I’m very interested in this boat. I know some people like to use it for hunting trips up in Alaska, but I can’t find many reviews about the boat.
The traveler looks a lot like a narrow whitewater raft, which I like. I want a durable, light and stable craft that I can use with one other person with minimal camping gear to fish rivers and streams up to an occasional class III but mostly class I with the ability to shoot through some narrow chutes - runs too narrow for a big raft. I’ll also want to use it with my wife and small child and maybe a dog. I’d be getting the optional rowing package.
The Arie Traveler is 15’ long and about 46" wide with 14" diameter tubes and a thick self-bailing floor and weighs 55 lbs.
It seems pretty comparable to a Soar s-16 but lighter.
How does the traveler do in class II / II?
How durable is it compared to the soar?
How does it perform on shallow rocky rivers?
Does anyone know about this boat?
Aire makes good boats.
Don’t know about this one – never seen it.
The most important factor for me would be the material used for the boat. I would want a tough skin, like Innova’s boats.
I WOULDN’T want a bladder inside a tough outer skin. Water gets between the bladder and outer skin and makes it hard to dry out the boat.
SOARs are good boats too.
And
Grabbner.
Check this site
Check www.theboatpeople.com web site. They are selling inflatable kayaks, canoes and rafts. Their reviews are fair and accurate.
They would certainly answer your questions.
thanks
I checked out their site. Looks good. Seems like the Aire products are top of the line and very durable. So are the soars. I just don’t know. I wish i could find out more.
reviews
I have heard the Aire Trav, and the SOARs paddle like an inflatable canoe. If that is what you want there are lots of reviews out there. Both have good reps. The Traveler is reputed to carry a lot of gear easily, used by wilderness trippers or people that like more room for family.
I found some biased comparisons on the soar website for what its worth. I concur the Aire is lighter, so thats a factor. They have a 10 year warranty. Liam
AIRE
not totally familiar with the TRav but… AIRE boats are very well made and IMO top of the food chain, far as inflatables go.
They’re lighter and roll smaller than many other PVC boats. The inner bladder makes repairs EZ and field do-able. I pooped a tube on my AIRE cat (MY fault- over inflated) on the Grand and we had her back up and running pretty quickly.
Best of all they will repair YOUR booboos without issue. you just pay the shipping and they do a 100% welded repair. (field repairs are glued)
I been an AIRE-head for going on 15 years. 2 cats, numerous IK’s, etc.
steve
Hey Flatpick,
do the AIRE boats get wetness (water) between the bladder and outer skin?
That is a problem I’ve had with I.K.'s in the past. And I had to take them apart to clean and dry them out. It was salt water that got in.
I don’t have that problem with my Innova now, because Innovas use one thik skin. I hear people say its bomb proof material, but I haven’t tested it – stayed away from sharp reefs and rocks.
Carl
yeah a little
tho for me it’s fresh water, generally from the Colorado!
steve