ADVANCED ELEMENTSAdvancedFrame Sport Inflatable Kayak - Lightweight Day Touring Kayak with Bag and Pump

I've had this out maybe half a dozen times now. I am really pleased with this kayak. Make that thrilled. If portability and storage requirements are driving you to an inflatable kayak, this is a great option. It is not a toy. It is a real, useable kayak.Setup: I timed it the other day and from car parked to paddle in the water took me 10 minutes. That includes maybe 2 minutes to carry the kayak down to the water from my parking spot. Since it is quite light, it is easy for me to carry solo. The pump it comes with is a high-volume low pressure pump--a short, fat thing--that works really well.Breakdown: Breakdown is even faster. By the time my friend has his kayak on his roof carrier and tied down, mine is deflated, wiped down, packed in its bag and loaded in the trunk. The pump has a deflate mode that I use to pump the last bit of air out of the main chamber. There is some extra work though. When I get home, I unpack the kayak, partially inflate it, towel out the cockpit, and leave it out to dry in the sun for a few hours. It might be overkill, but I want to make sure the kayak is completely dry inside and out before storing it away.Performance: Tracks very well for an inflatable. It's not going to perform like a 14' Eddyline, but it's better than you might expect. The internal frame, although minimal, provides some shape to the hull, and there is a very small skeg, both of which help tracking. It does not have any footpegs, but I did not find that to be a problem. I do feel like I am blown around a bit more in windy conditions than a hardshell. Also, it feels slow in choppy water. The body seems to absorb the chop rather than cut threw it.Capacity: At 6'0" and 195 lbs, I am about at the limit for this boat. If you are any taller than that, you should probably try it out first. At my weight, there is some sag in the boat. I am probably going to get their backbone that increases the rigidity of the boat. They also make a drop-stitch floor which would serve much the same purpose.Storage: Despite what it says in the description, there is very little storage space. I can fit a life jacket behind the seat. That's about it. Anything else goes in the cockpit between my legs or tied down to the top of the boat. There are Velcro straps on the deck you can use to hold a paddle or a fishing pole. There is no water bottle holder. I tuck the water bottle alongside of the seat.Miscellaneous: I like that the boat only has a short skeg as I do a lot of kayaking in shallow water. Some inflatables have large skegs would limit my ability to explore mangrove tunnels. The seat is surprisingly comfortable. With the side chambers, the walls of the kayak are pretty wide. This makes it more difficult to enter and exit if you use the straddle method.

I love my kayak. It is so light and easy to inflate and set up. It inflates easily, is easy to carry and very portable. I have another one that is similar that I also love and needed a second one to take out friends. Would never go back to a hard shell again when these handle so well and are so convenient. They are very durable as well.

Love our inflatable kayak! Loved it so much, we bought 2! It's sturdy, dependable, no leaks, and easy to inflate and deflate. Each kayak comes with a bag to make the haul easier. It's probably about 40 bulky pounds but manageable for my 5'2 120lbs self- I just wear the bag the kayak is in like a backpack, its definitely doable. My husband takes about 20 mins to set up both kayaks and breaking it down takes about the same time.. We use the paddles it came with and it does just fine in Rivers and Lakes. Haven't taken them out into the ocean, but that's not what we bought them for so this review isn't about that. You'll love it!

After being sorely disappointed with our two cheap Intex kayaks last year, we upgraded to this and have been beyond happy with it! We wanted two kayaks, so I purchased one of these and one Aquaglide Noyo 90, but I ended up returning the Noyo and buying another one of these Advanced Elements Advanced Frame kayaks because I liked it so much better than the Noyo. It's so quick to inflate, although you do need to pay attention to the positioning of the ballasts and metal frames in the bow and stern while inflating. Leg room is comfortable up front, and there's plenty of room in back for a cooler and dry bag. It's kind of awkward to carry by myself - a handle in the middle inside would have been helpful - but not impossible to carry short distances alone. Love the paddle straps on each side and the bungee netting up front! Tracks decently, super durable and well made, and I'm very happy with it!

I have used mine for over 5 years. Love so much I bought 2 more for family & friends to use. Quick inflate and deflate. Love that it fits in the back seat or trunk of my little focus and still room to add gear for fishing, camping & biking. Very light when packed and when loaded for the day.River or Lakes it performs perfectly in high winds and strong currents.I recommend the backbone (advanced elements backbone-bow & stern frame) works well without but really appreciate the extra support for my spine esp on those 4 + hr days on the lake.Have run over logs & shallows with rocks, not that I would recommend constant contact, but each time has come out without any marks.I looked at other type of inflatables but this is an actual kayak, not a flotation device for playing in your swimming pool.Totally worth the investment.

I purchased this Kayak from MTN Outlet - I have purchased A LOT of products on Amazon for many years and one of the main reasons is that I feel protected by Amazon's great customer service and return policies. In this case, I did not realize MTN Outlet has a terrible return policy. I tried this Kayak - one time (it looks like new - no damage) - but this inflatable's seating is WAY TOO LOW - I could hardly paddle it and could not get comfortable trying to sit upright. It moves very slow in the water (even on a calm small lake). I tried to return it - contacted this seller - but MTN refused my return request. I have now learned a valuable lesson and share this review so no other good faith Amazon customer has the same pathetic experience.