Excellent video - thanks! A have owned 4-5 inflatables/foldables over the course of the past 20 years and here are general comments on speed: 1) there is a tradeoff between speed and balance that you should consider: balance is more important for expedition kayaking where you carry lots of gear vs speed which is important for day trips, 2) dropstitch floor is the most important component of a speedy boat it will give your boat anything from a 0.4 to 0.6 mph additional speed, e.g., clocking my yellow advanced elements w/o dropstitch and with dropstitch over a 1h paddle the difference is a whooping 0.5 mph: 3 vs 3.5 mph (btw stay away from the red advanced frame shown in this video it is too small/slow), 3) full dropstitch (also on the sides of the boat) might give you another 0.2 mph, 4) there are a few details about hydrodynamics and boat construction that are important, e.g., little tricks like increasing the water flow in the fin area will improve tracking (see the advanced elements expedition elite model curve right before the fin), balancing the boat weight in the back and especially the front of the boat will also improve speed, 5) the super light boats like the (longer versions of the) oru kayak and advanced elements airfusion are super fast but balance is a bit of an issue, 6) speed when paddling against the wind or in waves: the more rigid and better tracking boats will do much much better. All in all: if speed is your thing buy a full dropstitch boat or a pakayak (my choice) or an oru (bay or coast models). For (ocean) expedition kayaking my personal choice is still the advanced elements expedition elite (but there are pet-peeves there; message me if interested to learn more about how these boats behave for expedition kayaking).
@@inneradventures currently in LA, but did most of my kayaking in the Greek islands solo, with groups of friends or off sailboats. Started kayaking with a seaeagle while living in the island of Crete and then graduated to advanced element boats.
Great video and interesting comparisons! I think all of these kayaks are good space saving options. I have the Tucktec foldable kayak, the Advanced Elements 'Advanced Frame' inflatable kayak and the hardshell nesting modular Pakayak 14' kayak. I really enjoy all of the kayaks and the differences and limitations for each. All three are recreational kayaks, but are made for different water conditions. The Tucktec is a great kayak for calm waters and works well since it packs down small. It's not engineered for speed, but for a very leisure paddle on still and sheltered water (lakes, calm creeks, etc.). The Advanced Elements is a great kayak as well, but wouldnt compare this to longer 'faster' boats that are intended to gain a greater distance within a length of time. The Advanced Elements kayak is a very stable and rugged inflatable kayak that can be used in up to class II rapids, so its a bit more versatile than a foldable and yet still very stable to take camera gear along. It also offers great options to customize the boat for your needs. For example, for even better tracking, I use the backbone and since the floor is a little too soft for me, I also added the 'Durafloor'. To me, this is one of the most stable kayaks. Well, actually, the Point 65 'Martini' is by far the most stable two-piece modular kayak, but that wasnt included in the lineup. The Pakayak also wasnt included, but is a great option for a recreational hardshell kayak that breaks down into 6 pieces. By the nature of the size and design, the Pakayak will be faster than the foldable and inflatable, but is also a recreational kayak that if compared to a SKUK or a P&H, it would probably come up quite short. I guess my point is, all kayaks are great to a degree of 'just being happy to be on the water' and yet still have their limitations based on the design and intended use.
It’s directly shipped from China, like everything else on earth lol. They cost about 250 and sell from 500-1500 depending on how greedy the companies who rebrand them set their prices.
@@rvaillant Amazon had them for a few months, but that was two years ago. I have not seen one again. That's always an issue with a no name, here today/gone tomorrow item.
@@inneradventures Thank you for your reply. Do you know where they sell them, or maybe what search terms I could use to find one online? Or maybe a link?
Thank you, Jack, very informative. Have you tried the Aquagluide Blackfoot 130? I'm having a debate with myself as which to purchase. Touring, fishing. Thanks again.
Great video. would have like to seen a 10 foot pelican kayak $300-$400 dollar sold at major sporting stores and Walmart. And a paddleboard with a kayak seat and kayak paddle
I have watched a few of your videos. I appreciate the information and have learned so much. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, I am limited to a category one kayak. Based on that, I would really appreciate one recommendation from that grouping. Thank you for your time.
I'm getting the explorer k2 seems good enough to get out in the water and have fun. Just don't buy it on amazon i hear the company intex doesn't do refunds if purchased through amazon. Unless you just return it through amazon but i'd imagine you would need to buy a 3rd party warranty which generally you should stay away from those as they always come up with reasons to not warranty your stuff. quick google search would confirm that. I also own a regular 14ft fishing sit on top kayak thing is a tank but solid for spearfishing or fishing.
Which of these two kayaks will combine high stability and speed, safety and comfort of paddling: Aqua Tec - Ottawa pro Double or Advanced Elements - AirVolution 2. ???
Here is how I would approach comparing different kayaks for performance. Get some weight measurer, ideally with logging capability, that would measure weight every second, but a regular luggage scale would do. Get a boat with a trolling motor, tether it to the test kayak, putting a weight measurer in between (on the boat side). I would have the tether split in 2 and attached to the two front seat D-rings of the tested kayak , rather then the bow handle, because that's where the paddle enters the water. Each tested kayak should have the same person seating in, or 2 people for a double kayak. Actually, it would be good to test a double kayak with one and two people separately. Then you set the boat with the trolling motor to the same speed (about 4mph measured by a GPS) every time and measure how much pull each of the kayaks has. This test doesn't account for kayaks not going in a straight line or the effects of the wind. It measures how resistant they are to the water. The less weight the weight measurer shows, the better the kayak. The logging capability would allow to get the median value, thus being more accurate. As an option, the second person on the boat doing the readings can do 10 consecutive readings or so in a few minutes from a luggage scale, once the speed is stabilized and find the median of them.
Yeah, I was thinking the same way and even got the scales. But then I realized that while it would give us data on water resistance of the boat it would not tell us how fast it is in real life. Sure there would be a correlation, but the real life value of the info we'd get would be minimal. Figuring a better way to do it would be to get a DC variable speed electric winch that would allow us to put the same amount of wattage on it. Then we can measure speed with exactly the same amount of work put in. that would be much better.
@@inneradventures Are you saying you want to pull a test kayak at various speeds with a variable speed winch having a very high torque and measure the difference of pull weight with a scale? You can do the same by going with different speeds using a trolling motor by going different speeds. I can't think of a winch design work, because winches use cables that wrap around the shaft and you want to have a floating rope. I guess, you can build a shaft extender and wrap a rope around it? I've also never heard of a variable speed winch. It should be some other motor with speed control. Maybe a trolling motor put sideways with a shaft for the rope attached. Why are you saying that the water resistance test that both of us thought of has little value? Isn't it what we are doing when we paddle - overcoming water resistance and the less of it, the better?
Water resistance and speed will most likely correlate, but ultimately we are after the speed, that's the thing that matters to us. I am not sure winches like what I am imagining exist, but I know DC motors like that exist. so theybcan me made. And for rope even a fishing line might suffice.
@@rangerkayla8824 To have consistent results between kayaks you can't measure speed when there's a 300lb person in one kayak and 100lb person in another paddling at the same cadence. Similarly, you can't compare the speed of a kayak driven by an out of shape 150lb person vs. an athlete of the same weight. Even the same person is tired one day and full of energy the next. What would be ideal is a method where human factor would be taken out of the equation, similar to how they test airplanes in the wind tunnels.
