AKB: Foldable kayaks vs inflatable kayaks....
- Thread starter psuro
- Start date
You’ll get more direct answers but I had the same question when it came to paddle boards. I spoke to numerous retailers and they all trumpeted inflatable. I have a Hobie inflatable PEDAL paddle board that is really hard when you inflate it (@BobPSU92) so you would not really know that it was inflatable. The material is actually more durable for paddle board operation in that it doesn’t chip when contacted with stone, rock, etc. Most of the paddle board retailers I spoke to when looking for my board seemed to think you’d see more evolution towards inflatable.
It’s obviously much easier to ship and store and the process of inflating and deflating is not anything to detract you from inflatables.
Just in case anyone reading who possibly is asking what in the hell is a stand up pedal paddle board, check out video.
FWIW I have an inflatable Paddle board. I was shocked how hard (@BobPSU92 included) the thing gets. I got a seperate DC pump that blows it up, plus the pump shuts off at a predetermined pressure that you set. I think the board is to be inflated to 15#, I set the pump to 14.5 just to be safe, it pumps it up to 14.5 and shuts it self off. Plus there are different fittings to attach so the pump can blow up different inflatables etc. I think it cost $25 and fits in your lighter plug in your car or boat. My board is about 12' and it takes maybe 10 min 15 max, to inflated. I usually leave it inflated for the season. After it is defeated every fits into a nice back pack with straps, so it is easy to transport.
My wife wanted a paddle board. So no reason to look!! Lol. Featherlite is the brand it seems to be good quality
psuro - I have two intex inflatable kayaks (Explorer and Challenger) and a Sea Eagle inflatable pontoon boat that I use with a trolling motor. I mostly use a hard kayak for fishing because I live by the river and have easy water access. However, I use the inflatable kayaks when I travel. It is just so much easier. I can transport them and get in up and in the water within 15 minutes or so. Very happy with them.
I have a whitewater inflatable (Aire Lynx) but I suspect you are looking for a sea kayak. Any specific info you are looking for?
It does not have to be a sea kayak - I was looking for something that would be considered "recreational", which from what I gather online, can be used for lakes, slow moving rivers/streams (Class I), and maybe some back bays/calm ocean waters.
I spoke with a local outdoors store, and he suggested that for me, it should be an inflatable vs. a foldable, as I am a decent sized guy -6'2" and north of 250#, (mostly due to the rocks in my head), and some inflatables can hold significantly more than that.
I would be venturing into this for the first time, so I am balancing the costs/use of same. My opportunities are also limited by season (doubt I will be out in the winter), so that leaves roughly 8/9 months of use. Convenience is a key, as I don't want to get one of those roof racks for my car to carry a hard plastic, tradiional, kayak. I have heard good and bad things about using an eletric pump vs. hand pump. The biggest is that if you lose air and you are not near your car, you can be a bit screwed with having an electric pump.
Also, do these kayaks have compartments to carry stuff (like a hand pump, etc).?
I'm a big inflatable guy, so I would point that direction. Easy to pack and no roof rack needed. My buddy is probably close to the same size (maybe 1-2 inches shorter but same weight) and has no problem with a small inflatable kayak (tributary tomcat). It's a cheaper Chinese made version of the Aire boat I have. Good way to look if you are just starting, but made for whitewater so maybe not as spacious as you want.
You would need to use an electric pump (can connect to car outlets) to inflate the boat and a hand pump to top it off. The electric pump won't get it full enough to be stiff. You could pump entirely with a hand pump if you really had to. They make pumps small enough to fit in the boat easily. I typically bring a dry bag that I clip into the boat, which could store a small pump along with personal items. They do make "packrafts" that you can store items inside of, but I think they are mostly for doing overnight camping stuff.
You probably already saw this, but just in case, a nice primer.
kayak
Me on the water if you want to see what the WW IKs look like....
I have no interest in seeing pics of Bob and his inflatables. But to each his own.
I bought a real basic inflatable just to have something to get out on the water post-2020. I really like the ability to have in the back hatch and if I end up somewhere interesting it's a short time from unpack to being in the water. A well-made one would be something nice to have, mine has sprung a leak or two and it's borderline not worth repairing anymore.
I do have a friend with a foldable, same space to break it down. He upgraded to a newer folding one and I've used his original and it's quite nice. A little hard to noddle out the assembly sometimes, but mostly clicks into place and it's ready for the water. Felt a little less stable than the inflatable, but you're comparing it to basically a big raft. Pretty cool either way.
I do have a friend with a foldable, same space to break it down. He upgraded to a newer folding one and I've used his original and it's quite nice. A little hard to noddle out the assembly sometimes, but mostly clicks into place and it's ready for the water. Felt a little less stable than the inflatable, but you're comparing it to basically a big raft. Pretty cool either way.
One random day I didn't plan to paddle and I noticed the wind was down and the sunset was nice, so I filled the boat and it turned out to be really nice at sunset:
