This is a great inflatable kayak that punches well over its weight (pun intended). Despite its low price tag of $89 CAD (when I purchased it on July 12, 2016), the kayak is made from very solid material, is stable in the water and handles well in the water.
Defective: Out of the four kayaks my friends and I have purchased, none of them have come with a patch repair kit (despite the box and the Amazon.com product listing saying it's included). You can purchase a comparable kit for ~$12. One box was missing an instruction booklet (PDF available online on Intex's website) and a water ringlette that's part of the paddle. Another box had a paddle where the shaft was too long for the paddle to snap in properly. Make sure you put everything together and give it a go during the warranty time period!
We've taken it out now in total four times: Shallow rivers (eg. Grand River near Kitchener) result in the skeg hitting the bottom of the kayak. But despite the abuse the entire way down the river, the skeg was visibly scratched but did not detach from the boat. The bottom surface of the boat showed no wear at all. Removing the skeg makes it very "spinny" which made it very interesting as you might find yourself "drifting" (going sideways) but does significantly reduce hitting the bottom of shallow bodies. My suggestion is to keep the skeg on because it drastically improves the kayak's straightline ability.
We've been into the Toronto Inner Harbour on a calm day, and there was no feeling of danger at all from capsizing or rocking from waves.
The weight limit is 160kg (confusingly, 180kg is also listed on the kayak itself as persons + gear), but I am confident that the kayak can carry more than this. For a short span on the water, one of these kayaks carried three adults with no problems (two in seats and one perched on the back end of the kayak). With three compartments, I'd like to see how much these could carry before it came close to tipping over. Furthermore, any water that does get into the kayak pools under the sides of the kayak in a pocket between the inflatable side and inflatable bottom.
Note that this is not a small kayak - two adults can fit comfortably (because it is inflatable, you can comfortable squeeze your feet in between the chair and the sides of the kayak even for people who are 6'). With both seats in place, you'll still find plenty of room for bags behind the back seat and in the front. The seats aren't affixed to the kayak, instead they velcro on, so if you want to go fishing, you could go by yourself with just the back seat and place your tackle box/cooler/other gear in the front (IMO you *could* do this with 2 people, but it would be tight).
Inside the box is a bag holding everything: the kayak (deflated), pump, instructions, 2 kayak paddles (breaks down into 5 parts each), skeg (I didn't see a patch kit). Set up for the kayak is quick and easy. Each valve is labelled, so you simply have to fill each compartment in order #1 (base), #2 (side) and #3 (side) using the pump (do not attach a cap!), then fill #4 and #5 (front and back skirt) which like another reviewer we initially we found difficult to seal - don't squeeze the valve and the air will stay in! Next, pump up the seats and squeeze them between the walls and onto the velcro.
Depending on the conditions, you might consider closing the scupper (drain valve) on the end of the kayak (eg. if you're significantly overweight!). Because the kayak is lightweight, you can set up the kayak in any open space, load it up with your gear then carry it down to the water using the convenient handles on front and back (you will need two people to carry it).
The paddles aren't great, you might consider selling them on Kijiji in order to subsidize purchase of real paddles elsewhere. But at this low price, the paddles are pretty much a bonus.
If you are kayaking in Canada, note that aside from this kit, you will need to buy a Transport Canada approved PFD (easily found at Amazon/Walmart/Canadian Tire), 50ft buoyang heaving rope, sound signalling device (eg. pealess whistle) and bailing device (eg. a plastic cup, a cut plastic water bottle, etc.). If you are on the water at night, you will also need a light to be visible to others. The
Fox 40 Classic Boat Safety Kit
meets all the above requirement (except PFD) and can be found at Amazon/other retailers on sale for ~$15 CAD.
Because of its large size, it is difficult to clean properly. It does not fit well into a conventional bathtub and attracts dirt and dust off the driveway when hosing/towelling it down in the backyard. I haven't found a solution to this yet.
Would highly recommend to friends and family without question.
EDIT (2017-06-06): One year later and it's going strong, though we managed to puncture one of the four while were packing in a gravel lot (probably our fault to compact it against sharp gravel! Amazon.ca graciously provided us with a repair kit and we're excited to take it out again this coming Summer.
| Product Dimensions | 312.42 x 91.44 x 50.8 cm; 13.88 kg |
|---|---|
| Item model number | 68307EP |
| Is discontinued by manufacturer | No |
| Colour | Yellow |
| Size | 2-Person |
| Hand Orientation | Kayaks |
| Style | 2-person |
| Construction | rubber |
| Frame Material | Vinyl |
| Length | 312 Centimetres |
| Weight | 16.22 kg |
| Width | 91 Centimetres |
| Material | Polypropylene (PP) |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Number of Pieces | 1 |
| Outer Material | Vinyl |
| Special Features | inflatable, foldable |
| Included Components | Repair patch kit, High-output pump, Removable skeg, Inflatable Seats with backrests, Heavy-duty grab handles with grab lines |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Brand | Intex |
| Maximum Weight Capacity | 400 Pounds |
| Item Weight | 13.9 kg |