You seemed quite fond of the AG Chelan 155. I'm currently looking to purchase that kayak, do you have any big complaints or highlights for this product vs something like the SE razorlite?
Look at the Saturn Ocean Pro 420 at 14' with a raised drop stitch floor and twin (removable) skegs. Big and fast too since less floor drag. Much better price vs the AG.
I have a 3 year old daughter. I'm 43 years old and I've been canoe-camping and wild camping since I was one year old. Me and my girlfriend are looking for a solution to leave together with the limitation of our transport. I can only carry one kayak on the roof of my car. I was thinking of buying a double kayak and an inflatable kayak. Do you have any suggestions to help me find the best angle for what I'm looking for.
Jack, Just bought my wife a k1 and think with her smaller stature 5'4" it will work great. My question for you, I am 6'1", 200lbs, would the K2 work well for me as a single paddler ?.....I think I need the larger boat, but am questioning having all the weight in the back of the kayak....Thanks, John
Copy that...my other options are the other intex biggies, explorer or excursion...any thoughts on either of those? Ps..I also like the sevylor k5 quikpak...thanks again...awesome videos...John
I’m loving your videos and I’m finding them very helpful as I’m in the market looking for a great white water Kayak that can handle class 1-3 rapids with an occasional class 4 rapid. What specific top 3 kayaks would you recommend in the 700-1100 dollar range for what I’m looking for?
@@inneradventures I meant that (efficiency = the kinetic energy of the boat / the energy of you peddling). Assuming the energy of you peddling is constant, and the boats weights about the same (as least for the single ones?), the ratio of energy efficiency = efficiency of boat A / efficiency of boat B = the kinetic energy of the boat A / the kinetic energy of the boat B = (velocity of Boat A)^2 / (velocity of Boat B)^2
Well, I guess I am left with the same takeout - because of that "Squared" part we end up with boats performing way closer together than it intuitively seems they should.
Can't see a rudder in the vid. Here's a link th-cam.com/video/sHYoXx8vGgk/w-d-xo.html. Those Chines Dropstitch K1s available in Europe now for £400 ($500) K2 nearer £700 ($850). Nice video 👍
@@inneradventures I have their late 2021 version, only differences I believe are the different seat, and there is a bar behind the seat now for stability, for £290 im V happy with it
+the folding latches/locks are different and there is no large skeg at the back, 2021 version at least in my experience looks to handle very differently to that one. plus having the seats upper strap latched to the sides bends the bottom and is reducing stability, seat is supposed to be attached to the floor of the kayak in front of the seat
I don’t see the relevance of the paddleboard test. Would have been interesting if he put a seat on it and used a double bladed paddle as they are typically “convertible”.
Oh, I see what you meant. I threw paddle boards there as a curiosity. The kayak equivalent of what you are proposing is testing a surfski. But that's not what most people paddle.
@@inneradventures I know it's not what most people paddle but I was thinking about it and I've not seen it done, I can imagine it being fast yet packable, not sure on the stability though but I can't see it being that bad whilst sitting with low center of gravity
I've definitely encountered SUPers who were as fast as hardshell kayakers. Theybdid have performance boards though (not inflatable) and were in an incredible shape. Yet if you are after speed - get an outrigger canoe. Its not packable though. Maybe at some point they will figure how to make them inflatable.
Hi, Great video it was very helpful . Pls can you take a look on this kayak? i would love your opinion(Itiwit x500, inflatable touring sit-in kayak,) I believe that its the same in the us as in Europe .Thank you in advance!!!
@@inneradventures i am from Greece. You have the brand, Decathlon has it. But I believe that you don't have that specific model. Thanks for the answer. Keep up the good work we are loving it!
even though Decathlon entered the US market they aren't a big player here. I am still to see a single one of their kayaks in person. that kayak looks quite greatbin pictures, btw
@@inneradventures they closed their only two stores in SF/Bay Area this past January. One can order a Decathlon kayak from Target or WM, but there is no warranty exchange. Not good
i've only seen it online, so can't say much. sure does not seem like a kayak for choppy water. It's almost like a SUP with small ledges. I wish I had experience with it...
Weird?…surely paddling a 2 person kayak with only 1 person paddling is going to be ‘slower?’ So testing a 2-person should have 2 people paddling, instead of carrying ‘dead-weight.’
You haven't got a clue your paddles are not angled propley your not a kayaker Next test cycles to see the fastest guessing how hard to pedal and one with a semi inflated tyres !!
Nice speed test. But one more aspect: I have had some inflatable kayaks over the years. Sevylor, Itiwit, Gumotex and Advanced Elements. (I have a Sup too) There is no big difference in max speed in still air. But the Advanced Elements AE-1012 is much less wind sensitive than the others. The rest is all blown away by the wind.
@@jfg7331 If I have the opportunity, I will try the Itiwit x500. I think it's fast, but I'm not sure it's the fastest. There are also fast ships on the market: Seaeagle Razorlite, Advanced Elements Airfusion Evo ...
Great video Jack! Would you say the chinese knock off is pretty much identical to the sea eagle in regards to looks and feel? they look the same to me but I wonder if you notice any major differences in person. Thanks!
Glad to see the razor lite performed well. 😊 I have the Razorlite 393 and really like it. The seat is terribly hard for long days of paddling, but I love the footrests and sleekness of the kayak. Thank you for the video!
Jack, this segment turned out very well. Yes, my filming was a little out of focus, but your clear narrative and slick graphics kept me engaged and interesting. As an informational video thats more important. Good luck 👍
Thank you for the information - your videos are always educational and helpful. We purchased two Aquaglide Chelan this year, and enjoy them - we are not going for speed thus far, so they suit each of us and a doggie passenger just fine. Look forward to further installments down the road.
where the hell is razorlite knockoff ? gawd ! Igo thru it all and pick what i want on the speed chart now i can't find it ! ok figured it out it's the generic fully drop stitch
I'm not a fan of Advanced Elements myself, but seeing how under inflated your sample was immediately invalidated your test to me. Making any kind of judgement on a vessel so obviously disadvantaged seemed ridiculously unfair, almost as if you had some private grievance against Advanced Elements. I turned off your video at this point.
Decathlon has an interesting lineup of inflatables in Europe. Check out especially the itiwit x500, let me know if you want to check it out in Germany!
There's both a ~€650 10psi 1person model and a ~€1200 15psi (so use the right pump..) 2person version. On sight, they appear to have a longer hull than the Sea Eagles. No skegs and they fit a splash cover.
I and several other family members bought Itiwit 2-person kayaks this summer and they've been great! We paid about $120 each for ours. It has three skegs and you seem to be able to buy bigger ones on Decathlon's website if you want them. They aren't terribly fast, and can be pushed around by the wind It is a "category 2" vessel, but we've had no trouble patting them dry, bagging them up, then drying them fully later.
kayak #10 is one that would attract fishermen since Hobies are like $5,000+ and that thing is under $900. Just steering is weird since you don't really wanna paddle on a peddle kayak since you would probably be holding your fishing rod. Since i don't see any rod holders on that thing that kayak is perfect platform like you stated for people who are DIY or handy with making things like rod holders etc.
