60 reviews for INTEX 68305EP Challenger K1 Inflatable Kayak Set Includes Deluxe 86in Aluminum Oar and High-Output Pump – Adjustable Seat with Backrest – Removable Skeg – 1-Person – 220lb Weight Capacity : Sports & Outdoors

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Jeff 26 – February 23, 2024

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Great for first-timers and EXTREMELY durable

   —-I purchased the Intek Challenger K1 to try kayaking and see if I enjoyed it enough to warrant spending $500-$600 on a solid-shell vessel. I spent the first few weeks paddling around a small lake behind my home and had no complaints. The Challenger is easy to inflate, easy to deflate, and fitting it back inside the carrying bag was easy as well. I would recommend purchasing a higher quality paddle because the one that comes with the Challenger is a bit short and not very durable. After approximately three weeks of use my paddle cracked, but since the packaged deal was so cheap I didn’t mind purchasing a new one.—-After about two months of paddling around in small bodies of water, some friends of mine and I decided to go on an 11 mile trip down a popular local creek that we heard was ideal for inner-tubing and kayaking. In hindsight, that decision turned out to be one of the worst we had ever made. Our trip took place in early May, 2011, and just two weeks prior much of our area was devastated by tornados. The creek was low, so we all drug out kayaks through ankle-deep water for the first half-mile. Once the water deepened a little bit we were kayaking like some pros, but at around the three mile mark we encountered some trees that had fallen across the creek. I was particularly nervous since my kayak was the only inflatable of the bunch, but I threw it on top of the pile of trees, climbed up beside it, threw it down into the water, and began cruising again. Less than 5 minutes after our first climb over trees, we encountered several more fallen trees. Again, I threw my Challenger on top of the pile of trees, climbed up beside it, threw it down into the water, climbed in, and paddled on. We all kept telling ourselves that we had to have gone through the worst of it, but the fallen trees we kept coming up on proved us wrong. The estimated three-hour casual kayaking trip we planned turned into 8 hours of tossing or pulling kayaks on top of tree piles (most of which were 10-12 feet high), dragging kayaks through shallow water, and navigating around all of the household items (lawn mowers, refrigerators, etc.) the tornados had dropped in the creek. About four hours into the trip I was hoping that my Challenger would get a hole in it so that I would have had a good excuse to scale the wall of the creek, walk to the nearest road, and call someone to come pick me up. Unfortunately, none of the abuse my Challenger received that day fazed it….not one single hole!—-After the “trauma” of that trip I decided kayaking was not for me and I draped my Challenger over a fence in my yard to dry. The kayak remained on top of that fence in blistering heat, rain, and cold for the next 9 months. In early 2012, I finally removed the Challenger from my fence, folded it up, put it in its bag, and stuck it in my shed. Recently I decided to give kayaking another try so I broke out the old Challenger and pumped it up to see if its time on the fence had damaged it. The Challenger pumped up as easy as the day I bought it, and it did not have a single leak.—-Overall, I would say that the Intek Challenger K1 Kayak is a great product and ideal for beginners or those who have to walk long distances to get to where they are going to be paddling. The kayak, paddle, and pump are relatively lightweight and easy to carry in the included case. As I said before, I would recommend purchasing a separate paddle since the one that comes in the kit is not the best quality. The Challenger does not glide through the water like most high-dollar solid-shell kayaks, but it easy to paddle and steer. If you are like I once was and want to try kayaking without investing a lot of money, the Intel Challenger K1 is what you need.

   27 people found this helpful

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Brent WooBrent Woo – February 23, 2024

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Get the gift of water travel

   This thing is amazing!! I’ve taken it out 6 times over the last month, for 2–5 mile jaunts, at local city lakes and sheltered bays, and a couple lakes in a National Park. At this point it’s already worth its price: if it failed next outing (I don’t think it will) I’d still be happy with it. For less than 100 bucks I have the ability to visit little islands inside lakes, get unbelievable views from the water, and explore wetlands and sloughs that landlubbers can’t get to. I can’t get over the novelty of launching, docking at some isolated rock beach or island to eat a snack, then coming back over the water. And having the ability to do this where there are no concessionaires almost feels like cheating! The experience is just that amazing. Not to mention ease of transport and storage.As far as seaworthiness: yes, it tracks poorly even with the skeg but that just means more rotational practice for you. Stable in lake waves and jetski wakes, I’ve never felt close to capsizing. It’s slow. Will blow with the wind if you let it, but you can easily paddle against it. It works, and it’ll get you there.Setup and teardown is easy but it does take some time. The pump is fine and it will inflate faster than you think. For durability: all components feels very heavy and solid, it’s like bounce house material. The valves feel strong and actually take some effort to release the air. I take care not to beach the kayak, or set up/tear down on any surface too rocky or spiky. I also take lengths to dry it afterwards: I point fans at it for a few hours, making sure to get the inside crevices dry. I feel optimistic it’ll be fine for a while.Standard hacks: Get a large IKEA blue bag to carry the actual deflated kayak, use the included (flimsy) bag for the other components, pump, your PFD. Don’t inflate the seat-bottom for more vertical leg room.When researching this, I talked to 2 paddling-adventure friends and inflatable kayaks are perfectly respectable and even the choice of some extreme adventurers: see Audrey Sutherland’s amazing books and adventures, and look up Grabner inflatables. Enjoy!!!

   35 people found this helpful

3. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Karyn Ainsworth – February 23, 2024

   4.0 out of 5 stars

   Worthy product for the low price.

   I purchased the Challenger to try out a lighter, more “packable” option for extended camping trips. Big pros: It’s easy to carry, fits compactly into my cargo box with the rest of my gear, and is super easy to inflate (less than 10 minutes start to finish). I replaced the flimsy carrying bag that it came with (which I could never successfully tetris the deflated kayak back into anyway) with a sturdier, larger, and easier to carry duffle bag I had in my garage. Now: packing perfection.Handling: I have taken it out several times now on flat-water, in calm conditions. (I’m still a beginner, so that is my current comfort level anyway.) It feels sturdy and maneuvers decently in those conditions. A friend of mine has a Challenger that she uses for river kayaking (nothing beyond Class II) and says it handles decently in those conditions as well. The paddle that comes with the kayak is functional and gets the job done, but it’s not great. (i.e. If you don’t already have a more solid paddle to swap it out for, you might consider purchasing one.)Legroom: I’m only 5’3” but the legroom still feels VERY cramped to me. My work-around is to only inflate the bottom of the seat in order to gain an extra couple inches (the trade-off being no back support). I met a woman (similarly framed to me) on a recent trip who was using the 2-person Challenger as a solo-kayak, with comparable ease of navigation. In retrospect, this might have been the way to go in terms of enhanced comfort.OVERALL: For the low price point, I feel like this kayak was a very solid purchase for a novice like me. I am confident that I am going to get my money’s worth out it, many times over, and have a lot of fun doing it, in some remote and beautiful places that it would be a pain-in-the-ass to transport my hard-shell too.A cautionary note: deflate the kayak (at least partially) in between uses. I inflated the kayak for an early morning paddle, then left it fully inflated in my camp while making breakfast and readying things for a much lengthier paddle afterwards. The temperature increased by over 20 degrees in the meantime. The expansion of air in the kayak created three bulbous lumps in the PVC shell: one on the floor, two in the stern. This is in no way a manufacturing defect: it’s pure user-error of not considering basic physics. 😂 The kayak still functions perfectly fine despite now being slightly misshapen (and earning the name “Hunchback Pickle”) but I’m sure all of those areas are now weak points that will lessen the lifespan.

   8 people found this helpful

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   David BradshawDavid Bradshaw – February 23, 2024

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Super fun and affordable!!!

   When I found this kayak for about $80 I was hesitant to get it, but I love the water and thought this would be an affordable way for me to get out on the water. First off, the one I got is the newer one (green and blue like in the photo on the product). It came with the kayak (pretty small box), the ore and the pump. When I first got it I pumped it up and set in it inside the garage, I left it sitting there for a few days (essentially waiting for the weekend), this allowed me to ensure that it was not leaking. I took it out on the water (San Francisco Bay) and tested it out a little bit, I LOVED IT. I ordered another one for my Mom. The following weekend we took both out (into the Bay again) and went pretty far, about 4 miles out [quite a workout!] and then started to head back. It was a great trip and we had no problems (even stopped for lunch by tying the kayaks together and floating in the water). When we started heading back in the wind really picked up and we got wet, but the kayak held its course, it took some strength to paddle but the kayak never felt like it was in danger of flipping (and I had some waves that hit pretty hard and got me soaked!). We made it back with no problem and the kayak was in perfect condition.The kayak was easy to setup and we actually keep it inflated in the garage (both stacked on top of each other with its chair slightly deflated and tucked inside the kayak) it has stayed inflated for weeks with no problems, I have found it more comfortable to leave the chair deflated a bit. The ore it came with is great and I have no problems using it (I did order some gloves, but that was primarily for the salt water). The pump looked puny, but actually pumped up the kayak super quick and with little effort, the handy little clear strip to show how much to inflate is useful and makes it easy to inflate it. The strings on top were great for keeping my stuff with me and I put some food in a a canvas bag and tucked it in there and it stayed in place.The kayak is light enough where we can just walk it down from our house to the bay, we did drive it the first time, but it was a pain to get it in the car (I have a Ford Escape), I got it in but had to lower the back seats and push the front seat all the way forward. In the future I will deflate it slightly and fold it over in the back (especially now that I know how easy it is to inflate it).We have had no problems with this and have found it to be super fun (although cover your thighs! or they will burn!!!). I am 5′ 10″ and about 180 pounds and my Mom is 5′ 0″ and about 120 pounds, she has a much easier time getting here legs in, I do have to tuck a little bit to get them in and keep my feet pointed outward, but it is not a problem, I actually found it quite comfortable to take my feet out and sit cross legged in calm waters.I am looking forward to taking these up to Lake Tahoe when it gets warmer there and spending more weekends exploring the Bay (the ocean is a little rough, so I do not know if I would attempt it at this point). This was a great, affordable item for getting out and having fun!!!I posted some photos of me and my Mom on it in the Bay.

   43 people found this helpful

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Michelle SmithMichelle Smith – February 23, 2024

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Worth every single penny. Just buy it and get out on the water!

   I bought two of these kayak sets in July. My friend and I have been looking at inflatable kayaks for a while, and these were just so, so inexpensive that I figured it would be a worth while step in just seeing if I liked kayaking and would want to invest in an Advanced Elements or other craft later down the line. Seriously, these things cost about the same as renting a hard shell for a day, so there is nothing to loose. Buying these kayaks turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.It is now mid-November and we have taken these kayaks out almost every weekend (sometimes twice) since late July. Every excursion out has lasted between 4 and 9 hours. I live in Portland, OR and thus have seemingly endless options for places to drop in from standing still lakes to moving rivers and these kayaks consistently perform remarkably well.Here is what I found:They set up and pack back up quickly and easily. I was worried that they would be a pain to inflate and deflate, but set-up takes about 5 minutes and the same for deflation. If you are lazy, you can buy a larger bag to carry them in so that you don’t have to be too precise on folding them back up.They are incredibly comfortable. I’m 5’3″ and 135lbs and find the whole thing very roomy with lots of space to store whatever I may need for my day out. The seat is very cushy and sportive. My friend who comes with me is 6″, 200lbs and has made it work. He would do better in a larger craft but still has room for a lunch bag and a waterproof back pack that he stores under the bow with his legs stretched over the top. I’d say that if you are a larger person, getting the two person craft would be a better option, but you can make this one work.They are strong and won’t pop. Of course I was dubious about the idea of an inflatable kayak. But rest assured, these are not pool toys. I drag them up on shores for beach time just fine. I have had to set them up and deflate them in parking lots without any trouble too. I do feel extra cautious around metal debris and sturgeon, but so far I have not seen any indication that the seems are failing or there is damage to the craft.You can’t flip these. I have dealt with some pretty decent wake and have taken them into the Multnomah Channel multiple times without any issues. I have gotten on and off of them mid-lake for swimming without them tilting into the water. If you are getting into them from a dock, you can step directly into them with issue. They are way more sturdy than I had expected.They track OK (use the skeg) and are way more maneuverable than a hard shell. As wonderful as these kayaks are, they are not hard shells, so they do have some wiggle when you paddle. You can get some decent speed with them though and can really get cruising if you are not fighting wind or current. There is a great trad off with maneuverability. These guys can stop, pivot, turn and redirect way faster than a hard shell.They really are not too cumbersome to carry, but I wish they had a handle. Once you get them set up and have your gear in them, you are walking about 40lbs to your launch site. They easiest way to get them to the water is to use the opening you sit in and I worry about the seems stretching while carrying it. If they had a handle on the bow and stern, you could walk two down at a time with a friend. I’m not a physically strong person, however, I can walk my craft and oar down and back up the dock just fine.The easiest upgrade for these would be a better paddle. For the money, the paddle is OK and I have no complaints, but you’ll want something better. That said, if you have never used a carbon shaft paddle you won’t know what you are missing and the paddle it comes with is just fine.They may not be hard shells, but they are totally, completely worth every cent. If you live in apartment, don’t have storage space for a hard shell or a roof rack to transport one, not totally sure that you’d be into kayaking for more than one or two trips, or are saving up for the craft of your dreams but still want to get out on the water, you will not regret buying this kayak.

   7 people found this helpful

6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer – February 23, 2024

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Best investment I made all summer!

   I freakin used and reused, recycled and then reused the holy living crap out of this this last summer. BEST investment I made all year. I loved it so much I started buying it as gifts for people, have 2 for myself and have gotten other friends and family to buy it.It is incredibly affordable, convenient and almost completely on par with standard hardshell kayaks. In fact I would say it has several advantages over hard shells.First of all the price point makes it awesome to enjoy the experience of kayaking without breaking the bank. This makes it awesome for large families (like mine) that find it hard to do activities together due to equipment expenses.Second: the convenience of being able to stuff an entire kayak into a 20-30 lb bag, load it into your car and carry to your deployment site is awesome. I have a tiny coupe for a car and was able to fit 2 of these and all mine and my brothers luggage and camping gear for a week and a half inside easily.Third: Super stable and capsize-proof. Yes you can still capsize. But because of the flat bottom design as opposed to a hard shells more oval shape, it is much much more difficult to rock and tip, making it great for younger kids who are learning. Even if you manage to manage to tip it over the infltable rim at the top keeps it from going under water. Keeping the flooding to a minimum. And if you stuff your belongings behind the inflateble seat, they should stay safe from falling out or even getting wet at all.Cons: It is slightly slower than a regular kayak due to it’s less waterdynamic(?) raft shaped bottom, but not at all significantly (plus it’s not like anyone’s using it for competitive reasons)You absolutely MUST have the fin attached for it to work. This isn’t so much a con as a note if importance. Unless you like doing uncontrolled donuts in the water.In-freakin-credibly difficult to clean/drain. Especially if you’re by yourself. Although you can get it down to a tea eventually. If you have a second person keep it in the water and flood it as much as you can. Then each person shoulder an end, flip it upside down and pull a lip of the kayak opening down to allow all the water to flow out and carry all the sand/dirt out. If you’re by yourself, my tip is to got one of those super soaker squirt guns. Prop the kayak up on one end, fill up your super soaker and squirt the whole thing into the upper end of the kayak, sweeping left and right so the water runs down to the bottom grabbing all the sand and dirt. Then insert the super soaker into the bottom end of the kayak and pull all of the water and sand out and squirt into an open area (or someone you don’t like haha) until all the sand and water is out. Whether you’re by yourself or alone definitely bring an extra towel for each kayak just to wipe and dry for packaging.Inflation: the inflation proccess itself it easy and quick as 5 minutes. But I learned I had to be careful where I did it. If you’re inflating in the hot sun the air inside will heat up and expand, causing the kayak to swell and warp. Make sure you inflate in the shade and keep it in the shade until deployment where the water will keep it cool. If you are transporting it in the back of a truck while it’s inflated, let a little air out till the rubber isn’t taight and has room to expand. On that not I love the nozzle for the kayak inflation. One way so air doesnt come out when you disconnect the pump. Air will only come out when you detatch the base into which the pump insert screws in.Rips and Tears: Happened to me. Easy fix. Intex makes an inexpensive (99 cents for me) patch kit that’s easy to apply and should last a couple patches, though after several several uses of 4 kayaks all summer, I only had to do 2 patches. It takes 12 hours to dry, although I was rocking the water in less with no problem. My only reccoment to intex would be to see if they can improve it by adding a drain port somewhere on the bottom to make it easier to remove water and clean (and while it’s inflated).Can’t express how stupid awesome this product is. You will have a newfound hobby instantly and have great experiences to share and impress your friends and family with. Get it!!!

   9 people found this helpful

7. 

   Rated 1 out of 5

   Thomas – February 23, 2024

   1.0 out of 5 stars

   Not for anyone who wants to actually kayak. Good for napping in swimming pools.

