Bonafide RS117 Review
Bottom Line:
The Bonafide RS117 is a super-stable fishing kayak that benefits from ingenious hull design, and arrives with stacks of storage space and upgradeable touches.
Experts feel this is one of the best boats in its price class out of the showroom. It may not be the most comfortable for taller riders, but it’s always easy to handle and won’t see you sink. That being said, this is one of the best fishing kayaks on the market for sheer value, and the expert kayakers who’ve reviewed this model all seem to agree!
Price Comparison:
Specs:
| Brand | Bonafide |
| Size (length x width) | 11'7" x 33.5" |
| Weight | 75 lbs |
| Capacity | 425 lbs |
Comparison to Similar Kayaks:
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| Bonafide RS117 | Pelican Sentinel 100X Angler | Old Town Topwater 120 | Hobie Mirage Outback | Vibe Sea Ghost 130 | |
| Expert Rating | 7.7 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 7.9 |
| Size | 11'7" x 33.5" | 9'5" x 30" | 12' x 33.5" | 12'9" x 34" | 13' x 33" |
| Weight | 75 lbs | 44 lbs | 82 lbs | 85 lbs | 75 lbs |
| Handling | |||||
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| Onboard Storage | |||||
| Portability | |||||
| Durability | n/a | n/a |
Bonafide RS117 Review
- Incredible secondary stability
- Simple handles and skid plates make it easy to transport
- Handles and tracks better than most other kayaks in its class
- Lots of storage options with intuitive tracks and holders
- Dual seat positioning for different vantage points
- Not the comfiest seat around
- Fairly restrictive for anyone over 6'1" in height
Performance of the Bonafide RS117
Small yet mighty, the Bonafide RS117 impresses most experts straight out of the gate. It’s a fishing vessel that many think performs great on recreational journeys, and it’s designed with ease of movement in mind.
All experts aggregated agree that the hull design helps make this boat one of the easiest to both handle and rely on for stability in its class. The catamaran hull is am RS117 landmark, with intuitive pontoons helping to cut through choppier waters as and when needed.
It’s wide and is largely in-water, meaning paddlers can expect low drag and impressive tracking. It’s reportedly a little “tippy” on the primary stability, but leaning into the secondary proves that this boat is never going to cast you overboard.
It’s a boat that also appears built with ease of fishing in mind, with its two-position seat and comfortable deck pads help to keep paddlers supported over longer trips.
Anglers will also get a kick out of the sheer array of upgrade options open to them on buying the RS117. The gear tracks are always easy to have at hand, but do check out the paddle storage to the front and side of the vessel, too. There’s a scupper towards the front that you’ll want to keep unplugged, too, for a transducer.
Similarly, anglers may also find the rear well with rudder access a nice touch. Experts in general feel it’s a kayak built with ease of customization in mind, and the fact it’s designed to help keep rods and lines out of the way during navigation is a major plus point.
The major downfall of this kayak is, unfortunately, the seat. Majority view seems to be that, while it’s fairly wide, its lack of padding and strange rear hole make it less than supportive during active paddling.
Comfort also takes a hit for taller riders. Any taller than 6’1″, and you’ll reportedly have to sit with your knees pointed upwards throughout your trip.
That said, this appears to be easy enough to dummy out with a kayak cushion, and the cockpit is still packed with convenient features – even a bottle holder where you can discard used plastics, for example.
Carrying and moving this kayak about, finally, shouldn’t create any headaches. Reviewers feel the well-placed handles and skid plates more than allow for ease of dragging and lifting when needed. It’s also not the heaviest boat in its class.
Overall, the Bonafide RS117 seems to score best on sheer value – not necessarily great for entry-level anglers, but it ticks most of the right boxes most of the time.