The longer 2 person kayaks might be faster with one person, but you’re doubling the weight of people and keeping the single person propulsion. Should have stayed single and sat towards middle and might have seen benefits of longer kayak.
It seems like I get criticized no matter how I test. I did what you describe with another test and many were outraged by that. This seems to have generated less distain. having two people might help keeping bow in the wayer thus it tracks better.
I'm very much looking forward to the video on ordering a cheap chinese knock-off of the Sea Eagle RLs. I've subscribed :) so i'll be on the lookout. Good luck!
Great video, thanks for sharing. We bought 2 razor lites and now have ordered a tandem from China. Couldn’t afford another Sea Eagle. Thanks for the info.
Jack, that Aire kayak is known as the Aire Sawtooth. I had one it's built like a tank with heavy duty materials. To cure the wet ride (it'a open scupper design since a ww hybrid/touring) use a stadium seat. They work great, especially on this kayak. Build quality is argubly better than any of those in your group.
Thank you for another wonderful and informative video Jack. I was wondering if you could do a video on different mounts for secure video taking on the inflatable kayaks with a cell phone (without needing to buy a gopro)?
Is the generic drop stick the name of the company or generic means a random company? Im interested in this kayak can you give more specific brand name to it so i can look it up possible for purchase?
@@txemaarechabala6639 very interesting thanks for sharing, I think you inspired me to keep my SUP (: I was way more into kayaking at the end of last season, but you are right SUPs offer alot of options which yaks do not.. Cheers!
Hello Jack Baikoff. May I ask why you dislike advanced elements? You are pretty clear in your statement "as much as I don't like.." Bad kayaks? Bad materials? Construction? Experience?
Watch my other videos, I talked about it. They also got into a comment exchange with me at my other video that left me and many others not want to deal with them.
As a long time owner of AE kayaks (17 years now) their kayaks are made with quality materials with excellent engineering. Jack doesn't like fabric over bladders saying they take a long time to dry. Tahe is fabric over bladder design too as are many whitewater boats from Aire and NRS. Fact the yellow Aire Sawtooth is treated vinyl fabric over bladder design too (I have it). His bias against Advanced Elements shows him to be not credible since they are known for their high quality kayaks and excellent customer service. I also have the AE Expedition Elite and the Island Voyage 2, both high quality. Advantage of fabric over the tubes is that if a tube is damaged, it's replaceable and not so with Aquaglide or Sea Eagle where the whole kayak is worthless.
I call BS on Jack say that AE left him and many others not wanting to deal with them. Nonsense. They rank at the top (along with Aire and NRS for solid customer service.
Why were you only paddling by yourself in the two person kayaks? Seems a bit unfair in the dropstitch kayaks as they're designed for 2 paddlers. Just having one person paddle is equivalent to paddling a 70kg+ kayak.
@@inneradventures the hull speed of the razorlite 493 is 6mph, should have padded solo for comparison. There's a huge difference in performance in my 2 man drop stitch kayak if one stops paddling, but quicker still paddling solo.
Sea Eagle 420X rated at 855 vs Saturn Ocean Pro at 900lbs. Wish you had paddled the Saturn Ocean Pro and the Advanced Elements EVO (speed demon). The Oru Bay handles wind and waves much better than the SE 393RL (owned both). Also agree about a sea kayak and my P&&H Capella is very fast on the water compared to any inflatable or folder. Lastly, I thought your video was fair, unbiased and interesting.
This is nice to compare. In my opinion the inflatable row boat is a much better choice of boat. It's superior in every way except it has a lot of drag slowing it down. The speed of the row boat is around 2 miles per hour, so around half as fast as your average kayak. But still all the other benefits for me still outweigh it. For example after travelling for that hour, how much water is in the boat? If it's more than NONE AT ALL then no thanks!
Good to see you again, Jack! Next Time you're welcome to test my Gumotex Twist 2 ín Hungary! The Chinese foldable seems great. I wonder how durable it is and hope it doesn't fall into pieces after a couple of times.
Hungary is certainly a country I've wanted to visit! And Gumptex is a brand I've heard a lot about, so I'll keep this in mind. Chinese foldable seems to be made from the same exact material as Oru, so I hope it lasts a while
I'd love to have my Innova Swing 2 compared. But having said that, all three of my kayaks all 13', two inflatable, one hardshell all seem about the same speedwise. I think as theory holds, LENGTH rules.
my spear fishing buddies all have like $3000 kayaks vs my $600 kayak they are miles ahead of me and im exerting 2x as much effort. Theirs just track straighter and glide much further with less effort. People need to understand kayak designs are for less effort when paddling it's not 1 model vs the other that's going to be much faaster like this test shows 1mph max 2 mph difference.
@@ademite It's not about cost so much as size (length/width), hull design rigidity, etc. Are you comparing an inflatable to a hardshell? Manufacturers/models?
i wonder how much faster those cheap inflatables would be if you coated the bottom of them with a hydrophobic finish to reduce drag, that an longer fins to improve tracking
First of all really enjoyed the video & thank you for confirming what I already new. I have a friend that has a lot of subscribers who has been using his inflatable kayak along the coast wanting to ask him to add a warning about the speed of the tide & the wind doesn't mix well with inflatable kayaks. He has no kayaking experience prior this. Looking for the best way to put this across
I'd use a simple rule of thumb - if you don't have enough kayaking experience to clearly answer the question "Should I go paddling on the ocean?" The answer is a No.
@@inneradventures great. I have had some cheap inflatables but they they bow up on front. I was thinking to upgrade to something with more structure. But $1,500 for a two person is hard to swallow (figure get two person to have option)
I have that Advanced Elements kayak and it is over 10 years old. Good thing you were clear about it being underinflated, because it was significanlty underinflated. And talk about an unfair comparison. However, even properly inflated, it paddles like a bathtub.
It’s not “weird” this is not honest speed review re AE kayak . Under inflated and no pump? Why bother? Doesn’t make sense unless a little butt hurt when AE took the time to point out a critical review of an 18yr old advanced frame model which was also under inflated. Also mentioned, you don’t have any real experience on the water with the model Other than that, enjoy your information.
Hi 😊 Great videos! I have planed to buy a inflateable kayak, and I thought I knew what to get, until I saw your videos 😊👍 Now I would like your oppinion… Data: Use; 1 adult/2 adults/1 adult + 1 child/(2 adults + 1 child) Adults; 203cm tall and 120kg + 170cm and 65kg Ideas: *Advanced Elements Conv. Elite 2-3p *Sea Eagle Razorlite 2p *Itiwit X500 2p Which would you recomend and am I missing some? I have done normal sea kayaks before, and we are looking for something to use together, easy to bring, store and pack, so the drying part is also important for me! Best regards Michael (Denmark)
since you are in Europe, Itwit sounds like the way to go, but of course I have never seen it in real life. i am just assuming it's about the same as Razorlite, but cheaper there.
