Lately I’ve been seeing a lot about inflatable kayaks, and it got me thinking: Should I buy an inflatable kayak? They certainly seem pretty convenient – easy to store, easy to transport. But what would I have to give up? Performance? Reliability? I decided to do some research. Here’s what I found:
Inflatable kayaks have both pros and cons, but I was surprised to find out that the materials and technology used in today’s inflatables have come a long way. In fact there are some paddlers out there who will argue that an inflatable kayak is not just as good as a hard boat, but better!
My main issue with inflatables is tracking. How could an inflatable boat possibly track as well as a hard boat? Well the new crop of inflatables mostly come with either a hard spine that stabilizes the boat’s keel and/or a skeg attached to the stern to create optimal handling.
The best way to decide anything, in my opinion, is to list the pros and cons. So here we go.
The “pros” of inflatable kayaks… Inflatable kayaks typically:
- Weigh under 30 lbs,
- Hold up to 500 lbs,
- Are easy to transport, no need for a rack or trailer
- Are easy to store, great for those of us in condos and apartments,
- Can handle up to class 3 whitewater,
- Have plenty of inflatable accessories such as spray skirts and seats,
- Offer most of the features of a standard, hard body kayak,
- Offer as good as or even superior performance and tracking than a standard kayak,
- Come with a warrantee,
- Are great for beginners and experienced paddlers,
- Provide a more comfortable, more cushioned ride.
The “cons” of inflatable kayaks…
- Can be more expensive than comparable standard kayaks, but prices are leveling out,
- Can be punctured, but materials are improving constantly. Also, most inflatables are constructed in a compartmentalized fashion so even if you get a hole or tear most likely it will only effect part of the boat. You’ll be able to make it to a place where you can either take out or repair it on the fly,
- Not as maneuverable as a hard boat, but most inflatables come with fins or skegs which can actually make it track better than a standard boat,
- Increased drag / harder to paddle. True, in some of the less expensive models this can be an issue. But again, as materials are improved this also is becoming less of an issue,
- Take a long time to inflate. Actually with either a hand pump or an electric pump, most inflatables are ready to go in about 5 minutes.
Honestly, I wanted to not like the idea of an inflatable kayak – ’cause I love my current boat so much. But as you can see even the cons are turning into pros. Truth is, I can’t think of one reason NOT to get an inflatable boat. If you’re thinking the same, take a look at some of these inflatable kayaks offered from Sea Eagle, Innova, Zoik and NRS:
Subscribe to Kayak, Canoe, Races, Events by Email
