The E-Bike of the Seas: Old Town Ocean Kayak Malibu ePDL+ 120 Review

“So, is it really kayaking, then?” A small crowd had gathered around the dock to inspect the Old Town Ocean Kayak Malibu ePDL+, the first recreational kayak to incorporate an electric pedal drive. I’m not sure they were immediately sold.

The neo-Luddite in me was steadfast: of course not. But, softening, I reconsidered. Yes, of course. Maybe? The Malibu is undoubtedly kayak-shaped and can be paddled with a paddle. But with a few button pushes, you can rocket so fast that if you crank the rudder over, you must lean to avoid being tossed.

Old Town has been putting pedal drives in its fishing kayaks for years, and then quickly followed with an electric-assist ePDL version that converts these angler platforms into savvy set-and-forget trawlers. Those boats have been a smash hit. 

Looking out at the lake, where the fellow I’ve set up in the kayak is audibly giggling to himself, tells me almost everything I need to know about where this kayak will also land. Asking if kayaking isn’t the question, “Fun is fun,” I tell people. And the Malibu ePDL? Oh, it’s fun.

In short: The Malibu ePDL+ 120 is the e-bike of the seas, and I, as its captain, have paddled, pedaled, and cruised it for the last week to get a feel for this vessel. Whatever you want to call it, this kayak is a trendsetter and in rare company. Read on for my first impressions out on the water in the Malibu ePDL.

Looking for a new kayak? Check out GearJunkie’s Best Kayaks Buyer’s Guide to see how the Malibu ePDL+ compares.

Old Town Ocean Kayak Malibu ePDL+ 120

Check Price at Old Town

Specifications

• Style: Sit-on-top
• Length: 12'
• Width: 34.5"
• Weight: 126 lbs.
• Construction: Single-layer polyethylene
• Cockpit size: N/A
• Weight capacity: 349 lbs.
• Storage: QuickStash dry hatch and tacklebox in cockpit, bow and stern storage wells with bungee cordage

Pros

• Impressively zippy with five different power level modes
• Stable hull design is rocksteady
• Four handles around boat for transport
• Three molded-in fishing rod holders
• Adjustable rudder keeps your course well

Cons

• Can be a tough boat to move solo
• Need to monitor your depth to avoid damaging the pedal drive
• Price

Nick Belcaster

Old Town Ocean Kayak Malibu ePDL+ 120: First Impressions

I first needed to figure out how to get this thing into the water. At 125 pounds total, the Malibu ePDL+ is no lithe racing shell, and while lofting it atop my truck would typically be the move, I opted for dangling it out of the bed with a ratchet strap. 

Splashing the Malibu ePDL+ solo will almost certainly require a cart, and I used a DIY version to get the kayak into the lake. Then, I needed to rig the ePDL system, and a 36V Amped Outdoors battery is standard and gets rigged up inside a hatch beneath the seat.

From there, dropping in the ePDL system only involves locking it down with three chunky locking tabs and plugging in the final power wire. At first, a blank screen befuddled me. But after ensuring that all the cables were securely seated, the screen sprung to life. All systems go.

My first lap around the lake was via old-fashioned arm power, and the Malibu design is one of Old Town’s best stability hulls. I’ve paddled the 9.5-foot version extensively, and it’s buoyant with an early-rise bow that tackles surf well. While the shorter length waggles a bit, the 12.5-foot version tracks even better.

It was wise of Old Town to choose the Malibu to host the ePDL drive. This iteration’s classic shape is trimmed with a suite of features, such as a secure bow hatch, three rod holders, and accessory tracks for rigging up cup holders and the like. Even before using the juice, this rec kayak looks like the last one you’d ever need.

Cruising With the ePDL+ Drive

The ePDL system on the new Malibu is well-proven and ported over from Old Town’s Sportsman BigWater. Taking cues from many e-bikes, the ePDL drive offers five different assist modes, ranging from “putter about” to “OK, we’re actually scooting.” I first tried the middle-of-the-road level three, which felt like it was doubling the power output my legs were putting into it.

Naturally, I needed to see full tilt, so I dug the spurs in a bit by cranking the drive up to five. This speed is almost surprising and leaves a healthy wake trailing the Malibu. Crank the rudder over quickly, and you need to brace a bit to keep the thing steady. It is grin-inducing, even for the jaded, and I did a not-small number of figure eights between a set of buoys.

The drop-down rudder can be used to steer while pedaling the kayak. One lever on the vessel’s right side drops the blade, and a rudder control on the left side sets your heading. An adjustable drag on the control holds your course well and can be set and forgotten for long passages.

The ePDL drive does increase the draft by about 12 inches, so you won’t be able to paddle in super-shallow waters. This is where low-draft flutter-style pedal drives like on the Hobie Mirage Passport shine, but there’s no way you could go as fast as you can in that kayak as possible in the Malibu ePDL.

At the end of my first day out, I had only nibbled at the battery’s 20Ah capacity, and it had enough energy to go the entire next day before needing a charge. Recharging is simple, and it’s back to 100% recharged overnight.

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What Could Be Better?

I’d love to see some type of blank plate offered up for the pedal drive port at the bottom of the kayak. If you want to paddle the Malibu ePDL au-natural, you have to contend with a fairly large opening; otherwise, water sloshes in a good bit.

$5,500 is a pretty healthy amount of money, so the price should also be discussed. Old Town only makes one other more expensive kayak — the ePDL-equipped Sportsman 120 PRO, and it’s certainly a jump up from even the plain pedal-drive Malibu at $2,600. 

The versatility will undoubtedly be important to those considering buying one. This kayak is dang near as capable as the Sportsman BigWater as a fishing kayak, only with a slightly smaller footprint. I could see this kayak being a mini bass boat for one family member on the weekends and an after-work rewind cruiser for another person the rest of the week.

Conclusion: Are We Ready for the E-Bike of the Seas?

An older man in a racing shell slipped past me. The power of his stroke was metered perfectly to make no surge in his wake. I half entertained asking him to race, and then thought better. Instead, I dialed the ePDL drive down to a lazy-river rate and set a heading for across the lake the long way. 

From this unencumbered vantage, I could continuously watch the pair of eagles that have built an enormous nest in a cottonwood at the outflow. I imagined rigging up a fishing rod or two while making the leg across lakes this summer to some far-off weed beds. Cracking a beverage was downright easy, and there was no paddle to juggle.

No, it won’t be for everyone. But I think that those who it is for know who they are. As the do-it-all boat, it’s just about all there, and with the option to go as assisted as you want, you can significantly extend your time outdoors — something we all can benefit from. 

I’ll keep paddling (pedaling?) the Malibu ePDL+ through the summer to refine my opinion, but for now, this aquatic e-bike has earned its keep in the fleet.

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