Can't disagree more. The most important thing about an inflatable kayak is not speed. Kayaking isn't about how for you can go in a given time or how much you squeeze in for a given time. It's about the quality of enjoyment you get on a given trip. This involves features, comfort, stability, durability, and lastly performance. It involves being able to relax and enjoy the scenery while also being able to bring food, cameras, and some other gear needed for the trip. If you are competing for speed and distance, then performance moves to the front
Thank you for this video! I think you did an excellent job with what you had to work with. Personally I got a Sea Eagle 385ft for a good deal recently. It was very comfortable and stable with two people in it. Sad I didn't see it in this comparison (it's different than all the others with the keel in the bow). It felt effortless to move. The only thing I worry about is the glued seams. I've heard they can separate. I'm looking to buy a 2nd inflatable but the ones that I am interested in also aren't in this video: The Driftsun Rover 220 and NVS Star Paragon XL. The Driftsun is the most interesting one to me because it's less than 30lbs. But I just don't see many reviews on it. The NVS Star kayaks look like they're built like a tank (and weigh like them too). We have a lot of submerged trees here so I want something durable too. There are so many tradeoffs - Speed, durability, stability, and weight - all are important to me. I don't see a "Unicorn" in the mix (unless you have one hidden behind the camera).
I have the 385FT too. Sick boat. I believe they resolved the seam issue. It was a problem on models manufactured before 2014. The current models (2014 onwards) and 98% electronically welded and 2%gl glued where they cannot physically weld.
Hi there. I was hoping you could tell me the name/company of the RazorLite knock-off & where to search for it & perhaps purchase. I have been considering the Sea Eagle rl but the cost is somewhat prohibitive for me. This way I might be able to afford a Sea Eagle FastTrac or Explorer & the knock-off version of the Sea Eagle RazorLite. Thanks very much.
Kayaking is really not popular in China so I don’t believe it’s a knockoff. Most likely it comes out of the same manufacturing factory. I saw such factory on the Chinese version of eBay. They sold it as used kayak but it’s actually brand new. The price difference is astonishing: the same kayak when exporting to Europe at 1000 euro but the price out of the factory is 1000 yuan which is under 200 euro.
@@kevincui1631 yeah the definition of knockoff, counterfeit, or pirated has changed a lot. It used to mean an unaffiliated factory making a product that is supposed to trick consumers into thinking it is the legitimate product, and was usually lower quality. However, now with most manufacturing being done in China, it usually means an unbranded version of the same product made by the same factory, with the same quality. They just didn’t have the license to brand the product with the name brand.
This is the best-ever video about inflatable kayaks. It looked like you were calculating speed by measuring time over distance, so your calculation included acceleration and the turn-around at the opposite shore? Would a measurement of "cruising speed" be better and show more differentiation among the different kayaks?
Thnak you! I measured time just one direction, so it accounts for acceleration only. Not turning nor decelleration. I think it's representstive enough for our purposes. You do accelerate in real life conditions, so feels fair enough.
If you go to New Zealand, make sure to try their Barracuda beachcomber. It was amazing 20 years ago and should be even better today. I cried when we sold ours before moving back to Sweden...
Jack - for 2 people traversing inland lakes and rivers, do you prefer the 473rl or the convertible Elite. I know the Elite is only drop stitched on bottom.
Excellent video - thanks! A have owned 4-5 inflatables/foldables over the course of the past 20 years and here are general comments on speed: 1) there is a tradeoff between speed and balance that you should consider: balance is more important for expedition kayaking where you carry lots of gear vs speed which is important for day trips, 2) dropstitch floor is the most important component of a speedy boat it will give your boat anything from a 0.4 to 0.6 mph additional speed, e.g., clocking my yellow advanced elements w/o dropstitch and with dropstitch over a 1h paddle the difference is a whooping 0.5 mph: 3 vs 3.5 mph (btw stay away from the red advanced frame shown in this video it is too small/slow), 3) full dropstitch (also on the sides of the boat) might give you another 0.2 mph, 4) there are a few details about hydrodynamics and boat construction that are important, e.g., little tricks like increasing the water flow in the fin area will improve tracking (see the advanced elements expedition elite model curve right before the fin), balancing the boat weight in the back and especially the front of the boat will also improve speed, 5) the super light boats like the (longer versions of the) oru kayak and advanced elements airfusion are super fast but balance is a bit of an issue, 6) speed when paddling against the wind or in waves: the more rigid and better tracking boats will do much much better. All in all: if speed is your thing buy a full dropstitch boat or a pakayak (my choice) or an oru (bay or coast models). For (ocean) expedition kayaking my personal choice is still the advanced elements expedition elite (but there are pet-peeves there; message me if interested to learn more about how these boats behave for expedition kayaking).
Man, you sure have a lot of data! Maybe you should make videos about this stuff.
You seem to be more knowledgeable than me.
Where are you located?
@@inneradventures currently in LA, but did most of my kayaking in the Greek islands solo, with groups of friends or off sailboats. Started kayaking with a seaeagle while living in the island of Crete and then graduated to advanced element boats.
A video comparing inflatable kayaks and you don't have a proper pump? Man, priorities. Enjoying the video, very useful, thanks.
Great video and interesting comparisons! I think all of these kayaks are good space saving options. I have the Tucktec foldable kayak, the Advanced Elements 'Advanced Frame' inflatable kayak and the hardshell nesting modular Pakayak 14' kayak. I really enjoy all of the kayaks and the differences and limitations for each. All three are recreational kayaks, but are made for different water conditions. The Tucktec is a great kayak for calm waters and works well since it packs down small. It's not engineered for speed, but for a very leisure paddle on still and sheltered water (lakes, calm creeks, etc.). The Advanced Elements is a great kayak as well, but wouldnt compare this to longer 'faster' boats that are intended to gain a greater distance within a length of time. The Advanced Elements kayak is a very stable and rugged inflatable kayak that can be used in up to class II rapids, so its a bit more versatile than a foldable and yet still very stable to take camera gear along. It also offers great options to customize the boat for your needs. For example, for even better tracking, I use the backbone and since the floor is a little too soft for me, I also added the 'Durafloor'. To me, this is one of the most stable kayaks. Well, actually, the Point 65 'Martini' is by far the most stable two-piece modular kayak, but that wasnt included in the lineup. The Pakayak also wasnt included, but is a great option for a recreational hardshell kayak that breaks down into 6 pieces. By the nature of the size and design, the Pakayak will be faster than the foldable and inflatable, but is also a recreational kayak that if compared to a SKUK or a P&H, it would probably come up quite short. I guess my point is, all kayaks are great to a degree of 'just being happy to be on the water' and yet still have their limitations based on the design and intended use.
Great video
Hi Jack, great video. Do you have the purchasing link for the generic drop stitch kayak that looks pretty identical to the razor lite?
It’s directly shipped from China, like everything else on earth lol. They cost about 250 and sell from 500-1500 depending on how greedy the companies who rebrand them set their prices.
Thanks. Still would be awesome if you could post a link for the Generic kayak. Thanks
@@rvaillant Amazon had them for a few months, but that was two years ago. I have not seen one again. That's always an issue with a no name, here today/gone tomorrow item.
Great job bringing in the terravent. Never would have known it existed
man we are waiting for a long time for your more videos about kayaks and kayaking, please update and send more videos
Great video Jack! I can’t wait for spring season with our wonderful crew !
What is the brand and model of that generic version of the Razorlite? Or where can I find one?
Funnily enough it has no brand nor model.
@@inneradventures Thank you for your reply. Do you know where they sell them, or maybe what search terms I could use to find one online? Or maybe a link?
No, sorry, I can't
Hi, great video, thank you for that.
