The Best Inflatable Kayak

Inflatable Kayaks are an exciting and relatively new development in water sports. Not just due to their lightweight and economic nature compared to their rigid hull counterparts, but also due to the new recreational opportunities they make available because of their incredibly portable nature. 

These inflatable watercraft pack down into a relatively small footprint when not in use, and once inflated, can achieve sea-worthy levels of performance and reliability. There are several different classes and categories of use that inflatable kayaks can fall into. They run the gambit from cheap dinghies you might use on a picnic lake outing through to worthy whitewater boats that have high-performance levels and can survive impact against rocks and debris.

Despite what some people may think when they hear the word “inflatable,” many of these products are incredibly durable and hold distinct advantages over traditional kayaks when it comes to safety. Barring a cataclysmic event, inflatable kayaks are often more difficult to sink than rigid hulls due to their multiple air compartments. They, in essence, have backup flotation systems should one of the air chambers fail for one reason or another. 

As we briefly touched on, there are several classes of usability to choose from when looking at these products. Broadly, they fit into the following categories: Recreational, fishing, and whitewater. Most manufacturers will base their builds around one of these three activities when it comes to functional features and design. 

Regardless of whether they are intended to be used in lakes, oceans or rivers, you can further break down inflatable kayaks into categories based on price, professional vs. amateur use, and weight. All of these considerations will be taken into account in our reviews later in the article so you can make the most informed choices possible!

List of the 10 Best Inflatable Kayaks

Buyers Guide

If you’re new to kayaking, purchasing an inflatable kayak can be an incredibly overwhelming experience with the myriad of weight specifications, carrying capacities, material construction, skegs, design geometries, and maritime-specific terminologies. But, once you begin to narrow down what you’re looking for and gain a basic understanding of the various design specs commonly found, that sense of being overwhelmed will quickly disappear.

The two most important areas of consideration you need to clarify when beginning the purchasing process are price and intended use.

Inflatable kayaks can range in price from the sub $100 range to $1000 +. It is not uncommon for kayaks at these extreme ends of the spectrum to have what appear to be the same set of features and functionality on the surface. 

But, the difference that matters is in construction quality, material durability, and performance in the water. Having two kayaks that look remarkably similar but perform radically differently once in the water won’t surprise those familiar with the sport. 

It’s always important to set your expectations in line with your budget. If you’re looking for the best, you may need to dig deep into your pockets. But if you’re limited on budget, you may not be able to get all the bells and whistles, however, our list should still allow you to find a product that is both affordable and performs well.

What are you planning to do with your new kayak? Of course, the obvious answer to this question is to put it in the water and paddle. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, the honest answer is much more complex than this. Do you want to fish? Hike your boat into alpine lakes? Paddle the oceans? Cruise down raging whitewater rivers? Each answer will necessitate a radically different class of boat, each with its own unique set of design specifications and adjacent features. But, once again, setting expectations early on will drastically reduce the number of options out there that wouldn’t apply to your uses anyway. 

Materials

There are several different materials commonly found in the construction of inflatable watercraft, primarily PVC, nylon, and polyester. Varying gauges of PVC will generally make up the sidewall and floor construction. While nylon and polyester tend to be sandwiched between the PVC layers for added abrasion and puncture resistance. 

Many manufacturers also include coverslips and splash guards that are usually made with nylon for added protection and keeping water out of the cockpit. From time to time, you will run across inflatable kayaks made with materials other than those listed here. However, these are less common in the consumer market, so we will only briefly touch on them here. 

Pennel Orca: This is a synthetic rubber material that is incredibly tough, resistant to abrasion, UV rays, chemicals, and extreme temperatures. You will generally find this material used on professional whitewater-worthy boats for guides.

Nitrylon: Technically a combination of materials, Nitrylon refers to nitrile synthetic rubber that has been embedded over a low-stretch polyester fabric. Once again, this material is very puncture-resistant, stronger than PVC, and easy to patch. The downside, however, is that the material is incredibly heavy, making it unviable for most users who want something portable and easy to use. 

Storage & Portability

The ability for inflatable kayaks to be stowed in their deflated form when not in use is one of the most unique and valuable features about them compared to their traditional rigid hull counterparts. Foregoing the need for roof rack mounts during transport and large open spaces for at-home storage allows a much larger group of people to participate in kayak-based watersports than would otherwise be able to. 

While there are always exceptions to the rule, generally speaking, most inflatable kayaks, in their storage cases, take up roughly the same amount of space as a medium-sized piece of luggage. Meaning transportation is viable in most SUV rear compartments and even trunks and backseats in most midsize vehicles.  