   After taking the kayak out, I am very surprised by the stellar reviews since my experience was extremely disappointing. I took the kayak out on a smaller 160-acre lake on a calm day, so I was not contending with waves or wind. I purchased this kayak after taking an intro kayaking course thinking it would be a good economical start to learning. I was wrong. I will lay out the main issues in order of severity.Foot RoomThe bulkhead area where your feet rest is terribly constricting at approx. 6″ tall with the inflatable triangle installed. This complaint applies to adults of any height since the issue is the height of the bulkhead and not the length. There is absolutely no room for an adult’s feet. I had to forcibly twist my ankles and bow out my knees the entire time to keep my feet at a 45 degree angle for them to fit in the bulkhead. Holding this position for any length of time was very uncomfortable, added to my back pain, and took away from the enjoyment of the session.Back SupportThere is no realistic back support. The seat has too much give even with the straps secured, and the seat ended up bending wherever my body wanted it versus properly restricting my back from leaning/curving back too much while paddling. Coupled with the need to twist the feet and knees to fit into the compartment, my lower back muscles cramped badly thirty minutes into the session causing me to turn back to the boat ramp. I cannot imagine spending more than one hour in this kayak.Paddling ObstructionThe kayak sits high in the water, the sides are bulky, and it is wide. These features coupled with the included paddle length make paddling problematic. When I tried to get the paddle blade nicely into the water at a comfortable angle for my arms, the shaft bottomed out on the kayak side. In order to make use of the paddle blade for these strong strokes, I had to over-extend my arms to where the paddle was at a ridiculously sharp angle, uncomfortable, and had water pouring all over me. The only comfortable method of paddling was to keep the blade almost parallel with the water surface and use only the bottom half of the blade in the water. That technique allowed me to paddle but very slowly. If you have a very tall torso or very long arms, this might not be an issue, but for average-sized people, it will be. A longer paddle would help some, but I’m reviewing the included paddle.Wasted EnergyPaddling this kayak was a brute. While it tracked relatively straight overall, the bow waggled” terribly by approx. 24″ side to side (so turning 12″ to each side during paddling). Even when I purposefully tried to keep the strokes as light as possible while still propelling the kayak forward, the front would waggle badly and scrub off speed. Once I got going as fast as this kayak will go, which is probably around a quick walking speed, as soon as I stopped paddling, the kayak would come to a standstill within approx. 10 feet. I was either paddling hard to move or sitting there enjoying the scenery; there was no in between of leisurely paddling and coasting.Lack of Foot SupportThere is absolutely no place for your feet to find a firm place for proper paddling and to keep the knees bent slightly. If I tried to use my feet as anchors and to apply light pressure during paddling, the sides of the kayak simply absorbed my feet. Coupled with the issue of having to twist my knees and ankles as described above, the lack of foot rests made paddling uncomfortable and impossible to maintain good posture/form/technique.ConclusionIf you truly want to enjoy kayaking and practice good posture/form/technique with the intent of upgrading to another kayak in the future, do not buy this product. It will only teach you terrible posture/form/technique, and you won’t enjoy your trips out on the lake. For these reasons, I consider this product a gimmick simply to be used to float on water. I returned it the day after my first session and purchased a $300 hardshell kayak, $70 fiberglass paddle, and $50 car roof pads/straps. What a difference. I can actually focus on basic posture/form/technique while also comfortably enjoying kayaking for hours on end. Loading and unloading the hardshell actually takes far less time and work than going through the inflatable process too, so storing the hardshell in the shed is the only downside.

   41 people found this helpful

8. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Wyomi – February 23, 2024

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   Fun

   We purchased these because we have some hard shell kayaks, but are unable to get them to our current home.We wanted to travel in our small camper van with them, and this allows us to not need a trailer to carry big hard shell kayaks.They are easy to inflate, and are sturdy for our needs. getting all the air out is difficult, as with any kind of inflatable, but we are able to get them compact enough for our needs.They have a pillow that goes into the bow to give you a place to put your feet. That could be a little bit more adjustable for people with long or short legs.Not the most comfortable, but as we read from somebody else, it might be best not to inflate the bottom as much so that one sit lower in the kayak. The same in the cockpit is in an area that for me, does get scratchy if wearing shorts.Overall, we are pleased with the value for what we got, and as it fits with our needs.

9. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   ZenzininZenzinin – February 23, 2024

   5.0 out of 5 stars

   VERY DETAILED REVIEW & TIPS ON DRYING THIS KAYAK EFFORTLESSLY IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES IN THE SUN

   This listing includes:- 1 Inflatable kayak- 1 Skeg (to keep your kayak straight in the water)- 1 Set of collapsible oars- 1 Inflatable seat- 1 Inflatable green thing for the front of your kayak- 1 Repair kit- 1 Instruction manual- 1 Carry bag- 1 Pump with hose attachment – this pump is a really fast pump, by the way.- 1 Clear, plastic measuring tape which you won’t use after your first time.What else you’ll need:- PFD (Life Jacket)- Large, preferably absorbent towel for when you need to dry and wipe your kayak before you put it away.- Zip lock bag or water-proof case for your phone and other items.- Sun screen- Something to drink- Body of water with a wind speed factor of less than 12mph, to take the kayak out to.OVERVIEW:We bought two Intex Challenger K1 Kayaks and took them out for a spin the very weekend we received it. It turned into a 3-hour kayaking session because we had so much fun with it! They were $49.99 each when it was on sale, and I couldn’t help but to buy it after reading the reviews, both positive and negative. What I took away from this entire purchase was how glad I am that I took a chance on it. This is one of the best purchases I’ve made.PROS – REVIEW – Here’s the good stuff first (Pros):The QUALITY was better than I expected. Repair is also super simple, according to Youtube, but I haven’t had to do this as there were no defects in my kayaks… yet. Anyways, they are so sturdy and the material is so thick that I have no problem with my dogs jumping in and out of it, but I would still yell at them to be careful…The COLLAPSIBLE OARS are actually more than good enough for me. They were easy to assemble and didn’t clip my hands or felt loose. They actually felt perfect in the water as well. I suppose the other reviews had me worried that the oars would be terrible, and I’d have to go buy another one at Walmart, but really, they work completely fine and a lot better than anticipated. I do think that better paddles would get you places faster though.The WEIGHT was maybe 20 lbs and fits in a bag! I wouldn’t throw it over my back and bike it to the lake, but it’s so compact! I love being able to just throw it into the trunk and take the inflatable kayak to the water whenever we feel like it.PUMPING and ASSEMBLING the kayak was sooooo easy and fast AFTER the first time. Yes, it took some time to figure stuff out the first time and I even got angry at the vague instructions, BUT after that, I was literally able to pump up the main kayak in less than 2 minutes and have it out in the water in less than 5 – all with just the pump that was supplied. I thought I’d have to use an electric pump, but no need! The manual pump that it came with worked so well and so fast that I am thinking of using it for my inflatable bed for camping as well (or should I say “glamping”?).The BOSTON CAP made it convenient to pump as well, because air only goes in one way when you’re pumping, so you don’t have to rush to close the cap for fear of air escaping. With the pumping of the kayak, there are two main compartments – one for the base and the other one for the top. I actually counted the number of pumps that worked for us: 63 pumps for the base and 44 pumps for the top. It’s silly to think that it will always remain the same number though, but knowing this number helps me keep track of the rubber’s condition of my kayak.The SKEG stayed in place real well. I did have to check on it once in a while just to make sure it was still there. So far, it’s lasted. I have no problems with it at all.The INFLATABLE SEAT, like many people have said, sits quite high if you inflate the bottom as well. So we took other people’s advice and only inflated the back portion of the seat. It’s nice and comfy.The SPACE FOR THE LEGS are not bad. We’re 5’1” and 5’5”. That being said, there’s this inflatable green triangle/oblong-like thing that everyone keeps wondering about. It actually slides into the front of your kayak. At first, we thought it’s so it’s easier for short people’s legs, then I realize that 1. it lifts the front-top portion of the kayak a little bit so it kind of helps with keeping water out of front of the kayak, 2. it helps with lifting the front top so your legs don’t get squished or feels too restricted in the kayak, and 3. it actually helped a whole bunch with using it to reach the ends with my towel when I needed to completely dry the inside (not necessary, but more on this later).This inflatable kayak is awesome for CRUISING speeds. Once you get going, you really pick up that speed and get going. TRACKING was quite excellent. It always went in the direction I wanted it to go, never went off-track, and made turns effortlessly. It felt like I wore it like my own skin. We also had WINDS at a constant of about 9 or 10mph, with an occasional gust of 12-15mph. There was significant waves once in a while when boats are close by with their motors on. Our kayaks stayed on course really well through it all, with a little bit of resistance when going against the wind. At one point, we did feel like the kayak was going to flip over with the significance of some of the waves, but we didn’t stick around to find out.CONS – REVIEW – Cons and Suggestions:The supplied CARRYING BAG is actually not that great. It reminds me of the recycled tote people use as grocery bags. In fact, those recycled grocery totes are probably better quality. However, with that said, the bag is still big enough and decent enough. I wouldn’t waste any money to buy a replacement bag.These inflatable kayaks do LEAN TO THE RIGHT! My goodness, I thought this was going to be a problem, but guess what? It only took 2 minutes in the water for BOTH our bodies to completely adjust itself to the slight skew of the kayak. You may notice you’ll naturally lean more to one direction. Or more likely, you’ll notice yourself holding your oars more towards one direction. For us, we both held the oars lower to the right to adjust for the balance of the kayak. It’s just so natural that there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. You’ll forget about it as soon as you start paddling. Someone also suggested letting out a little air and/or getting out and adjusting the bottom a little. I haven’t tried it yet, but worth looking into. Well, for our kayaks, it just tilts very little and doesn’t matter how much we inflate or deflate it or move it around, but we never really did too much to fix it; we just sort of accepted it the way it is lol. Then again, like I said, you won’t notice it soon after you paddle off.We didn’t flip over in the middle of the lake, but my wife did FLIP over was when she climbed into her kayak in the very first time. I wasn’t watching, so I don’t even know how she managed to do that. She might have sat too close to the edge as she tried to get on?? I don’t know… She seemed just as stunned by it, so she couldn’t really describe how it flipped over. The kayak was light enough to flip back over effortlessly. I honestly don’t know if this should be a con or pro though, because imagine if you did flip over in the middle of kayaking. If you know nothing about flipping a regular kayak back over and climbing back in, you’ll have to be wait to be saved by other people. Now imagine your inflatable kayak flipping over… If it’s anything like a regular float at water parks, it may prove to be easy to get back on – or not, hopefully without completely filling the kayak with water… I’ve never really tried it and never came across the problem, but will amend the review if it happens.It was actually quite confusing to FOLD the kayak back up. If you’re like my wife, you’ll just do whatever works for you and get on with it. I’m more of a pain-in-the-a about it, so I had to do it exactly how it was unfolded. I can already tell you the difference between my kayak and my wife’s kayak is that mine will last far better than hers. I took someone else’s advice and took pictures of how it was unfolded so that I can fold it back up exactly like so. After a few tries, you won’t need the pictures anymore. The reason for folding it back the way it was folded is to 1. protect the skeg area, 2. keep the kayak compact enough to fit back into the bag that it came with, and 3. possibly to keep from creating new edges to fold which may be sharp and cause punctures along the new sharp edges/corners. If you don’t really care about all that kind of stuff, just fold it into thirds and throw it in the trunk. That works for my wife too. Lol. Now that I think about it though, I may just do what my wife does and fold it into thirds the long way and place it in the back seat/trunk. The less folding, the better it may last.PUMPING with the supplied pump is so incredibly easy and awesome, but it’s pretty embarrassing pumping with a tiny little thing and having your feet on the teeny-tiny little bases. You’ll be tempted not to place both feet on the base at first or just use your hands to pump instead because you’re so MUCH cooler than that, but you’ll quickly realize the you just want to get it over with and in the water as quickly as possible. Sooo, you’ll eventually pump the kayak with both feet on the base, hunched over with your butt all the way in the air, and pumping away frantically. I’ve seen others do it and it looks just as embarrassing as it feels. Honestly two embarrassing minutes. Every. Single. Time. If you can get past the embarrassment though, the pump is actually so damn fine, you’ll love it and want to keep it with you wherever you go. Okay, let me walk back on that pump… I meant that the pump is fast and has all the attachments you’ll ever need for you kayak. So, it’s also great for floats! The quality of the pump’s plastic, on the other hand, is really cheap-feeling and light-weight.Edited: DRYING THE KAYAKS were no easy feat the first time around. However, I figured out the fastest and the best way to do this. It will require an absorbent, large towel per kayak, the sun, and about 10-30 minutes.1. KEEP the kayak INFLATED. Take the skeg off the kayak.2. Have the inflated kayak at a slope the long way (doesn’t have to be a big slope at all) so the water inside the kayak rolls down the opposite end. If you don’t have a slope, lean it against the cool side of your car (so the metal doesn’t get so hot that it’d melt the rubber off your kayak) or a wall – the long-way. Or prop it up on one end with a duffel or something.3. Stick the towel inside the end that the water rolls down to. If your arms are not long enough, you’ll need the green thing to help you, but otherwise, stuff it gently all the way to absorb the water.4. Keep it in the sun for about 5-10 minutes (release some air if your kayak starts to inflate in the heat so it doesn’t over-inflate on its own).5. Check on it – you may have to use your towel to wipe some water off.6. Take the towel out, wipe off excess water that you still see, and squeeze the towel dry.7. Flip the kayak over the long-way and do the same for the other end (repeat steps 2 to 6) for another 5-10 minutes. Make sure to stick your towel in there to catch the water BEFORE you flip it. This sounds unnecessary, but believe me, if there’s water, you’ll want to get it all out or as much as you can.8. The front side of your kayak should be dry by now, but if there’s still water, just wipe it off with the towel.9. Flip the kayak onto the back (where the skeg goes) onto a flat surface (or leaning is fine, it doesn’t matter) and dry off for another 5 or 10 minutes.10. Wipe off excess water where necessary. Use additional time if you have to, but don’t leave the kayaks out in the direct sun for too long if you don’t have to. Release some air if the kayak inflates too much in the heat.All this sounds like a lot of steps, but that’s just because I broke it down into steps. It literally takes less than 30 minutes while you’re not even paying attention and just sitting and enjoying a beer or something. It matters if you have sun or not as well. Arizona is so hot and so dry that this really completely dried off everything in about 10-20 minutes total.OTHER SUGGESTIONS:- Take pictures/a video on how the kayak is unfolded so you can fold it back up the way it was folded, if you prefer.- Practice opening and assembling this kayak just once (or more times if you have to) while you’re at home. This will make it easier when you take it out to the water and not have to figure out what goes where, so you can get a feel for what over-inflation/under-inflation/just-right-inflation feels like, and know how to fold it back up.- Keep the new kayak inflated overnight in your home when you first get it so that you can know if there’s any major leaks or a leak at all.- It goes without saying, but keep the inflatable kayak from sharp things/jagged surfaces.- Youtube how to repair a leak in your kayak. It’s super easy and takes 2 minutes to watch, and possibly 2 minutes to repair.- Bring the repair kit with you just in case.- Use the supplied air pump – really fast and really easy. No batteries!INSTRUCTION MANUAL:Initially, I thought the instructions were very vague. I was quite frustrated at first, but after I read it, identified what was what, knew where everything went, and got it inflated and deflated the first time, I realized the manual couldn’t have been any more detailed than it had to be. So, don’t give up. The instructions are ALL there. True, you may feel like you’ll want a ctrl+find though…Willow Beach, Arizona – Review:We went to Arizona’s Willow Beach Marina. If you do go there, there’s certain things you should be aware of. First of all, there’s a $20 entrance fee per vehicle (there’s an option for annual passes, $40/year). Second of all, if you don’t want to compete in the water with motorized vehicles, Sundays and Mondays are the days that are designated for non-motorized paddle boats only (which means kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards only, or whatever non-motorized water sports you bring). Third of all, check the weather, specifically for the wind factor. Anything under 12mph, you’ll be alright at the lake at Willow Beach Marina. Finally, the area is monitored, so please go to Walmart and buy yourself a $15 life jacket or they WILL cite you if they have to warn you more than once about keeping your life jacket on in the middle of the lake.

   3,283 people found this helpful

10. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Heather Forsythe – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    LOVE it…but leg room isn’t great. Read this if you are considering 2-man option

    I did a lot of research and read all of the reviews for The Challenger one-man and two-man, as well as the Explorer 2-man. Watched a bunch of YouTube videos, too. My biggest concerns were weight (can I carry it myself?) and comfort (l have long legs — my jeans are a 36″ inseam).I initially decided on the Explorer 2-man since it would :(1) give me more legroom than the Challenger one-man(2) it was significantly lighter than the Challenger two man. RReviews said the Explorer was more of a “fun boat” than a proper kayak, but I decided to give it a try.When it arrived, I didn’t even open the box. The box was quite large and heavy. The deadweight wouldn’t be comfortable to carry, and I wondered if it would be a hassle to carry on my own. Plus I live in a small apartment so I planned to store the kayak in my trunk. This would have taken up a lot of my trunk space. So I returned it…and bought the Challenger 1-man instead. Great move.The box for the Challenger 1-man was much smaller and noticeably lighter than the Explorer 2-man. It’s hard to tell that when you’re just looking at numbers on a web page vs. seeing and feeling it live.I easily and quickly blew it up in my living room to test out the setup. Yay! And, since it’s smaller than the two-man boat, everything (including paddle and pump) easily fits into one of those big blue or yellow (sturdy!) ikea bags. The bag it comes in is useless/flimsy. Just get a 99 cent Ikea bag.One thing to be careful about is not to over-inflate it. They make it clear that you should only use a manual pump to prevent this. You’ll find a tiny (10cm?) measurement strip in the little bag of random stuff (eg. patch kit). There is also a line printed on one side of the kayak. You blow up the boat until the line on the boat matches the length of the line on this little plastic thing. But don’t blow up past that length to avoid overinflating. They do mention something about if it’s either very cold or very hot out that you may want to over/underinflate it to account for air expansion/contraction.The pump is easy and efficient. But it’s kinda cheap (to be expected at this price point). Twice the two pieces have come apart (maybe I was a bit too aggressive in my pumping?) and it took me some time to figure out how to put it back together — and have it work. There is a rubber ring that needs to form a seal between the two pieces to have it work. I’m not super mechanical but I figured it out. You will, too. If you have a better manual pump you may want to use it, but this has served its purpose so far (I’ve used it 4x).My only complaint about the boat is the legroom. Legs and my feet are very squished. No room to move around at all if you have long legs. I point my toes out (almost 90% to the left and right) and I sort of stuff between the bottom and sides of the boat. It comes with a green blow-up triangle to stuff in the front of the boat, whose purpose seems primarily to give you some height between the bottom and top of the boat so your feet will fit down there. But it’s not really high/tall enough to be super effective. Another friend (who is 5″ shorter than I am) had a similar issue, but because her legs are sooo much sorter, comfort really wasn’t an issue for her as she would move her legs around. I didn’t even use the green blow-up triangle after my first expedition, so I’d have more legroom, but it was still very, very cramped. I basically couldn’t move my legs much at all once I was “in place”. Not ideal for a long kayak ride. I’ve gone out for a couple hours, but wouldn’t be able to take it for much more than that without stopping and getting out. But I do have a tip for people with long legs and/or big feet (I wear women’s size 13). My second time out wore a pair of Tevas, so the top of the Tevas sort of “pushed” the top of the boat up enough that my toes themselves didn’t get squished. (Wearing water shoes didn’t work well at all my first time around.) My short friend wore water shoes and they worked great for her, though. Still, even with the Tevas protecting my toes, my legs could only “fit” one way in the boat and since they were really lodged in there, I couldn’t move them around.The “ride” itself is great. I’ve been kayaking in the SF bay (not in the middle of the bay where crazy currents could pull me out past the Golden Gate bridge), but around Alameda island and in the Sausalito bay, for those familiar with the area. Ride was super smooth and handled some choppy waters just fine. I don’t kayak too often, but my friend does. She actually liked this ride better than the hard kayaks. You sit right in the water. Easy to maneuver. Didn’t feel like I was at risk of tipping over. It does definitely “tilt” to one side (as I had read in previous reviews) — must be the way the two separate compartments blow up — but it wasn’t an issue at all.People have complained that the paddles are super cheap. Well, sure. But they work. I’m not going to go buy a paddle that costs as much as my boat : )I also noticed that the prices of (all the ) Intex boats varied WILDLY from day to day! In some reviews from early 2020, I read that people paid just $50 for this boat! I bought mine mid-May for $69. Two days before I bought it, it was $79. Three days later, $99. Then it went to $109. Then back down to $79. No idea what pricing software Intex was using, but it was super bizarre. Now (mid-july) it seems Intex may be out of stock and there are “new and used” options starting at $199.99. YIkes! I should have kept my 2-man explorer and sold it on eBay and made $150 : ) That boat was just $89 in early May.So, watch for a good price. And maybe contact Intex directly (they are in the US and did respond to a question I had, though it took a few days) to find out when they’ll have more inventory.Would I pay $200 for this kayak? No, I’d wait for the price to go down. Would I pay $109 for it? Sure. It’s a great little boat. The cramped leg space isn’t ideal, but for my casual use, and the price I paid, t’s fine. And worth the tradeoff of the 2-man boat legroom is worth it to me to actually be able to easily carry it around only own and store it in my car.