Do you know where I can get the Chinese version of Razorlite kayak?
Thanks
Superb as usual. I'd really like to see some Gumotex/Innova models included in your tests.
They are soooo rare here. i would totally include them, but getting them is really hard.
Thank you, Jack, very informative. Have you tried the Aquagluide Blackfoot 130? I'm having a debate with myself as which to purchase. Touring, fishing. Thanks again.
I did!
in fact I am working on making a video about it.
That kayak impressed me more than I expected.
Great selection and fascinating results. A real shame you don't have an Itiwit X500 to compare to the sea kayak though.
Interesting video, too bad you couldn't find something from Innova/Gumotex such as Swing or Seawave.
And some of their new ones look good too....
Where can I buy the generic??
currently looks like nowere.
thank you , good job. good comparison. i want to buy oru, consider weight, the speed. after see this video, oru speed is good.
Great video. would have like to seen a 10 foot pelican kayak $300-$400 dollar sold at major sporting stores and Walmart. And a paddleboard with a kayak seat and kayak paddle
Yes, I wish I had more respurces to throw more vessels into the mix...
I have watched a few of your videos. I appreciate the information and have learned so much. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, I am limited to a category one kayak. Based on that, I would really appreciate one recommendation from that grouping. Thank you for your time.
I'm getting the explorer k2 seems good enough to get out in the water and have fun. Just don't buy it on amazon i hear the company intex doesn't do refunds if purchased through amazon. Unless you just return it through amazon but i'd imagine you would need to buy a 3rd party warranty which generally you should stay away from those as they always come up with reasons to not warranty your stuff. quick google search would confirm that. I also own a regular 14ft fishing sit on top kayak thing is a tank but solid for spearfishing or fishing.
Which of these two kayaks will combine high stability and speed, safety and comfort of paddling: Aqua Tec - Ottawa pro Double or Advanced Elements - AirVolution 2. ???
Here is how I would approach comparing different kayaks for performance. Get some weight measurer, ideally with logging capability, that would measure weight every second, but a regular luggage scale would do. Get a boat with a trolling motor, tether it to the test kayak, putting a weight measurer in between (on the boat side). I would have the tether split in 2 and attached to the two front seat D-rings of the tested kayak , rather then the bow handle, because that's where the paddle enters the water. Each tested kayak should have the same person seating in, or 2 people for a double kayak. Actually, it would be good to test a double kayak with one and two people separately. Then you set the boat with the trolling motor to the same speed (about 4mph measured by a GPS) every time and measure how much pull each of the kayaks has. This test doesn't account for kayaks not going in a straight line or the effects of the wind. It measures how resistant they are to the water. The less weight the weight measurer shows, the better the kayak. The logging capability would allow to get the median value, thus being more accurate. As an option, the second person on the boat doing the readings can do 10 consecutive readings or so in a few minutes from a luggage scale, once the speed is stabilized and find the median of them.
Yeah, I was thinking the same way and even got the scales.
But then I realized that while it would give us data on water resistance of the boat it would not tell us how fast it is in real life. Sure there would be a correlation, but the real life value of the info we'd get would be minimal.
Figuring a better way to do it would be to get a DC variable speed electric winch that would allow us to put the same amount of wattage on it. Then we can measure speed with exactly the same amount of work put in.
that would be much better.
@@inneradventures Are you saying you want to pull a test kayak at various speeds with a variable speed winch having a very high torque and measure the difference of pull weight with a scale? You can do the same by going with different speeds using a trolling motor by going different speeds. I can't think of a winch design work, because winches use cables that wrap around the shaft and you want to have a floating rope. I guess, you can build a shaft extender and wrap a rope around it? I've also never heard of a variable speed winch. It should be some other motor with speed control. Maybe a trolling motor put sideways with a shaft for the rope attached.
Why are you saying that the water resistance test that both of us thought of has little value? Isn't it what we are doing when we paddle - overcoming water resistance and the less of it, the better?
Water resistance and speed will most likely correlate, but ultimately we are after the speed, that's the thing that matters to us.
I am not sure winches like what I am imagining exist, but I know DC motors like that exist. so theybcan me made. And for rope even a fishing line might suffice.
@@rangerkayla8824 To have consistent results between kayaks you can't measure speed when there's a 300lb person in one kayak and 100lb person in another paddling at the same cadence. Similarly, you can't compare the speed of a kayak driven by an out of shape 150lb person vs. an athlete of the same weight. Even the same person is tired one day and full of energy the next. What would be ideal is a method where human factor would be taken out of the equation, similar to how they test airplanes in the wind tunnels.
Hello. Do you have information on the generic drop stitch? How to purchase? Thank you for all your videos
I am investigating it myself. don't have complete data yet. Will post a video once I know
@@inneradventures same here.. can't find any that looks like it. Where do you get it or was it borrowed?
You seemed quite fond of the AG Chelan 155. I'm currently looking to purchase that kayak, do you have any big complaints or highlights for this product vs something like the SE razorlite?
I do love that kayak, true. I mentioned the skeg that is annoying. hopefully newer ones have simpler skeg.
Look at the Saturn Ocean Pro 420 at 14' with a raised drop stitch floor and twin (removable) skegs. Big and fast too since less floor drag. Much better price vs the AG.
I have a 3 year old daughter. I'm 43 years old and I've been canoe-camping and wild camping since I was one year old. Me and my girlfriend are looking for a solution to leave together with the limitation of our transport. I can only carry one kayak on the roof of my car. I was thinking of buying a double kayak and an inflatable kayak. Do you have any suggestions to help me find the best angle for what I'm looking for.
Sounds like too many variables to advise. And you seem to have a good amount of experience yourself, trust it
Jack, Just bought my wife a k1 and think with her smaller stature 5'4" it will work great. My question for you, I am 6'1", 200lbs, would the K2 work well for me as a single paddler ?.....I think I need the larger boat, but am questioning having all the weight in the back of the kayak....Thanks, John
You and I are same height. You'd be ok, but it will sag. Challenger K1 might work ok-ish for you too, in fact a bit better than K2
Copy that...my other options are the other intex biggies, explorer or excursion...any thoughts on either of those? Ps..I also like the sevylor k5 quikpak...thanks again...awesome videos...John
Excursion Pro would certinly be most appropriate of the Intex. Don't know much about Sevylor.
Between the aquaglide chelan 140 and the star paragon tandem which one will you choose ?
both are great. Star is a "wet butt" kind of kayak though :-)
I’m loving your videos and I’m finding them very helpful as I’m in the market looking for a great white water Kayak that can handle class 1-3 rapids with an occasional class 4 rapid. What specific top 3 kayaks would you recommend in the 700-1100 dollar range for what I’m looking for?
Aire and NRS make great kayaks for white water.
I am not a specialist in white water.
Could you try the Itiwit x500 Sternfit?
No.
They arent available in the US.
@@inneradventures Thanks. I hope you get a chance to encounter the Itiwit kayaks in your adventures.
me too! that's the kayak I hear the most about from my viewers and would live to test.
Energy =mass*velocity ^2. So if you put the same energy into peddling, the ratio of energy efficiency will be the ratio of speed squared.
Can you exapnd a bit on what you mean by "ratio of energy efficiency"?
That formula sure explains why kayaks are closer un speed than I expected.
