For example, you could attach a GoPro camera, fishing gear, or GPS, depending on your needs.

Technical Specs:

• Length (Solo/Tandem): 10.8/15.7 feet
• Front Section: 65.7 x 29 x 11.8 inches
• Back Section: 65.7 x 29 x 11.8 inches
• Mid Section: 62 x 29 x 11.8 inches
• Weigh (Solo/Tandem): 57/86 pounds
• Weight Capacity: 240/440 pounds