    190 people found this helpful

11. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    R. McGowan – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    How to fill it up, and a couple things of note

    I haven’t gotten to take it out on the water yet so this review will just address assembly/inflation. The inflation instructions are very limited so I thought some people might appreciate some steps to make it less frustrating. Included with the boat is a small vinyl measuring strip and a plastic pump.There are two valves on the vessel and they must be filled in numbered order. The first valve is located inside the cockpit underneath the right (starboard) side of the boat just to the side of the seat velcro. It inflates the floor of the vessel. The valve has two caps. The small square cap gives you access to the one-way boston valve that allows air to enter but not exit. The boston valve cap is screwed into the top of the release cap. The larger cap with the ridged edge releases air. They are not reverse threaded so it’s likely you will unscrew the release cap when trying to unscrew the boston valve cap. Just separate the two caps and screw the release cap back in. You do not need to use any of the tips on the pump when airing up the vessel itself. Just insert the rounded end of the corrugated tube into the valve beneath the square cap and pump away. You will notice that there is a line near the valve cap that looks very similar to the vinyl measuring strip. Periodically while filling, line up the measuring strip with the line on the vessel. If they are both the same length (10 cm) then the vessel is properly filled. If the line on the vessel is shorter than the line on the strip keep adding air, if the line on the vessel is longer you will need to release air as you have overfilled it. Overfilling could cause it to rip at a seam which is very difficult to repair.The second valve is located directly behind the cockpit on the aft of the vessel. You will find the measuring line for this portion of the vessel on the outer starboard (right) side of the vessel near the first tie down for the rope. Fill this in the same way.Next, you will have noticed a funny triangle inflatable. This is the foot rest. You can fill it with the air pump by using the larger of the two nozzle attachments inserted into the clear valve. Pump it up until it is firm, then seal it with the rubber cap. You can then push the clear valve in and it will sit flush with the rest of the foot rest. This should be tucked point first into the front (bow) of the boat inside the cockpit. The foot rest is important because it gives you something to push off of as you twist your torso when paddling. Note that you can also inflate this just using your breath but I don’t like the plastic smell.Lastly comes the seat. The seat inflation directions are particularly confusing and there are no installation instructions, though installation should be fairly obvious. You don’t want to over-inflate the back because it will need to be curved to fit in the cockpit. Follow the instructions regarding the seat of the chair to make it firm but not hard. Match the Velcro on the bottom of the seat with the velcro on the floor of the boat, then take the straps on the back of the seat and clip one end in to the each clip inside the floor of the boat, taking care not to twist the strap.There are illustrations showing how to attach the skeg but no instructions saying when to do this but I would do this after all other assembly is completely and right before I need to move the boat into the water since it will cause the boat not to be able sit flat.A couple of things of note:1) The pictures are a bit deceptive, the cockpit isn’t very deep and once you get the seat installed your thighs will likely be nearly level with the top of the vessel. Someone else mentioned that they didn’t inflate the bottom of the seat so their center of balance was lower. I’ll give that a try if it seems to be a problem.2) Also not shown is that there is some empty space behind the seat inside the cockpit where you could store something small, though keep in mind the space is not water tight nor easily accessible while in the boat. It might be a good place to stash the air pump.3) Although it looks black in the pictures, it’s actually a dark gray color.4) The seat is fairly narrow and feels taller than I expected. I’m a size 14 and it’s a tight squeeze.5) I’m pretty sure this is more meant for kids than adults. I have to squeeze to fit legs into the space in front of the cockpit and it’s tight against me from my knees down through my calves. It makes me feel mildly claustrophobic.6) Conversely, I’m only 5′ 2″ so my feet don’t reach the foot rest so I think I’ll try stuffing a towel down in the end to bring it more forward.7) The boat feels very sturdy but I don’t expect it would last more than a couple of years unless you took exceptional care of it. The pump, however, feels extremely flimsy and I expect it to be the first point of failure.UPDATE:I’ve taken this out twice now and had a blast both times. In the water, the cockpit actually feels more roomy and I didn’t have the same sense of claustrophobia. The seat is quite comfortable for a couple of hours of paddling. The kayak itself felt very stable and was easy to get in after floating the kayak in about 18 inches of water. Since the plastic skeg sits down you’ll need the water to be deep enough that it doesn’t drag after you get in it. Overall I felt it was very easy to paddle and control but it doesn’t track straight well unless you’re doing forward strokes with good form. I haven’t tipped it over yet but I feel like it could if I was in rougher waters than the calm lake I paddled on.Packing it up the first time was a bit rough, the second time I made sure to fold the sides in tighter and it folded up nicely and went in the bag with no problems. The high capacity pump really helps as it takes little time to assemble the whole kayak, around 5 minutes if you’re in good shape. I even had other people asking to borrow it. However, deflating the kayak after use is sort of a pain and my back wasn’t loving hunching over the pump so I have since bought a hand held, battery powered air pump that can both inflate and deflate. I think that will significantly improve my setup/breakdown experience which, other than the somewhat expected poor handling of the craft is my only complaint. Having looked at several other inflatable low-end kayaks I am now convinced this is probably the best of the bunch. It’s quick to fill, easy to break down, has a nice seat with a strap that helps it provide plenty of support, and the extra space behind the seat lets me stash the storage bag and pump so I don’t have to make a trip back to the car before heading out on the water.

    88 people found this helpful

12. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Melissa MMelissa M – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Easy to use, transport, and store – review includes suggested extra gear

    We own three of these Intex Challenger 1-Person kayaks, and two of the 

    Intex Explorer K2 2-Person Inflatable Kayaks

    .We love these kayaks and recommend them to anyone looking for the fun and flexibility of a kayak without the typical hassles of transportation and storage. If you’re looking for a fast ride down a waterway, this isn’t it. They move well but you won’t be able to race a hard shell kayak.The single ones are fantastic for teens and adults. The 2-person ones are great for two younger people, one adult and child, or a single person that really wants a lot of room to stretch out. You can but don’t have to put both seats in if you only need one. I prefer the green 1-person kayak myself. It’s a little narrower and possibly moves a little faster, which I like, but my husband usually chooses the 2 person even if he’s riding solo.Want to do a solo one-way trip? Go farther than you planned? UBER.INFLATABLE KAYAK PROS- Easy to store and transport- More stable than standard kayaks. We haven’t gotten close to tipping; I can’t imagine it happening.- Durable plastic – on our many trips, with various kids and adults, we haven’t had one leak- Much higher weight limit than hard shell kayaks- Comes with everything you need – kayak, seat, storage bag, paddle, skeg (snaps on underneath for stability), patch kit and air pump (the 2-person version comes with all the same stuff, except it has 2 paddles and 2 seats)- Storage – there’s enough room in the front and back sections of the kayak for your all your gear leftovers, and a drybag with your extras- Pumps up quickly – takes me about 9 minutes for the 2 person K2, and about 6 minutes to hand inflate a K1 (the first few times it’ll take you a bit longer than that)- Have electricity where you’re going? You can use a standard air mattress pump to inflate.- VERY easy to figure out right out of the box – just READ THE DIRECTIONS the first time!- If you did get a leak (which we have not, even with teens butt-scooting the kayaks from shore to deeper water — sigh), your kayak will be more difficult to paddle, but probably still won’t sink. The kayaks have more than one chamber to inflate, so at most you’d eventually lose half of your air.INFLATABLE KAYAK CONS- You won’t win any races in these – they’re not as fast as hard shell kayaks- The manual air pumps work great, and once you get into a rhythm most people won’t have an issue, but they aren’t made for tall people and you will get a bit of a cardio workout when pumping. I love it, but some don’t. Electric air mattress pumps do work, if you have electricity access.- Rinsing off and drying once you’re home can be a pain- Getting the skeg off after it’s been gunked up a bit can take a moment. But seriously use the skeg; without it you’re basically paddling on an air mattress down the river.OTHER GEAR WE’VE FOUND USEFUL- 

    SeaSense 8690 X-1 Marine Kayak Paddle, 96-Inch

     – little longer, little nicer of a grip, but will not fit in your storage bag- 

    8′ X 10′ Blue Waterproof Tarp

     – any cheap tarp will do. For inflating on a non-sharp surface, deflating on a clean-ish surface, and for your vehicle, as they will probably be wet on your trip home- 

    Airhead Folding Grapnel Anchor System

     – great if you want to hang out in one spot. You can also make your own with an old 5 lb hand weight, marine rope and a carabiner clip (we have 2 like this that work fine.)- 

    Earth Pak Dry Bag and Waterproof Phone Case – 10L / 20L

     – or any such dry bag and waterproof phone case, for your keys, phone, towel, etc. There’s enough room in the front or back of the kayak to store your gear- 

    Crocs Unisex Classic Clog

     – better than aqua socks and fancy sandals. You can walk on sharp, rocky surfaces, kick them off and shake pebbles out, AND they float!- 

    Shock Cord – 1/8″ x 100 ft. Spool Marine Grade

     – this cord and some extra carabiners will let you make any kayak-type leashes you may need. Great for connecting kayaks together when needed, tether to a pier, paddle leashes, etc.- 

    Sportneer 6.25′ Portable Pop Up Changing Dressing Room Tent

     – a couple times we’ve kayaked in spots where exiting the water has been in less than pristine conditions…having some wet wipes, dry clean clothes and a moment of privacy can be helpful- 

    Ikea 901.491.48 Frakta Storage Bag

     – the bag the kayak comes in is ok, but this one is better. Everything you get with the Intex Kayak fits in this bag (even the 2-person yellow kayak fits in it), and you can actually wear the bag as an uncomfortable backpack if you want. They’re only about five bucks at the actual store, though, so if you live near one, get it there. The longer oar I suggest above won’t fit in this.- 

    Etekcity Quick-Fill Air Mattress Pump, 110-120V

     – when we do use an electric pump, we use one that came with an old air mattress like this one. Definitely nice for those that don’t want the cardio workout. Also nice when pumping in extreme temperatures.

    1,030 people found this helpful

13. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Captain Bin – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Surprisingly good kayak (and great price)!

    We haven’t had this kayak for very long, so our review will be updated after we have had some more experience with it and see how well it holds up in the long run.Overall, this has turned out to be a surprisingly good kayak. It’s well-made and sturdy, and it’s very easy to use. In our experience, it handles and performs as well as, if not sllghtly better than hard-bodied sit-on-top kayaks (but far more comfortable, and much easier to transport). For travelling, it’s a good alternative to a more expensive 2-piece hard-bodied kayak or high-end inflatable.The kayak seems very sturdy and holds its shape well (unlike typical row-boat style inflatable boats we’ve had). It was quick and easy to assemble and inflate (about 50-60 pumps to inflate the floor, about 25-35 to inflate the main chamber, and about 10 pumps each for the seat and foot rest). Knowing how much to inflate it was made simple by the enclosed vinyl “ruler.” It deflated even faster (in just a few seconds) without having to push out much of the air.The first time we inflated it, we noticed that the kayak had a slight list to one side due to one side of the floor’s tubes being larger than the others (the side with the valve), which could be a manufacturing defect. This didn’t seem to affect use of the kayak at all and we weren’t sure if another boat would have the same problem, so we didn’t bother to try exchanging it.It is highly manoeuvrable and easy to paddle. We tested it against a strong current with 1′ waves and it performed very well (even with an adult and a kid in at the same time). We found it to have about the same feel as a hard-bodied sit-on-top kayak (although it is easier to manoeuvre and much, much more comfortable) and it is much better, nimbler, and faster than kids’ sit-on-top starter kayaks.It’s stable enough that it didn’t make us nervous, but being narrower than a wider hull style kayak, it wasn’t stable enough to kneel or stand up in without feeling wobbly. Our tipping point was about 45′ more or less, and it was very easy to escape after flipping. We didn’t get very wet whilst paddling (only some splashes from the paddles) and even embarking didn’t get us wet because the seat cushion keeps one high enough off the floor.The seat is comfortable (more so than regular kayaks – especially the seat portion) and the back provides quite a bit of support when one cinches down the straps. The footrest; however, must have been designed for someone >6′, because none of our feet reached it enough for it to do any good. We had to add an additional bag for it to be of any use. It would be better if it had several separate chambers to inflate that would allow one to increase/decrease the length or if it had velcro like the seat to allow the distance to be easily adjusted for different people. One other thing about the footrest/bow section is that it is too low to allow one’s shod feet to fit easily – barefoot was fine, but when paddling long distances in shoes, one’s ankles became tired from the ballerina-like stance imposed on the low-height of the bow.The skeg fits quite snugly into the slot on the bottom of the kayak, but the piece that bends to allow it to be removed looks like it might snap off at some point in the future. There have been reviews of people who lost their skeg, so we are looking into attaching ours with fishing line. So far, replacements can be found on ebay at http://www.ebay.com/itm/Skeg-Keel-Fin-Replacement-Intex-Challenger-K2-Explorer-K2-Inflatable-Kayak/401004964484 and http://www.ebay.com/itm/Replacement-Skeg-for-Intex-Challenger-K2-and-Explorer-K2-Unused/131616785695. The first link is for a seller who makes his own skegs for the K1 & K2 Challenger kayaks which are white (easy to see) and float. He also makes a mega skeg which is larger than the original (but fits into the original slot).The paddle seems to have been redesigned for this year and it’s a fairly decent one. It seems like it will hold together well. In fact, the handle fit so well together that we have had a hard time taking it apart. The handle is the same width throughout, so it shouldn’t be a problem for people with smaller hands like the old style, and it’s standard paddle length. The shape is good too (not square like the old ones; rather rounded, tapered edges and thicker in the middle). So far, we haven’t noticed the paddle bending under pressure, even in a stiff current.It’s easy to portage and carry the kayak when inflated, although the carrying bag for getting it to/from the water isn’t that easy to use since the handles are too long to hold by one’s side and a little too short to easily carry on a shoulder. It would be better if the bag had also straps to carry it backpack style, like the Coleman inflatable kayaks.Since there is no drain hole, the kayak is a bit of a pain to empty after a trip. We figured out a way that works pretty well by tipping it on end, then deflating the main/upper chamber (#2), then flipping it over and gently pushing down on the main chamber, which allows the water to easily drain out. Drying out the inside for long-term packing is a bit trickier and involves a bit of working in tight spaces or using long arms and this is often more easily done at home, rather than at the water’s edge. So, packing it loose and mucky and then taking it home to rinse off and dry out might be the only option in some situations, which is not ideal if one lives in a city without a place to clean and dry it out easily.Main positives:1. Light weight and portability (overall weight including foot pump, tube, carry bag, paddle, and kayak is 24.5 lbs).2. Speed and ease of assembly and inflation/deflation.3. Sturdiness of construction.4. Very comfortable seat.5. Manoeuvrability, performance, and stability.6. Nice paddle.7. Good overall design and ease of use.8. Great price!Main negatives:1. Lack of a drain valve2. Difficult to dry out and fold up compactly on site (which could be helped somewhat by adding a drain valve).3. Bow area a little too low/shallow for comfortable long-trip foot placement when wearing shoes (fine when barefoot).4. Mostly useless footrest, which could be easily resolved using velcro strips like the seat or adding extra chambers which could be inflated for shorter paddlers or left uninflated for taller ones.5. Carry bag handle placement/size makes it difficult to carry long distances comfortably.Overall, this has turned out to be a surprisingly good kayak. It’s well-made and sturdy, and it’s very easy to use. In our experience, it handles and performs as well as, if not sllghtly better than hard-bodied sit-on-top kayaks (but far more comfortable, and much easier to transport). For travelling, it’s a good alternative to a more expensive 2-piece hard-bodied kayak or high-end inflatable.All-in-all, it’s a really decent kayak, which is not just for beginners or calm water, but can even be enjoyed by regular kayakers and in waters with a current or waves. We have been really pleasantly surprised by how well it has done so far, and by the overall value and performance. So far, we have found it to be well worth the small investment and minor hassles (and then some)!

