Everything You’ll Love About the Old Town PDL 120

A quality fishing kayak is no small expense, so you’ll want to make sure you’re getting what meets your needs when you shell out the dough.

It’s worth it to look through the features and read reviews before pulling the trigger.

With that said, and despite the number of options on the market, the Old Town PDL 120 is an excellent choice for solo anglers who want a comfortable and easy-to-control fishing kayak that’s stable enough to let you stand.

Here’s just about everything it offers.

Comfort

One of the most commonly referenced features of the Old Town PDL 120 is the comfort this outfit offers.

It comes with a superior seat design optimized for lumbar support and which is adjustable so you can get the leg room you need. It’s also outfitted with mesh that enables plenty of ventilation and drainage - crucial in wet conditions.

Thoughtfully designed, this seat is intended to keep you comfortable for hours of fishing, and its easy adjustability gives you the freedom to “stretch” your legs as needed to keep from getting stiff during long days on the water.

(Plus, it’s stable enough to allow you to stand and fish - see below).

Easy to Control

The heart of the Old Town PDL 120 is the reliable PDL pedal drive (covered by a 5-year warranty, by the way) that allows for instant forward and reverse and can get you in and out of fairly shallow water easily.

It’s built tough, too, and since the pedal console is removable, even if you do get the drive tangled in weeds or submerged grass, you can pull the console right back up through the top to clear it.

Users have remarked that it is not only easy to use and easy to maintain, but that it is built tough. It’s not lauded for speed, but users comment that you can easily get up to a 5 or 6 MPH clip that will carry you across calm water quickly.

And, the fact that it’s pedal driven is also a bonus because it gives you the ability to keep both hands on fishing. If this will be your first upgrade to a pedal-driven fishing kayak, it’s a good move.

Stability: Stand and Fish

Another great thing about the Old Town PDL 120 is Old Town’s ultra-stable DoubleU hull.

Think of it sort of a like a minified catamaran condensed into one hull instead of two. The kayak doesn’t want to roll; this makes it exceptionally stable. It even has EVA foam-covered decks that provide solid traction when you stand, even if your shoes are wet.

Say what you will, but there are times in which standing will give you substantially more power and control when casting and fighting. Any kayak that isn’t stable enough to stand in (should you wish to) is a detriment.

Also, despite the fact that it is extremely stable, the DoubleU design offers low drag on the water which means it handles beautifully and smoothly unlike some flat-bottomed boats.

Low-Maintenance

The Old Town PDL 120 is made with a thick, heavy-duty, single layer polyethylene hull. Polyethylene is chemically stable; unlikely to rot and effectively impervious to the elements.

Polyethylene also offers an excellent mix of strength and hardness. It’s soft enough to withstand some impacts without cracking yet remarkably strong. It’s something you sort of have to feel. More than one reviewer has commented on the durability and heft of the hull.

This makes it exceptionally low maintenance. Simply rinse it off when you get home, let it dry, and then keep it covered or store it in the shade. That’s about all the maintenance a polyethylene hull needs.

Room for Accessories

The Old Town PDL 120 comes with two 18” gear tracks on the forward hull that offer plenty of room for mounting accessories.

It’s also thoughtfully designed, with one forward-facing and two rear-facing flush mount rod holders that keep multiple outfits within easy access and arm’s reach, yet out of the way.

The PDL 120 also features an oversized tank well astern, side pockets below the accessory tracks, and storage underneath the seat. There’s even a cup holder as well as additional storage for valuables and gear under the sealed bow hatch.

The Old Town PDL 120 is also thoughtfully designed with a clip at the side of the hull for a backup paddle and a universal transducer mounting system for easy installation of electronics like fish finders. It comes with a custom tackle box, too.

Size and Weight: Easy to Launch and Dock

The Old Town PDL 120 is no bantamweight, especially by kayak standards, but considering the fact that some canoes even weigh less, weight is pretty impressive.

The kayak itself is only 116 lbs - light enough to easily port with a trailer or a kayak carrier, and if you remove the PDL console and seat, it’s just 91 lbs.

Thanks to its thoughtful design (and removable components) the kayak is easy to load, launch, and dock.

Make an Old Town PDL 120 Your Next Fishing Kayak

If you’re looking for an ultra-stable fishing kayak with plenty of room, which is easy to control and also stable enough to stand in, get an Old Town Sportsman PDL 120, or at least put it on your short list.

It’s not a kayak that disappoints. If you have any questions before buying or want a personalized recommendation, feel free to reach out to us at 512-229-0560. We’d be more than happy to help in any way we can.