Inflatable kayak

[Itsmcb]

Any recommendations for a decent inflatable kayak to take in the van? My wife and I did a one day canoe on the river Wye last summer and really enjoyed it so I'm thinking of getting a two man inflatable we can keep/take in the van. Only for sunny day canal or lake use although a trip to France or even the Italian lakes might be on the cards next year so not an Aldi or Lidl one but not too expensive either.
Any ideas?

 

[Googlebot]

Loads and loads of choices. You get what you pay for, I know that doesn’t help but the choice is mind boggling as you have probably found. I find the stand up paddle boards better and more versatile.

Got mine from here if it helps.

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[Itsmcb]

Loads and loads of choices. You get what you pay for, I know that doesn’t help but the choice is mind boggling as you have probably found. I find the stand up paddle boards better and more versatile.

Got mine from here if it helps.

Two Bare Feet - Wetsuits, Retro Skateboards, Baby Swim & Diving Sets

Buy Adult Wetsuits, Kids Wetsuits, Baby Wetsuits and Retro Skateboards at Two Bare Feet. The UK's leading source for Wetsuits, Kids Wetsuits, Baby Wetsuits and Snorkelling Equipment. As well as our own collection of adult wetsuits, kids wetsuits, baby swim suits, snorkelleing equipment and...

www.twobarefeet.co.uk

The paddle boards don't really appeal, I think I'm getting lazy, I like the idea of sitting down with a beer as I casually paddle my canoe along (or maybe as the missus paddles along).

 

[SD j]

Any recommendations for a decent inflatable kayak to take in the van? My wife and I did a one day canoe on the river Wye last summer and really enjoyed it so I'm thinking of getting a two man inflatable we can keep/take in the van. Only for sunny day canal or lake use although a trip to France or even the Italian lakes might be on the cards next year so not an Aldi or Lidl one but not too expensive either.
Any ideas?

I’m also interested to hear responses on this as my wife has a paddleboard , I’ve tried paddle boards and Kayaks but prefer sitting .

 

[MattR]

Be careful with cheaper inflatable kayaks; they can be unstable and have poor control.

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[Minxy]

Gumotex every time for me ... not the cheapest nor the most expensive but ideal for a MH as they don't need to be totally dry to safely store them which many do. If you do a search for 'Gumotex' you'll find there are quite a few threads giving info about these and other makes along with the pros and cons.

 

[Minxy]

You also might want to consider a couple of singles rather than a double especially if you want to go out on your own and/or paddling together can cause heated 'discussions' ... we changed to singles before we killed each other!

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Cindy has one of these in the garage, seems to be alright for the purposes mentioned...

 

[funflair]

The paddle boards don't really appeal, I think I'm getting lazy, I like the idea of sitting down with a beer as I casually paddle my canoe along (or maybe as the missus paddles along).

So do you want a Canoe or a Kayak, sorry to be pedantic BUT if you want a canoe I can recommend Gumotex Palava

 

[gerry mcg]

im waiting on delivery of and Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible Elite kayak- https://www.advancedelementskayaks.co.uk -

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[Itsmcb]

Ok, looking at the two above I guess it's a canoe I'm after although the line between the two seem very blurred?
I had my eye on one of these last year but the reviews are mixed

Zray Drift Inflatable Kayak: Test and Review - Kayak expert

The Zray Drift is the 100% high pressure model of the Zray brand, which also makes it the model with the highest performance in the range

www.kayak-expert.com

 

[funflair]

Ok, looking at the two above I guess it's a canoe I'm after although the line between the two seem very blurred?
I had my eye on one of these last year but the reviews are mixed

Zray Drift Inflatable Kayak: Test and Review - Kayak expert

The Zray Drift is the 100% high pressure model of the Zray brand, which also makes it the model with the highest performance in the range

www.kayak-expert.com

Quite simple really a Canoe you kneel in or sit on a seat but with your knees bent and feet on the floor and you paddle with a single ended blade, a Kayak you sit down lower than the Canoe so your feet are out in front of you with basically straight legs and you paddle with a double ended paddle.

The one you linked mentions "drop stitch" which is relatively new in the inflatable world but it makes a much more rigid craft as it runs at higher pressures, what it is like for durability I don't know ?

