A few years ago, a friend of mine posted on social media about her inflatable kayak. I had been talking to my husband for years about purchasing kayaks, but he was always concerned about how we would transport them since we do not own a truck or trailer! Turns out that you don’t need them with an inflatable kayak. Here’s why I consider our Intex Explorer tandem kayak one of the best inflatable tandem kayaks.
An affordable inflatable kayak
Kayaks aren’t cheap! While the price for this2-person inflatable kayak fluctuates throughout the year, it is generally below $150. If you’re looking for an affordable kayak, an inflatable kayak will save you money! It also comes with two paddles and a hand pump!
Considering the cost of visiting attractions, this small investment could provide years of fun! We’ve already used ours during two summers.
Portable and convenient
An inflatable kayak deflates to the size of a large suitcase or cooler and is fully portable! This is great for our family since we hardly fit in our minivan. The kayak is small enough when deflated to fit in the back of our Chrysler Town & Country.
The hand pump does take a bit of time to get the kayak ready. If you’re able to inflate the kayak close to your vehicle, I recommend purchasing an air pump that can run off your car’s 12-V outlet.
An inflatable kayak is also easier to store. We are able to keep it in the loft of our garage. If you are thinking of a place to store it, make sure the kayak will be kept away from cats, dogs, or rodents that may puncture the kayak.
Tandem kayak for family fun
We chose an inflatable tandem kayak because our children are young and need some assistance while kayaking. The Intex Explorer K2 allows us to take turns floating with them and teaching them the basics of kayaking.
Obviously a tandem kayak is meant to be used by 2 peoople, but the kayak also has a weight limit of 400 pounds. As you’ll see above, the kayak is sturdy enough that I was able to kayak with both of my daughters – we were still well under the maximum weight.
No matter what age or swimming ability plan to use the kayak, make sure you have a properly fitted life jacket for each member of your party.
One of the other things I like about the inflatable kayak is that it offers some “give.” It’s not easy to flip and it feels very sturdy when you get in and out. If you’ve ever been in a typical tandem kayak, getting in and out with a partner, always feels a bit hair-raising, but entering and exiting the Intex Explorer is seamless.
However, the give that it provides does make it a bit difficult to make the back supports comfortable for adults. If you have a bad back or weak core muscles, you may want to bring an extra towel to wedge behind your back.
Where can you use an inflatable kayak? Really, anywhere. We’ve explored lakes & reservoirs near our home in Mansfield, Ohio; but you could also use it on rivers, canals, or ponds.
Do you have any additional questions about using the inflatable kayak? Please drop them in the comments.
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