    47 people found this helpful

14. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Amazon Customer – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    First impression: Good experience for heavy solo person

    I’m new to Kayaking, only been a couple of times in hard shell kayakAbout me: I’m 6’2” and heavy 310 lbs. so that is a challenge in many ways when it comes to kayaking. I wanted to try kayaking out as a way to get more exercise and enjoy nature.After reading some reviews I decided to purchase the Intex Challenger K2 Inflatable Kayak. My reasons:• I have a car, not much hauling capacity and, I have limited storage in my home, so portability/storage was a major concern which lead me to inflatables.• I’m quite large so a stable kayak that can support my weight was a concern. I’ve been in hard shell kayaks that were unstable for me because of my weight.• I enjoyed a few kayaking journeys I have done before but was unsure it this was really for me. I wanted a cheap option to try it out on my own.• The reviews on this seemed to indicate it was decent option.After receiving the kayak, I went through the process of inflating it at home to practice. I bought a small pump that works off my car cigarette lighter. The inflation process went well, and I got it fully inflated in about 15 minutes. Deflating was easy. Just opened the Boston valves and followed the instructions by folding it up some to press out the air, it deflated enough to get it into the carrying bag (but not as compact as how It came but that is OK.)Today it took it up the local lake to try it out for the first time. My observations:As with anything new there were things to learn. I was scared to inflate it too much because there are several warnings in the manual not to over-inflate. Seems reasonable. On my first attempt I did not inflate it enough. Again because of my weight this may be only my issue. As a single rider I located the seat in the rear of the kayak. I got into the craft awkwardly and made the mistake of using my hands to press down on the outside of the craft to cinch myself into the seat. That was a mistake because water got in. I realized I should only be pressing down on the inside of the kayak instead of the outside. Lesson learned.I hauled it back out of the water so I could drain it. Getting all the water out can be challenging! Then I inflated it further. I also attempted to move the seat forward and clip it in. That did not work out at all. The seat completely fell backwards and provided no support. It may have been that I did not have the straps tight enough or seat positioned well. I came back to shore, adjusted the seat so the back of the seat was against the back of the interior of the kayak and tightened up the straps, so the seat was upright and firm. Then got back in and it was much better. Getting in and out of the kayak is awkward for me, nothing to do with the kayak, only to do with me.Finally, I was headed out into the lake and things went well. I noticed that while I was paddling the kayak tracked true. I was very happy about this. When I stopped paddling it tended to circle around some. No real issue with that, perhaps a weight balance issue? Because I did not have any weight in the front the kayak and I was sitting in the rear the front tended to lift. I think I can put some weight up front and counter that. It seemed like perhaps I did not have the outside (or bladder 2) inflated enough as where I was sitting it was quite low to the water, but I did not take on any water, so I guess that is fine? After about an hour and half of paddling around I was I tired. The seat did not provide as much support as I would have liked but I must be realistic about expectations here. It did well for a blow-up seat.When I came into shore, I needed help from a friendly person to haul it out because of the amount of water still in the kayak (from before.) I deflated it quickly and got it back into my car and headed for home.Overall impressions:• I think it performed very well considering 80 dollars to purchase. Must set expectations correctly.• I was quite pleased it tracked very well while paddling.• I stopped after an hour and half because my back was starting to hurt, not as much support as I would have liked, but again expectations must be correct so I’m fine with what I experienced. There may be ways to improve this experience.• The sides were not a rigid as I would have liked. I read a review where someone suggested putting pool noodles in the side of the kayak to help with this and I will try that out.• I will move the footrest bladder from the front of the kayak (where for me it did nothing) to the back, and this might help lift the rear end.• When I got back home, I sprayed down the kayak to clean it, and toweled it off to remove moisture as I don’t want mold to grow. This was not too much work.• I was concerned about the paddles, but they performed quite nicely.• The skeg stayed attached even though I know I ran it aground while boarding or exiting the craft. Quite pleased about that.Overall, I am pleased with the first outing and I’m looking forward to another trip this weekend where I will attempt a few improvements.If anyone has any suggestions as to how to improve my experience with this kayak, I would love to hear them.I may update this review after another trip.

    85 people found this helpful

15. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    Megan Nolan – February 23, 2024

    3.0 out of 5 stars

    Slow, hard to maneuver, but cheap and easy to inflate.

    Heads Up:I purchased this kayak a few months ago, and have used it less than 5 times.Pros:-Purchase Price: Needless to say, this is a cheap boat.-Storage: I live in a small apartment and this allows me to have a kayak that I can store in a closet or under the bed.-Transportation: Even the paddle breaks down into small pieces, meaning packing this into my small sedan is not challenging. It fits easily in the trunk or back seat when packed down.-The storage bag is large enough that it is not terribly challenging to repack the kayak into the bag.-Inflation is quick and easy. Getting it in the water takes maybe ten minutes.Cons:-Paddling effort: This thing handles nothing like a normal kayak on the water, and I would be hesitant to take it out on any large bodies of water or in busy waterways. On a calm weekday, when boat traffic is low, I can maneuver it on my local, low flow river. But it takes a lot more effort to move it than the hard kayaks at the rental. But were I up against a strong current, a lot of wake or wave action, or a good wind, I think I’d be stuck, fast.-Steering: This kayak turns with each stroke of your paddle, so you move in a sort of accidental serpentine. This means the already slower speed you can move the kayak is not being used efficiently. If you are paddling with a friend in a higher end inflatable or traditional kayak, you’re going to have a hard time staying together.-Speeds: They’re slower. My local waters have ducks and geese, and I paddled past some parent ducks who didn’t appreciate my presence. I was not able to pick up speed and move away quickly, which took me by surprise.-Weather: Waterfronts tend to be windy, and wind makes this very hard to operate.-Confidence: Even a small wave reminds you that you’re effectively sitting in an air mattress on the water, and it doesn’t give you a solid feeling. There are two inflatable chambers in this kayak- effectively the floor, and the sides/top. If either of these become punctured or begin to leak air, you’re going to go down fast. My local kayak-friendly waters are not open to swimmers, and so there are few places where it would be safe to bail out. This means I paddle with my mind focused on, where am I going if I have an emergency?-This is more minor, but the storage bag feels a bit cheap, and I get the feeling it won’t hold up to a lot of transporting the kayak to and from the water.A few things to consider that are, in my opinion, neutral:-You should never pack the kayak away wet. I share this because you do need to have a plan for how you’re going to get an inflatable item completely dry before packing in. Are you going to let it air dry by the boat launch, or are you going to deflate and pack into your car, take it home, and then reinflate it to dry? Keep in mind that this takes some extra time either way you do it, so having a plan is a great idea. If you take a towel for the kayak with you to the water, you can dry off a lot of the water so that it air dries quicker, but keep in mind that the interior of the kayak will collect water and is poorly exposed to the air. Reinflating at home and setting it up in front of a fan will probably help it last longer. If you’re planning to air dry by the water front, have a plan for how you won’t lose it to the wind.-Folding the kayak is not intuitive. If I could go back, I’d take better note of how it was packed originally to try to replicate it, for neater packing.-I’m short (5’2″), and this kayak has too much legroom. In a normal kayak, there’s something to brace your feet against, and this helps you paddle efficiently. I haven’t tried a lot of adjustments of the seat, so take this with a grain of salt. As I continue to use it, perhaps I’ll find an easy solution. But so far, the space in the front of the kayak is too open for my tastes.-I wish it had a cup holder. Not worth calling a con, but its a bit of a pain to have my water bottle floating aimlessly in the kayak with me.Main Takeaways:For me, I was not in a position to buy a normal kayak, store it somewhere, and install transportation hardware on my older car. But if you have a place to store a hard kayak, its definitely the better choice. If you don’t have the money to shell out on a better inflatable, and you don’t have the space for a traditional kayak, and don’t mind going slowly, only boating on perfect weather days, and avoiding busy days and times, then sure, buy this kayak. I’m not disappointed that I did, but I’m not impressed with its performance at all. For the price of roughly three rental days, however, I can justify the spend.If your idea of “kayaking” is less about paddling and more about sitting on the water and enjoy the weather and the water, you could probably be satisfied with this boat. If you like to paddle and move, you’re probably going to be unhappy with the purchase. I fall into the latter category, so I’ve had to adjust my expectations.Finally, please have a life jacket when paddling a boat that could easily be in a sinking situation. Even if you’re a great swimmer, you could be hard to see from a boat- and the life vest can help prevent an accident.

    73 people found this helpful

16. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    leenyx – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I will definitely purchase another if I ever break this one

    Update: I purchased this in 2015, it is now 2018 and absolutely nothing has failed on this thing despite my rough treatment. No holes/tears/etc. I think this is such an amazing deal that you’d be crazy not to buy it even if its just to try once to see if you like being on the water in something small. I also purchased a hard shell kayak this year, but I will still be using the k1 a lot when I don’t want to mess with the larger/heaver/harder to transport one. I’m upping my rating to five stars. I can’t think of many things that have been as useful and fun as this purchase for such little money.Older review with a few notes added:I ordered two of them last year and I’m just now putting them to use. I don’t feel right giving it a “perfect” five star rating, but it has exceeded my expectations quite a bit.I’ve been fishing on rough’ish water, it’s been windy as heck. Wind will definitely blow you around (along with the current), but it is entirely manageable as long as you don’t go out in anything too harsh. It was a 10mph wind day with gusts up to 20. The gusts were almost more than I could handle in it. If it were sustained, I’m not sure I could have paddled against it very well. (compared to a hard shell, this might be the biggest con of an inflatable. Although, so far, I did not like 10-20mph winds one bit in the hard shell either)It’s extremely durable. Since it was too windy for my anchor to serve its purpose I just paddled myself on to the bank to stick myself. The banks all had sticks/branches poking out of them, and I was sitting there with slight waves and wind rubbing me right against them. Not a mark, scratch or hole to speak of. I can’t imagine daring an inflatable craft to pop/puncture much more than this.In between the extreme gusts, or when I was in locations that sheltered me from them, or the days the wind was calm, paddling was a breeze. It shocked me. I was able to go straight and move along at a good rate with little effort. I was expecting it to exhaust me but every trip I’ve taken has been from sunrise until 2pm or later and I never felt tired. Well, except for once. I paddled out to an open area when the wind decided to go nuts. After paddling back and regretting my life decisions everything was good again.I landed a pretty good catfish, 2′ give or take an inch. (my only catch so far. I suck at fishing) I was worried about reeling in a decent sized fish but I didn’t have any problems, and I didn’t even have a net. A fish that has more fight could quickly become a handful on this, I’m sure. I imagine it could survive a few glancing blows from fins/hooks though. If you use it for fishing, definitely bring a net and think ahead about what you will do with the fish after you catch it.Speaking of, you can store quite a bit of gear on this thing. I went out with two poles, a tackle box, a soft sided cooler (no idea what size, plenty of space for a 12 pack and snacks), a floating net to put my catch in, anchor…not sure what else. I was fully loaded but never felt like I was at this things limits, or that it made it hard to handle. I do wish they put a net on the back like they did the front, though.I never felt remotely concerned about tipping. I imagine I could stand up in it, but I haven’t been that brave yet. It’s cold. I hate cold. I’d hate being cold and wet even more. (I did eventually stand up in it. In some ways it felt steadier than my hard shell kayaks, as far as tipping. It was mostly the weird squishiness where your feet are and getting used to that)So my (probably) minor nitpicks would be:It’s not the easiest thing to deflate. I was going to find a pump that also vacuums but it has one way valves. I’m not sure if I can find something to fit in the hole once the one way valve is unscrewed. It does unscrew in two parts though, that is neat. It takes longer to put back up than set up, but it still isn’t terrible.The paddle doesn’t give me warm and fuzzy feelings. It hasn’t broken on me, and I imagine it’ll last as long as I don’t get carried away trying to really muscle through the water but I don’t feel very confident about it. I’ll purchase a backup soon. (nearly 3 full years and it never broke. For the price, and it coming ready to use, I do not feel like this paddle is a “bad deal” one bit. I feel like it shouldn’t be nitpicked as hard with that considered. Just don’t abuse it)I wish the back had a net like the front to better store gear with.I dislike the way the backrest is made. It serves its purpose but I’m debating making a solid seat to put in it.I was considering this a trial to see if I’d like to purchase a “real”/hard shell kayak, but after using it for a handful of fishing trips, I’m not sure I have any desire to spend 5-10x the money to do the same activity with maybe a few minor perks (rod holders etc) given by hard shells. Even if these do break in some form or another, as long as they make it through 2+ seasons, I’ll probably just purchase another and consider myself coming out ahead. (I did end up purchasing a hard shell but my k1’s will still see a lot of use. There are things I like about them more than my much more expensive hard shell)

    22 people found this helpful

17. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Big Daddy Reads – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Sturdy, Fun

    I’m new to kayaking. I had resisted for years, thinking it to be a confining death trap. Then my FOMO got the best of me. I tried it and, turns out I’m a kayaker. Not the kind who buys a hard-sided rig with all the accoutrements. I can rent those for longer or more difficult water. For local paddles in smooth water this kayak is perfect for me. As its product description states, it’s not for rapids. This is no problem for me as I wouldn’t be comfortable doing those even with a hard-sides kayak.I have two friends with the same kayak who let me try theirs first. I hoped I wouldn’t feel as though I was paddling around in a blow up mattress. Happily this kayak feels pretty substantial for an inflatable. Enough so that I purchased mine, on sale to boot.I think mine is an improvement over the friends’ models. The valves on my model (purchased in late 2021) are much easier to cap when filling and, more importantly, to open when deflating. I live in a warm climate but my fingers are often chilled and tired at the end of a paddle, when I most want to break down and leave quickly. By contrast with the borrowed kayak, I can open the valves myself without resorting to a tool fashioned from PVC that my friend uses to open her valves.Set up is surprisingly easy with the supplied air pump. It’s faster than getting an electric air pump. It is a bit of a work out. I try to think of it as a warm up before paddling.If I could wave my magic wand, the pump’s foot stem would be longer so I could stand up straight. I tried sitting on a camp chair but it works best and fastest standing. OP have mentioned this in their reviews and I concur; I, too, have waved my behind embarrassingly a few times, finding just the right back-saving position when pumping up my kayak. Still, it’s a matter of about 15 minutes to get it ready to go.I am 5’ 8”. The length is a bit stunted for me if I put the uterus-shaped float thingy in the bow. It is meant to keep the kayak from dipping in front. I use it for this reason but it does take up precious foot room.The seat is comfortable enough. There are Velcro strips and straps to keep it in place. Because I have to move the seat back as it will go so I can have leg room, I must sit bolt upright. I have a 6’ 3” buddy who wanted to try mine to see if he wanted one. We came to the conclusion that anyone taller than me would be happiest with the two-seater, using only one seat. Happily there is a two-seater version.The paddle is decent to get started. I plan to purchase something more suited to my skills but the included one is easy to assemble and will get you moving.I keep my supplies, including the pump and small repair kit for just-in-case, in a dry bag which I lash to my kayak with the net. There’s no space inside the kayak for stuff but this works for me.Another upgrade I plan to make is to add lights. We often paddle on a town lake after dark. It’s not easy but I found I can use my bike lights. It takes a bit of faffing to get the lights pointed correctly, especially to the rear. Sometimes I just wear my headlamp backwards with the red light on.It’s very durable for the way I use it. I haven’t tested the durability in places that might be rocky or with sharp trees, mainly because those are far enough distant that I prefer to rent hard-sided. Not a knock against this kayak, I think it would hold up. It just takes up a lot of space. While easy to transport locally, for longer trips that might include luggage and several people, it takes up too much room.I bought IKEA bags with straps that I use instead the included carry bag. The shape of the bags make folding up (dry, never, never store it wet) easier. It also means I can never fold it the same way twice, a good thing so as not to stress a fold and develop leaks.Overall I’m happy with my purchase. And even happier when I’m on the water in minutes.