 

[Itsmcb]

You also might want to consider a couple of singles rather than a double especially if you want to go out on your own and/or paddling together can cause heated 'discussions' ... we changed to singles before we killed each other!

We need a double otherwise there would be no one to open the Prosecco bottle for my wife's Aperol spritz

 

[Brains]

We have a Sevylor Hudson
It spends most of the year in the motorhome
We use it with a pair of wooden Canoe paddles rather than kayak double paddles

It's designed for 3, in reality this would be two adults and a child or dog or a coolbox

Broken Link Removed

 

[Itsmcb]

Quite simple really a Canoe you kneel in or sit on a seat but with your knees bent and feet on the floor and you paddle with a single ended blade, a Kayak you sit down lower than the Canoe so your feet are out in front of you with basically straight legs and you paddle with a double ended paddle.

The one you linked mentions "drop stitch" which is relatively new in the inflatable world but it makes a much more rigid craft as it runs at higher pressures, what it is like for durability I don't know ?

Based on this information it's definitely a canoe, with a seat

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[Brains]

Ok, looking at the two above I guess it's a canoe I'm after although the line between the two seem very blurred?
I had my eye on one of these last year but the reviews are mixed

Zray Drift Inflatable Kayak: Test and Review - Kayak expert

The Zray Drift is the 100% high pressure model of the Zray brand, which also makes it the model with the highest performance in the range

www.kayak-expert.com

In the most basic way, as my Kayak instructor explained it:

Canoe's are used Red Indians
Kayak's are used by Eskimo's

 

[Minxy]

So do you want a Canoe or a Kayak, sorry to be pedantic BUT if you want a canoe I can recommend Gumotex Palava

It was the double 'Palava' canoe that turned out to be a right palaver for us, hence our change to single kayaks!

 

[Minxy]

Based on this information it's definitely a canoe, with a seat

No the one linked to is a kayak as you sit on the base of it (albeit on a seat) rather than what you'd have with a canoe where you sit on a board type of seat that is mounted above and not touching the base, we found kayaks much more comfortable and controllable as with sitting lower it is much more stable and also if it is a good fit you and the kayak become 'one' so the control is much more natural as your whole body helps to control it.

 

[Itsmcb]

So do you want a Canoe or a Kayak, sorry to be pedantic BUT if you want a canoe I can recommend Gumotex Palava

Just looked at the Palava, it's exactly what I was thinking of.

 

[Itsmcb]

No the one linked to is a kayak as you sit on the base of it (albeit on a seat) rather than what you'd have with a canoe where you sit on a board type of seat that is mounted above and not touching the base, we found kayaks much more comfortable and controllable as with sitting lower it is much more stable and also if it is a good fit you and the kayak become 'one' so the control is much more natural as your whole body helps to control it.

Aarggh, it's too complicated! I need another beer

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[69473]

Gumotex , Czech made using a very tough material have an excellent reputation. Basically hand made and every one individually inspected. Expect to pay around £1200 for a drop stitch model.
Drop stitch gives a more rigid floor, better speed and tracking.
You could, prior to the 'B' word buy direct from a supplier in Prague at a discounted rate, i suspect delivery and import taxes will now be an issue.
False economy to buy a cheaper, outer skin will not be as tough as used by Gumotex. Non-dropstitch Gumotex canoe's are available.
They also fetch decent money on the used market unlike cheaper makes.

 

[Reusables]

100% buy the best you can afford as they cheap ones are dangerous.

I have a ridged kayak and an inflatable kayak by two bare feet.

Come with a clip on back rest so can be used as a kayak or paddle board.

 

[Minxy]

We have a Sevylor Hudson
It spends most of the year in the motorhome
We use it with a pair of wooden Canoe paddles rather than kayak double paddles

It's designed for 3, in reality this would be two adults and a child or dog or a coolbox

Broken Link Removed

Sevylor are a good make however it is the 'bladder' type which are enclosed in an outer cover, this means that the water can get in through the zips so they need a lot more time to dry out which is okay if you are spending time on a site next to the water, or returning to one afterwards, so can leave it out to dry for a long time but for us moving every day or two we found it impossible to get our 'bladder' ones dry which can cause issues with mould etc, hence our going back to Gumotex ones without bladders which just need a rinse down with clean water* and dry off with a towel then can be put away immediately if required even if still damp without any detrimental effect.

