Feelfree Dorado 125 Review

A few months ago I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to purchase the Feelfree Dorado 125 from the amazing team at Freak Sports Australia. This kayak has gained a lot of attention on the water from not only fellow kayakers; but also boaties, fisherman and the general public that see it getting launched at the boat ramps around Brisbane and the Gold Coast where I fish.

I have been asked many questions about it including why I decided to buy it, how stable is it, what are some of the features I like about it and if there are any negatives. So hopefully in this review I can answer some of the common questions and give everyone that is keen to know more about it (or may be interested in ordering one themselves) a better idea of what this kayak has to offer.

The Dorado 125 has so many amazing features and it is one of those unique kayak models that seem to turn a lot of heads. Being a fisherman that loves to get out at night in the canals and rivers, one of the biggest tipping points for me was the electrics/built in lights.

The Dorado comes standard with a battery hatch behind the seat, which not only has USB and 12V AUX plugs; but also powers red/green navigation lights at the front, a white LED visibility light above the rudder at the rear, two white LED deck lights under the seat and four blue LED deck lights through the centre of the kayak. All these lights can be used as a singular function or all together with the three buttons on the battery hatch.

I have also purchased an FPV Life PO4 25ah battery from Freak Sports to run the lights for early mornings and night trips and it is unreal! The blue deck lights not only create a relaxed atmosphere in the dead of the night, it makes easier to find all your equipment and creates that little bit more visibility on the water for other vessels.

My first trip out on the kayak was absolutely brilliant and I immediately noticed the difference in not only the stability in comparison to my previous kayak, but also the improvement in steering with the beaver-tail rudder system.

At almost 6’3 and 110kg I have had no trouble at all standing up on the Dorado and casting along the pontoons and rock walls for Cod and Jacks. The big cathedral tri-hull shape makes for an incredibly stable time on the water, even in quite windy and choppy conditions. I have had some pretty decent waves come off wake boats and jetskis that hit me directly on the side of the Dorado (which in many cases can easily flip and capsize kayaks) and it  held up very well and gave me no loss of balance. The shape of the hull allows for a very smooth ride and it also cuts through the water very nicely.

Like most of the fleet, the Dorado also comes with the very comfortable and adjustable raised seat that Feelfree kayaks have become known for.

Another great selling point of the Dorado is the Overdrive System (pedal drive), which are extremely smooth and comfortable to use and have instant forward and reverse.

The Overdrive’s spring loaded deployment makes for a very easy and smooth movement to get the drive in and out of the water. These also come with an optional upgrade of the Motordrive System, which slots into the centre of the pedal drive and allows the user to be hands free and feet free – basically doing the job of a Watersnake unit without the hassle of having something quite so bulky attached to the kayak. A very cool option to consider moving forward.

Some of the other great features of the Feelfree Dorado 125 that come standard are the moulded storage areas along the sides to store tackle, two moulded drink holders at the front and four rod holders behind the seat which all have attached rod leashes.

There is a storage hatch in the front (perfect for a sounder and battery) as well as a smaller open storage area at the front and a large open storage well in the rear with bungee mesh to hold everything in. As well as all the ample deck space and standard storage options for the Dorado, the height adjustability of the seat allows for a massive storage area for tackle trays under the seat. A built-in heavy duty wheel at the back of the kayak also makes for easy transportation over short distances to get the kayak in and out of the water when needed.

After owning the Feelfree Dorado 125 for a few months now, it is very hard to find any faults with it at all.

I generally spend the majority of my time fishing the river systems, canals and dams throughout the Gold Coast and Greater Brisbane and for this kind of fishing it is absolutely perfect! It moves along at a very reasonable speed without causing discomfort or having to exert yourself, tracks really nicely and is just an absolute joy to use.

I am really excited to head out and explore some new places over the next couple of years and tick a few species off my bucket list in this rig.

If you are keen to know more on the Dorado, any other models in the Feelfree fleet or some of the other American style kayaks that are stocked at Freak Sports – head in and see the team at Coopers Plains.

They are very knowledgeable, have a great range of stock and are just all-round fantastic guys.