Safari 330

I purchased an Innova Safari 3 M in 2010. It is a very solid and well made product. The following are my comments. 1. It is 14 kg so far too heavy to be accepted in an airline overhead locker despite the Innova claim. 2. To backpack it is possible, but consider that you must also carry in the pump, the carry bag and the paddle so the real weight will be closer to 18 kg. 3. I have had mine for around 7 or 8 years now, used it about 20 to 30 times. Always washed in clean water after use and stored in a dry room out of sun. My kayak has now come apart on all four seams at the bow and stern (2 bow, 2 stern) an these seams need complete re-gluing. These are not seams on the inflated chambers but more to provide shape to the boat. 4. The new Safari is longer at 3.3 meters and also wider. The extra length for the new model is a good change for larger paddlers. 5. Do remember that it is very easy to be one or two kilometres offshore in an inflatable to avoid reefs etc. This is a long way to swim if by chance one of the inflated chambers deflates! Consider this if you are choosing an inflatable over a plastic or fibreglass kayak. ALWAYS WEAR A LIVE VEST.

I took the 2nd generation Innova Safari (aka Gumotex Safari in Europe) down the Mekong in Laos and white water trips in Thailand. It was abit small but the new Safari 330 is bigger so i def will be getting it too!

This thing is amazing. Class III rapids are no problem, the pack it comes with is super durable and can carry some extra gear if packed properly. Works fine to hike with - just needs a chest strap, maybe some padding if hiking longer.

The negative review I pointed out clearly does not understand that air expands when it gets hot -and the instructions clearly state to both UV protect the exterior and keep it out of the sun when out of the water.

The boat tracked very well with the skeg, and I had no trouble keeping up with the canoes in my group. The boat inflates in about 15 minutes with a foot pump, and deflates even faster. It's easy to carry with the bag provided. I'm very happy with my purchase and look forward to taking it with me next time I travel by air.

I think the inflatable seat and footrest could be improved upon. Perhaps a plastic foot rest that could fit into some slots on the side chambers would be a better design. There's always an opportunity for improvement, but I think it's a very well made boat, and I look forward to several years of adventure with this kayak.

We are not experienced kayakers, but we find the boat easy to paddle and quite responsive. The only down side is the self bailing holes let in some water so I always have a damp behind. This rules out long distance cold weather paddling unless I invest in some protective gear. But I like not having to worry about baling - overall it's not a big problem.

Dimensions (mine is a 2004 model)
Maximum beam 25"
Waterline beam, considering that I'm a 200 lb. guy about 22"
Length 10'

Last night I inflated the Safari in my bedroom just to check it out. The Bravo 8 foot pump worked really well. The Safari chambers are really taut when fully inflated. I was a little concerned about the inflatable foot rest, it only attaches on the bottom in the middle. It feels like if I push with one foot, I'll have to make sure that my other foot is pushing on the other side.

The boat is very snug, which I like, I like the feeling of being "one with the boat". It feels very comfortable to me especially since it's an inflatable and everything gives somewhat. I didn't like the inflatable back rest so I ordered some D-ring patches so I could use a regular backrest from my SOT's.

Took the Safari out today for the first time. The light weight is really handy 'cuz I had to walk down a hill to the river. It also makes it easier to travel with. It does take a little while to inflate, so a hard shell is quicker to launch. But, a hard shell would have been harder to get to the river. Everything's a trade-off. Did not install the skeg, I wanted to get a feel for the boat without it. I also didn't inflate the seat, I wanted to sit lower to make it more stable.

The river I was paddling in is a small river with non-existent current. Got in and pushed off, expecting some tippiness from other reports. It's a little tippy, but I like it. Also, consider that my favorite hard shell is one of the more stable surf skis. Your mileage may vary. It is very maneuverable. Like a whitewater boat, if you stop paddling, it almost instantly turns 180 degrees.

The wind had more of an affect on it than I thought it would. Controllable, but maybe with the skeg it would do better. The inflatable footrest works well, still don't like the inflatable backrest. I like it with the seat deflated.

