Chapter 2 The five types of inflatable kayak
Single-skin vinyl
£60-£350 0.07-0.1 bar 1-1.5 psi
Squeezed out of a tube in China, these are many people’s first foray into paddling because, short of a knotted bin bag, it’s the cheapest way to get afloat. But with no skeg, wafer-thin hulls and mushy, 1 psi hulls, the paddling experience can be excruciating. If you reach the typical 90-day warranty you get a free sticker. Warn the kids to avoid even the bluntest twigs and above all, stick to sheltered waters. These are the boats which give
IKS a bad name but cheap doesn’t have to mean nasty. Even at the same low pressure, thicker vinyl is less elastic and more durable: Intex’s Challengers and Explorers are a lot of kayak for the money and come with pumps and paddles. While a good way to test the water, expect to upgrade soon.
Shell & bladder £300-£600 0.1-0.2 bar 1.5-2.9 psi
‘S&BS’ are Goldilocks IKS; not too pricey but fun and stable, with better examples lasting years. Thin vinyl or superior PU air bladders sit inside zipped sleeves in a nylon and/or PVC hull shell. Once inflated, the ‘inner tubes’ give support, like a bicycle tyre and, on better examples, a taut, crease-free shell. Sewing cuts costs and bladders can be patched or replaced. The problem comes with drying: water enters the sleeves through sewn seams, zippers or porous shells. Some boats get wetter than others and a drenched cockpit won’t help, but full drying can take days. Removable floors speed things up. Cheaper S&BS can also rupture if overpressured. Quality varies greatly, with all-pvc hulls being more durable.
‘Tubeless’ £350-£2,400 0.2-0.3 bar 2.9-4.3 psi
This was the original way of making IKS and rafts before cheaper PVC, bladders and, now, stiffer drop-stitch panels came along. Sections of rubber or Pvc-coated fabric are glued or heat-welded by hand or machine (PVC only). Unlike S&BS, the need for perfect airtight assembly raises costs but means boats are better designed, while being lighter, less bulky and dryable in minutes, not days. Grabner prices will make your eyes water, but like all rubber IKS, the fabric won’t crease, crack or harden with age and repairs reliably. Innately stiffer PVC aids rigidity without needing high pressures but can be bulky. Scores of factories make PVC but just a couple make the Orca, EDPM or Nitrilon: synthetic rubbers used in IKS. With warranties of up to a decade, this staggering longevity bolsters green credentials which often laud organic rubber over oil-based plastic. PVC examples include the Intex Excursion Pro and Sea Eagle’s Explorer. NRS Maverik and all Gumotex (Innova) and Grabners are rubber.
Drop-stitch floor £350-£1,200 0.2-0.7 bar 2.9-10 psi
Also knows as hybrids, these boats combine conventional side tubes (tubeless or bladdered) with a flat, drop-stitch floor (‘D-SF’). The high-pressure floor improves rigidity which means a better glide than a regular S&B, while retaining the stability benefits of round side tubes (but also the width). When made from PVC, floors are usually a separate panel housed in a removable sleeve which greatly aids drying. Examples include Zelgear, Aquaglide Chelan, Aqua Marina Steam, Gumotex Thaya and Rush, Sea Eagle Fasttrack and Decathlon Itiwit X100.
Full drop-stitch £500-£1,300 0.35-1 bar 5-14.5 psi
With floor and sides made from dropstitch panels like an ISUP board, ‘FD-S’S are as stiff and – on flat water – as fast as hardshells, while having more inside space than tubed IKS. Hulls are boxy (Decathlon’s X500 is an exception) and, combined with flat floors and high sides, may be a handful in choppy waters. Widths vary and some are tippy (X500 again). Try a bit less pressure. Tracking is excellent but front skegs make turning slow. Layer upon layer of PVC adds to bulk and fixed floors make side cavities hard to dry (though most have floor drains). Examples include the Sea Eagle Razorlite, Aqua Marina Tomahawk, Advanced Elements Airvolution, BIC Yakkair Full HP, Kxone Slider, plus unbranded versions of essentially the same Chinese FD-S IK. Among others, Us-branded Advanced Elements makes S&BS with optional alloy stiffening rods, which suggests the standard boat is limp. Drop-stitch or otherwise, the best air-only IKS don’t need metal stiffeners which add weight, bulk and increased risks of damage during transportation.