Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack Review – Pre 2020 Model

Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack kayak

This review is for the older Sea Eagle FastTrack model (pre 2020).  For my update review of the current model please click here.

Best Uses: Lakes, ocean bays, mild whitewater (up to class II)

Number of Paddlers: 1 or 2

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Accessories Included:Large removable skeg, 2 high capacity self-bailing drain valves, front & rear spray skirts, 6 D-rings, bow and stern grab lines, nylon carry bag, repair kit, choice of seats, 2 paddles, air foot pump

Kayak Material: 1000 Denier Reinforced with wide overlap seams (hull material is completely resistant to sun and saltwater)

Pros: Faster than the other Sea Eagle inflatable kayaks, can hold a lot of weight, enough room to fit two people comfortably or to be paddled solo, lightweight, 2 closeable self-bailing valves, versatile, decent amount of storage space (below spray skirts as well as rope lacing for storage above), very rigid drop stitch floor, really good tracking (as long as you use tracking fin), glides through water, quick set-up time

Cons: Need to use the skeg for the good tracking

The video below is now several years old and needs to be redone. I apologize for the quality, my equipment wasn’t as good back then.

However you can still see how nicely this kayak paddles and handles.

More In-Depth Info

The Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack is Sea Eagle’s faster, sleeker yet still quite stable inflatable kayak.

I was really happy when Sea Eagle came out with this kayak as I felt it was a great combination between good performance and stability.

It has a really nice design that makes it ideal for gliding nicely on lakes, pushing through wind, taking on waves and really just being very flexible.

The unique thing about the 385FT is that it has a patented, state of the art, external, rigid inflatable NeedleKnife™ Keel.  This hard keel allows for a faster and smoother ride and from my experience it definitely works well.

The size of the Sea Eagle FastTrack is very comparable to the Sea Eagle 380X. It is identical in length, about an inch smaller in width, and can hold a similar amount of cargo.

The big plus however is that it weighs seven pounds less which makes it much easier for transporting and carrying to the water and of course it is faster.

Why is the FastTrack Faster?

You can tell by looking at the pictures that the FastTrack is shaped a little differently than the Sea Eagle Explorer kayaks.

This new shape allows it to not only glide through the water with little yaw movement but also to move quite fast. Sea Eagle states that the FastTrack is able to pick up better speeds for three reasons:

  • There is a drop stitch outside keel at the bow which provides buoyancy and helps to stop the natural yaw of an inflatable kayak.
  • There is a removable rear skeg that helps to keep the kayak heading straight.
  • It comes with a separate very rigid drop stitch floor which increases the overall rigidity of the kayak and creates side chines under the pontoons which enhances the overall paddling performance. In fact the floor is so rigid that this kayak could even be paddled as a stand-up paddle board.

My Experiences With The FastTrack

I already own the Sea Eagle 380X and have been very happy with it. However it seemed to me that the FastTrack had most of the positives of the 380X with the added bonuses of being lighter and faster.

That was really appealing and I decided that it would fit my lifestyle perfectly. I now own the FastTrack as well and below you will find my observations.

Smaller Pontoons

The FastTrack has the same interior width as the 380X but the pontoons are about an inch slimmer.

This small difference makes for a much sleeker looking model. I noticed two things with the smaller pontoons:

  1. My paddles rarely rubbed against the sides while paddling (as they sometimes do with my other kayak).
  2. It felt like I was sitting up higher in the kayak

Both of these things were really positive and made for good center of gravitiy as well as a really enjoyable experience.

Very Rigid Floor

The inflatable floor in the FastTrack has a seperate air chamber for inflating and can be inflated to a very high air pressure which makes it super solid.

The floor is actually so rigid that you can stand up in the kayak with no problems and paddle as a stand-up paddle board if you wish… very cool. It is not as easy to paddle that way but it is nice to be able to do it if you choose.

Tip: The rigid floor greatly helps with the performance of this kayak. When you are inflating the floor make sure to get it as solid as you can as this will help with the strength of the fin for the best tracking.

Initially with this kayak my bum would get sore after paddling for a couple hours.  However Sea Eagle now offers upgraded high back seats that have more cushioning and I find these really help with my comfort level.

If you have any issues with this (a sore bum is often an issue after several hours of kayaking no matter what kind of kayak you are in) try adding a gel pad or even just a towel under your bum on top of your seat.  That alone can make a huge difference.

Tracking Fin

In whitewater you would not use the fin but when kayaking in open water such as on lakes or the ocean the FastTrack needs to have the fin attached in order to get the good tracking.

With the fin attached this inflatable kayak tracks really well and glides beautifully through the water.

One thing to remember… When you deflate your kayak take the fin off.  Do not leave it attached as this can cause it to get knocked loose or bent.

Performance… Wow!

I am hugely impressed with the performance of the 385 FastTrack. The more inflatable kayaks I paddle and review, the more I am impressed with the FastTrack.

For an inflatable kayak it can definitely get some good speed. I find that I can paddle farther with less effort which is exactly what you want. The FastTrack is also excellent at tackling heavy winds.

Package Options

There are several package options to choose from with the FastTrack.

  • Solo Package – Costs a little less, has all the same dimensions as the tandem version but only comes with one seat and one paddle.
  • Tandem Package – With the tandem 385 FT you are able to adjust the seats to paddle solo if you desire but comes with two seats and two paddles. The tandem model has two choices… the deluxe package or the pro package (which is what I have). The difference is that the pro package comes with high-back seats and better paddles as well as two stern bags and a waterproof bag.
  • Fishing Package – For those who love to fish there is now a fishing package with an elevated swivel chair that is ideal for anglers.
  • Pro Carbon Package – This package comes with the high back seats as well as two high-end carbon-fiber paddles.
  • QuikSail Package – Comes with a 14 sq. foot self standing sail that allows you to turn your kayak into a sailing vessel in less than one minute.

More Pictures

Final Thoughts

Price wise the FastTrack costs about $100 more than the 380X which really isn’t too bad all things considered.

It is best suited for flat water but can handle up to class II rapids (there are two closeable self-bailing drain valves).

The size is very convenient and is ideal for tandem paddling as well as solo paddling (seats can be moved and adjusted), for dogs or for traveling.

You get a lot for your money with this inflatable kayak and I can really understand why it has become popular so fast.

After all is said and done I will likely still use my 380X for rivers as it is more suitable for the rapids but I will definitely use the 385 FastTrack for all open water such as lakes and ocean bays. The speed and tracking far outshines that of the 380X.

The FastTrack now also comes in a longer version which is ideal for families or for those paddling with a lot of gear. Please see the 465 FastTrack Review for more information.

As of 2015 Sea Eagle also has a new sleek kayak called the Razorlite.  The Razorlite is faster yet less stable than the FastTrack. Click here to view our detailed comparison of these two kayaks.

Where To Buy

When you buy directly from the manufacturer you get to take advantage of their 180 day return policy and 3-year warranty.

Click Here For The Best Deal On The 385 FastTrack From The Official Sea Eagle Website.

OR Click Here To Check The Price For The 385 FastTrack At Outdoorplay.com.

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