Assuming you plan to use a vehicle to transport your kayak right to the water’s edge, it’s a reasonably safe bet that almost any inflatable on the market will fit into a midsize vehicle like we just mentioned. However, storage size considerations become much more important if you plan to hike in or otherwise transport your boat by foot before setting up. The Sevylor Quikpak K5 is an excellent example of an inflatable built with portability at the forefront of design considerations. Its included storage case doubles as a backpack for easy carrying. 

But, even with some of the larger kayaks on the market, storage and portability are a given. The Advanced Elements Advanceframe (our pick for best 2-person kayak) is one of the bulkier items on our list, and even so, its stored dimensions sit at 35″ X 21″ X 12″. Even with a larger kayak like the Advanceframe, storage in a closet or transport in the backseat of any moderately sized vehicle is more than achievable. 

Use Categories

Broadly speaking, there are three categories of use for inflatable kayaks—Touring, fishing, and whitewater.

• Touring: Touring kayaks are your standard afternoon paddling boat. They are a jack of all trades that should handle most still water conditions and are comfortable to use. They often have an open deck design, meaning the top is open and is roomier than other designs. For the most part, they should be kept out of moving water as their performance standards are based around paddling in flat or gently rolling waters. 

• Fishing: Fishing kayaks share many of the performance specifications of touring boats. But, often include many more additional features that don’t directly affect the kayak’s water performance. These features include pole mounts, GPS attachment points, trolling motor mounts, and extra netting for gear storage. 

• Whitewater: Whitewater kayaks have drastically different ergonomics and geometries than their touring and fishing counterparts. Sidewalls and flooring usually have higher volumes for added floatation when going down runs and drops. In addition, the overall shape of the craft tends to be more pointed, with an upward flare towards the nose to help keep water out. Self-bailing drainage ports and closed deck designs are also commonly found in whitewater-specific kayaks.

Price

As we touched on earlier, the pricing of inflatable kayaks can vary drastically. Anything around the $150 and below range is considered a budget kayak and should be fairly limited in its use for safety reasons. Afternoon paddles around calm populated lakes should be fine, but be wary of using cheaper inflatables in situations where you could run into variable conditions. 

Anything from $150-$500 will be solidly built and trusted for use in a broader array of situations. Make sure you still have the correct type of kayak for what you are doing, though. For those who know they will spend at least a reasonable amount of time on the water but don’t consider themselves hardcore enthusiasts, this is the price range to be looking at. Anything from $500 up begins to approach a quality that isn’t professional per se but close to it. 

Advantages of Inflatable Kayaks

Inflatable kayaks hold several distinct advantages that set them into a class of their own. Before ever getting a boat into the water, during the purchasing process you’ll notice that the cost differences between hard shells and inflatables make themselves apparent. Inflatable kayaks tend to be much cheaper overall when comparing equivalent functionalities and use categories. 

Regardless of what watercraft you go with, inflatable kayaks will always be more affordable, lighter, and portable than a traditional boat.

What kayak portability does is enable them to be carried miles upon miles into the backcountry, opening up a whole new world of wilderness lakes, rivers, and creeks for paddling and traversing that have previously been unreachable for water sports. 

Disadvantages

Despite these obvious benefits, there are some drawbacks to consider, particularly regarding ease of use. Traditional hardshell kayaks are always ready to use. Simply place it in the water, and you’re good to go. No setup is required. With an inflatable kayak, there is some prep time needed to get up and go. 

Small volume handpumps will be your primary means of pumping air in the boat, and they can often be quite tiring and take some time to fully inflate your kayak. Additionally, when done for the day, they must be thoroughly dried before folding and storing to prevent mold growth and degradation of the air chamber material. 

It would be unfair to claim an inflatable kayak as safer than a rigid hull, at least as an objective claim. The rigid hull kayak has the advantage of typically being a bit tougher and able to withstand harder blows from sharp rocks, while inflatable kayaks hold the advantage of knowing that if something does go wrong and you lose an air chamber, the backups should prevent you from having to worry too much. With rigid hull kayaks, when things do go wrong – you may find yourself with a bit less forgiveness.

Pro Tips!

• Transport is relatively easy with inflatable kayaks. They are easily stored in the included carrying case that fits nicely in a back seat or trunk when deflated. Some can even be strapped to a backpack for deeper expeditions into the wild. 

• Maintenance primarily consists of ensuring your boat is completely dry before putting it away for storage. 

• Fixing leaks is a fairly straightforward process. Some boats come with patch kits and instructions. However, if your particular boat did not come with a kit, third-party patch kits are widely available online and at sports shops for reasonable prices. 

• Most boats come with an easy-to-use hand or foot pump that will get the job done. However, if you will primarily be launching your boat from the back of a vehicle, consider getting a small electric pump that plugs into your car’s 12-volt adapter for an even easier setup.

Frequently Asked Questions