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Epic · Flatwater trainer · Advanced · In production

Epic K1T

A 5.19 m x 43 cm high-volume K1 hull with a 31 cm deck, fitted with a surfski bucket, footboard and pedals rather than a K1 seat and tiller, plus an Epic bailer.

Source image flipped
 
Stability band2–5/10Editorial estimate · low confidence
Speed9/10Our rating at design weight
Sweet spot56–66kgOur estimate
New, fromA$5,250US$4,995 · checked October 2026
Where to buyEpic Kayaks ↗

These prices haven't been checked for more than three months and may be out of date. Check with a dealer before relying on one.

How we rate this

Our estimate from published descriptions and reviews. Low confidence. Speed is our rating. Both are given at the hull's own design weight.

These ratings are Surfski Index estimates, worked out from published dimensions, traced hull shapes where we have them, and reviews. They are not supplied by the maker or timed on the water. How a ski feels depends on your weight, skill, set-up and the conditions, so use them to shortlist skis and paddle one before you buy. How we rate.

Stability here means how steady the ski feels sitting still on flat water. Where two craft have overlapping ranges, we can't say which is more stable. Downwind handling is a separate thing, covered in the evidence note.

Evidence note. This band is a cautious editorial estimate; it is not backed by a hull trace. Qualitative context includes 2 linked sources.

How the ratings work

Paddler weight

Your weight 64 kg
64 kg
40506070
Sweet spot 56–66 kgBroader guide 46–68 kg

The estimated sweet spot is 56–66 kg, with a broader estimated guide of 46–68 kg. This estimate is a guide, not a limit. Seat fit, conditions and paddling style matter. Lighter paddlers can still enjoy a larger hull, especially downwind. A test paddle is the best check.

Estimated from hull dimensions using a formula fitted to makers’ own paddler limits. It does not establish the designer’s intended paddler weight. How this is worked out.

Who it suits

Choppy flatwater training, K1 speed work and marathon paddling. Not an ocean craft: it has a surfski cockpit but a flatwater hull.

Good

  • Surfski cockpit, footboard and pedals mean no re-learning of the steering or seating position
  • Bailer and high volume make it usable in chop that would end a session in a racing K1
  • 9.5 kg in the Ultra layup is light for the class
  • Fits a wide paddler range, 5'3" to 6'7", on V5-derived seat rails

Trade-offs

  • 43 cm and a flatwater hull: stability is K1 territory, not surfski territory
  • 104 kg capacity is the lowest of the trainers here and rules out heavier paddlers
  • Not a race boat under ICF rules and not an ocean boat either, so it is a training-only purchase
  • Sold out in both listed markets as of September 2026

Specifications

Length
5.19 m
Beam
43 cm
Deck height
31 cm
Weight, Ultra
9.5 kg
Category
Flatwater trainer
Skill level
Advanced confident ocean paddlers
In production
single generation

About the hull. Capacity 104 kg. The extra volume over a racing K1 is what makes it forgiving enough to train in on choppy flatwater.

Where to buy

AustraliaA$5,250new
United StatesUS$4,995new

Epic Kayaks Australia lists A$5,250 and Epic Kayaks US US$4,995 for the Ultra layup; both showed sold out or out of stock in September 2026.

Epic Kayaksmaker ↗Epic Kayaks AustraliaAU ↗

Prices checked October 2026. We don't sell boats or take commission.

These prices haven't been checked for more than three months and may be out of date. Check with a dealer before relying on one.

Generations

single generation

Epic's K1 trainer: a high-volume flatwater racing hull carrying a surfski cockpit, sold as the boat a surfski paddler trains in when the ocean is out. Bucket length taken from the V14, seat rail adjustability from the V5. Epic has not published a launch year.

Sources

BetaRatings are estimatesRatings are estimates. How we get the numbers. Prices checked October 2026, may be out of date.