I live in a place on the West coat of Vancouver Island where I am lucky enough to "commute" to work by kayak everyday, and I also frequently go on longer day-trips up and down the coast and inlets nearby. The water around here can get pretty rough, and there are often whitecaps and considerable swell, even in the more sheltered areas, so the conditions are certainly not calm and we get everything coming across the Pacific.

After borrowing about six or eight different kayaks, I decided to purchase my own, and I am extremely happy with the Lightspeed Chaos which I got for an excellent price. The only other boat I considered was the Current Designs Gulfstream, which after paddling for quite a bit, I think is not as good as the Lightspeed.

The main reasons I would recommend this boat are:
PRICE: Good luck finding a less expensive quality boat
MATERIAL: The ABS plastic Lightspeed uses is lighter, stiffer and stronger than fibreglass, with the same super-glossy finish and it is substantially cheaper.

The seat I have (an inflatble foam thermarest style deal) is also awesome, and the most comfortable seat I have used, but they may have changed this to foam recently. Try and get the inflatable one if you still can.

PERFORMANCE: The Chaos is a very fast and maneuverable boat. It has no skeg or rudder, so it should appeal to purists (like me!) who like to have more control and freedom while paddling. It is ridiculously easy to lean, and you will undoubtedly find yourself carving turns on edge before long. It is also very stable, although at the cost of being about two inches wider in the beam than I would say would be ideal. It tracks very well, but doesn't have that "riding on rails" feeling, and it responds very quickly to any attempt to turn. Finally, I can confidently recommend it as a great boat for ocean paddling, it rides the swells very nicely, it cuts through chop with ease, and it feels very responsive. And it is definitely one of the nicest looking boats on the docks in my town!

To be fair, my complaints would include:
HATCHES leak a bit, but I have the older ones, which have been replaced with supposedly tighter ones, but the ones I have are also very neat and sleek, no straps or clips. The newer ones are ugly as hell and have all kinds of webbing that clips over them and clutters up your decks.

CENTER OF GRAVITY is a bit higher than other boats (way higher than the Gulfstream, for example), and while you quickly get used to it, it can be a bit unsettling in very rough water, because you have to be quicker and better at bracing than if you were an inch or two lower.

FOOT PEGS are a bit to close to the seat, even at the maximum setting. I am 5"11", and I find them about an inch to close, so nothing really annoying, but a little detail that taller people should look into. Also, the end of the cockpit is a little cramped, and though it feels fine in booties or bare feet, with hiking boots or gum boots on (I do have to paddle to work, after all), it gets downright cramped and I have to wedge my feet in.

In my rating I consider the overall rating to be higher than the individual ones because I also include the aesthetic appeal, which is something to consider too, and the value, which is unbeatable in my opinion.