Pulled over to the shore to install the skeg. Now, the directions said to install it with the boat deflated, but what do they know, they’re just the manufacturer. After trying for a while, I gotta tell you, deflate the center chamber. No other way. So, deflated the center chamber, installed the skeg, and reinflated the center chamber. The one thing I really don't like about the boat is how difficult it is to install and remove the skeg.

With the skeg installed it tracks better. Now, this thing definitely doesn't track like a freight train, but it is definitely better. Now I can really see that the glide is pretty impressive for a 10' inflatable. If you look at the dimensions, with a 22" waterline beam it should be easier to paddle. Also, it should help that the chambers are very taut almost like a hard shell. Also, the wind didn't have as much affect on the boat now. Now, realize that I'm mainly planning on using this boat on rivers where the winds are generally less than on open water lakes.

I didn't bring my GPS, so no hard speed figures, but it seemed pretty impressive for a 10' boat. I don't think that I'd paddle with any sea kayaks though. Especially if my wife's paddling one of them, I hate it when she beats me.

Had to portage around a downed tree, the light weight helped immensely. Little suggestion, if you’ve installed the skeg and are dragging the boat like I was, pick up the stern so the skeg doesn't catch on anything.

Getting in and out was fairly simple, just swivel and throw your legs over one of the side chambers and stand up. It was pretty easy to just sit that way with my legs over the side.

Got back, it dried out pretty quickly in the sun, packed everything up and went home. Also, the shoulder straps on the bag are not very comfortable, but I happened to have an NRS Paragon Pack and that worked really well! (www.nrsweb.com)

Overall, I really like the boat. I always like it when I buy something and it turns out to be as good as I hoped it would be. It all depends on what you're looking for.

There is still room for of improvements though. I found the Safari's pillow style backrest somewhat uncomfortable for anything longer than a half hour of paddling. Innova was very responsive and supplied an "old style" Sunny seat with an upright inflatable backrest. Problem solved! This seat matches the Safari perfectly and I can paddle quite a distance without any sciatic discomfort. I wish this seat was an option for an otherwise great kayak. BTW, since I live in an apartment without much storage space, both my kayaks reside under my bed when they aren't out paddling.

Stability is comparable to a hardshell. Novices should take into consideration this if they looking for a "stable" kayak. Just like any hardshell all the safety equipment and the skills are required. A pump, the Safari is self-bailing, and a paddlefloat are not necessary. I noticed some weathercocking with each paddle stroke but now I have learned to compensate with a steeper paddle angle.

Like with all hardshells the paddler must practice re-entries. Although it's easier to re-enter the Safari I recommend practicing this skill. The lack of a closed cockpit makes re-boarding a relatively simple procedure. Speed is good... for a 10' kayak that is. It keeps going along without complaining and without much need of corrective strokes.

The only issue I have is that I wish Innova updated the inflation valves to the new type, as they have with their double kayak, the Sunny. Overall, I'm very happy with the Safari. I highly recommend it as a fun little kayak for day paddles in oceans, lakes and rivers.

I just bought an Aire Force XL for handling big water (Class IV and large volume), but compared to the Safari it is slower, and doesn't play as well as the Safari. For up to Class III rapids, I'll use my Safari. For Class IV or higher, large volume, or unfamiliar rivers, I'll use the safer, but not as playful Aire Force XL.

The only problem with the Safari on large volume and Class IV or greater is the fact that the narrow boat gets swallowed up by big water because the bailing is slower and the side tubes are not as high as other boats. This fact means that the Safari can easily be wrapped around rocks on big, powerful rapids. The Safari has bulletproof construction though, so that is not a problem!

Looks, quality, packability aesthetic appeal: 10
Weight (24lbs boat only, 33lbs fully outfitted with backpack, pump, and paddle): 9 (could always be lighter!)
Backpack quality and design: 9 (very good, but I had to modify mine to make a place for the paddle shaft storage)
Packability and portage: 9 - weighing in at less than 1/2 the weight of my Aire Lynx, this boat can go places!
Quality of materials: 10 (nice!)
Quality of primary valves: 8 (a bit cumbersome)
Quality of seat/thwart valves: 5 (simple, but slow to inflate/deflate, and seem to wear quickly)
Price: 10+++++!!!!! Great boat for the money. You could not do better.

