I picked up my Slayer 14.5 the day before going on a week long fishing trip to Florida in March of 2014. I didn't have time to even unwrap it before leaving, so my first time in the Slayer was on the redfish flats of St. George Island, Florida. It didn't take long for me to be impressed with the Slayer 14.5 once I got in it. I can only compare it to my past two kayaks, a Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5 and a Jackson Cuda 14. Both the Ultimate and the Cuda are great kayaks in their own right, but for my personal way of fishing I feel the Slayer is a MUCH better fit. The open cockpit area is great for fly fishing plus the ton of gear track that the Slayer comes with makes this kayak very easy and versatile when it comes to rigging.

The Slayer's seat is awesome and probably the most comfortable seat in a kayak that I've paddled so far. That is saying a lot because I thought both the old Ultimate and the Cuda seats were great. A comfortable seat is a priority for me when buying a fishing kayak as it'll keep you fishing and on the water much longer.

When it comes to actually paddling the Slayer 14.5, I was really impressed. I thought for sure it would be a bit slower than the Cuda due to the hull design difference and also slower than the Ultimate due to the heavier weight. However I was wrong on both accounts and feel that the Slayer paddled just as fast and just as easy as the Cuda and Ultimate, with it tracking much better than the Ultimate did. It turns easier than the Cuda and I find the Slayer is much more stable when standing than my Cuda was. Native hit a homerun with this hull design, that's a fact.

I thought I might miss the hull storage on the Slayer after owning the Cuda, but when I thought about it I only used the Cuda's hull storage once in the time that I owned it. And the open forward hull compartment on the Slayer is perfect for tossing fish that you plan to keep.

So as you can see, I'm super happy with my Slayer 14.5. It's a perfect fit for my style of fishing and I don't think any other kayak on the market right now would fit the bill like this one. You can't go wrong with a Slayer!

I love the Slayer 14.5 for large bodies of water and short trips. It is super stable and can handle the roughest of water. It has the super comfortable Native high/low seat in it. I am primarily a fly fisher so I really like the open cockpit for stripping fly line without any snag points.
The Slayer is an all around good boat.

I picked up the Slayer 14.5 around 6 weeks ago, and decided to wait awhile to get a good feel for it before writing a review. I have now taken it from ankle deep water to the open ocean and I feel that I can write this review with confidence.

Speed: not really slow, but You arent going to win any races with it. I kick it along easly around 3 knots (according to my GPS), but any faster and it gets exponentialy harder. It tracks well even without a rudder.

Stability: Outstanding. I couldnt be happier. I can stand and fly fish without issue. We were also buzzed by a 45ft offshore boat this weekend and had a decent wave come over the side, the slayer handled it easily.

Durability: The hardware and everything seems solid. I cant say anything good or bad about the hull because I have been babying it and it barely has a scratch

Features: This is where this boat really shines. The seat is awesome, its comfortable and has a high-low option. There are molded in tackle boxes on either side of the seat which I love. The rail system on either side ( and the front/back) are great and make the kayak easily convertable from flats fly fishing to deep water jigging or any application you perfer. The open bow was a huge deciding factor for me, I love the versatility of it and the ability to actuall access my front storage the water. As an added bonus Native has a fish bag that fits that hatch perfectly and is a must have. The large number of oversized scuppers is also great and helps drain the yak quickly.

Value: Its MSRP is around 1,279.00. I suppose its a mid range price, but an outstanding boat and worth every penny.

Its apparent that the Slayer 14.5 was build FOR FISHERMEN. It does its job well. High points are the stability and features. The downsides are it is not a speed demon, and its large mass can take it out of You on windy days. The large scuppers make a lot of noise if You dont plug them, an easy fix, but something obnoxious that I noticed right off. Awesome Kayak in my book, I honestly wouldnt trade it for another boat on the market.

Being new to kayak fishing, I tried several different kayaks out. I decided upon the slayer since I liked the open deck, great seat, and stability. It is not as fast as some of the others, but it was the most stable of the ones I tried. Since I have had it, I have become even happier with it. If you are looking for dry storage hatches, this does not have that. But, you get lots of open deck space and dry bags provide the storage I need. I also like all the track mounting which comes standard on this kayak. It is an open slate for customizing it the way you want.

In my opinion, you can not go wrong with the Native Slayer 14.5

If your looking for a fisherman friendly yak, this is it. I have had my slayer 14.5 for a few month's now, and I have to say, I absolutely LOVE IT. The open deck area is spacious and clean,perfect for us dual sit down and stand up fishermen. The seat is the most comfortable seat I have ever been in, and also can be conveniently adjusted to the high/low position for easy standing. There are rail systems on both sides for mounting rod holders, cameras, or safety lights, as well as a center console with a small rail to add a depth finder. This yak also has a large amount of storage in the bow and stern areas of the boat to store your belongings on those long paddles. If there were any draw backs on this boat,I'd have to say it does push a little water and isn't the fastest boat,but with that being said ,what it lacks in speed it easily makes up for it in stability, and maneuverability.