It’s been almost a decade since Vibe Kayaks splashed onto the kayak fishing scene with a range of affordable, feature-rich, sit-on-top fishing kayaks. Since then, Vibe has added more models to include a tandem kayak, standup paddleboard and kayaks for everything from backwaters to big water.
Vibe’s most recent addition is the Shearwater 125, a do-it-all flagship designed to be paddled, pedaled or motorized. Today, Vibe Kayaks offers a wide variety of kayaks with smart features and sporty designs at great prices.
Top picks: Best Vibe fishing kayaks for 2024
The following Vibe fishing kayaks have received the highest star ratings by reviewers in our Paddling Buyer’s Guide. See and review all Vibe fishing kayaks here.
Best Vibe Fishing Kayaks
Vibe Yellowfin 100 Angler Kayak
Vibe Sea Ghost 110 Angler Kayak
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Shop for Vibe fishing kayaks
Follow the links below to the Paddling Buyer’s Guide where you’ll find every Vibe sit-on-top fishing kayak available along with specs, prices, reviews and where to buy.
Vibe makes a variety of kayaks from a 9-foot fun boat to the 12-foot Shearwater fishing machine. They even make a tandem kayak for two people and a standup paddleboard with a kayak seat.
All Vibe sit-on-top kayaks are focused on fishing, and include rod holders, hatches and gear crates. Most of their boats favor performance over stability with a sporty, narrow hull for speed and tracking. Vibe’s most stable kayak is the 35-inch-wide Shearwater 125 with a flatter hull for standup fishing. Another stable choice is the Cubera standup paddleboard.
Shopping for a used Vibe fishing kayak?
Shoppers looking to buy a used Vibe fishing kayak are in luck. Not only are Vibe kayaks incredibly popular, but the boats offer cool fishing features at a great price. The Vibe line contains a boat for almost every type of angler and nearly all fishing conditions.
Since Vibe kayaks are a great value, many kayak anglers start with one of their models. Then, as they advance in the sport, the experienced angler often steps up to a more expensive kayak. This means there are a lot of pre-owned Vibe kayaks that haven’t been used for long.
Since Vibe kayaks are well designed with smart features, a used Vibe kayak makes a great starter boat or second kayak for guests.
Another good thing about Vibe kayaks is the models haven’t changed since their introduction. So, replacement parts for older Vibe kayaks are still being made and are available from their website at vibekayaks.com.
Most Vibe kayaks come with only a few accessories, so many anglers add their own rod holders, gear tracks and mounts. If buying used, be sure to check that any aftermarket accessories were installed correctly to avoid damage to the boat that could lead to leaks.
The biggest source of failure is the seat. Broken seat hardware is replaceable at the hardware store and Vibe makes replacement seat covers for faded, ripped or missing fabric.
For more tips on what to look for when selecting a used fishing kayak, read our article How To Buy A Used Fishing Kayak.
Vibe kayak buying guide
If you’re looking for a pure fishing kayak at a great price, Vibe sit-on-top fishing kayaks are a good choice.
At the heart of the Vibe line are three models, each offered in different sizes. The Skipjack models have a traditional low-profile seat for playing in the surf or a rough river. Stepping up to the Yellowfin, Vibe adds a comfortable frame seat and round day hatch in the deck. The Skipjack is available as a 9-foot solo and 12-foot tandem, while the Yellowfin has 10-foot and 12-foot solo models, as well as a 13-foot tandem.
For more sporty performance and more fishing features, the Sea Ghost (13 feet and 11 feet) includes a large deck hatch and bow hatch with a frame seat and pre-installed rudder for open-water performance. Anglers looking for pedal or motor power should consider the Shearwater 125, Vibe’s full-feature, standup fishing kayak with a four-position seat, gear tracks, rod holders and more.
The Cubera is Vibe’s unique, foam-filled, rotomolded standup paddleboard, an unsinkable, stable fishing platform that gets you high above the water.
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Are Vibe kayaks any good?
Vibe kayaks are great boats for the price. Costing hundreds of dollars less than premium kayaks, Vibe models still offer cool features and high-quality construction. But are Vibe kayaks worth it? Of course, Vibe boats are not as nice as more expensive models, but they are far superior to other budget-level kayaks.
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Where are Vibe kayaks made?
