Pactrade Marine Kayak Seat: Definitive Review (2024)
Share this article:
TopNotch Outdoor is independent – we research, test, and rate the top products to help you make the right buying choice. We sometimes use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on your purchase. Learn more…
This is the Ultimate Boat Priority Review of the Pactrade Marine Adjustable Straps Black Gray Padded Deluxe Kayak Seat…
In this comprehensive review, we’ll cover:
We know that most kayaks are in need of a worthy companion, but not all the time we can afford the best on the market.
At the same time…
We don’t want to settle for subpar things.
So if you want the best affordable seat for your kayak, you’ll love this guide.
Don’t rock the boat…
‘Cause we’re sailing on!
Best Value Award
[amazon fields=”B014VFZSC4″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_alt=”Pactrade Marine Adjustable Straps Black Gray Padded Deluxe Kayak Seat” image=”1″ image_align=”center” link_id=”8662″]
Bottom Line : An affordable seat that lets you experience premium features with high-quality materials that don’t break the bank.
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict:
Pactrade Marine Adjustable Straps Black Gray Padded Deluxe Seat
Of the top 10 best kayak seats on the market, we found the Pactrade Marine kayak seat to have the best value.
Maybe it’s not the best…
But when you see the price, you’ll love it! And it’s not just because it’s cheap, but also because it gives you more value than what you paid for.
This is what it offers:
It has four adjustable straps with brass swivel buckles and stainless steel springs. It’s a high back seat with contoured EVA foam padding with a neoprene exterior.
This seat also has a detachable storage bag behind the backrest.
So what’s special about it?
You can slip this seat pad on your existing seat for a more comfortable kayak ride! Later, we will explain why we just love this feature of the Pactrade kayak seats.
So whether you prefer a sit-in kayak or a sit-on-top kayak, this seat will be helpful for you.
And have we mentioned it?
You can get all those without breaking the bank!
Related: Best Kayak Seat
Our Analysis, Comparisons & Test Results
Performance Comparison
1. Value For Money
As we said, Pactrade belongs to the lower-priced brands on the market. But even so, it can well compete with the expensive ones.
How could we say this?
To be blunt, this is an excellent seat, especially knowing that we didn’t really pay much for it.
The features? Complete with a few extras. The snap clips? Good quality. Backpack bag? Canoe backrest-friendly, and detachable too. Front and rear straps? durable. Seat pad? With enough padding to be comfortable.
And we’re just getting started!
We’ll give you the details for each metric.
As for this one…
We highly recommend this product if you’re on a budget but still want the best seat for your boat.
Rating
2. Features
The essential features that you’re looking for in your kayak seats can be found in Pactrade. But completeness is not the only thing they offer.
Fishing rod holders are a thing now and this seat doesn’t have one. But we overlooked that and even gave it a perfect score.
Here’s why:
You can slip it on your kayak’s built-in molded plastic seat like a jacket on a cold day. So whether you’re using sit-inside kayaks or a sit-on-top kayak, with or without a factory-provided seat, this is the right seat for you!
This is a very big advantage because most seats are not fit for sit-in kayaks.
Add to that:
The snap clips make it easy to install. And even though thicker padding would’ve been better – a softer one too – it really improves the paddle experience a lot.
Rating
3. Durability
The Pactrade is only slightly less durable than the other brands. In fact, the straps feel cheap and weak.
It’s fine with us.
We didn’t pay much as we said, so we expected that it wouldn’t be as long-standing as the more expensive brands.
After just a few tugs, the straps showed signs of stretching. There were a few tears at the edges of the seat too. But we just overlooked it since it didn’t affect this seat’s overall service. Great price for such value too!
That said…
In itself, the Pactrade seat is very durable.
The heavy-duty clips didn’t break easily and the EVA foam is weather and water-resistant.
There’s a disadvantage to the pressure-molded foam – which we will get to later – but it’s a wear-and-tear survivor so it’s still recommendable.
By the way…
Don’t worry if you don’t get the exact clips shown on the packaging. Mine wasn’t but it worked just as well.
Rating
4. Comfort
It’s very durable and the features are impressive.
But here we come…
…to the downside of most of the cheaper brands – it’s not that comfortable. And the difference is very significant.
Keep in mind that this seat is less comfy than brands of the same price range.
It’s the foam.
The type used for the padding is very durable to the point of compromising the softness that most kayakers need.
The seat bottom got me a little annoyed in less than an hour too.
I’m prone to back pain, as most of my colleagues are, and we were not happy after long hours on the water using this seat. It doesn’t provide very good back support.
Still…
It’s good for short rides. Not the best kayak cushion but it’s nicely padded, enough for when you just want to paddle for a bit on calm water.
Rating
5. Stability
The stability of this seat is better than its fellow cheap brands, but less than those of the expensive ones.
Again, we expected as much.
But this is our experience:
When the current got a little playful, I myself set out with my sit-in kayak just to see if the seat would stand firm against it. And… it did!
There was a bit of wobbling but it wasn’t very shaky. The straps kept the seat in place, the strap clips didn’t snap, and I wasn’t swept off my feet – or my boat.
Overall…
The seat is sturdy and stable, so I highly recommend it.
Rating
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
1. How far do the rear straps extend?
The four straps extend to about 15 to 18 inches so you can adjust it flexibly.
2. Is this compatible with the Advanced Elements convertible?
Yes, it should work well with that type of kayak.
3. Would these kayak seats work in the Lifetime Youth Wave 6′ kayak?
Pactrade is very flexible so I think it will also work in this kind of kayak. My colleagues and I are only doubtful about using this seat on a paddle board.
4. How thick is the seat pad, does it work for long trips?
The seat pad is about 1 inch thick. The foam itself is not that comfortable so we only recommend this seat for short kayaking trips.
Our Final Verdict:
Pactrade Marine Adjustable Straps Black Gray Padded Deluxe Seat
That’s the Pactrade Marine Deluxe padded seat for you!
This seat worked very well as an independent seat and as a slip-on even though my kayak doesn’t have an existing backrest strap.
This product gave us more features than we paid for and they’re relatively sturdy as well. The attached bag can be removed so it was very convenient for us to use.
Now you know…
Not every cheap brand has cheap service!
Conclusion:
Pactrade Marine Adjustable Straps Black Gray Padded Deluxe Kayak Seat
There are a lot of affordable seats for your kayak on the market. But not all of them will exceed your expectations.
We hope that this review helped you decide on your purchase.
Is it our Best Value Pactrade Marine Deluxe? Or is it our Editor’s Choice Awardee, Leaders Accessories Deluxe?
We’ve done the research and now hand the baton to you… it’s all up to you…
RELATED: Best Kayak Seat
