Hey guys,
I just want to get out onto the water, and an inflatable kayak sounds wonderful for my usage / abilities. I’m not looking for anything advanced, as I am green to the sport and am looking for something fun to do with my wife (oh, did I mention a two seater). I don’t want to drop a grand on something that I have never tried - hence the 300 dollar limit. I would think that something with good stability is key.
Just looking to get outside onto some flat water and enjoy nature.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Your advice is invaluable!
Andy
Sevylor or Stearns
Both have lower end IKs under 300. As the previous poster said, you do get what you pay for.
A word on tandems - in my experience, the seats in tandem IKs tend to be closer together than in hardshells (IK length is limited by the structural rigidity of the fabric). If you and your wife are of even average height, you will have to do a lot of coordination to avoid constantly hitting your paddles together. You may want to consider buying two singles.
Advanced Elements
A little more than $300.00 but great boats – for the price.
What about Qayak?
www.qayak.com
These guys have some nice looking kayaks that IMO appear better quality than Sevylor’s Tahiti.
Ever heard of them?
First I’ve heard of these…
…they look like a good value. The material is very good. For the price, they would be hard to beat. The paddles and pump are junk (like the “free” software that comes with digital cameras).
Although everything they sell is out of you price range, take a look at www.theboatpeople.com. There is a lot of good info about materials, fabrication, and design of IKS on their FAQ, as well as the rest of their pages.
You do get what you pay for as
mentioned above. Here’s the dope: The cheaper inflatables seams are either singularly fused or not as well stitched/fused as the more pricey and thus more durable duckies.
Quality of material thickness (PVC or otherwise)is also what makes the difference. All that said, how do you stay in your reasonable recreation budget? My take and experience
(I’ve owned four inflatables, ranging from $300 to $1300):
Stearns better than Sevylor.
Advanced Elements or Sea Eagle better than both.
(More expensive brands–if you’re thinking about rapid-filled waters) Aire, Innova, NRS
or one of the other custom inflatable companies better than all of the above.
Good hunting!
Sevylor
I can’t say much about inflatables but I had a bad experience with Sevylor. We started out with two inflatables. I forget what model they were but they cost over $300 each. One got a hole before it even made it to the lake and the seams on the other were very sharp. This was proabably a couple of years ago so I don’t know if the quality has changed since then.
Advanced Elements
– Last Updated: Feb-09-08 1:21 PM EST –
Tough as nails. Great looking. I get a lot of interest and questions about mine, which is a solo, 35 lbs in its duffle, and can be checked for no additional fee when flying.
Dick's Sporting Goods has them for $399. I waited for a sale and purchased mine for $320 three years ago.
You say you'd like a double. They do make one, but I'd suggest buying a single (whatever brand you decide), trying it, and if you like it buy another single.
One caveat about inflatables: Very heavy people tend not to like them. The inflatable floors don't always handle the weight well.
Thanks
Thanks everyone. This is great info. I’m a small dude around 150 lbs, so I shouldn’t sink too easily!
Thanks again, and I hope to see you on the water soon.
Qayak One Person (New Boat)
I just bought one of these and posted a review. The support and communication has been very good. I like it a lot and if it holds up I may buy another one. It’s a good design and will be my summer boat for a small lake I fish on.