You might have heard variously that Vibe kayaks are made in China and the U.S. In fact, Vibe kayaks are designed in the U.S. and built in China.
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Where do Vibe kayaks ship from?
Vibe’s headquarters is in Kennesaw, Georgia.
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Is the Vibe kayak forum helpful?
As an owner, you might be interested in the informative blogs on rigging and fishing by Vibe’s pro staff at vibekayaks.com.
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How much is a Vibe kayak?
Vibe kayaks range in price from $599 to $1,449 USD.
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When will Vibe kayaks be back in stock?
Many Vibe kayaks are available and in stock with supplies refreshed regularly from the manufactures in China. Check Vibe’s website for availability. Also, look for local Vibe dealers who may have models that aren’t available online.
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Where to buy Vibe kayaks
Buy online and at Vibe kayak dealers like sporting goods stores and paddle shops.
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Do Vibe kayaks go on sale?
In a way, Vibe kayaks are always on sale, since they are a great value, costing several hundred dollars less than premium models.
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How are Vibe kayaks made?
Vibe Kayaks are made of rotomolded plastic. To make a rotomolded kayak, a mold is filled with powdered plastic. Then, the mold is heated and rotated to melt and spread the plastic. Once the plastic fills every section of the mold, it is cooled and removed from the mold. The rotomolding process produces a kayak that is strong and relatively inexpensive.
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Are Vibe kayaks rotomolded?
Vibe kayaks are rotomolded. In this process, a mold is filled with plastic and then rotated and heated to create a kayak shape.
Compare Vibe kayaks
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Vibe vs Old Town kayaks
Many people compare Vibe and Old Town kayaks. In fact, Vibe borrowed some ideas from Old Town and its sister company Ocean Kayak. For example, the center hatch on the Vibe Yellowfin is very similar to the center hatch on an Old Town Predator or Ocean Kayak Trident. Old Town kayaks are a premier brand from one of the biggest outdoor manufacturers. Vibe is a smaller company with fewer models.
Most Old Town kayaks are focused on standup fishing in sheltered waters. Most of Vibe’s kayaks are focused on paddling performance over stability. Vibe’s top-of-the-line Shearwater features a motor and pedal option. Old Town offers several motorized kayaks and pedal kayaks, but not a kayak that does both with factory options. Old Town kayaks are more expensive than Vibe’s models, but Old Town offers more features and slightly better quality in return.
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Vibe vs Perception kayaks
Perception is one of Vibe’s closest competitors. Vibe kayaks are simple fishing kayaks at a great value and Perception makes the same claim. Perception kayaks are made by outdoor gear giant Confluence Outdoors. Compared to sister kayak company Wilderness Systems, Perception offers a less expensive range of options. Perception has the advantage of being able to borrow many design features from their higher-priced sibling.
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Vibe vs Feelfree kayaks
Feelfree is famous for marching to the beat of a different drummer. Vibe kayaks tend to borrow ideas from other kayaks and add their own twist, as expressed in kayak design, custom features and color schemes.
Feelfree kayaks tend to favor out-of-the box ideas like a wheel in the keel to help roll the kayak to the water and a pedal system that can turn into a motor system. Feelfree’s pedal system is a relative of the Hobie MirageDrive and the motor is a Bixpy Jet.
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Vibe vs Crescent kayaks
Vibe Kayaks and Crescent Kayaks are both bargain boats with smart features and sporty designs. Vibe offers nine fishing kayaks while Crescent has three fishing kayaks, a tandem boat and a SUP that could be used for fishing. Crescent doesn’t offer an open-water kayak, instead it focuses on light boats for sheltered waters or river fishing.
Vibe offers a wider variety of choices for sit-on-top fishing kayaks including the motor-, paddle- or pedal-powered Shearwater. Crescent Kayaks feature unique designs with cool features and are made in America with responsibly sourced parts.
Vibe kayak reviews
There’s no better way to choose a kayak than by taking a test run. The staff at Kayak Angler, our sister publication, have paddled, pedaled and motored some of Vibe’s best boats. We’ve rigged the boats for fishing, loaded them with gear and hit the water. Our testing experience includes miles of paddling and hours of fishing in a variety of conditions and locations.
This allows us to evaluate how the boats handle and how they perform for the intended angler and conditions. If you can’t get to the paddle shop or a demo day, take a test drive with our review of the best Vibe kayaks.