@@inneradventures I meant that (efficiency = the kinetic energy of the boat / the energy of you peddling). Assuming the energy of you peddling is constant, and the boats weights about the same (as least for the single ones?), the ratio of energy efficiency = efficiency of boat A / efficiency of boat B = the kinetic energy of the boat A / the kinetic energy of the boat B = (velocity of Boat A)^2 / (velocity of Boat B)^2
Well, I guess I am left with the same takeout - because of that "Squared" part we end up with boats performing way closer together than it intuitively seems they should.
Would be nice to see you test a 2021 Tucktec. Seems a bit unfair testing a 2nd hand one without the skeg/rudder attached
Tuckteck did have a rudder. Not sure why you would assume otherwise.
Are you saying they redesigned it recently?
Can't see a rudder in the vid. Here's a link th-cam.com/video/sHYoXx8vGgk/w-d-xo.html. Those Chines Dropstitch K1s available in Europe now for £400 ($500) K2 nearer £700 ($850). Nice video 👍
@@inneradventures I have their late 2021 version, only differences I believe are the different seat, and there is a bar behind the seat now for stability, for £290 im V happy with it
+the folding latches/locks are different and there is no large skeg at the back, 2021 version at least in my experience looks to handle very differently to that one.
plus having the seats upper strap latched to the sides bends the bottom and is reducing stability, seat is supposed to be attached to the floor of the kayak in front of the seat
I have both a 2021 and the older model shown in the video. The newer model is definitely faster, but probably doesn't track quite as well.
I don’t see the relevance of the paddleboard test. Would have been interesting if he put a seat on it and used a double bladed paddle as they are typically “convertible”.
Get a sport/racing isup (inflatable paddle board) sit down using a small backrest and use a double bladed paddle
But it still does not address getting wet.
@@inneradventures it's a speed test, not a wet test
Oh, I see what you meant. I threw paddle boards there as a curiosity. The kayak equivalent of what you are proposing is testing a surfski. But that's not what most people paddle.
@@inneradventures I know it's not what most people paddle but I was thinking about it and I've not seen it done, I can imagine it being fast yet packable, not sure on the stability though but I can't see it being that bad whilst sitting with low center of gravity
I've definitely encountered SUPers who were as fast as hardshell kayakers. Theybdid have performance boards though (not inflatable) and were in an incredible shape. Yet if you are after speed - get an outrigger canoe. Its not packable though. Maybe at some point they will figure how to make them inflatable.
Hi, Great video it was very helpful . Pls can you take a look on this kayak? i would love your opinion(Itiwit x500, inflatable touring sit-in kayak,) I believe that its the same in the us as in Europe .Thank you in advance!!!
what country are you in?
i don't believe we can get it in the States.
@@inneradventures i am from Greece. You have the brand, Decathlon has it. But I believe that you don't have that specific model.
Thanks for the answer.
Keep up the good work we are loving it!
even though Decathlon entered the US market they aren't a big player here. I am still to see a single one of their kayaks in person.
that kayak looks quite greatbin pictures, btw
@@inneradventures i will be back with a mini review if I ever buy it. Thank you for your quick response.
@@inneradventures they closed their only two stores in SF/Bay Area this past January. One can order a Decathlon kayak from Target or WM, but there is no warranty exchange. Not good
More videos plz!
Please someone share the source of the knock-off drop stich kayak out of China. I will be forever grateful.
Think where you buy stuff from China
What do you think about a use Airis tandem 2017 at 600$
May I be concern about the parts because it doesn’t seem to be in production anymore
Thank you
i've only seen it online, so can't say much.
sure does not seem like a kayak for choppy water. It's almost like a SUP with small ledges.
I wish I had experience with it...
Where did the Chinese knock off come from?
I am working on the video about it.
They are ‘all’ made in china.
Ah man you're dissing the intex k2 challenger lol. It's a brilliant budget kayak.
It's ok. K1 is better
I was wrong USD 600!
It retailed for $400.
I'm curious which of the two will combine high stability and speed and which is higher: Ottawa aquatec Double or Advanced Elements AirVolution 2
That supreme pack craft costs USD 380 !!!
Are you surprised by this number being this high or this low?
Intéressant
Please!!!!! How the hell can you give a good comparison if one isn't properly inflated how do I know any of these are properly inflated
Lol
Weird?…surely paddling a 2 person kayak with only 1 person paddling is going to be ‘slower?’ So testing a 2-person should have 2 people paddling, instead of carrying ‘dead-weight.’
Surely? I wish I tested it both ways. I am not convinced dead weight plays much of a role.
Advanced Elements must have pissed you off.
I work to be objective. And I think I did that. Their kayaks generally aren't bad.
@@inneradventures have you tried the Airfusion Evo from Adv Elements?
Yes, it's a piece of crap. hahah! Thanks for the testing!
"it" being?
🤣"Another magnificent piece of crap."
They're all Chinese versions....
You haven't got a clue your paddles are not angled propley your not a kayaker Next test cycles to see the fastest guessing how hard to pedal and one with a semi inflated tyres !!
You aren't best with spelling and the language, but you write comments... We all do the best we can.
@@inneradventures yes should have checked spelling and grammar and edited like you had to
Nice speed test. But one more aspect: I have had some inflatable kayaks over the years. Sevylor, Itiwit, Gumotex and Advanced Elements. (I have a Sup too) There is no big difference in max speed in still air. But the Advanced Elements AE-1012 is much less wind sensitive than the others. The rest is all blown away by the wind.
Did you tried the itiwit x500...?
No, I didn't.
@@lorantbercsik5809 well, that’s the fastest inflatable kayak out there . The closest to a rigid one
@@jfg7331 If I have the opportunity, I will try the Itiwit x500. I think it's fast, but I'm not sure it's the fastest. There are also fast ships on the market: Seaeagle Razorlite, Advanced Elements Airfusion Evo ...
Great video Jack! Would you say the chinese knock off is pretty much identical to the sea eagle in regards to looks and feel? they look the same to me but I wonder if you notice any major differences in person. Thanks!
no major differences. just a bunch of details
@@inneradventures do you know any reliable places to get it or is it from alibaba?
Glad to see the razor lite performed well. 😊 I have the Razorlite 393 and really like it. The seat is terribly hard for long days of paddling, but I love the footrests and sleekness of the kayak. Thank you for the video!
Huh, interesting about the seats. i find them yo be betfer than any other I've ever seen.
@@inneradventures had to return mine had defect
Jack, this segment turned out very well. Yes, my filming was a little out of focus, but your clear narrative and slick graphics kept me engaged and interesting. As an informational video thats more important. Good luck 👍
Thank you for the information - your videos are always educational and helpful. We purchased two Aquaglide Chelan this year, and enjoy them - we are not going for speed thus far, so they suit each of us and a doggie passenger just fine. Look forward to further installments down the road.
GREAT VIDEO.
(I TYPE IN CAPS)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME .
WHAT IS (GENERIC FULLY DROPSTITCH KAYAK)MADE BY?????
THANK YOU
DAVE AND NANCY (NUBBES)
where the hell is razorlite knockoff ? gawd ! Igo thru it all and pick what i want on the speed chart now i can't find it !
ok figured it out it's the generic fully drop stitch
Can you link to the sea eagle Chinese version youd recommend. Thanks. Nice vid.