(* You should do this with any canoe/kayak/paddleboard/equipment used in bodies of water, regardless of what the water type is you've used it in, to prevent transmission of bugs etc from one lot of water to another.)

 

[68c]

I agree the type with inner bladders are hard to dry. They are also much heavier when wet which can cause payload problems. Our ten year old Sevylors still work but all the zips have corroded so now impossible to speed up drying by removing the bladders. Looking to buy a couple of Gumotex Twist 1 kayaks. Expensive at around £430 each so looking for used ones, no luck so far.

 

[Puddleduck]

You also might want to consider a couple of singles rather than a double especially if you want to go out on your own and/or paddling together can cause heated 'discussions' ... we changed to singles before we killed each other!

Single kayaks for us every day of the week (well a single for me and one that will take him and a child for him) as we have such different paddling styles that if we are in a double we will ALWAYS swim. Martin uses brute strength to paddle and I am much more of a technical paddler as I don't have the upper body strength. I use my whole body to transfer power from my legs / thighs through the back muscles and into my shoulders - so I need a really good seat adjusted for me and also strong foot braces. When we had rigid kayaks I also used thigh braces.

So I sit with knees slightly bent and by straightening each leg in turn and pushing against the foot brace I can transfer the power from calf and thigh muscles into the shoulders.

Quite simple really a Canoe you kneel in or sit on a seat but with your knees bent and feet on the floor and you paddle with a single ended blade, a Kayak you sit down lower than the Canoe so your feet are out in front of you with basically straight legs and you paddle with a double ended paddle.

The one you linked mentions "drop stitch" which is relatively new in the inflatable world but it makes a much more rigid craft as it runs at higher pressures, what it is like for durability I don't know ?

Our new kayaks are drop stitch and there is no comparison between the old type of inflatable and the drop stitch. The drop stitch is like paddling a standard rigid kayak. The keels are rubber and also have detachable skegs. For what we want they are the bees knees ..... before that we had rigid sit-on, firstly top of range touring types but because of the kayal weight and length and us getting older swapped to day boats which I didn't get on with. The inflatables handle like sit-inside kayaks but are as stable as sit-ons.

If you are serious about paddling then please book a few lessons and make sure you have the correct safety equipment (buoyancy aids, helmets etc). Even flat water can be dangerous. It's also worth joining a local club who will have a qualified coach and possibly a lot of different boats you can try out.

I have paddled a Canadian style double canoe with a long double bladed kayak paddle (I was at the front - the person who is the engine is always at the front and the person at the back steers in a double Canadian) but usually a Canadian Canoe is propelled by single bladed paddle(s) with a cross bar at the top (or a knob!)

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[Puddleduck]

Glider Full Drop-Stitch Double Inflatable Kayak Package | Blue

NEW FACELIFT DESIGN Full Drop Stitch Construction Dimensions: 15'6" x 33.5" (473cm x 85cm) Dimensions when deflated: 33.5" x 19" x 9" (85cm x 48cm x 22cm) Max Load Capacity: 700lbs / 317kg Style: Double, Touring, Inflatable Please note: videos show the kayak before the design update

bluewavekayaks.com

Sea Eagle Inflatable kayaks, SE 393 Razorlite Pro Package Spindrift UK

Inflatable kayaks by Sea Eagle SE 393RL Pro Package from Spindrift UK

shop.spindriftltd.com

These are the kayaks we have.

 

[15edward]

I found J Baikoff on you tube useful intro “ what promo videos don’t tell you”

 

[Lynne Roy]

Sevylor Colorado very stable

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Gumotex. I have a small fleet of them, from very focused White Water kayaks to gentle still water craft. The most versatile is the Twist N 2/1. Can be used as a double, or a single. Dries quickly, and only adds 13kg to your payload. I Wholeheartedly endorse the warning caveats. We have had a few hair raising incidents!! I know better now. Gumotex's can also be fully repaired if the worst happens to them.
Mike.

 

[Itsmcb]

Thanks for all the information. Gumotex seems to be favourite. The retailers all seem to be on the south coast so I'll have to plan a weekend that way.

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