Best Inflatable Kayaks Reviews [The Ultimate Guide]

There were times when inflatable kayaks were available as toys for kids, but now these kayaks are coming in advanced forms for professional kayaking. If you are an adventure junkie, you’ll need to look through our list of best inflatable kayaks.

Though these type of kayaks can’t be compared to the hard shell kayaks, the main advantage is that they are very compact, portable and durable too. They can be folded into a packing size and can be carried along easily. So, if you’re planning to go for sea voyaging or kayaking, make sure you read our review and consider getting one from our list.

For those who wants to jump straight to our final verdict, here are our top picks.

The Intex Explorer K2 Kayak is designed for two person. This kayak can be used on mild rivers and lakes. It can be carried along with ease and is safe and stylish for sea voyaging. The best thing about this inflatable kayak is that it can be used straight out of the box.

The Sea Eagle 370 is designed for day trips and recreational kayaking such as for camping, rivers, flat water, ocean, and family trips. This 2 person inflatable kayak is one of the best kayak for ocean as it offers great comfort and maneuverability.

This inflatable kayak for ocean use is designed for two person and it's big enough to accommodate dogs too. Versatility and flexibility has made this kayak very popular and it is used by many adventure geeks and voyagers.

NRS Pie Angler is best suitable for whitewater in our list as it is suitable for both rough and calm waters.

It is built with high quality materials to bear the rigors of fishing and voyaging. It has a compact design and can be easily stored in a car trunk to carry along. If you’re looking for an inflatable sea fishing kayak, this one would be a perfect choice.

Sevylor is a famous kayak manufacturer and its kayaks are known for their reliability and stability. The Sevylor Quikpak K5 is a good quality kayak designed for all the fishing and adventure enthusiasts. This 1 person inflatable kayak is the best for fishing in our list. It is very popular among fisherman's because of its lightweight and portability.

This inflatable kayak is well suited for you if you are looking for a large one. This 3 seater kayak can accommodate up to 3 persons and is made up of premium quality materials to improve the user experience.

The good thing is that, it is very affordable too as compared to others. The kayak is perfect for recreational sailing in slow moving rivers, ponds, lakes, and dams. This inflatable kayak is not designed for high performance and is more suitable for calm and smooth waters.

Inflatable kayaks are used for many different reasons and thus it is important to determine the purpose first. They are getting more popular because of their ease of use and portability.

There are so many options available on the market and choosing one can be challenging. Choosing the best kayak according to your requirements can be imperative and thus we have formulated a buying guide to help you narrow down your search.

An inflatable sea kayak is made up of different materials. Kayak manufacturers mostly use PVC, nitrylon, and hypalon for designing. The PVC material is normally used for coating on nylon or polyester and it increases the strength and durability of the kayak.

This material also makes the kayak strong enough to resist tears and punctures. PVC is a durable and cheap material and it is available in a variety of colors. However, this material can’t withstand high temperatures and there are much controversies on how it can damage the environment.

Hypalon is another material used by kayak manufacturers to make an extra coating because it is very durable. Hypalon resists heat and UV rays and is not harmful to the environment either. It is the best quality material as it is very durable and sturdy, but the only thing is that it is very expensive.

Nitrylon is cheaper than hypalon and many kayak manufacturers are using it instead of PVC because it is more eco-friendly than PVC. Nitrylon offers stronger puncture resistance as compared to PVC but lesser than Hypalon, however it is heavier than both of the materials.

Self Bailing or Non-Bailing Kayaks

There are self bailing as well as non-bailing kayaks available. Self-bailing types have hole in the raised floor that allows water to drain out while non-bailing types don’t have this feature. If water splashes inside the non bailing model, you have to take the water out yourself. However, some non-bailing manufacturers are now including spray covers to prevent splash of water going inside the kayak.

Sometimes these self-bailing kayaks don’t work as well in rougher waters because the holes don’t drain the water out very rapidly. If you are getting annoyed due to the holes, you can use plugs to cover the holes and then take them out when needed.

Sit-In or Sit-On-Top Kayaks

These kayaks keep you from getting wet because they have raised walls and there are lesser chances of splash coming inside. Whether you’re going to choose a sit-in or sit-on-top kayak, it will depend on your exposure. 

A sit-on-top kayak provides easier entry and exit to the users while a sit-in kayak has a proper seating system which will take some time to adjust.

Weight and Size of the Kayak

Weight and size of the kayak are two important factors before buying one. They are available in a variety of sizes and weights and you have to choose wisely among them. How are you going to transport the kayak and how much space do you need for storing supplies? These are the questions to ask yourself to make a good decision. 

Some of them are very compact and they fit easily into the car’s trunk while others need to be deflated to transport them. If you’re going to paddle alone you must consider the weight of the kayak and make sure you’ll be able to carry it without anyone’s help. For women looking for the most suitable kayak, we recommend you to check out this article.

These days most of the top rated inflatable kayak can be folded into a backpack and they have padded shoulder straps for easy carrying. 

Single or Tandem Kayak

Buying an inflatable kayak also depends on the number of people that are going for the expedition. Are you going there alone or will there be one or two partners with you? Kayaks are available in a variety of options such as those with a single seat or with two or three seats.

Some people love to paddle alone while others want to do it with their friends. However, some people want versatility and they want to paddle both ways. If you love to go on a sea voyage alone and with friends both, you should go for tandem inflatable kayaks.

A tandem inflatable kayak also offers storage option so that you can put some accessories in that extra space. Also consider the weight capacity of the kayak because even with two or three persons you’ll need some extra space to put things for use. If you are tall and large you should consider a kayak with enough leg space to paddle with freedom.