I'm not a fan of Advanced Elements myself, but seeing how under inflated your sample was immediately invalidated your test to me. Making any kind of judgement on a vessel so obviously disadvantaged seemed ridiculously unfair, almost as if you had some private grievance against Advanced Elements. I turned off your video at this point.
I though I was clear that it should not be taken as is. You can make your choices, of course.
Decathlon has an interesting lineup of inflatables in Europe. Check out especially the itiwit x500, let me know if you want to check it out in Germany!
PS: would be awesome if you posted the ranking in the video description.
There's both a ~€650 10psi 1person model and a ~€1200 15psi (so use the right pump..) 2person version. On sight, they appear to have a longer hull than the Sea Eagles. No skegs and they fit a splash cover.
I and several other family members bought Itiwit 2-person kayaks this summer and they've been great! We paid about $120 each for ours. It has three skegs and you seem to be able to buy bigger ones on Decathlon's website if you want them. They aren't terribly fast, and can be pushed around by the wind It is a "category 2" vessel, but we've had no trouble patting them dry, bagging them up, then drying them fully later.
@@JoachimGeeraert every review of itiwit 500 I’ve read says “ tippy”.
@@anhiro5133 I've read reviews that say otherwise.
kayak #10 is one that would attract fishermen since Hobies are like $5,000+ and that thing is under $900. Just steering is weird since you don't really wanna paddle on a peddle kayak since you would probably be holding your fishing rod. Since i don't see any rod holders on that thing that kayak is perfect platform like you stated for people who are DIY or handy with making things like rod holders etc.
Nice video… Any chance you can post a link to that Razorlite knockoff? And, have you ever had the chance to try a Bote Zeppelin?
No and no.
The longer 2 person kayaks might be faster with one person, but you’re doubling the weight of people and keeping the single person propulsion. Should have stayed single and sat towards middle and might have seen benefits of longer kayak.
It seems like I get criticized no matter how I test.
I did what you describe with another test and many were outraged by that. This seems to have generated less distain. having two people might help keeping bow in the wayer thus it tracks better.
@@inneradventures Maaan you just can't win. lol
I'm very much looking forward to the video on ordering a cheap chinese knock-off of the Sea Eagle RLs. I've subscribed :) so i'll be on the lookout. Good luck!
I'm still trying to understand how you can rate kayaks when you admit that you don't plan to have a proper pump.
Great video, thanks for sharing. We bought 2 razor lites and now have ordered a tandem from China. Couldn’t afford another Sea Eagle. Thanks for the info.
Jack, that Aire kayak is known as the Aire Sawtooth. I had one it's built like a tank with heavy duty materials. To cure the wet ride (it'a open scupper design since a ww hybrid/touring) use a stadium seat. They work great, especially on this kayak. Build quality is argubly better than any of those in your group.
Thank you for another wonderful and informative video Jack. I was wondering if you could do a video on different mounts for secure video taking on the inflatable kayaks with a cell phone (without needing to buy a gopro)?
Is the generic drop stick the name of the company or generic means a random company? Im interested in this kayak can you give more specific brand name to it so i can look it up possible for purchase?
it literally has no brand nor name.
This was great! Appreciate the objectivity. Wonder how the paddleboard would do with a kayak paddle, I suspect faster
@@txemaarechabala6639 very interesting thanks for sharing, I think you inspired me to keep my SUP (:
I was way more into kayaking at the end of last season, but you are right SUPs offer alot of options which yaks do not..
Cheers!
Thank you 👏👏👏👏👏 muchas gracias! Muy bueno!
Where do you get the Generic Fully Dropstitich Kayak no brand???
On Chinese marketplaces
Hello Jack Baikoff. May I ask why you dislike advanced elements? You are pretty clear in your statement "as much as I don't like.." Bad kayaks? Bad materials? Construction? Experience?
Watch my other videos, I talked about it.
They also got into a comment exchange with me at my other video that left me and many others not want to deal with them.
As a long time owner of AE kayaks (17 years now) their kayaks are made with quality materials with excellent engineering. Jack doesn't like fabric over bladders saying they take a long time to dry. Tahe is fabric over bladder design too as are many whitewater boats from Aire and NRS. Fact the yellow Aire Sawtooth is treated vinyl fabric over bladder design too (I have it). His bias against Advanced Elements shows him to be not credible since they are known for their high quality kayaks and excellent customer service. I also have the AE Expedition Elite and the Island Voyage 2, both high quality. Advantage of fabric over the tubes is that if a tube is damaged, it's replaceable and not so with Aquaglide or Sea Eagle where the whole kayak is worthless.
I call BS on Jack say that AE left him and many others not wanting to deal with them. Nonsense. They rank at the top (along with Aire and NRS for solid customer service.
The 2 person kayaks had the disadvange of 2 people but only 1 paddling? You need a twin I think?
I am not convinced that extra weight is affecting it negatively.
@@inneradventures that’s an interesting hypothesis which should be easy to test. Does loading a kayak not make it slower?
Why were you only paddling by yourself in the two person kayaks? Seems a bit unfair in the dropstitch kayaks as they're designed for 2 paddlers. Just having one person paddle is equivalent to paddling a 70kg+ kayak.
To keep consistent amount of force.
@@inneradventures the hull speed of the razorlite 493 is 6mph, should have padded solo for comparison. There's a huge difference in performance in my 2 man drop stitch kayak if one stops paddling, but quicker still paddling solo.
I've never noticed a huge difference in 2 people paddling vs 1. It's noticeable, but not huge
@@Dazbox as a fyi, there is no standard "hull speed". That's determined by the paddler(s) and water conditions like current, waves, wind, etc.
@@gloppy101 every hull has a maximum speed before climbing its own wave.
Where video of generic clone? I check daily ...😭
Sorry, I am slammed.
But am inching towards it.
Where does one find a generic drop-stitch kayak?
On chinese sites
Where might someone find the knockoff razorlite for sale?
in China
I was able to find a few on good ole Aliexpress
You’ll have to pay like $500 in shipping from China so unless you are buying bulk and selling them for profit in the US, it’s not worth it.
@@0uHiroshi Shipping was included in this case.
Sea Eagle 420X rated at 855 vs Saturn Ocean Pro at 900lbs. Wish you had paddled the Saturn Ocean Pro and the Advanced Elements EVO (speed demon). The Oru Bay handles wind and waves much better than the SE 393RL (owned both). Also agree about a sea kayak and my P&&H Capella is very fast on the water compared to any inflatable or folder. Lastly, I thought your video was fair, unbiased and interesting.
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing the interesting info. Subscribed!
This is nice to compare. In my opinion the inflatable row boat is a much better choice of boat. It's superior in every way except it has a lot of drag slowing it down. The speed of the row boat is around 2 miles per hour, so around half as fast as your average kayak. But still all the other benefits for me still outweigh it. For example after travelling for that hour, how much water is in the boat? If it's more than NONE AT ALL then no thanks!
Good to see you again, Jack! Next Time you're welcome to test my Gumotex Twist 2 ín Hungary! The Chinese foldable seems great. I wonder how durable it is and hope it doesn't fall into pieces after a couple of times.