Flatwater/whitewater characteristics: Initial stability: 5 (this boat is not designed for fishermen)
Secondary stability: 8 (exceptionally good for narrow boat width)
Hull Speed: 10 (easily just as fast as a hardshell)
Tracking: It all depends on the skeg - no skeg, spins on a dime - skeg attached - tracks ok (disclaimer here - I paddle mostly class II-IV whitewater, not sea or flatwater, so I am reporting based on river flatwater sections)

Whitewater performance: Simply amazing for an inflatable!
Carving - 10
Surfing - 10
Control with dry interior - 10
Control with flooded interior - 9
Bailing speed - 6 (it could use improvement here, but the good control in flooded conditions really makes speed less important)

Comparison to hardshell performance - closer than you would think - hull speed allows for river running equal to hardshell playboat. River playing (control and ease of hole surfing, enders) is much better than any other inflatable I have tried (Aire Lynx, Aire Force, Sevylor and Stearns products). This is primarily due to lower initial stability which allows for more carving and j-leaning than competing models which are designed with stability-first mentality.

This is a boat designed for intermediate to advanced paddlers which know how to eskimo roll and can brace well in whitewater. Beginners, fishermen, or scaredy cats should look for a boat with higher initial stability. Hardshell Kayakers wanting a packable boat should only consider this boat, the Aire forces, and the Incept Sally kayaks. For quality, performance on all types of water, weight, packability, and price, this boat cannot be beat. For those willing to sacrifice performance for extreme packability, there are always the Alpacka Rafts, but the Innova Junior may be a better compromise.
Way to go Innova, a great product!

Pros: light-weight, cost, maneuverability, surfing, fun-factor, lake paddling. The tracking fin is great for lake use.
Cons: my model was only rated to 180lbs - a 250 lb friend used the boat and had great difficulty with tipping over. I would be reluctant to try this boat in Class 3+ water, but, maybe I should try it - it always amazes me. Small boat for overnighters. Though the boat is tough and handles srcaping over river rocks, it is susceptible to pin holes from things like blackberry bushes.

I wanted an inflatable for the space and transport advantages, but I could see that much of what was on the market might pack well but paddle poorly. I hoped to avoid that with the Safari, and it looks like I've been successful. I also wanted something versatile--I'll never paddle class IV with it, but the idea of using the same boat for mild whitewater and flatwater appealed to me.

The first few times, I took it out without the skeg in the upper Mississippi (current but no rapids) and it was very responsive. It made the mild eddy turns I tried almost by itself, and it ferried easily too, although I think back ferries are going to take a little more practice. Both upstream and down, it tracked better than I expected, leading me to think that maybe with enough practice the skeg would never be necessary. I've since changed my mind about that. I took it out on one of our larger lakes on a challenging day, with winds 20-30 mph and a deep, hectic chop. On a whim, I bolted the skeg on first. Wow. It's a whole different boat. Even while sliding over the whitecaps like a soap bubble, it holds a course in a beam wind better than my (unskegged) 14' hardshell. Running downwind, it never offers to broach. Upwind or quartering upwind can get a little wet, but I had expected that. The self-bailing feature quickly eliminated any water that came on board. You're fairly exposed in this boat so wear some neoprene and drybag your groceries if the water is big and cold.

On the subject of groceries, I have high hopes of being able to use the Safari for overnighters. The difference between my 175# and the 220# rated capacity is a little more than I carry when backpacking, so it should be possible. A 10 or 15 liter drybag fits in front, and at least a 50 liter in back.

The main worry I had was that I wouldn't fit the boat but at 6'2" with fairly long legs, I have plenty of room.

Setup, packing and daily maintenance seem easier with this boat that they would be with some others, notably the Aire, Stearns and other bladder-in-skin designs. It's easy to wipe dry and it makes a very compact package. I got the K-100 pump from K-Pump, and it fits easily in the pack with the boat and PFD.

Kudos to Tim at Innova for excellent and timely customer service. It's getting less common these days, and we should do what we can to reinforce it.