A convertible kayak is the one that can be adjusted to one or two persons when needed. A two person kayak is more stable than a single person kayak but if you love to paddle alone you can buy a convertible kayak.

The convertible kayaks have removable or adjustable seats that allow you to change the kayak into a single person kayak or a two persons one according to the needs. If your 2nd person happens to be a child or your pet, make sure you read this article first before embarking on your journey.

Nature of Water You Want to Go for Kayaking

Inflatable sea kayaks are available for different water conditions and the manufacturers specify this too. There are classes of rapid water and they are mentioned on the kayak.

Most high quality inflatable kayaks are designed for rough waters while others are good for smooth and calm waters. If you love to paddle in lakes and slow rivers, you can go for the kayaks that are rated for class I or II rapids. The kayak for white water is designed to handle challenging waters and is rated for class III rapids. 

Kayaks that contain an I-beam floor are more stable and they don’t tip often. You have to pay attention to the materials with which the kayak is designed because the most durable kayaks will be able to handle rough waters easily.

Puncture resistance should also be considered before going for paddling in white waters. If you love going to large water bodies, you must go for kayaks that have multiple chambers so that in case of puncture, you can easily paddle safely to the shore.

Number of Chambers

Not forgetting to mention that kayaks have multiple chambers which increase the security of the vessel. There are some kayaks which were available as a single chamber but that can be dangerous in case of punctures.

Especially in rough water when there are choppier waves, there is a chance that the kayak gets punctured and then it would be dangerous because the kayak would sink. Make sure you are fully aware of the real dangers of kayaking before embarking on a solo journey.

A multiple chambered kayak has more than one chambers and separate air valves for inflating or deflating them. In case of puncture, only one portion will deflate and the other chambers will remain inflated. This will allow you to sail back to the shore safely. However, these kayaks take more time to inflate and deflate because there are so many air valves for the purpose.

If you’re going to sail your kayak into smooth and calm waters such as lakes and slow rivers, you can go for the single-chamber kayak because of the ease of setup. To sail in challenging waters, we would recommend not taking risk and buying the multiple-chamber one.

Purpose of Kayaking

Another important factor to consider before buying a kayak is the purpose of kayaking. What are you planning to do in the water? Are you going sea voyaging for a day? Will you need a lot of space for storing supplies? Do you want to go kayak fishing? 

If you are going for a full-day trip you must consider kayaks with a comfortable seating arrangement with enough space for storing items. There should be supportive seat backs so that you are able to sit comfortable for long hours.

If you are concerned more about the storage, you should go for those which are equipped with mesh pockets, D-rings, and bungee laces. The D-rings allow extra items to be clipped and the mesh pockets provide easy access to items.

If you are going for fishing there are some great inflatable fishing kayaks listed in this post that are designed especially for fishing purposes. Check out this post if you want to learn the right way on how to choose a fishing kayak.

These kayaks have special angler like rod holders and they are extra stable and not visible too much so that the fishes don’t get away from the kayak.

Skill Level

Accessories

Certain accessories can be important for your kayak. Some of the important accessories include air pumps, kayak paddles, repair kits, and PFD’s.

A repair kit proves to be very handy when the kayak gets punctured and it should be present on the kayak for such uncertain situations. Some kayak manufacturers don’t include these accessories but you can buy them separately to make sure you aren’t left behind.

Go for dual action air pumps and the right sized paddles for a good kayaking experience. Make sure you are well versed with the correct kayak paddling techniques so that you will not cause any unnecessary damage to your paddles.

Spray skirts are also very beneficial especially if you are going to paddle in rougher waters. The spray skirts prevent you from being wet when the water gets splashed across your kayak. There are kayaks with waterproof storage options too to prevent your valuables from being wet. The spray skirt also prevents the water from getting accumulated inside the kayak.

Another useful accessory is the air gauge that makes it easier to inflate the vessel into a perfectly rigid one. A storage bag proves to be very handy if you are looking for a kayak with no storage space. Such kayaks are more lightweight and portable and you can comprise on the storage space by buying a separate storage bag.

Last but not least, make sure to equip yourself with personal floating devices (PFD's) for safety purpose. More information on what to wear for kayaking here. 

Cost

Before making a buying decision, you must be thinking are these type of kayak any good? Some people argue that even the most premium inflatable kayak can’t be compared to rigid kayaks because the hard shell or rigid ones offer better tracking and maneuverability.

However, these days this kind of kayak is getting very popular because of their ease of setup and portability. The following are its main advantages.

Lightweight and Portable

The best feature is that they are very lightweight as compared to the hard shell kayaks. This makes them portable too and you can easily transport them wherever you want to.

Hard shells on the other hand are very difficult to transport because they can’t be fitted into a car’s trunk. Inflatable kayaks can be folded into a backpack too, which proves to be a very handy feature if you have to travel long. After deflating them, you can easily keep them in a shelf or closet at your home as they can fit anywhere.

However, if you are interested to know how to transport your kayak using your own vehicles' roof, check out our articles on Best Kayak Roof Rack. 

Versatility

Inflatable kayaks are being used for a lot of purposes these days. You can use them for white water fishing, touring, sea voyaging, and doing other activities in the water.

These kayaks are available in a huge variety of designs and styles and can be selected according to the type of kayaking you are willing to do. They can vary according to the weight capacity, size, load limit, and length.

Cost

They are more affordable as compared to those rigid kayaks. Even if you are a professional kayaker, you can consider buying an inflatable kayak because they are available at a very reasonable rate and have lots of advantages too. However, if you are just thinking to begin this sport, this type of kayak is the best way to start.

Safety

A hard shell kayak can get damaged when it hits the rock or something sharp. However, all inflatable kayaks listed in this post are designed to resist such damages and punctures. There are prone to puncture and don’t tip over either.