    18 people found this helpful

18. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Not for rivers

    This will be a long review, so sit back and relax.To start I will admit I am not a pro and not an experienced kayaker.Before I move on to my first 2 outings I will say one thing. If you live in the Midwest and intend on using this on any river.. DO NOT. IF you value your life just don’t do it. I’ll move onto why in a minute.First I read all the reviews and took everyone’s advice. Blew it up in my apartment, got a feel for it. Decided the bottom seat cushion didn’t need blown up, so I tried it that way first. For a lake, it was okay. Not overly comfortable until you stop paddling and just sit there.. Wasn’t wearing a life vest. My pup was tethered to me. (She jumped ship twice) My First day out I choose a lake within the city. Perhaps I didn’t blow it up enough, but I had fun. Just me and my puppy. I am 5ft 7″ and about 125.The paddling, I can’t say whether it was optimal or not, but I remember thinking, I need better paddles. I could not get comfortable.People have said their’s veers to the right, mine was to the left. Or it was the wind. Idk. It’s Nebraska, there’s ALWAYS WIND!Next day I planned on a different lake, but instead I went to the Platte River. Why? Because there was a missing 8 yr old girl that fell in the night before and I thought why not put my kayak to good use and go look for her?Bad idea. 4 hours later I was being rescued.For those of you who don’t live near or on river systems, you won’t understand. They scare me. I will not even dip my toe in the Missouri.Prior to the drama, yes, I stopped and bought life jackets for myself and the pup. Thank God. Getting into this kayak by jumping into the river… no. The seat got smashed down behind me. I was able to fix it. But the entire trip that seat drove me nuts. My life jacket was a better back brace than the seat itself This time I blew up the bottom as well as adding pool noodles to the sides like someone suggested. That works. Small ones. Do it, you will like it.So I’m paddling along okay at first navigated back and forth across the river. The year before we had a terrible flood, so there was a lot of debris. Well I’m looking for a small body of a child (don’t cry) so that is where I need to look. I did fine steering. Then I cross under my first bridge in the middle of the river and get stuck on a sand bar. I’m already getting tired. So I take a small break, then drag the damn thing into actual water, capsized it.Great. Get myself in and keep going. The river starts to change. The banks are way too treacherous for people to even walk along, so literally I have nowhere to bank and get out. I have no choice but to keep going. Get stuck 3 more times. Some parts I’m paddling like mad against wind and currents only to realize my skid is just dragging through sand. Now I’m really tired. My dog is tired. The river is getting rougher. I navigate over to a huge sand bar and get out. I look downstream. I can see the main bridge of the highway. I was too tired from fighting wind, currents and sand bars. Airboats are all over the place as well as a helicopter, but no one checks on me. Finally I tell my daughter’s to come get me. I was in touch with them the entire time. My location on river was half a mile away from the main road. So, one of my girls finally asked the cops to locate me. They remembered me and my dog. The best part about this kayak was being able to immediately deflate it and throw it on an airboat.4 hours later I’m on dry land.I truly wanted to take this kayak down the Niobrara. I LOVE that river. It’s all rock. Now? I’ll stick to renting a raft and maybe just toggle my kayak to them and take it out in small incriminates. I cannot fathom dragging the skid across a rock bottom.As far a comfort, I got none. Maybe I’m too small for this thing. It left me with a feeling of “this is a 75 dollar blow up toy” you get what you pay for. Is it worth it? Yes! But please don’t take it on a river. The Niobrara would be safest if you choose to.As far as the paddles, yes, I want better ones. But considering I used them to push myself out of sand, they are pretty sturdy. The skid? How anyone lost theirs, no idea. Mine is not coming off.And unfortunately the little girl is still missing 3 days later. I’m heartbroken and heat exhaustion. I only mention all of this because if I had the not so bright idea of thinking I could take on a river in this thing, so might someone else. So please, know your bodies of water before you go out.

    10 people found this helpful

19. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Alexa B. – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Watch the Review Videos!!

    If you’re thinking about trying kayaking but don’t know if it’s something you’re gonna want to stick with past a single summer, this really is a great way to test the waters. ((full pun intended)) It’s cheap, easy, and if you decide you don’t like it, you don’t have a giant plastic boat laying around you have to try and sell… Take the time to dry and fold it up after each use in the handy carry bag they provide and it’s super convenient to toss one ((or more)) in the truck of a small car and go off on adventure. No giant roof racks you have to install on your car and pray it doesn’t scratch the paint. No trying to manhandle a bulky heavy boat possibly by yourself…I know a lot of people gave poor reviews to this inflatable kayak because it’s inflatable, but honestly, all I can think is they must not have been doing it right because things went fantastic from the first time out.Luckily, I guess for me, I was very excited to try kayaking, but skeptical of an inflatable boat. So in addition to reading reviews here on Amazon, I also watched the “unboxing” videos other customers provided. This turned out to be a blessing because in doing so I learned you want to inflate the boat past what you think you need to. Also that there’s TWO Boston valves you need to fill and one is hidden inside the boat.A lot of people complain about maneuvering and it sinking but I’ve learned that comes from not inflating the boat enough. This isn’t a pool tube, you need to make sure it has enough air to function right. Basically, use your little powered air pump to fill it as far as it will go, then use the provided foot pump to give it 8-12 more pumps. You will have a much stiffer boat that’s easier to use.As for the handling, I’m not sure it would be the best for river rapids where rocks or branches could cause it to pop, but for some weekend lake paddling it’s super nice, and a ton of fun! It can be a little hard to squeeze in and out of, especially if you’ve got long legs like me ((I’m 5’10”)) but after a few tries I got the trick of it, and can even pull my legs out in the water and straddle the boat to cool off.The videos and other review also mentioned good ways to dry your kayak before deflation so it doesn’t get musty in storage.One thing they don’t tell you as an inexperienced kayaker:: it WAY easier to get in from the ground than a dock. Take the boat out into the water about a foot deep so the fin doesn’t scrape the bottom of the lake. Straddle the boat and lower yourself down. Then bring your legs in. Far less chance of tipping all over the place.The paddle is decent. Compared to the paddles provided by different inflatable kayak companies my friends got their boats from, this one is a real nice quality. Neither the paddles nor the pole are super flimsy and the paddles are rounded for easy movement. They will also float for moment so you don’t have to panic if you drop it in the water. I can easily get up a nice little bit of speed with it. Wouldn’t try and use it for competition kayaking or anything, but all in all this whole set up is exactly what I said.A nice, inexpensive way to test out kayaking and see if it’s for you before dropping huge amounts of money on big plastic boat you have to store, clean, mount to the roof of your car, etc… If I had a single complaint about this boat it’s that my friends’ boats had places to pop the paddle in and hold it on the side of their boats, while I have to juggle mine.

    51 people found this helpful

20. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Ernest M. Berube – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great floatable for the $$!!!

    Does the job–inexpensive, though I must point out I think my deal on it was better than most=50$. It has directions–easy to follow–it goes from box to lake in under 15 minutes. It is nowhere near as quick as a canoe of this design, but this is expected due to its non-rigid materials from which it is made. I think if a little weight were added to the front, it would get a bit more stability with which to plow through the water.

21. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    CWyncoop – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Better than the single person version, absolutely love the portability!!

    I’ve been buying these boats for the last several years with my first purchase a year before the pandemic. We are a six person family and trying to get into kayaking otherwise would have involved getting a hitch, carrier and much more expensive boats. We initially got the single person, and ever since have gotten the two person versions and are currently at 4 doubles and a single and all of them still work. A jeep ran over one of our doubles directly over the valve and despite damage to the valve, it still is inflatable and our last float we kept a pump with it and tried to find the leak. The damage is in the top air chamber so it still has no change of sinking, so we’re hopeful that the boat will keep going. These have slid over gravel, hit rocks and branches, been dragged along concrete ramps (until I yelled!) and otherwise have seemed to take a decent beating and keep on floating. Oh… and I can fit all of them in the back of my Prius with 5 passengers…For comfort, we find that our 5’6″-6’3″ family prefers each having a double kayak to themselves. However, we’ve also found that we can fit two adults in each relatively comfortably and an adult with a child easily. The two person kayaks are easier to get back into and more stable in the water, they hold a line better and are still only slightly less manueverable. An adult in a two person has slightly less draft and our river is shallow, so we appreciate the extra inch. But whatever you do…don’t forget the keel! Without the keel, they handle like you are rowing a giant balloon across the water and its exhausting!

    7 people found this helpful

22. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    GrohlGirl – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Very stable!

    I’ll admit, I was leery of an inflatable kayak. The price kept dropping on this model, so I finally grabbed one. I’ve only used it twice on lakes, but it surpassed expectations! It’s quite sturdy and felt just as secure as a solid plastic kayak. I was sure the base would buckle a bit when sitting in it, but it held firm. The fin that fits on the bottom of the boat is quite long, which might present a problem in shallow rivers.

23. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jamie GJamie G – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Bought one to test out and then bought three more as I was so impressed

    What I love about this product:1. Quick and easy to set up2. Great tough quality kayak and surprisingly, paddle too3. Enough storage space for short leisure trips4. Brilliant for family lake kayaking5. Great valueWhat I don’t like about this product:1. Back support2. The skeg can be tricky to remove3. Not easy to transport on roof bars when inflated compared to rigid kayakI was looking around at plastic/fibreglass kayaks for my family and realised storage and transport was going to add a lot more money. Roof bars or a trailer don’t come cheap. So when I found these, I was hopeful yet sceptical, having wasted lots of money on inflatable products in the past, mostly due to punctures or welded seam failures.I started off by buying one and letting each one of my family try it out for stability and comfort. Contrary to what I had expected, they are very easy to get in and out of (you’d think the opposite and could imagine them folding in half as you get into them!) . On the comfort side, I actually prefer them to a rigid kayak because you can take your footwear off and not end up with scratches or blisters on them at the end of a day’s paddling. The base of the removable seat is plenty comfortable enough but the back support is where this kayak is limited compared to rigid kayaks. On our first trip out in them we went kayaking on a fresh water lake and covered around 3 miles over a couple of hours during a leisurely paddle. That was enough to make my back ache a bit but oddly enough, I found it more comfortable the second time out in them so perhaps this is just a period of physical adjustment after so many years out of kayaks.The pack is very generous for the price point too. You get the following:1. Kayak2. Good quality 5 piece clip together aluminium/plastic paddle with two water deflectors3. Decent hand pump4. Inflatable seat5. Inflatable bulkhead support6. Clip in skeg7. Inflation indicator8. Repair kit9. InstructionsThe paddle was a real surprise. It’s not only lightweight but a decent size at 7’2″ long. It also has a design that supports 3 different positions of the two paddle ends so you can have them flat or positively/negatively offset. Overall, the paddle proved to be versatile enough to be a good fit for both adults and 12/14 year old kids alike. In fact, you could probably spent the same amount on a paddle alone as this complete kit!The kayak itself is really well made. The rubber material is much thicker than I was expecting and so far we’ve had no punctures even though the kids have dragged them places they have been told not to! The one-way inflation valves (there are two, which must be used to inflate the kayak in the right 1-2 order) are of good quality too. They are the split type whereby you unscrew the top half to inflate and then unscrew the entire mechanism to deflate. I bought this inexpensive yet very effective 

    Airhead Hi Output Air Pump (12-Volt)

     which does most of the hard “volume” work and then switch to the included hand pump to complete the inflation to the recommended pressure using the simple yet very effective measuring strip that’s also provided in the kit.On the water, the kayak is easy to paddle and manoeuvre, thanks to the removable skeg. However, the skeg was a little tricky to remove on two of the units I bought as you need to depress two clips on either side of it whilst pushing it along the length of the kayak. It really needs three hands!Deflation is a little trickier than inflation because the material really is very tough. This makes folding it up quite strenuous and as with many inflatable products, getting it back into its carry bag is nowhere near as easy as getting it out!We’ve transported two of them on the roof of a car for a short 3 mile trip but I would not recommend doing anything more than 20-30mph as they are, well, not rigid and hence flap about quite a bit, even when tied down at the bow/stern via the integrated rubber loops.Cost wise, I’m amazed at what you get. We went on a camping trip recently and didn’t have the room to take them and regretted it as we paid the same to hire a rigid kayak for 3 hours as we did to buy one of these.Overall, this is an excellent product and I’m so glad we bought 4 of them. We’ll be using them a lot this summer so I’ll report back at the end of the season.

    4 people found this helpful

24. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Amy Cunningham – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Absolutely love!

    This is the second inflatable kayak that I have ordered. I absolutely love it. I go out on adventures by myself a lot and this is perfect for me. It inflates fast and is easy to carry and store. Very durable. I get compliments on it all the time.

25. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Kenneth R. – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    The K1 could work for some tall people

    Let’s start this out with I’m 6’2″ around 180lbs and I was able to make the K1 work for me. Also, I HIGHLY recommend bringing a pliers wrench just in case and I’ll explain why below.Before taking the kayak out onto the water, I set it up inside and did a test inflation to make sure there weren’t any leaks. During this test, I wanted to see how well I would fit into this kayak and was dismayed when I couldn’t fit my legs into the space in front of me. Concerned with the prospect of returning this when I had a day out on the water planned the next day, I decided to try deflating the bottom portion of the seat. This ended up working quite well and keeping the back portion of the seat inflated provided enough support and comfort for about 4 hours on the water.Setup is incredibly easy — my second time setting this up, I was water ready in under 10 minutes with the included pump. My tips for setting up:1. The green float that comes with this is supposed to go in the front! I couldn’t find this on the included instructions.2. Make sure to use the included vinyl ruler to confirm the kayak is inflated properly. It’s contained in the packet with the instructions and patches.3. Inflate the bottom chamber first (they’re numbered 1 and 2), it may be hiding under the folds.I was out on a reservoir with very calm water and didn’t have much issue getting around, but the slight wind that was present that day definitely had me drifting much more than my friends in hard-shell kayaks. Those same friends had to slow down just so I could keep up with them as we paddled against the wind back the dock.Once back on the dock, I followed the recommendation of other reviews here and brought some cheap automotive towels to tuck into each end while I wiped everything down and dried it off. I would’ve been packed up and ready to head home in under 15 minutes if it weren’t for the valves. On setup I had hand tightened both Boston valves to make sure they were secure but for some reason I was unable to loosen the top valve to deflate it. A couple of friends even tried to twist this open, but the awkward angle of the valve (as it is recessed into the chamber) made this difficult to do. Luckily I have a long enough car that I was able to put all the seats flat and fit the kayak in to take it home.This is why I highly recommend bringing a pliers wrench!As soon as I got home, I took the pliers to the valve and had it opened up and deflating the rest of the kayak in two seconds. It now comes with me any time I take this kayak out. If it weren’t for those and the size of my car, I probably would’ve had to pop a hole in this and either try to patch it or trash it, so luckily it did not come to that.Overall this is a pretty good kayak, just make sure to check the conditions for where you’re planning to kayak to make sure the water and winds are calm. I’d recommend investing the money you’d put towards this into a starter hard kayak, but if you’re like me and don’t have the space to store a regular kayak and/or you only go occasionally, then this will do.

    7 people found this helpful

26. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    AZRC51 – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Work’s as advertised, surprising well

    I’m not a fan of inflatable kayaks as they are often cheap POS’s. I am shocked by the quality of this model. It does not replace the higher-end models but for the price, it is nearly impossible to compare. Inflation time with the hand pump was on average 2 minutes. The pump actually works well enough that a child can operate it. The construction of the kayak is quality for the price and that is not a sarcastic statement. I have been able to take this out on several lakes and two streams. The included skag does help but due to the light weight of the kayak it does not track as well as a solid construction kayak but this was not meant to compare to a $2000 kayak. The separate seat and backrest work well, nothing to complain about. The included footrest is helpful for shorter users. The paddle is adjustable and again works surprisingly well. Deflation was tricky but discovered it is better to deflate the sides then the bottom. Repacking the kayak is easy once the sequence of deflation is figured out. The instructions are as to be expected, translation is average and the not clear.I was able to paddle 4.5 miles on a large lake with 5-7 mph winds, head and tail. The stream trips were interesting as the first was a lazy river style. The kayak performed well in this scenario but the 2nd trip was a bit more aggressive and the kayak worked but it will cause a pucker factor if there are any rocks or tree’s, not recommened.Overall for a lake this is perfect for kids and adults. Assembly and packing was easy and it tracked well on the water. Fishing is bit tricky but was no problem, just be mindful of sharp objects. This worked so well I purchased a second for kids on camping trips.

    2 people found this helpful

27. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Katherine D. Williams – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Everything to get you on the water minus life vests

    My 6 foot 7 husband took 2 kids out on the lake. He was a little cramped, but was pleasantly surprised. He stated this was built much better than he was expected.Expect this to handle somewhere between a kayak and an inflatable raft. If you go out with other kayaks, you may be frustrated by your speed. It feels safe enough, but would stick with lakes or gentle rivers flowing in the direction you want to go. For occasional use, with no need for speed, or just to see if you like kayaking, this will do the trick.For us, it works. We have a large family and would not be able to bring 3 hard kayaks with us. We can stuff 3 under the RV in a large compartment or the back of the minivan. If you are careful and pay a reasonable price, it is a great value for a kayak with paddles that has almost everything you’ll need to get on the water (minus life vests). I don’t feel this product deserves some of the hate paddlers who haven’t tried it have dished out. For what it is, it does the job at an excellent price point. It isn’t so flimsy that I feel it will easily puncture.The kayak inflated easily and quickly in under 10 minutes. Don’t overinflate, but otherwise somewhat simple- inflation points are numbered to let you know order. If you are tall, may want to skip inflating bottom part of seat, but otherwise seems to work well. It includes a kayak, two seats, a skeg, two collapsable paddles, a small triangular inflatable thingy to stuff inside the front of the boat, a pump, cheapo patch (of questionable efficacy), instructions with a measuring tape to keep you from overinflating, and a duffle bag style bag roomy enough to get everything back into.Once inflated, it was fairly easy for an adult and child to get onto the water (although no obvious handles like the k2 excursion). It did the job, and was good enough for an hour and a half paddle on a kayak trail. I doubt this would handle substantial waves, but it isn’t (as my husband feared) a hyped up pool toy. It isn’t professional grade, but for an entry level product to get you onto the water it is great. It is easy to transport and store relative to a traditional option, and I believe even if I upgrade I might keep this for friends to try. If hiking, just light enough to bring along in a large backpack for a day trip on a lake…. Although don’t expect to take it backpacking.Overall, if I get two more trips out of this thing, I will have saved more than the cost of renting a kayak. Fairly happy as long as I get a few more trips out of it. Kids beg to go back out, so they’re hooked.If you think this might foot the bill look at the Excursion Pro and buy it if the prices are similar (has foot pegs and a puncture resistant cover)… If not, it will do well enough if you kayak on calm bodies of water and manage your expectations.

    38 people found this helpful

28. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    SharonMO – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Worth Every Penny!

