Helios 380 EX

I spent quite a bit of time in my Innova Helios 380 in the past two weeks. I was on vacation in New Smyrna Beach, FL, and paddled it around Callalisa Creek and in northern parts of the Mosquito Lagoon. This review is based on that, plus performance around home in small lakes and in the Potomac River near Washington, DC.

I bought this kayak used in August 2006. I was looking for a used Innova Sunny or Solar II, and this one came up first, at a good price, so I got it.

The real reason for the Helios - or any inflatable kayak - is to have a kayak that can be stored in a small space, or transported in a small space. I live in a condo in Alexandria, VA. We don't have any common storage space here, so what I have has to fit in the closets here. The Helios can fold down to a size of a carryon bag for an airline travel. I use a bigger bag, a 30x14x14 rolling boat bag from Bass Pro, which holds the kayak, 4-piece paddle, pump, my PFD, the dog's PFD, and fishfinder. It's still checkable if you travel by air, and it holds everything I need together in one place.

One of the biggest concerns mentioned on yakfishing boards about inflatables is how they do when there are hooks around or sharp objects (oyster shells, for example) in the water. Hooks weren't a problem. Just like on plastic, they slid right over the rubber outer coating of the yak. If you get a hook hung on one of the main tubes or the floor, and jerked up, you might have a problem. If you pay attention to where your hooks are, you won't have a problem.

Another hazard mentioned is oyster bars. Sometimes, if you don't know the waters well, they can be unavoidable. I scraped over a few of them. The only damage I suffered was two short cuts through the nitrylon rubber outer coating. The polyester reinforcing fabric was not damaged, nor was the internal rubber coating which holds in the air. The nicks in the outer rubber occurred at the lowest place on the yak, right under my seat. Otherwise, the Helios rode up and over them. If you hit nails or something pointy, you would have more problems, but shells seem to be less of a hazard. I have a urethane adhesive called Aqua Seal that I'll be using to paint over these nicks.

Speed is a factor for some people. In my experience, it was faster than an Ocean Kayak Malibu II paddled solo, and faster than a 10' sit inside boat I rented once. I've read that the Helios is faster than a Cobra Fish 'n Dive. It isn't going to set speed records being paddled solo, but most of us put in as close as we can to where we want to fish, then use the kayak to go the last mile to the fishing ground.

Paddling solo is the only way I've used my Helios. This leads to the bow being high out of the water and tracking to be awful. As ballast I've found that three gallon jugs of water fit perfectly in the area under the bow dodger, and can be bought anywhere for less than $1 per jug. This gives you 24 lbs of weight there, which keeps the bow in the water and makes this a decent tracking boat.

An issue that comes up frequently is finding kayaks for big guys. I'm 6'1" and weigh 270. This kayak handles that easily. With the front ballasted as described above, the back with me sitting in it is just a little lower than the front. There is a slight bend in the tubes where I sit even when fully inflated. Max weight capacity is around 400 lbs. Stability is good; it would be better if I were a little lighter and didn't have the distortionary effects of my weight on the boat.

Wind affected the Helios less than I expected. When under way, it tracks adequately and wind is not as much of an issue. At rest it does tend to blow around a bit, and could use an anchor or other method of staking out. Current affected the Helios much more than I expected. In the ICW near Riverbreeze Park in Oak Hill, it took several strokes of the paddle just to get to the point where I was staying in one place against the current, and several more to get forward motion against the current.

If this were a plastic boat, it would be adequate, but nothing special. The special part comes when it's time to put it away and it goes in the back of my hall closet. For an inflatable, it's very tough, quick, and stable. It's perfect for apartment dwellers, condo owners, and travelers who can't expect to find a kayak rental at the end of their journey.

I've owned my Helios for a year now and have taken it on lakes and quieter rivers. I really enjoy it. I can carry it easily in my car, it is not heavy for me to backpack 50 yards to the water. It inflates quickly and moves at a good speed, at least fast enough for me. I've always used it as a double and we can move as fast as a hard shell single kayak, generally. It's very comfortable and its skin seems extremely tough. I've owned a canoe and two other kayaks (including a puffin and a hardshell), and this is the most enjoyable. I think the Puffin is cute, but not as seaworthy as my Helios. The Helios is also easier to get in working order. It takes less than 10 minutes of air pumping. But I would never take it on rapids. I don't think it's made for that. Especially given the price, I highly recommend it. I do worry about how long it will last and when it will give out. But it has worked so well for just having fun, that I've put off getting a Folbot Greenlander, for now.

Very, very nice inflatable. Tracks well and is quite nimble. Very bomb-proof, tough fabric! Easy to set-up, easy to deflate and pack and extremely fun to paddle. The only limitation may be that the center thrwart prevents a single paddler from sitting in the center position. I love this boat.

Assuming you are a somewhat experience kayaker, you don’t need a rudder with this boat, especially if two people are paddling, but the removable skeg (extra) does help tracking. I also added some rings for more grab points and extral lines for equipment. You can put in two small drybags fore and aft and add extra equipment on the mid section compartment. I would reiterate everything said so far about its whitewater limitations and bailing out hurtling down a class III is no picnic. I think this boat excels on moderate water assuming no breaking waves—again no picnic and no pump could keep up with oncoming water. In calm seas it’s also fine but you do need two paddlers to get good speed, almost keeping up with 14’ hardshells. Using the backpack it comes with is akin to carrying a large potato sack with two straps sewn on-- it’s a streeeetch to say it’s easy to backpack. Maybe in my old age lugging 40 plus pounds on my back over rough terrain is the cardiac workout I don’t need. Would have given it 10 but no boat deserves that and people are too charitable around here. Look at the “theboatpeople” website and it will provide you with a wealth of info on most inflatables made today.

For seating height and comfort, my husband sits on a Sterns self-inflating cushion, in the back of the Helios. I bought an extra Innova Safari seat and use that in the front of the Helios for good back support and better height. Otherwise we feel like we're sitting too low in the boat. We are both fairly short.

Recently had the opportunity to take my Innova Helios to the Cayman Islands for a 10 day vacation. The kayak packed nicely and I checked it onto the airplane as regular baggage. The kayak inflated on the beach within 5-10 minutes, and I was on the Caribbean Ocean. It performed nicely in all types of seas, from mild 1 foot swells to 4 foot swells. I always felt safe and in control. I took my wife out with me once, my daughter once, and my son once. I also went out by myself a couple of times. The kayak performs better with another person seated in the bow. When paddling solo, I needed to put a sand bag in the bow of the kayak to keep the bow in the water. The Helios allowed my the opportunity to get out on water and enjoy the ocean.

Innova calls this the all-terrain bike of kayaks, and i have to agree; it also can be carried on a bike. everything ricker said about it has proved to be true for me, too, except that i have never tried a higher seating position. i have taken it on extended trips along the coast of south carolina, and found the front passenger compartment easily holds enough food (and water) for a very long time. it also works well as a double (although it is necessary for good handling [i don't have the rudder] for the heavier paddler to sit in the rear). i would also add there is in my experience no better company to do business with than innova. based on my satisfaction with the helios, i also bought a safari. (i don't know if you could buy it by itself, but the safari comes with a neat and comfy touring seat, which also makes an air mattress if necessary, which might serve ricker's low seating problem.