Ascend H12 Review

Overview

The Ascend H12 is a 12ft hybrid style kayak that is one of the most popular duck hunting kayaks on the market. It offers a lot of features at a very affordable price.

This kayak does a lot of things very well. Excellent storage capacity makes hauling gear easy. The stability makes shooting from the kayak comfortable (although I would not stand up to fish from it as they claim in the advertisements). The aftermarket blind turns this into a quick and easy layout duck hunting kayak.

This is one of the most versatile pieces of hunting gear that I have used and I highly recommend it to most people who are looking for a duck hunting kayak.

Buy the Ascend H12 If:

• You are looking for a general purpose hunting and fishing kayak.
• You hunt areas with relative easy access to water. In my opinion, this would include boat ramps or other unimproved access points. Any area where you don’t have to drag or carry the kayak long distances.
• You’re looking for the best value when it comes to performance vs price.
• You want a layout hunting blind without needing to DIY a custom option.

Look for Other Options If:

• You need to cart or carry your kayak long distances. This kayak weighs 76lbs and it isn’t fun to drag around, especially when it’s full of hunting gear.
• You want to be able to stand up to fish or maneuver. While the Ascend is stable, I wouldn’t recommend standing in it unless you can take a chance on getting wet.
• You want a kayak that works with a motor. I’ve tried it with this kayak and it can technically work, but there are much better options for kayaks that can handle a motor.

Ascend H12

This is one of the most versatile pieces of hunting gear that I have used and I highly recommend it to most people who are looking for a duck hunting kayak.

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Performance in the Field

Curious about specifics? This section will cover my experience over several seasons of use. All aspects of hunting, from the layout blind and comfort, paddling and getting to the spot, to stability and shooting from it.

Hunting Setup

One of the best features about this kayak when it comes to hunting is the availability of the Northern Flight Waterfowl Kayak Blind. It is an aftermarket blind that is made specifically for the 12ft Ascend kayaks. It has a super comfortable padded seat, and the blind is designed to be rolled up and buckled around the edges so it doesn’t hang in the water while paddling.

I love the layout blind and it comes highly recommended from almost everyone that uses it. However, it is not nearly as low profile as my custom layout blind for my Pelican 100 hunting kayak. It also can’t be used with the regular kayak seat, so if you use the kayak and need to paddle in long distances, that can get a little uncomfortable when you don’t have a backrest with the layout blind.

Northern Flight Waterfowl Kayak Blind

Commercially available kayak duck blind that fits great on the Ascend H12, one of the most popular and versatile duck hunting kayaks.

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Stability

The Ascend H12 has a unique tunnel hull design that sets it apart from other hybrid or sit-inside style kayaks in terms of stability. The tunnel hull features two channels that run from bow to stern, creating a V-shape that provides exceptional stability on the water. This design also allows the kayak to draft in mere inches of water, while maintaining a level platform that is extremely steady.

I have no concerns when it comes to shooting out of this kayak. If it is out in the open water with no vegetation to help support it, you might need to be a little cautious with some of the angles that you shoot at. But overall, there has never been an actual hunting situation where I was not perfectly comfortable shooting from the kayak.

My wife used this kayak on her very first kayak hunting trip. She had never sat in a kayak before, and she felt totally secure and comfortable getting into this and paddling over half a mile to our hunting spot in the dark.

Paddling

This is a surprisingly maneuverable and easy to paddle kayak. Especially with the regular seat that brings you up off the bottom of the kayak by a few inches. When I first used the Ascend over my 10ft Pelican, I expected a bigger kayak to mean more difficult paddling. But with the increased stability and better tracking, I found that paddling was slightly easier with the Ascend H12.

The hull style means this kayak tracks very well, which is a big thing when paddling with a kayak loaded full of gear. If you aren’t familiar, when I say tracking, I’m referring to how straight the kayak coasts when you aren’t paddling. And if you haven’t paddled a kayak full of gear, you might not be aware how important it is.

On my smaller 10ft kayaks, you have to be very precise in loading gear and weight. Even just putting my gun on one side of my Pelican 100 can make it pull to the right or the left significantly. And when you have a lot of gear and a long way to go, that gets exhausting quick. The Ascend does a good job of tracking straight even if the weight isn’t perfectly balanced.

Weight and Transportation

At 76lbs, this kayak is not the lightest option on the market, but it is still manageable for loading in and out of a vehicle. Although, after a long day hunting, I usually wished for the kayak to be lighter when it came time to load it back into the truck.

The molded handles are well built and make it easier to carry or drag the kayak for short distances. If you have a short truck bed, it is worth considering an aftermarket bed extender. I have a 6ft bed and have no trouble with transportation.

If you want a kayak to drag into public land over long-distances, this might not be the best option, but for shorter drags or anywhere with easy access to water, the weight will be very manageable.

Storage and Gear Capcity

This kayak provides ample storage capacity for duck hunters, with a large cockpit and a storage hatch located at the bow of the kayak. It can easily carry a dozen loose decoys in both the front and back compartments and even more if bagged and stacked.

I often load 3-5 dozen silhouettes and a bag of floater decoys in the back compartment which leaves the front open for blind bags and other misc. gear. I really prefer the hybrid style kayak when it comes to carrying in hunting gear. The deeper sides make it easier to dump decoys in without worrying about them spilling out.

Price and Value

The Ascend H12 is priced affordably and can be picked up on sale at Cabela’s on occasion if you are a Cabela’s Club member. These kayaks are very popular and can be found on the second-hand market for a slight discount. However, they do seem to hold their value well due to their popularity.

There are very few kayaks that can compete with the features of the Ascend H12 at a cheaper price. You can get cheaper kayaks, but they will likely be less stable and have a lower weight and storage capacity. Overall, it is a great value and represents a nice balance between features and price.

The aftermarket layout blind also offers a ton of value for the price. You can buy this kayak and the blind from Cabela’s in the afternoon, and be ready to hunt ducks the next morning.

Alternatives

Final Verdict on the Ascend H12

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Verdict: If I could only recommend one duck hunting kayak to the average hunter, it would be the Ascend H12. It offers the best balance of stability, hauling capacity, concealment options, and price. While there are better kayaks for specific situations, few can match the H12's ability to handle such a wide range of hunting conditions at a competitive price.