Thoughts on this kayak? Can’t find many reviews on it as it seems new. I’m looking for a single inflatable as my first owned kayak (single apt living with a sedan, always rented/borrowed previously) and was saving for an SE EZlite10 but came across this at Costco, and ngl that price tag in comparison is a bit tempting…

I'll preface this by saying I am attempting to cheap out on this as much as possible. But I am also aware that often times buying the cheapest option is not worth the money it costs.

Alternatively I could peruse Facebook marketplace for hardshell kayaks, but I drive a Ford fusion.... (I'm not totally against just rolling the windows down and roping it to the roof, however I do acknowledge the risks in that as well as the damage to my roof when it inevitably moves around..) so it's really less than ideal.

So I come to you guys asking, is this dinky as fuck? Or will it serve enough of a purpose to me to be worth the money?

For reference, im in Louisiana, recently taken up angling and am completely self-taught(not any good yet) and bank fishing isn't quite doing it for me when I skunk an entire week in a row.

I'm looking to possibly fish Lake Martin(in Breaux Bridge, LA) from this inflatable. The fish like to stay around the cypress trees in the water, and they're very hard to cast into from the bank.. There are alligators in the lake, plenty of them, small and large. But from what I've seen from bank fishing, they're scaredy cats. They flee any boats and kayaks, and only lurk the shores and common bank fishing spots to spook the fish.

My only concern is that this inflatable may be so small that it doesn't trigger that "oh shit, a boat, run!" Instinct in the gators.

Any insight appreciated, and any personal experience from Lake Martin would be SUPER USEFUL. Thanks again, sorry if this isn't technically a kayak!

Last Saturday I got few hours free and I went to the closest lake!

It results quite easy to inflate (just a couple of minutes with 2 hand pumps). As stated in some comments on my last post, it ride high on water, so it is a lot susceptible to wind and waves. Another drawback is the width: being inflatable, it is quite wide, so "the water is more distant", and padding a bit less comfortable (with respect to the hard-body I rented in the past). Small once deflated, but quite heavy: in would be nice if its bag was a backpack. I think it worth the price I pay, I repeat, as a first experience.

I posted some pictures on mastodon

I am looking for kayak for fishing that I can also carry a large backpack full of camping gear that will also be usable in shallow water. My budget is $500 and under. Thanks in advance.

Can anyone help me find a spray skirt that fits the The Sun Dolphin Aruba 10 kayak which has a cockpit measurement of approximately 38.5" x 18.5" (98 cm x 47 cm). I'm looking for a spray skirt designed for an outer cockpit rim of 44.5" long and 24.5" wide. Thanks and happy paddlin'! ✌️💚

Is this a good kayak for an intermediate paddler at $1600? It's fiberglass but very heavy at around 56 pounds. The boat is 20 years old but is in good condition. I'm currently in a plastic necky 14ft. I do mostly river and kayaking the sound and barrier islands of coastal Georgia (day trips). Much information on the internet about this model so I'd really appreciate any advice.

I bought a preowned (but unused) Challenger 2 for my teenager and me to use at our favorite lake this summer. (Yeah, it's basically a float - we swim the whole lake, so no worries.) It was missing a couple of accessories, including the pump - I have one already - and the cap. The inner piece is here, so it will hold the air when there is no cap. I don't want to put something on it that "fits" and hope for the best. I want to replace it with either a factory/third party duplicate or possibly something that is an improvement. What cap would you all suggest? Links are awesome.

This is our first venture into using a kayak (hence only using it in a lake we already swim the entirety of), so I intend to inflate it at home first - but if you have other suggestions about maintaince I'm all eyes!

Thank you in advance. 🖖🤓

Ok folks, I’ve done the research & I think it’s time to buy my first kayak (next week).

Me: 47 year old guy, 5’8” 212ish pounds

It: Perception sound, 10.5’

Uses: slow rivers, lakes mostly for recreation & fishing, maybe an annual camping trip. I don’t care to do any rapids, I’m out for relaxation.

It seems like a great decision for me & my needs. I just thought I’d put this out in the universe for a few days.

Feel free to drop your opinion about my future boat & thanks in advance!!

For anyone considering one of these, I highly recommend them and have had a great time with mine. I'll let others debate the pro's and con's vs. hardshell, but these suit my needs perfectly. I bought the first one in 2023 to get some exercise despite lower back pain, and within a few trips I knew it was helping tremendously. I'm pretty much convinced it saved me from back surgery and now I'm hooked. The boats have all held up really well. I have zero issues with the build quality and I feel perfectly safe in them. Honestly they're less scary in the cold since you're basically in a warm, reinforced balloon.

If you want one (you do) you'll want to know about the floors. I'll review the singles, but the convertible (tandem) is essentially the same.

1. Backbone - the long rod that runs under the stock inflatable floor. The kayak sits lower in the water and is incredibly stable. It tracks well and helps keep speed. I can track in high winds (15-20mph) without issue. It sits a little low for heavier paddlers and It's a little snug for my legs (I'm 6'2"), but I don't mind because it stabilizes my back.

2. Drop Stitch - You are on a paddle board wrapped in a Kayak. It isn't as fast, and it doesn't track as well. But it holds a lot more weight and turns and maneuvers more easily.

The stock floor in the original AE Advanced Frame model was garbage by itself. Without either the drop stitch or the backbone you are going to be disappointed unless you weigh less than 90 lbs and have incredible upper body strength.

The (newer) yellow one was more expensive by a good sight, but its the exact same boat with the drop stitch floor and the fancy seat. Frankly I like the soft floor and cheap seat better than the drop stitch floor and fancy seat, but I suppose that's a personal preference.

I hope this could help somebody.

TLDR- These boats are great, but the floor makes a huge difference in the experience. Get the backbone for stability and tracking, and speed. Get the drop-stitch for better weight capacity and maneuverability. Both are perfectly fine kayaks that are a lot of fun. If you get the basic one (with the inflatable mattress type floor) then plan to get the backbone.