    I have 2 of these Challenger K1 Kayaks. I bought the first over a year ago and enjoyed it so much I purchased a second one a little over a month ago – so I have a loaner for family and friends.Pros:- Super comfortable! I sometimes have to remind myself to paddle, as it invites you to float and enjoy the outdoors in a cushy reclined position, which not been possible in the many hardshell kayaks I’ve used. I learned, from another review, to only inflate the backrest part of the seat and leave the bottom part of the seat deflated. This allows me to sit a bit deeper in the boat and allows the back of the seat to rest higher on my back – giving me more support. I recommend trying it both ways (inflated and deflated seat bottom), as a shorter person might like to sit higher for easier paddling.- Super easy to inflate and deflate. It takes only a few minutes to do either (similar to the time it takes remove and re-strap a hardshell kayak onto your car’s rooftop). I love that I can easily store it in my trunk with plenty of left-over space (deflated and in the bag it’s about the size of an air mattress), so I have it with me at all times and I don’t have to struggle with strapping and unstrapping it to the roof of my car.- It’s way easier to carry to and from my car to the shore!- The skeg (blade on bottom similar to a rudder) allows for easy tracking/maneuvering. The product description claims the skeg is removable, but I have not been able to remove it. This is fine by me, as it saves time to leave it attached and fold-up the deflated kayak around it. Disclaimer, I have only used mine in lakes and non-rapid rivers.- You can’t beat the price (I have seen it priced on Amazon for $46 to $70, depending on the time of year), which is close to or less than it typically costs to rent a kayak.- Durable vinyl material. I’ve successfully paddled mine over low rocky river beds and broken tree branches.- Great storage capability. When paddling, I store a life vest and the kayak bag, with pump inside, behind the seat inside the back part of the boat. For easy access, I can pile all kinds of stuff (shoes, snacks, cell…) under the cargo net on the front of the boat. I recommend using a waterproof bag for things, which you want to keep dry.- Flexible leg room. The kayak comes with an inflatable wedge, which you can place inside the bow/front to keep it propped open and to use as a foot rest. However, if you are tall and in need of extra leg room, you can forgo it. I am 5″7″ and I like to use it, especially when the cargo net is loaded up.- Intex has awesome customer service! The pump stopped working, while my daughter’s (possibly over zealous 😉 boyfriend was using it. It was just past Amazon’s 30 day return period, so I contacted Intex and they sent me a new pump at no charge!- I saw some other reviews describing the paddle as “not great” , but I think it works quite well. For storage, I un-assemble it at the center and leave the rest of it in tact.Cons (not really):- It takes a few tries to figure out and remember the best way to fold-up the kayak and get it back into the bag. I think there maybe a youtube demo for this, but maybe not.- The bottom portion of the Boston Valve, which allows for quick deflation, can be a little tough to get a grip-on and open. However, I think I may be partly at fault for screwing it on a bit too tightly.-In the newest model, which I purchased in July 2019, there is only one wide velcro strip to hold the seat in place. The model I purchased in 2018 has 2 velcro strips, which I feel makes it more sturdy.

    One person found this helpful

29. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Alison RAlison R – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    This is a Good Kayak, let me start by saying that I …

    This is a Good Kayak, let me start by saying that I have traveled long distances in conventional kayaks ranging from $2500 fiberglass ocean kayaks to the cheaper kind that most rental places have, these kayaks are not for long distance travel but great for shorter day trips. I bought these because I already own 2 5-air-chamber Coleman inflatables and have so much fun on them I wanted to buy 2 more so friends could come out with me and my husband, unfortunately Coleman has stopped making them, too bad because they are the best, and were only $80 each (p.s. I’ve had them for 10 years now). When I found these I read just about every review from good to bad but because the price is low I thought it would be worth the investment. I am 5’10” with long legs and 170 lbs, I was very comfortable and felt that I had enough room. I took the kayak out on a windy day on Biscayne bay in Miami (I live on Miami Beach) and their are several little islands around the bay that are actually part of our parks system. The bay waters were at a light chop, 1-2 foot waves though passing boats and jet skis would give us bigger waves now and then (which is fun, its like kayak surfing), slightly stronger current, at high tide. The kayaks handled just fine, the skeg that it came with kept the kayak straight and stayed on strong, and because the kayaks are inflatable they sit on top of the water and allows a stronger current to just flow under you instead of pushing you with it, so it is easy to paddle even during the tide change The inflatable seat though is too high, I prefer to sit in a kayak not on top so I deflated the seat but kept the backrest inflatable, is was pretty comfortable, I did notice that the kayak seemed to tilt to the right a little, as if the inflation was not symmetrical, but perhaps I just naturally sit more to the right making the kayak tilt. Be prepared to get wet, the water that splashes on the bow channels almost directly right into the boat, by the time we got to the first island I was sitting in about 5 inches of water, but I never go out assuming I won’t get wet, besides these are inflatables so it’s not gonna sink. The net on top is a good feature, but again whatever you put there will get wet, not so for my Coleman kayaks which bow sits very high off the water so that things can stay dry. I have included a picture of both my Coleman and Intex kayaks so you can see the comparison. This boat also comes with its own pump which can be stored in the stern of the kayak so you can inflate if there is any leakage ( I did not need it, there were no leaks but I like to be prepared just in case) I recommend inflating it at home then waiting over night to see if there are any leaks. Overall I think these are a good investment and perfect for a day on the water. I would however recommend investing in a better paddle though, you can get a good one for about $30.HAPPY PADDLING

    1,383 people found this helpful

30. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    laurenalainelaurenalaine – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    These kayaks revolutionized our 2023 summer !

    A friend took me and my kids out for a ride on her kayak (the one seater version of this) and we all loved it so much I immediately bought this one. We have used it every weekend since! Probably been out on the river about 9 times. Here is the key info:-it honestly does feel a little cheap—the first one we got had a small hole at a seam on the first use—but the company let us exchange it and the process was pretty easy. The replacement came within 3 days!-it comes with a patch kit, but the patches aren’t very good quality. I would recommend getting a higher quality patch kit at a local outdoor store. I think any patch kit would work-these kayaks are VERY lightweight! The plus if that is I can carry this two man kayak 20 yards from the car to the put in at my local river. The downside is, rowing and steering take some practice if you are used to a heavier kayak. You can easily put your paddle in to aggressively and flip if you aren’t careful! Going through rapids, it becomes very important to stay perpendicular to the waves, if you get turned sideways, the waves could easily push against the side and knock the kayak over.-I LOVE that I can carry this in the back of my car instead of needing a truck to load a boat. It’s a truly versatile arrangement. Overall, pretty easy to inflate and set up using the pump too. I got to where I could set the whole tbh g up in about 10 mins.-the seat is reasonably comfortable and it gives a little height to help the person steering get some leverage above the boat. I had plenty of legroom sitting at the back of the kayak, and I have 2 kids aged 3 and 4 that easily rode in front of me. I only installed the seat for myself though, and left the front seat out to give them more room. Worked great.Overall, fantastic boat for a calm and easy river. We loved this and thoroughly enjoyed it!! Will use again next year!

    One person found this helpful

31. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Matthew – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    No Roof Racks

    Being able to fit these in the trunk of the car has made it so easy to go out to the lake with no prep work. I did buy a stronger hand pump to speed it up, but the pump it comes with does a pretty good job.

32. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    SomeotherjimSomeotherjim – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    For what it is (an affordable inflatable kayak) it’s quite good.

    I like this inflatable because…• it fits in the trunk of our Honda, reducing gas expenses when driving to nearby lakes.• it is relatively easy to carry / fits in our little cargo cart.• the included pump works well (we also use it for other inflatable toys)• the included paddle is surprisingly good• it could pay for itself quickly in savings if you were planning on kayak rentals all summerAreas for improvement?• it is very easy to over-inflate which results in tippy/poor performance in the water. There has to be a better way to measure inflation than this “10 cm = 10 cm” included in the kit.• still haven’t figured out the perfect combination of air in the chair. It may already be as good as it gets.Deal breakers?• Whereas I don’t mind the extra workout, my wife gets on the water to relax and at least the times we’ve been to Tahoe (always breezy there, it seems), between the wakes and the wind, there is some real work involved at times out there on an inflatable.To sum… If you cannot afford a ‘real’ kayak, if you have never used a ‘good’ kayak, if the choice is between having this or no kayak at all and have no plans of taking on rivers, then by all means ~ get this and get on the water!However, if you already own a ‘real’ kayak and have a way to transport it, you will probably get bored of this one quickly ~ can be a solution when you need a spare for a friend (but they’ll likely have trouble keeping up with you).

    One person found this helpful

33. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Herry Sutanto – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great cheap kayak to get on the water.

    This is such a great first kayak for the beginner kayaker who just wants to get out on the water. Easy to inflate and easy to deflate. Sometimes it is hard to get all the last bits of water out from the crevices but nothing a little bit of hard work and dedication can’t solve.

34. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    Gail Gordon – February 23, 2024

    3.0 out of 5 stars

    Heed the warnings regarding poor handling and it being dangerous in even in mild wind… It’s all true.

    I purchased this kayak for a trip to San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. I had read all of the reviews, both here and on other sites, and most reflected the problems with handling and wind. I should be clear I am a 62 year old woman, new to this experience and my skills are not well developed. I wasn’t looking for a hard core kayaking experience. I was mostly interested in just getting out in the water, paddling around and having some fun. Most of what I saw in photos of San Carlos the water is fairly placid and closer to a lake than an ocean with very little wave action and felt it would be a good place to try out a possible new hobby. The first time out conditions were ideal and I found it all came fairly naturally to me. Although the getting in and out of the darn thing was dicey. Second time out the conditions were mild, it was about an hour to sunset and my friend (who sups) and I had and easy paddle out to Honeymoon Island. However, once we arrived we noticed the wind had picked up quickly and significantly and we both felt it prudent to head back to shore. Once back on the water the wind was considerable coming from the east. Once out of the shelter of the island, however, a squall came in with the wind now blowing hard from both the east and the west and the water went black. I knew at once I was in serious trouble. I could not navigate the kayak AT ALL. I had to keep paddling only on the left side to fight the boat from being blown to the west and out to sea. The wind from the east kept pushing me west with the sea swells growing larger by the second. I couldn’t make any progress what-so-ever! I was exhausted from the effort but had to keep paddling furiously. Remember this was only my second time out and I am NOT an athlete by any stretch. At one point my paddle got sucked under my kayak and I almost capsized fighting to get it out of the water. I couldn’t stop paddling furiously for even a nano-second because the force of the wind kept pushing me sideways. I desperately tried to turn with the swells toward shore but simply couldn’t make it happen. It took every bit of strength and effort I had just to keep paddling and keep making for shore, any shore. I kept my eye on the take out point we had agreed on and just kept digging and digging in to the water with my paddle until I could finally get the craft going in the direction I wanted but not until I was just a few yards from shore. It was the most terrifying experience of my life! I really was frightened I would either run out of steam or have a heart attack with the effort. Even my experienced friend was having great difficulty on her board and she had her dog on with her. I did finally make it back to be greeted by a small group of spectators who were concerned at my panicked struggle. I was exhausted and literally felt out of the kayak. However, not one to be easily discouraged, I went out again two days later to try my luck. Things started out smooth and I was able to keep up with my friends without a problem but then the wind picked up and the struggle, while not as daunting as the previous experience, began. There were times I was paddling aggressively but the kayak wasn’t moving at all. Eventually I made it back to the take out but it was a real workout. Both experiences confirmed what other people had said that this kayak is very difficult to navigate and impossible in wind situations. Also, the paddle that comes with the kayak is inadequate. I had my friend who is a long time kayaker try it out and she confirmed the same. Even remarked that given the difficulty she was having I was very lucky to have successfully made it back when we got caught in the squall two days previous. So… now what to do? Was it more than I had expected? You bet it was. Will I give up, no. I will try my boat again on a local lake or on the Rio Grande after the spring run off has passed. I will most likely upgrade to a better kayak but until I’m certain this is for me I will keep trying to have some fun in this one. Although I may buy a better paddle and not go out if wind is an issue.A word about the boat itself. The construction of the boat is adequate and it inflated quite easily and quickly. The back rests of the seats are totally inadequate. I read about someone breaking their paddle, I’m damn lucky that did not happen to me in the throws of my challenging paddle and it doesn’t seem wide enough. I was able to fully deflate the kayak and fold it according to the directions and it fit easily into the included bag along with all the accessories. Oh, I also put an inflatable beach ball pushed into the prow of the boat to prop my feat against and found that to be very helpful. BTW many older reviewers spoke about the skeg coming out and getting lost. The skeg has been redesigned and now slides and then clicks fully into place. I drilled a tiny hole in it and threaded a cord through and tied it to the back of the kayak just in case but it stayed in place no problem.I gave this a three star because of the “challenging” navigation issues. I will come back with an update later in the summer after I’ve had more varied experience. In the meantime, beware of wind and large swells and get a better paddle. I would not let children go out in this kayak without an adult. Have fun but be safe.

    14 people found this helpful

35. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    carozycarozy – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Wonderful Kayak & Great Price to Boot!

    I am super happy with this kayak, both for its affordable price (I am very budget conscious and I’m been thrilled with this steal of a deal 🙂 and happy with the quality of this kayak. I took it out for Labor Day weekend for the first time and tried it out on 3 lakes and 1 river (June Lake and lakes and a river in Yosemite). I was reasonably careful about shallow water and rocks, and cautious about not letting it drag over sharp rocks when getting it in or out of the water, and I had no problems. It felt fine to me and also a tad bit faster than a hard kayak which I guess is attributable to its lighter weight. I wasn’t trying to race it but felt I could really go even swifter if I wanted to. Anyway, I’ve been very happy with this purchase and felt like telling everyone 🙂 since I feel it fits into those who would like to have frequent fun on lakes and rivers without feeling gauged in the pocket book.It was easy and fast to inflate and deflate. Please note, you should inflate the bottom part first and then the top (I did it wrong at first and had to start over). Read the instructions also so you understand the parts and how the inflate/deflate valve thingy works. I also appreciated that the paddle was lightweight and had 3 choices as far as tilt for the black paddle part, which I thought was nice since kayaks in the past that I’ve rented force you to use the paddle their way. The seat also straps in, meaning you can adjust it to your comfort level. Also important to note – do not over-inflate the kayak. The air can expand depending on the temperature/weather, so just keep that in mind since you don’t want it to burst/split and have to deal with that. It does come with a patch kit though.There’s also a rudder which is easy to put on, take off. It helps keep the kayak to go straight and fits on the bottom in the back. Because of this rudder, I would back the kayak up into the lake (avoiding rocks) so that the rudder wouldn’t drag/catch in the sand when my weight got in.There’s also the net part in front which I found ample and tight enough to carry my thongs and a backpack with a towel, lunch, and so forth. If my backpack was heavy, it did weight down over my legs, but not really a problem for me. You can also put your legs up on the blue part, which I did sometimes for fun.Kayak comes with an inflation pump (easy to use), instructions, patch kit, paddle, kayak, and a bag to hold it all.I would also say the kayak felt pretty secure and stable for me. I wasn’t on rough waters but feel this kayak is made for lakes and calmer rivers, not really one I would tackle rocky rapids with or do anything aggressive with.I didn’t both deflating it during my trip between lakes but packed it right in the Prius C (which is the smaller Prius) that I was renting – with the seats down, fit in there just fine!Also, I recommend drying it completely before packing it back up so you don’t have to deal with mildew which I’m assuming over time could damage and thin the material (not to mention stink). I climbed right in with two dry washcloths and went to town. So if you have claustrophobia you might want to ask your fearless friend to do it for you, but I think it’s worth it since you’re most likely going to pack it back up small – another feature I’m grateful for with this kayak since it stores so small and I live in an apartment (no garage). The paddle also disassembles and thus stores easily also.Overall I’m very pleased with this kayak. The price is wonderful and the quality is great! (Especially if you exercise reasonable care, avoid sharp rocks, etc.) I’m grateful someone out there made a product like this affordable for your average Joe to enjoy the outdoors.Pics attached: me on my kayak, and my travel companion and I drive to find a lake :)I am waiting for a video to upload so if it does I’ll attach it to this review.

    One person found this helpful

36. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Seaspot – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Dont use in wind, nice option just as long as you are not too long legged.

    Great option for a simple kayak around the lake or harbor. Best to launch by easing into it from a low height dock. If there is any wind over15 knots you may want to wait for a calmer day. Wind will make your excursion more difficult as it gets blown around easily. No wind then it is a great inexpensive alternative to a solid kayak racked to the top of your car. If you are over 6 foot tall you may want to look elsewhere as leg room is very very tight. I wore shoes so that my toes did not get squashed from the tight fit.

37. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    D3ment3d – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Why buy a fishing float?

    Let’s be honest here why buy an expensive fishing float when you can have this I get it’s nice to have your feet in the water but all the time? Nah you can miss me with that.This kayak has met all my expectations in terms of ultra light fishing. I’m an experienced angler but not an experienced kayaker or anything to do with the water. To be honest this is the first time I ever used a kayak!So pros of this kayakFirst off it breaks down and builds up super fast 5 ten mins each time.Comfortable it’s an inflatable kayak under 100 bucks all these people complain about back support baffle me lol I I’m a short guy 5’6”That being said my legs fit inside the kayak be it a bit tight that’s only when I’m paddling about.When I’m casting and relaxing feet out and over the sides relaxing! Really fun since it is inflatable if you wanted to just sit and relax fell the motion of the waves you totally can.StabilityDon’t blame your lack of balance for the kayaks stability I think I have great balance and reaction times Sometimes I would get scared when I would turn to grab a rod and the kayak would tip but that’s my fault for not balancing out correctly.Other times I would make an erratic motion and I would be tipped of balance a bit but like I said it all my fault lol. Haven’t taken a dip yet hahah.Can you stand on it? I mean sure if you wanna feel like Jesus for a second and possible be a fish the next. I’m sure you can I tried a for a second but thought “Do I really wanna be in the lake?” So I sat back down.Maneuverability?This thing can get goingCan turn easyCan stop easyJust up to you on how you control it this being my first ever watercraft experience I Had no problems learning the ways of paddling and learning how to move around in the water.Okay…… for fishing this craft is great I think it’s better than a tube at least you can stay dry ish with water just splashing a bit on you taking a fishing vest back pack everything fit up front on the netting putting some weight down on the front while you can paddle comfortably. Folding net on my side bait and small tackle box in front of me while I fish. Heaven guys heaven.I was able to store rods with out rigging on the sides with the little ropes.Everything is a very durable vinyl so everything has playroom I was able to also store rods standing up right behind my seat! As long as you are careful with your hooks and anything sharp you will be fine you are sitting above the water though so you will be kicked around a lot more by the wind. It doest have an anchor so at times I would be concentrating rigging up a rod and I would look up an see I got really close to shore lolI was out for seven hours on the water and noting was deflated considering hard kayaks are a pain to store and fishing floats are situational this this is a little beast.Also you can store the pump and any nonessential in the backYou don’t need an electric pump the pump supplied got me going in five mins an electric pump is probably an extra hassle.Broke down in 5 mins cleans up and tossed it in the back of my trunk off to the next lake. So much fun.Good luck my fellow anglers be safe tight lines!And for my fellow kayakers be safe too!

38. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    REJEANNE FIORILLI – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    VERY HAPPY WITH MY PURCHASE

    Everything I expected

39. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Maria Prieto – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Big Girls Can Kayak, Too

    Little about me:5’2″240lbs______I purchased this K2 kayak on sale for a hundred bucks. Best investment in rec sports I’ve made in a hot ass minute. Incredibly easy and fast to inflate even with the baseline pump it comes with. Though I do highly suggest on also investing in an electric pump, as it just makes everything a whole lot easier; especially with several people in your group having similar inflatable toys.I bought the K2 because I had done my research and was apprehensive on buying the K1 with the suggested weight limit. In so saying, I’m mainly using this as a single passenger transport. At my height, it provides for a comical amount of leg room once inside (though I’m planning on taking it out for a two day kayaking test run at Lake Powell this summer, so extra gear storage is now my saving grace). And I wish they had a more centralized anchor for seating (current buckling points for your inflatable seats are located at front and rear of kayak). Though it still makes for smooth rowing no matter where you decide on taking a seat. As my ass is very large, inflating the back rest AND the butt rest of your seat can prove to make your kayak a little unstable, I’ve decided on just inflating the back rest and it’s still very comfortable.If you’re out on the water for an extended amount of time with no fast way back to shore, I highly suggest taking your hand pump with you, as the sun and water pressure surrounding your kayak will eventually take it’s toll on anything inflatable. The valves (all TWO of them) are conveniently located at arms reach of wherever you sit. On the topic of extended trips, I am planning on purchasing a bilge pump just for ease of mind and body, as the longer you kayak, your oars will obviously splash water into your kayak.I found that using and not using the skeg that is included is an infinitesimal difference (even when it’s a bit windy). I bought my own oars, though in all truthfulness, they are not much different than the ones included with your kayak. I would add in that if you do buy separate oars, buy the long ones (89″-95″), as that allows for less splashing into your kayak.The canvas bag included with your purchase is more than roomy enough to carry everything included, plus a life jacket of your choosing. Though it is flimsy, and not conducive to an environment where you have to walk/hike to the body of water you decide to go to. I suggest purchasing a backpack type container if many of your reservoirs/lakes don’t have direct parking to a beach/launch point like those around me.Always use a life jacket, and I even went so far as to purchase an ankle surf leash, as I’m very paranoid and very aware of how quickly shock and exhaustion can set in if you unexpectedly go overboard.I live in Salt Lake City, UT, so bet your sweet ass I will get all of my $100 worth out of this baby with the plethora of lakes and reservoirs at our immediate disposal.

    10 people found this helpful

40. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Mr Toad – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    A cross between a pool inflatable and a kayak

    I went out with a group yesterday in the marina at Marina Del Rey. Two of us had these inflatable kayaks. The rest had rental kayaks. Overall they worked fine. They blew up quickly. They were convenient to store and transport. There were a number of inflatable kayaks from this maker out on the water and generally folks said that they were happy with them.On the water they are a bit wobbly. Not very maneuverable. I rolled it once and ended up in the water (a kayak nearby held my paddle while I turned the kayak over and got back inside.), my friend kept his upright the entire time. Any leaning to one side or the other easily flips the boat over. We both noticed that although we rowed at the same pace as the hard rental kayaks, we did not go nearly as fast. The hard kayaks seem to have less resistance in the water. The inflatable ones take a bit more work and even then can’t keep up with a real kayak. But if you are not in a race, and if everyone in your party has an inflatable kayak, these work fine. They are perfect for a lazy day on the water. I don’t regret my purchase, though knowing what I know now, I’d probably have gone for a real kayak for better stability and speed.

    7 people found this helpful

41. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Gadget Enthusiast – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Perfect for most Lakes and gentle Rivers

    I own three kayaks and two rafts. Two kayaks are West Marine Advanced Element – 1 series inflatable kayaks, and then have the Intex Challenger K1 (which I am now reviewing).If you have kayaked before, you’ll definitely notice a big difference when you transfer over to an inflatable. The kayak bends in the center where the mass is, you’re slower due to the kayak torquing as you paddle, and the inherent flimsiness and fear that your kayak will hit a rock, and instantly sink.However, this is an inflatable, and a darn good one, considering the price. At under $100, the challenger is LESS THAN 25% of the price for my West Marine kayaks. While the material is not as thick or seemingly durable as other kayaks, this is still a simple and robust kayak capable of holding its own in all but the choppiest large-body lakes and floating down rivers on sunny days.In terms of storage, the K-1 does VERY well. There’s ample storage in the back to slip the carry case, pump and a dry bag with towels and clothes behind you. You can strap a bunch of gear on the front deck, and there are clips to allow you to harness additional gear on the rear deck should you want to. A final dry bag can be used in lieu of a little inflatable pillow that keeps the front of the boat rigid. We had no issues piling on plenty of gear onto the K1 without overburdening it. The netting at the front of the boat is very generous, even more so compared to most other inflatable kayaks (or all of them now that I think about it!)The paddles are good quality. There are many connection points, but NO loose play once everything is locked in place. This is very impressive, as the fit compares easily with paddles that cost the same price as the K-1 itself. It’s lightweight and handles well, with plenty of locking holes to adjust the angle of the paddle blades.Setup of the kayak takes just about five minutes. You have two main chambers that fill up very quickly using the supplied manual two-way pump. The nice thing about the pumps is that they’re one-way valves, so you don’t have to frantically rush to lock the valve in place once enough air is pumped in. It also includes two clear plastic sheets to let you ensure you’ve inflated the boat up properly. I would either keep these attached to the pump, or get familiar with how firm the boat feels when you reach it, so you can pump the boat up properly. Too loose and you’ll lose stability, too firm and you can risk bursting a seam (uh oh).Collapsing the boat is easy as well. Once you let the kayak dry out (prevent mildew! Use a SPONGE to remove any water that gets into the boat and let it air-dry, either in the sun for no more than 10-30 minutes to prevent material degredation, or as long as you want under cover), then undo the main valve holes. Let it deflate on its own, then fold into thirds lengthwise, and then fourths. Careful of the skeg mount, do NOT let that piece be in the fold, the stress will deform the plastic and cause issues on the next inflation. Following this procedure, you should easily have enough space to put the entire kayak kit back into the main carry bag. I personally have a second bag for the seat, the prow lift, a life jacket and the pump. Makes putting the unit away and storage much much easier.Rider capacity, I am 5’10” 145 lbs and fit fine. I have a friend that’s 6’3″ 180 lbs who had to sit cross-legged (but still floated fine and could paddle around with no issues). So yes, this will fit a good range of paddlers.

    42 people found this helpful

42. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    SciFried – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Oh so worth it.

    Love love love this kayak!!!Pros:Super affordable! For the price of one hard kayak, we got at least two kayaks. My wife and I decided we would never tandem kayak again, especially because we can afford not to!Inflates in under 10 minutes. No joke. Easy to inflate.Inflatable seat. Awesome. We did a 6 hour river float, and my butt felt fine. Friends in regular kayaks had major butt soreness.Space in back for storage. Space in front for storage (like a small cooler). Net on the front for storage.More durable than you would think. The material is a heavy duty PVC you would see in inflatable pools, which makes sense because that is also what the company makes. We kayak mainly in rivers, and I cringe every time I hit a branch or scrap on the bottom. However, two years, and about 10-15 trips (I don’t go often) and we have zero holes/leaks. It comes with leak kits, but unnecessary yet.Fast. For the effort, you move much faster than a regular kayak because you sit on top of the water instead of in the water.Easy portage. We hit impassable downed trees and had to portage. Light enough to easily pick up and move. On another such instance, we got out on top of the tree and just lifted the kayaks over to get back in on the other side.Curious looks and questions. Always. Every outing has at least one to two people asking what it is and if it’s inflatable.Fits easily in the trunk. It’s heavy (two-hand heavy for normal people), but takes up the space of a big suitcase. Great for cars or a small Jeep.Cons:No drink holder. However, if you put it on the front, you can pull the net over it, and it will stay. Necessity is the mother of invention.One of the oars broke. However, it was easily fixed with some duct tape. It is not pretty, but still functions fine. For space the oars are in thirds. It was inevitable that it would break.When you row, the front of the boat will drift back and forth. You sit on top of the water, so you row right, drift left, etc. Don’t lose the fin on the bottom!!!!! Our friends lost it (but found it). Apparently with no fin, you don’t go very far. Just in circles.Here is the biggest con: Drying these things to put them away is a bitch. No easy way to do it because of all the creases. Can you get it pretty dry before you put it away? Yes, if you can leave it for days. If you are patient with a towel, it will get mostly dry. You will never get it fully dry. It will smell moldy eventually. Oh well. It’s a boat. It is not a strong smell on the water.The bags are flimsy. It feels like they are going to pull apart (haven’t yet though). It will probably rip (the bag; ours did) at some point. Duct tape fixed that too.Getting it back in the bag is tough. Fold it in thirds and roll it up. That works well. When it is rolled up, sit on it for a couple minutes. Put it in the bag (alone), then sit on the bag. Once it is deflated enough, put everything else back in on top. If it is cold out, it is possible, but really tough. Not a product issue, just the physics/chemistry of the material. No avoiding it.Overall: Fantastic. Worth the super cheap price. We bought some, and friends immediately brought some. We ended up with a fleet of inflatable kayaks going down the river. What you gain with cost and ease of transport, you lose with drying time and putting it back in the bag. The cost and transport are worth it. Price goes up closer to summer, and drops in the winter. In winter: 80 bucks. In summer 100. As expected.If you are even partially inclined, it is worth it. If and when we need new kayaks, we will just buy new of these ones. No desire to upgrade to “regular” kayaks.

    33 people found this helpful

43. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    marc majlaton – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Love this boat. Very durable

    Went kayaking with 2 buddies who had plastic kayaks. They were skeptical. It handled like a dream. Went over lots of rocks. They got stuck this kayak flexed just enough to motor through. Easy to set up. Easy to store. Buy It!!!!!!!!

    One person found this helpful

44. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    P. Lamoureux – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Brief comments about PRICE and emergency REPAIR

    I bought a pair of these to use at condo in Florida where we can’t store a hard-shell kayak. I’m tired of the bulk of those anyway, inflatable is clearly the way of the future.I gotta give this boat 5 stars for ease of use and value. I could go on and on like other reviewers, let me just mention some bullet points others might have overlooked. First, we haven’t had a problem with ours and there are a lots of vinyl repair kits out there, but I recommend waterproof FlexTape which you can get at HD, Lowes or other hardware stores in clear, white or black. Then, make sure you bring a strip of it with you in case you scrape a rock or a branch. Hasn’t happened with this boat yet but it did with a two person inflatable. You can’t do a river-side repair with a conventional vinyl repair kit, has to sit overnight.I also recommend taking your pump WITH YOU whenever you go out. Stuff it in the compartment behind the seat. Easier to do when the two of us go together, still lots of cargo space. Reason: Besides the possible need during a repair, you might find yourself needing this depending on weather conditions. Since air pressure rises and lowers with temperature, you might need to adjust while out on water. First, if you inflate in the shade but paddle in the hot sun, the sides might overinflate. You don’t have to worry about this too much, especially when in colder water, but definitely keep in mind if you pull up to a beach and leave in the hot sun out of the water, that’s not good. With the pump, just let a little out and re-inflate when you leave beach. That leads to the second possible need for the pump, the opposite scenario where cold water will reduce your air pressure. Trust me, you will quickly learn to “feel ” this when paddling (the boat will kink more with your weight) and you can speed up the boat somewhat by inflating to pressure.Final comment on PRICE: I bought only a few months ago in March 2021 and only paid $90 each, which is a smoking deal obviously, but summer demand has presently doubled the price. I don’t blame Amazon and I’ve seen this before. I gotta be honest, because of convenience and what you’d spend a hardshell it’s still worth the higher price. But not much more, that’s for sure. However, that doesn’t mean you should blindly pay it, they’re available on Ebay for $40-50 less in the $130 range. And don’t be surprised if the price on Amazon drops to $120 or less due to supply or seasonal fluctuations. With the pandemic, it’s good to buy your summer gear no later than late spring.

    3 people found this helpful

45. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Will – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Absolutely awesome

    I bought this kayak because it was a steal compared to paddle boards. All fits in one bag and super easy to transport set up, and tear down. Will be buying the two seat option for next season, because most of the friends I’ve gone out with end up using the kayak over their paddle boards.

46. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Jeannie Mason – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Perfect for our River run

    Loved it and hoping to use it again next season

47. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    brittany gummo – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Fun lake adventure

    I bought this for a weekend at the lake on prime day. I thought it was on sale and it only has to last the weekend and my 4 children would love it so I made the purchase. When the box arrived and I read that it was heavy plastic, I was thinking oh great this is gonna pop in a heartbeat, but it lasted all weekend and with my crew that says a lot. It was very easy to inflate and easy to deflate and fold back into the bag it came in. The kids loved it and they all had a blast taking turns going around the lake.

48. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Wendy Greve – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Works great but it is HEAVY

    My partner and I took this out on Lake Michigan this past week, and it was super fun! We kayaked for an hour and things were a little wobbly but I blame that on us shifting around too much.The one thing I will say is I wish that this came with a bag that had wheels cause it is a PAIN to carry. I guess I should have realized it would be heavy, but it’s such an awkward bag to lift and, even though I do weight training, between the carrying and the pumping to fill it up it my arms were almost exhausted before I even got it out on the lake.I just spent an extra $60 on a giant wheeled duffel bag to make this thing actually portable, so hopefully soon I can live my dream of having a kayak I can walk down to the beach with.

    3 people found this helpful

49. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    CandaceCandace – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Great for the price on calm waters

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     For only $65, you should totally buy it! While I wouldn’t take this down a white water river, it’s great for the local lake or calm waters. It’s pretty stable (see video) and hard to tip. If you did tip or, I imagine it would be difficult to get back in. It offers enough legroom for me, but I am only 5’5”. I will say your legs get extremely hot because there is no airflow inside of the kayak. We live in Texas where it is humid and hot so I got sweaty pretty quickly. Luckily, the hole is big enough that you can pull your legs out and drape them over the edge when needed. Inflating it was relatively easy. We used a combination of an automatic pump and a manual pump to get it to inflate to the right size. Deflation was a different story. Air got trapped in several areas and it was kind of hard to dry out. We ended up towel drying the inside and then propping it up in the garage for a day so it could dry out completely before we packaging it and storing it. It has some pretty good space in the front for snacks and other items. I found the seat heifht perfect…..but again, I am only 5’5”. For taller people, you may want to deflate the bottom of the seat. The paddle is totally flimsy. I used one that went with my other kayak and it worked well. You do get the splash/drips from paddling like in any other kayak so make sure to bring a towel to dry it out once you dock. I had no issues with tracking, but was using it on a calm local lake. I imagine there might be tracking issues if you were trying to go somewhere fast in rough waters. I am not an avid kayaker, and just do it leisurely while my son paddle boards. Highly recommend for a starter if you want to see if you like the sport before advancing to something bulkier and/or more substantial. Material seems good and it’s very easy to get it back and it’s package as the carry bag is pretty large. Overall, it’s a great buy.

    39 people found this helpful

50. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Susan PorterSusan Porter – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Great for the price but ran in to a couple issues

    Was very surprised at how durable the material was for the price. I bought it for my 15 year old grandson so we could both go down the Kalamazoo river, a fairly slow moving river. I have a folding kayak I use. The boat filled with air using only the manual pump very quickly. The included finn, or skeg easily slides and locks into place. The paddles were better than expected and he did very well. He found the boat very comfortable, a four hour trip. There were only two issues we encountered.1 The air intake valve basically went from an inie to an outie probably because we added a bit too much air for the hot temps that day. Struggled to get it to pop back in but using a hair dryer to heat it up at home we were easily able to pushed it back in.2 We applied aerosol sunscreen which ended up making the black paint come off and onto his skin. Not sure if non aresol would have the same effect.These two issues weren’t enough to give this a poor rating and will refer to others.

    One person found this helpful

51. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jad KroJad Kro – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    I love it even after multiple uses!

    I’ve used this when camping by a lake or just a quick day trip to the lake! Easy to inflate and deflate to toss into your car! Comes with everything you need for a seamless ride!

52. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Amazon Customer – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great value for the price!

    I got this on sale, I don’t remember how much, maybe $35-45? I’ve used it every summer for years – can’t believe it’s lasted this long. It isn’t made for rough waters, though I did get stuck in the middle of the lake in a bad thunderstorm once and managed to make it back safely. (I don’t recommend it; paddling gets much harder when you’ve taken on so much water! Not to mention, with all the lightning, being in the middle of deep water with a metal pole in your hands, seated on something that isn’t guaranteed to stay afloat!) But I’m still enjoying this nifty device years later.

53. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Helen L. – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Fun Kayak but don’t get it from Amazon Warehouse Deals

    This is a fun and affordable 1 person kayak. It only takes less than 15 minutes with the included dual action pump to inflate. Even my 9 and 12 year olds can do it by themselves. The one way Boston valves on the both of the kayak are great. They allow you to pull out the pump without letting out the air. For deflation, you can unscrew the lower part of the valves and all of the air come out quickly. Unfortunately, the valves on the seat and the footrests are just those squeezable self-healing ones so we did lose air as we pulled out and they are never as full as we like. The skeg that helps with tracking in a straight line snapped in securely and we did not have any issues with losing it as was reported by earlier reviews. The included paddle is serviceable. Besides the net area, there is additional storage under the bow and at the back of the kayak (use a dry bag to keep your valuables from getting wet). I can fit a wallet, phone, towel, sunscreen, lunch and the pump without any problems. I had a wonderful time kayaking in our local reservoir. It was great to bring my own kayak without worrying about rental cost. The boat would have paid for itself after 3 – 4 times.Although it takes 15 minutes to inflate the boat, it takes about 30 minutes to put it away as you need to wipe dry the entire boat with a towel (and maybe leave it under the sun to dry off all moisture). There are any many hard to reach nooks & crannies inside the boat where water collects. After deflation, be sure to wipe off any water to ensure mold-free storage.Overall, I like the freedom of having a space-saving inflatable kayak at my disposal. Eventhough it takes some time to dry off and put it away, the fun & spontaneity of having my own kayak is well worth the effort. For those who wants to save a few bucks by getting it used from Amazon Warehouse, DON’T. I bought 3 kayaks from Amazon Warehouse. Of the 3, 2 had minor to major issues and only 1 was as described. One was an apparent return that was still wet and missing the skeg so I returned it. The second was described as “USED-LIKE NEW” but it had an oil stain on it and some of the valves leaked a bit while I filled it. I called Amazon & got a partial credit for the worse than described condition. Only the third one was as described. Given the hassle of sending it back and waiting for at least a week for the refund, it’s much easier to just get it new and hopefully trouble-free.For those who want to outfit the entire family, I recommend getting the tandem Intex Explorer K2 and get 1 or more these 1 person kayaks. This configuration will give you some flexibility. You can put a beginner with a more advanced family member on the tandem and put more adventurous souls on the single kayaks. For our family of 4, I got the tandem Explorer K2 & 2 Challenger K1s. It worked really well and is a bit more economical and space efficient than getting 4 1-person kayaks.

    8 people found this helpful

54. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Utah Susie – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Lots of fun for little money–highly recommended

    This review is of the newest version of the K1, which is green (blue is the discontinued version). The green one is vastly improved over the blue, so be sure you are reading a review for your specific color/model. I used this 3 times in one weekend at a large lake that can go from calm to whitecaps, and which has lots of ski boat and personal watercraft traffic, hence frequent wakes. For a “rubber” boat, it tracks and moves surprisingly well. The seat is supportive and comfortable, though I did place a PFD behind my back for a more upright seating position to protect my neck. I am 71, and I found the paddle easy to hold for hours at a time (not too heavy), and pretty effective for propelling and steering. Of COURSE it does not track like a hard-shell kayak, OF COURSE it does not have a high-end paddle (for $81.53, duuh!), so there is a little side-to-side movement with every stroke, but not enough to slow you down or spoil the fun. I raced a semi-hard shell paddle board that could not keep up with me. There is lots of storage inside, plus the bow netting alone holds a pack, drinks, and sundries securely. I purposely had a friend create huge power boat wakes running around me in circles, and while it was a hell of a lot of fun rocking and rolling, he could not turn this kayak over or dislodge stuff in the netting! After this, plus my paddling against the current in heavy chop, it seems that this kayak would be nearly impossible to turn over. In nearly calm water with a slight current, it also drifted for over half a mile and stayed either facing forward or sideways (never backward) without my using the paddle AT ALL. It was a snap to inflate, and why you would need any other pump than the one included with it is beyond me. Both the down and the up strokes pump air, so it is fast (for me, about 2 minutes for the floor and 1 minute for the top). It even comes with 2 adapters so that you can use it for the “mouth” valves if you don’t want to blow into the seat or stabilizer cushions. The Boston 2-piece valves are a great feature; you cannot lose the air you’ve already pumped in even if the pump nozzle falls out. It is equally easy to deflate when the valves are completely removed, and fits easily into the breathable, lightweight carrying case (designed not to hold moisture), which is the size of a medium suitcase. I could carry it easily in the case and pretty easily the 100 yards from campsite to beach after inflated, using the attached carry cords. It was only the bulk, and not the weight, that made it more awkward to carry while inflated. I also noticed that it has a loop on the bottom front to which a tie line could be attached. I give it 5 stars for performance, and deduct 1 star for the fact that on the 3rd trip out, the skeg came off and was lost. I was in open water with sand beaches and no sharp or protruding objects in the water or on the sand. Without the skeg it is un-steerable. Intex tells me the replacement is out of stock and expected in 2 weeks, $3.91 plus shipping. I think I will install the next one with a cotter pin so I don’t lose it.

    4 people found this helpful

55. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Allison – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Awesome Kayak!

    Three of us purchased this same kayak. We have enjoyed it more than 5 times so far on rivers and lakes! Easy to inflate, easy for us to carry on our own (we are women in our 50’s), stable and a snap to deflate with the 2 large valves. Recommend inflating it the first time at home before you plan your first float, because it took us about 45 minutes. After that, it took less than 15. But at home, you can read over the instructions if you need to, practice inserting the seat, decide how you want to position your legs, etc. Paddle is very nice quality. Based on comments from other kayakers and canoeists we met on our trips, I could have sold 20 of these. Most everyone seems surprised these are inflatable. Don’t forget the fin. Otherwise, you’ll spin in circles. A few other tips, some from other reviewers: inflate on smooth, grassy surface or bring a blanket/tarp/plastic sheet to avoid a puncture. Consider buying a pouch with lanyard for your phone/car keys. To sit lower in the kayak, you can limit how much you inflate the seat. I like mine very inflated. I did find a rolled up towel tucked in seat at my lower back provides some lumbar support, but my fellow paddlers did not feel the need. A little water from wet feet (getting into the kayak) does collect at the tip (nose) of the boat so after a trip, so inflate it at home after your trip to be sure it’s completely dry.If you don’t inflate sufficiently, it does not seem to maneuver as well. If you overinflate, it might be a little less stable. The little measuring ruler that comes with it does not appear accurate, but you can “feel” how full it is. Folds up nicely to fit in a sedan. I can transport fully inflated in our Honda mini van. Does not flip when we encounter motorboat wake, but always turn the nose into the wake to reduce the impact. Have not used in whitewater or turbulent water.One of us experienced small leak. (Use soap bubbles to locate this.) She used the patch kit that comes with it and voila! No more leak. One of our 3 orders was missing the patch kit but we had enough to share.I have wanted a kayak for years…this is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. No more standing on shore watching other enjoy the water! Read over all the helpful reviews and videos Amazon provides. The tips were awesome! Enjoy!

    2 people found this helpful

56. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    ets – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Pleasantly Surprised

    Have had Intex K1 for about a week and have covered about 7 miles along the north shore of the Ohio River in two outings. My observations and comments are based on this limited experience and involved a river current of about ½ mph and light breezes from 0 to 5 mph. However, they also involve the wakes of many power boats and an occasional tug boat.For the conditions as outlined above, the construction is completely adequate. I would describe the PVC as very mindful of that used in the tubes and rafts made for towing behind power boats. I have towed large teen agers on rafts and tubes made of similar material up to 35 mph without damage to the passengers or raft.The waves were no issue–stability was good and no water splashed over the gunwales. In calm conditions, with reference to wind and current, the boat glides a bit between stokes and follows a straight tract, however, this is no touring kayak.Inflation and deflation using the Boston valves and supplied pump/fittings are quick and easy, although, be advised to plan time at some point for drying before storing it for any length of time. The supplied seat and back are comfortable for relaxing and keeps your bottom dry and elevated about 2″ above the longitudinally grooved floor. There is a clear, acrylic strip that you can apply over two horizontal lines on the bottom and side chambers to judge when they are 10cm. apart and the pressure in the chambers is about correct.Study the small illustrations in the instructions concerning the insertion and removal of the skeg. Note the small tab located at the end of the raised groove fitting. It must be pushed out to the side before insertion or removal.There has been much ado about the paddles, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good they seem to be. The shafts are aluminum joined by spring-pins to the blades at both ends and a sturdy plastic mid-section. There are no twist-pressure joints and the shafts are comfortable to hold. They have drip guards. Not being a kayak aficionado, I think the plastic blades are elliptical/scooped and can be locked at about 30 deg. to each other for “feathering”. I think they could be about 2″ longer on each end to avoid lightly dragging the paddle shaft on each side.The yak size is just adequate for my 5’11″/180# frame and allows me to wear stretchy, nylon beach shoes. The inflatable foot pad keeps my size 10 feet from painfully wedging into the “pointy” end of the K!. If you are much taller, you may be “eating your knees”. If you are 6′ tall and >200, you may be having a “knee sandwich” while upside down!Concerning Customer Service: Any thoughts of getting C.S. from Intex Corp, are just fantasy. Intex appears to be a sales representative for products manufactured in China and their mantra is “none in stock”. Don’t expect replacement parts to be obtainable. (Try 800-234-6839 and let us know if I speak with forked tongue!) I think Amazon allows purchases to be returned within some limited time period. So, save the original packaging and check the Challenger as soon as possible for manufacturing defects and, god forbid, possible return.That being said, if low price, easy portability and small amount of storage space are important, this yak may be for you. If speed or using one on class III whitewater is important, you’d be well advised to look elsewhere–consider a Sea Eagle inflatable for about $800 more.

    One person found this helpful

57. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Charlotte Lee – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    Absolutely fantastic

    My husband and I are on an extended stay in Florida but our vehicle is a Prius. We couldn’t fit two kayaks in it if we tried and we didn’t want to purchase a roof rack. So we found these kayaks. For the most part, they are 5 stars but there are a few things to note and why I marked it as a 4 star.1. Inflates in just under 2 minutes. I use the K1 (one seater) and my 6’4 hubs uses the K2 (two seater) It takes me 60 pumps for the base and 40 pumps for the top. His K2 takes 90 pumps for the base and 60 for the top. It is extremely easy. We are nearly 60 years of age and it was a piece of cake to fill these kayaks. 2 minutes for each of us.2. They deflate in under 30 seconds. I usually put mine in the car inflated then undo the plugs and fold over. By the time Jeff gets his into the car, mine is fully deflated.3. They are a very nice quality, mostly. We kayak nearly every morning at sunrise and about twice a week at sunset. Additionally, we do an all day trip usually at least one weekend day every week, sometimes both days. In the first month of ownership, Jeff got a small tear. To be fair, he hit an oyster shoal. What was remarkable, is this did not cause him to sink. We carry the provided patches with us but we decided it would be better to use the higher quality patch (sold separately) if we could get back. We were over a mile from our launch site but his kayak barely deflated. After the initial hissing, it stopped deflating and was completely fine until we made it back. I have since gotten a small tear in one of the seat backs (separate piece) Both were easy to patch, we did, however, purchase a higher quality product for repairs from Intex than the provided patch. These separately sold products require 48 hours though so do not use on the trail, the ones that come with the kayak cure in a half hour.4. These are insanely comfortable. There is simply no comparison to the comfort of these kayaks to a traditional kayak.5. But they are slower. If you are kayaking with someone else in a regular kayak, they will have an easier/quicker experience. But if your whole party is using these it doesn’t matter at all. We drink our coffee watching the sunrise nearly every morning and it is pure heaven.6. In summary, we would still purchase again. Although, we had to repair and we anticipate having to repair again, the repairs appear to stay repaired. The tears occurred after extensive use. The price is great and the fun is endless, not to mention you can take them ANYWHERE!

    11 people found this helpful

58. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    G.O.G.O. – February 23, 2024

    3.0 out of 5 stars

    Just okay

    I was excited to receive this product. Concept is great for its portability. But my personal preference, I just did not like this product. Kayaking is new to me so I decided to try it out. Inflating was easy. But its all the excess pieces to put the thing together and apart that wasnt convenient for me. Once you figure out how the pieces go together and what needs inflating, its not too bad. Its not super heavy but I wouldnt walk long distances with it. Its also hard to make it to the water in one trip because of all the pieces it entails. So if you dont have close distance to water, it will be a struggle especially if you are solo. Getting into it, you are going to get water in it regardless in order to move forward in the water but away from rocks so you dont scrape the bottom. This was difficult with the skew at the bottom. The netting on the kayak, I moved to the back so if I wanted to, I could put my legs out on top in the front. But the netting was very loose and didnt feel like my items were secure. I tried playing around with it but it was loose regardless. So it was kind of useless and I put my belongings in the front.Now for actually putting it to use. I used it in a bay with calm waters and some motorized boats driving by. The boat held up against the minor waves. Dont expect to move fast speeds with this. It will be at a snails pace but also dependent on water conditions. Some water did get into the kayak and I didnt like that it didnt have a feature to remove the water if necessary. Water did get on the front of the kayak in the blue pockets in the front which could weigh it down some. I felt very stuffed in the kayak. Im 5’4” and my toes were touching the top of the kayak which could be annoying. The kayak is somewhat sturdy. It does seem to veer towards the right side for me when sitting in it.Now for disassembling, I was dreading coming out of the water knowing I have to deflate all the pieces and dry it. I saw its best to dry this while still inflated so thats what I attempted. But its impossible to dry it completely especially inside in the front and back. I can definitely see how mold/mildew will get in this product. So I dried what I could, deflated it the best I could and just put it all in my trunk. I pumped it back up at home to let it air dry and that helped some. Then I disassembled it again. I used a vaccum to help deflate the excess air and folded it up. I will be returning this item as it just didnt meet my expectations.

    5 people found this helpful

59. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    C.L.C.L. – February 23, 2024

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great kayak, aside from missing part

    If you want a kayak but don’t have a roofrack, or if you love to canoe but don’t have a canoeing buddy, or if you woke up this morning and thought “I need a new hobby, how about kayaking?” then THIS IS THE KAYAK FOR YOU! This kayak is wonderful! I bought it about a month ago and have taken it out just about every sunny day since then.PROS:Sets up/packs down easily and quicklyMore stable (in wakes, etc) than regular hardshell kayakEasy to get in and out ofSeems to be well madeIdeal for lakes and calm rivers, but I bet you could take it down some little rapids okayNo need for a roofrack – just throw it in the trunk and go!Great conversation starter — fellow boaters have asked me about this kayak just about every time I take it out!GREAT BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! You can’t get a better deal, period.CONS:Paddle is cheap (but it gets you from A to B and it’s free)Mine arrived without a skeg (see below)Some technical details that the product description does not address adequately:1) The kayak has two main air chambers (bottom and sides/top), which you inflate with the included air pump. Each chamber has a little line on it near the air valve that, when properly inflated, will be exactly 10 cm long. Included is a transparent strip to help you gauge this. At first you will think it’s not inflated enough because it doesn’t feel very hard, but don’t over inflate! It’s not supposed to be super pressurized inside.2) The air valves have two caps; one cap only allows air to be pumped IN, and this is what you attach the air pump to. To quickly let the air out, you open up the second cap. Some reviewers complained about deflating taking a long time, and I wonder if they didn’t open up the valve properly (or maybe the valve has been improved since then). It just opens right up and the air whooshes out.3) The inflatable seat exceeded my expectations. You blow it up with your mouth (it just takes a minute) and the seat velcros to the floor of the kayak, so you can position it however you want. There are straps on the back of the seat which buckle into the kayak, which gives plenty of support and lets you lean back while paddling. It is pretty comfy.4) The included paddle breaks down into three parts for easy transport/storage, and for a free paddle it gets the job done just fine. I upgraded to a better quality paddle once I decided I was going to be using the kayak a lot.5) As others have recently mentioned, the color is now bright green. I will try to add my own photo to this review, because it looks like they took all the old photos down.My only complaint is that the kayak arrived without the skeg that attaches to the bottom. It apparently helps the kayak keep a straight line while paddling. I called the manufacturer (Intex), and they told me the skeg won’t be back in stock until NEXT SUMMER and there was nothing they could do about it (psh…). I contacted Amazon, and as usual their customer service was supreme. They can’t send just a skeg, but they gave me several options on how to deal with it (return, replace, or partial refund) and I’m happy. Anyway, I have only used this kayak WITHOUT the skeg, and while it does move back and forth some with each stroke, it’s not terrible, and it’s not like I’m in a hurry to get anywhere by kayak so I don’t really mind. Overall A+++!

    47 people found this helpful

60. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Aaron – February 23, 2024

    4.0 out of 5 stars

    They are fine

    My wife and I bought two of these to see if we’d actually go paddling regularly if we had boats of our own. Our general impression is that they are just fine, and served our purposes perfectly. They are more or less exactly what we expected: low quality boats for a low price. Good enough for flat water paddling for some entertainment and exercise, but not the kind of boats we’d want long term. I wouldn’t take them out in fast moving water or a windy day. They have demonstrated to us we are likely to go paddling regularly enough to plan to move to a better boat.We have no real complaints about these. Like I said, they are fine. Two fit in the back of our small car, they get us out to be active in ways we long talked about but didn’t want to drop good money on only to discover we didn’t keep at it. They are a bit awkward, the seats are hard to be comfortable in, the paddles are flimsy, they are light and high profile so you get pushed around by the wind, they are time consuming to inflate and deflate.As a proof-of-concept boat to convince us we like the activity they were worth the price. If you want a great boat that will last a long time and can go anywhere, this isn’t that boat. I wouldn’t pay to upgrade anything, no better paddle, no powered air pump, nothing like that – until you’re convinced you like kayaking at which point you should get better stuff. If you really like Kayaking move on to better stuff.We did get a waterproof bag, which has been great the several times I managed to fall over getting in. And everyone should get life jackets – particularly if you plan to take a cheap inflatable kayak out into water over your head.

    3 people found this helpful