inflatable kayak or canoes?

[ourjourneys]

Has anyone had experience with inflatable small rafts like a 2 man kayak? We have seen them at the lake and think they must be fun. Any advice on brands or features?

[Denisemomof4]

I wouldn't recommend an inflatable. We bought ds an inflatable boat and it was heavy duty, but it popped after one season. You can buy a used kayak or a cheap one and have fun, and not have to worry about pumping up the boat.

 

We have kayaks and they're GREAT fun. We've run into rocks MANY times. I'd never go with inflatable, but that's just my opinion.

[sparrow]

We LOVE our inflatable kayaks! We bought these. We haven't used them in any areas that are rocky, like creeks or rivers yet, but they work wonderfully on the chain of lakes we live on. The kids sit up front in each kayak and dh and I sit in the back. I love them because they can just be thrown in the back of the car without the need for special gear strapping it to the roof. We're excited to explore other lakes in our area.

 

BTW, this pump makes getting them blown up a breeze!

[gaillardia]

My sister bought some for our beach trip and I don't know how much longer they've lasted since that time. They seemed very sturdy and well-made. I will check with her and see if she still uses them, what brand, etc.

 

My kids loved using them. The one bay in the Outer Banks had very shallow water far out so they felt comfortable taking them out and being able to see down to the bottom of the bay.

[Tap]

We have both inflatable and hard kayaks. We used to do quite bit of 'light' rafting down rivers in the inflatables. We would need to do a small patch every other year or so for a slow leak, but never had one pop. They are nice because they are so portable and easy to store. We have always had the Sevylor brand. They are a great way to enjoy the sport, especially on lakes, without the space/transportation issue of the hard body styles.

[gaillardia]

Hey -- my sister indicates she bought them at k-mart, coleman brand. She only used them when we went to the beach that one time. :confused:

For the price, she thought they were great, but of course she doesn't remember how much she paid for them. Camping gear might be cheaper in some states in August/September in department stores.

I think she should give them to me.:tongue_smilie:

The one was a canoe, the other a two-man dinghy, heavy duty plastic oars included.

I would own inflatable for starts.

[ourjourneys]

Thank you all for the advice! I appreciate it.