Inflatable Kayak Review - The Best Cheap Kayaks

The fastest-growing trend in the kayaking industry is using inflatable kayaks.  Today's technology makes these inflatable crafts more pliable and rugged while remaining lightweight and mobile.  Even seasoned kayakers are slowly making the switch to inflatable kayaks.

Inflatable Kayaks Are Portable

If you've ever owned a hard-shell kayak, you understand how hard it can be to transport your kayak.  You've got little choice to strapping your kayak to the roof of your automobile.  Then it would help if you drove to a street accessible ocean, river or lake.  Next, you've got to carry your hard-shell kayak into the water.  Hopefully, the water is not too far away from where you had to park your car or truck.

With an inflatable kayak, you fold the deflated kayak into a back pack, and you can go anywhere.  Most inflatable kayaks are less than forty pounds in weight, and a few are less than thirty pounds.  They also fold up compact once deflated.  Transporting them in the rear of your vehicle is no problem in any way.  Then think of all of the mountain paths you can take your kayak to.  You may easily paddle on remote rivers or lakes.  Or how about taking your kayak vacation with you?  Bring it on your luggage on the airplane, and you might be kayaking almost anywhere in the world.  That would be pretty tricky to do using a hard-shell kayak.  You could take an inflatable kayak on a city bus or bike to the water.  Throughout the season, the kayak could take up minimal storage space.

Inflatable Kayaks are Tough and Durable

When most folks think of an inflatable kayak, they envision a cheaply made plastic vessel for children.  They envision a kayak that could burst from hitting the tiniest stone or branch.  If you have owned one of the older, cheaper style inflatable boats, you know that you also need to invest in repair patches or a roll of duct tape.

New high-quality inflatable kayaks are changing people's impressions of inflatable boats.  New inflatable crafts are made from puncture and abrasion-resistant rubber often reinforced with polyester fabric.  This is significantly more powerful than the PVC material used for many cheap inflatable boats.  Under ordinary circumstances, it is fairly unlikely that you would puncture this new rubber stuff.  Even if you did, many inflatable kayaks have three or more separate air chambers.

Inflatable Kayaks are Simple to Use

What's easier than carrying your kayak directly to the water's edge and inflating it with a foot pump over five to ten minutes?  Most of us have pumped up an air mattress at least once as a kid.  Then after it's filled to the proper air pressure, place your inflatable kayak in the water and get in like any other kayak.  It is possible to straddle the kayak and then sit down.  Or you can set your paddle throughout the kayak to brace yourself as you get in.

Kayaks are incredibly secure, but with inflatable kayaks, it can be a lot easier to get back in if you fall out.  You just grab the cockpit of the kayak and pull yourself up like you are getting from a swimming pool.  This creates an inflatable kayak convenient for swimming or snorkeling.  Before getting back in, it's easy to dump out any water that gets aboard.  Some inflatable boats are self-bailing.

Another misconception about inflatable kayaks is that they have very poor maneuverability.  People today believe you would have very little control in an inflatable kayak.  This isn't true with newer inflatable kayaks, however.  Many inflatable boats have optional foot controlled rudders to make for easy turning without causing a stroke.  Some of these optional rudders just assist the kayak in tracking straight.  A whole lot of inflatable kayaks have maneuverability comparable to hard-shell boats.

Where Can I Use an Inflatable Kayak?

Inflatable kayaks are created in various styles to accommodate almost any circumstances.  For the casual kayaker, you will find lower-priced models best suited to flat-water lakes and rivers.  There are far more expensive models intended for advanced or moderate whitewater.  Many models are even acceptable for surfing.  Lots of people like to use their inflatable kayak for fishing or hunting.  You can get to more distant locations or fish straight from your kayak.  Inflatable boats are also perfect for shallow water, which would be too tricky for a hard-shell vessel to handle.

Conclusion

For a beginner or an advanced kayaker, inflatable kayaks are getting to be a popular option.  They are very versatile and much less expensive than a hard-shell kayak.  For less than half the cost, you would have the ability to take your kayak to many different areas that you never thought possible.  As you probably wouldn't have the ability to carry out any barrel rolls, it is still possible to have a great deal of fun with an inflatable kayak.  As soon as you try an inflatable kayak, you'll wonder why you ever used a hard-shell.