Boats... to rent or buy?

Anyone know anything about inflatable kayaks? I'm torn, because I want it all: low cost, potability, and great paddling in the water. If I can find an inflatable/portable boat, I can save $70 on a shuttle every time I go. I want something that can carry a couple dry bags, and still paddle still water pretty well.
 
What do you want to know about inflatable kayaks? I use a tandem inflatable kayak for all my river trips. It's quick and easy for setup....has enough room for me and my gear...and fits nicely in the back of my Jeep. I like it :)
 
cool. I think I already know the answer, but is there anything at least semi-decent for under $300? I see some inflatables that go for over $1300 and I don't want to spend that much. I don't need top of the line, since an inflatable will never perform like a hard-sided kayak. However, I see an inflatable kayak solving my two problems: storage and transport.

We're running Labyrinth Canyon in May, and boat rental and shuttle is going to cost us $205 per person. If we all had inflatables, we could skip the rental and shuttle fees, as we could run our own shuttle (it's a lot easier to fit 7+ inflatable kayaks in a pickup than 7 hard-sided kayaks). I realize that's not a huge expense for rentals, but if we could put that towards purchasing our own, even better.

I'm looking for something for rivers like the green and colorado, with nothing crazier than a class II. In other words, I'm going to be paddling them quite a ways, not relying on the current to push me along. I don't need world-class performance, I've had plenty of fun on cheap inner tubes before. i'd just like to spend my money on something that isn't total crap. I don't need this to be able to fit into a backpack, but I would like it to weigh under 35-40 lbs if possible.

I'm willing to spend some $ for a decent paddle and PFD, since I know that's important.

Which model do you have Randy?
 
I have a Tributary Tomcat Tandem which is made my Aire.....I got mine on an off-season clearance sale from NRS for $550 a few years back. They seem to be around $750 now. I personally wouldn't trust a sub-$300 IK, if there are even any that cheap...
 
How do you like your IK? Any features you wish it had? Are you able to fit a few dry bags for 3+ nights of gear?
 
What Randy said. If you are going to invest in an IK, go with Aire or NRS, don;t go cheap. If you aren't using it on whitewater they can last a lifetime with proper care. Stay within the weight range and you can carry enough gear for a few nights out.
With most watercraft, you get what you pay for.
 
I have a couple of mid-range two man kayaks by advanced elements. Different model, but very similar to the Lagoon 2. I've spent a fair amount of time in them on the ocean and in mild whitewater (up to class III). I've also rented high-end duckies. These really don't compare to the high end units in quality, but they are in a completely different class than the pure vinyl consumer-grade stuff from walmart and sporting goods stores. I don't think they would work really well for extended flat-water. You definitely can't make the same progress in these that you can in a touring kayak.
 
That's what I was afraid of. It seems like there's a big jump in performance between the $300 ones and the $900 ones. I want one with a skeg for good tracking. I don't want self-bailing, and I'd like it to be narrow and quick. I don't need maneuverability.

These ones have caught my eye:

aquaglide columbia 2. I really like the hard bottom, the skeg, and it looks tough and sleek.
http://www.airkayaks.com/aquaglide-columbia-two-hb-inflatable-kayak-for-2-paddlers/

sea eagle fast track. Reviews are awesome for these. I like the hard bottom, and the weight (32 lbs)
http://www.inflatablekayakworld.com/inflatable-kayak-review-19/

tributary sawtooth II. These are supposed to be really fast and sleek. I wonder how the seats attach, and it looks like there isn't a whole lot of room for gear or places to tie things down. Tributary (Aire) has a great reputation.
http://www.backcountry.com/tributar...mluZmxhdGFibGUga2F5YWs&skid=ARE0039-YL-ONESIZ
 
sixstringsteve said:
tributary sawtooth II. These are supposed to be really fast and sleek. I wonder how the seats attach
Click to expand...

Those look like the seats in my Tomcat.....they attach at the front and back to the many tie downs located along the sides. Then there is a strap that attaches to the back part of the seat and wraps all the way around the boat. The newer Tomcat has inflatable seats, but I prefer these seats on mine.
 
That Sawtooth II looks nice to me....if I were ever in the market for a flat water boat, that would probably be something I would be looking at...
 
Randy, how does your Tomcat do for flatwater? I know it's more of a whitewater boat, but does it track ok, and is it fairly efficient?
 
Cool. The only Aire (tributary) I'm interested in is the sawtooth I or sawtooth II, since the rest are really meant for whitewater.
 
Steve, Of all those mentioned, the Sawtooth II looks like the most realistic. I originally bought my Advanced Elements Dragonflys for mild ocean surf use with my kids. I started out with a cheap 2-man seyvlor. The primary factors in choosing these were 1- Waay more durable than the cheepos. and 2- They have a small keel and skeg built in. Without the skeg, an inflatable is pretty much uncontrollable even in light ocean surf and even a little wind on flatwater. They are great for that and we love to take them on light whitewater trips - lots more fun that a raft. The downside is any 2 man kayak that is only 12-13 feet long is really only big enough for an adult and a kid. I'm 6'2", so maybe it is a small complaint, but even with a big kid or my wife up front, it is hard to find a place to put my legs. If you are talking about taking any gear at all with you, then this problem gets worse.

If you are serious at all about buying one, you really should borrow one or both of my Advanced Elements units and try it out. Maybe we can just bring them on the Labyrinth Canyon trip and try out/trade off while we go down??? We would just need somewhere else to store gear...
 
That would be cool. I would want a 2-man for just me and my gear (and even then, it seems like a tight fit). The inflatables just don't have the storage capacity of the rigid kayaks.
 
Unimog said:
The downside is any 2 man kayak that is only 12-13 feet long is really only big enough for an adult and a kid. I'm 6'2", so maybe it is a small complaint, but even with a big kid or my wife up front, it is hard to find a place to put my legs. If you are talking about taking any gear at all with you, then this problem gets worse.
Click to expand...

I'm 6'5 and my girlfriend is 5'11"...we have no problems fitting in my IK with minimal gear for a day trip.
 
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