It may be clear that we are do favour the use of inflatable kayaks. Logical, otherwise we would never start this
blog. We will mention below a number of arguments to stress the benefits of
inflatable kayaks!
Lightweight and small packing size
A folded inflatable kayak has
often the pack size of a large bag. Therefore, it can easily be stored
in the basement and fits nearly any car. Therefore, it is easy to transport on holidays.
There are also special kayak backpacks available on the market. Very handy if
you have to walk a few hundred meters to reach the shore. Also no hassle with roof racks and so
on. A good inflatable kayak is not heavy. As light as 7 kg is possible. The 2
person versions are heavier.
Affordable
A good inflatable kayak is affordable. A mid range inflatable probably will
get you the best buy for the bucks. For a price between 300-700 euro you can buy a very
good inflatable kayak that will last long. €500,00 sound a lot but if
you use it for let's say 10 year that's only €50,00 a year. And the paddling is for free.
Safety
High quality inflatable kayaks
have multiple air chambers. If a
chamber will break the other chambers will keep you up so you can paddle back
to the shore. Often a spare chamber can be purchases to replace the damaged
chamber. Very often you can repair a leaking chamber yourself. The great stability
of many models often makes it possible to climb back to the boat after
capsizing. When you are not familiar
with the Eskimo roll make sure you have a stable boat.
Performance
High quality inflatable kayaks generally
paddle easy and track well. Of course, the performance depends on the model of
choice. A sea kayak will be faster that a Canadian canoe. However, a good inflatable kayak will rival
the performance of a rigid kayak within a range of 90%. Not bad at all!
Easy to inflate
With a high quality pump a bit of
training an inflatable kayak is easy to inflate. Some models can be inflated
within 5 minutes.
White water with an inflatable kayak. It is possible.
Inflatable kayaks: a compromise?
It is quite clear that an
inflatable kayak offers considerable advantages compared to rigid kayaks. Pick
up your packed kayak, throw it in the back of your car and drive go to the
water. Alternatively use a kayak
backpack and bike to the shore. Even when kayaking is not the
primary goal of your vacation the small probable will not be in the way.
However, there are still loads of people who favour a rigid kayak. And there
are some good reasons. A kanopoloer, specialized white water or sea
kayaker will favour hard plastic kayak. For this specific group the unique
characteristics and performance of such a kayak might outweigh the benefits of
an inflatable. For many others the inflatable kayak would be the better choice.
In summary: an inflatable is a
good alternative for rigid kayaks, it's easy to store, easy to carry and have a
great performance. Therefore for most people a high quality inflatable kayak is
not a compromise but simply the right choice!