Hungary is certainly a country I've wanted to visit! And Gumptex is a brand I've heard a lot about, so I'll keep this in mind. Chinese foldable seems to be made from the same exact material as Oru, so I hope it lasts a while
@@inneradventures can I ask where you purchased the knock off
@@inneradventures is that the Forest Gumptex model? LOL
I loved this video. Great effort and data. My wife says we look alike.
I'd love to have my Innova Swing 2 compared. But having said that, all three of my kayaks all 13', two inflatable, one hardshell all seem about the same speedwise. I think as theory holds, LENGTH rules.
my spear fishing buddies all have like $3000 kayaks vs my $600 kayak they are miles ahead of me and im exerting 2x as much effort. Theirs just track straighter and glide much further with less effort. People need to understand kayak designs are for less effort when paddling it's not 1 model vs the other that's going to be much faaster like this test shows 1mph max 2 mph difference.
@@ademite It's not about cost so much as size (length/width), hull design rigidity, etc. Are you comparing an inflatable to a hardshell? Manufacturers/models?
Great review! Could you give tell me where to find the generic drop stitch kayak? Much appreciated, thanks!
i wonder how much faster those cheap inflatables would be if you coated the bottom of them with a hydrophobic finish to reduce drag, that an longer fins to improve tracking
First of all really enjoyed the video & thank you for confirming what I already new. I have a friend that has a lot of subscribers who has been using his inflatable kayak along the coast wanting to ask him to add a warning about the speed of the tide & the wind doesn't mix well with inflatable kayaks. He has no kayaking experience prior this. Looking for the best way to put this across
I'd use a simple rule of thumb - if you don't have enough kayaking experience to clearly answer the question "Should I go paddling on the ocean?" The answer is a No.
stumbled on this video looking for a kayak and we happen to live in same place haha
Where do I order that fast generic like the sea eagle?
I am planning a video on that
@@inneradventures great. I have had some cheap inflatables but they they bow up on front. I was thinking to upgrade to something with more structure. But $1,500 for a two person is hard to swallow (figure get two person to have option)
I have that Advanced Elements kayak and it is over 10 years old. Good thing you were clear about it being underinflated, because it was significanlty underinflated. And talk about an unfair comparison. However, even properly inflated, it paddles like a bathtub.
It’s not “weird” this is not honest speed review re AE kayak . Under inflated and no pump? Why bother? Doesn’t make sense unless a little butt hurt when AE took the time to point out a critical review of an 18yr old advanced frame model which was also under inflated. Also mentioned, you don’t have any real experience on the water with the model
Other than that, enjoy your information.
Great job I never like any videos but you help to knowledge of amateurs like me 👌
Hi 😊
Great videos!
I have planed to buy a inflateable kayak, and I thought I knew what to get, until I saw your videos 😊👍
Now I would like your oppinion…
Data:
Use; 1 adult/2 adults/1 adult + 1 child/(2 adults + 1 child)
Adults; 203cm tall and 120kg + 170cm and 65kg
Ideas:
*Advanced Elements Conv. Elite 2-3p
*Sea Eagle Razorlite 2p
*Itiwit X500 2p
Which would you recomend and am I missing some?
I have done normal sea kayaks before, and we are looking for something to use together, easy to bring, store and pack, so the drying part is also important for me!
Best regards
Michael
(Denmark)
since you are in Europe, Itwit sounds like the way to go, but of course I have never seen it in real life.
i am just assuming it's about the same as Razorlite, but cheaper there.
Can't disagree more. The most important thing about an inflatable kayak is not speed. Kayaking isn't about how for you can go in a given time or how much you squeeze in for a given time. It's about the quality of enjoyment you get on a given trip. This involves features, comfort, stability, durability, and lastly performance. It involves being able to relax and enjoy the scenery while also being able to bring food, cameras, and some other gear needed for the trip. If you are competing for speed and distance, then performance moves to the front
Thank you for expressing your opinion.
If you saw the video it's pretty much says that what you are expressing is more true than I initially though.
Thank you for this video! I think you did an excellent job with what you had to work with.
Personally I got a Sea Eagle 385ft for a good deal recently. It was very comfortable and stable with two people in it. Sad I didn't see it in this comparison (it's different than all the others with the keel in the bow). It felt effortless to move. The only thing I worry about is the glued seams. I've heard they can separate.
I'm looking to buy a 2nd inflatable but the ones that I am interested in also aren't in this video: The Driftsun Rover 220 and NVS Star Paragon XL. The Driftsun is the most interesting one to me because it's less than 30lbs. But I just don't see many reviews on it. The NVS Star kayaks look like they're built like a tank (and weigh like them too). We have a lot of submerged trees here so I want something durable too.
There are so many tradeoffs - Speed, durability, stability, and weight - all are important to me.
I don't see a "Unicorn" in the mix (unless you have one hidden behind the camera).
I have the 385FT too. Sick boat.
I believe they resolved the seam issue. It was a problem on models manufactured before 2014. The current models (2014 onwards) and 98% electronically welded and 2%gl glued where they cannot physically weld.
Hi there. I was hoping you could tell me the name/company of the RazorLite knock-off & where to search for it & perhaps purchase. I have been considering the Sea Eagle rl but the cost is somewhat prohibitive for me. This way I might be able to afford a Sea Eagle FastTrac or Explorer & the knock-off version of the Sea Eagle RazorLite. Thanks very much.
I am working on releasing a video talking about it.
Pretty obvious you only had the advance element half inflated.
Very interesting video!!! And very useful.
The Chinese knockoff of Razorlite sounds like a good deal. Where can one buy it?
It is to be found In China
Try Aliexpress
Kayaking is really not popular in China so I don’t believe it’s a knockoff. Most likely it comes out of the same manufacturing factory. I saw such factory on the Chinese version of eBay. They sold it as used kayak but it’s actually brand new. The price difference is astonishing: the same kayak when exporting to Europe at 1000 euro but the price out of the factory is 1000 yuan which is under 200 euro.
@@kevincui1631 yeah the definition of knockoff, counterfeit, or pirated has changed a lot. It used to mean an unaffiliated factory making a product that is supposed to trick consumers into thinking it is the legitimate product, and was usually lower quality. However, now with most manufacturing being done in China, it usually means an unbranded version of the same product made by the same factory, with the same quality. They just didn’t have the license to brand the product with the name brand.
Is there anyone who had good experiences with ordering one of these from china?
Really would like to buy one but don't want to get scammed
This is the best-ever video about inflatable kayaks.
It looked like you were calculating speed by measuring time over distance, so your calculation included acceleration and the turn-around at the opposite shore? Would a measurement of "cruising speed" be better and show more differentiation among the different kayaks?
Thnak you!
I measured time just one direction, so it accounts for acceleration only. Not turning nor decelleration.
I think it's representstive enough for our purposes. You do accelerate in real life conditions, so feels fair enough.
If you go to New Zealand, make sure to try their Barracuda beachcomber. It was amazing 20 years ago and should be even better today. I cried when we sold ours before moving back to Sweden...
Thank you for the tip. I am intending to be in a couple of months.
Very nice und detailed video! Many thanks from Germany:)
Jack - for 2 people traversing inland lakes and rivers, do you prefer the 473rl or the convertible Elite. I know the Elite is only drop stitched on bottom.
i haven't paddled the Elite, so I don't know