There is a lot of good to say about this kayak! I really enjoy it so far....
Pros
- very light 25 pounds (11.5 k),
- easy to carry (inflated or not),
- stable,
- comes with 2 fins for tracking,
- the seams look nicely done,
- nice solid floor (drop-stitched),
- fills very quickly with electric or hand pump (I've done both),
- bow design is raised nicely in the profile,
- the dry-ish bag it comes with stores nicely in the stern (not a real dry bag, but solid addition),
- tracks pretty well despite short length,
- turns on a dime (which is fun),
- doesn't blow around too much (with fins installed),
- grab handles bow and stern,
- has bungees in back and ropes in the bow which are helpful for self-rescue,
- adjustible footrest is good,
- the pump it comes with is solid,
- pretty quick to paddle as inflatables go,
- it's nice having all the drain holes (8 mid and one stern),
- looks cool.
In terms of the cost, it's about right with a few notes below.
Cons
Seating is subjective, for sure, but the seat is a bit flimsy for the price (and careful to keep the seat's forward higher clasps attached forward and the lower seat clasps attached aft). I will probaby add something for lumbar support.
I have had an Advanced Elements inflatable in the past & currently own a Sevylor Big Basin (both with better seats, I reckon)--I have a normal kayak too with solid seats.
Because it is so light, the tracking isn't as good as a 12 ft or longer inflatable, but pretty good.
Because of light weight, it's hard to stop and rest without the current spinning you around.
Mine arrived without the 2 fins--there are none in North America now, but I got them expedited from China. I have used the boat with and without fins. It tracks so much better with them attached. It's fun without the fins, but without, it's just for paddling around a little swimming area with kids and such.
Because it is so light, it is a bit harder to self-rescue, but because they have bungee cords and ropes in the bow and stern, that's smart design.
The pictures online were not standard when I bought my boat. The Cdn Aqua Marina site and the Ebay site where I bought it showed a different seat than what I received, but the American Aqua Marina site had the current seat updated at the time of purchase. I suspect that the seat for the last iteration of this boat, the Betta K-1 formerly, had a more sturdy inflatable seat, and probably was better than the new edition, which is a shame. The current, cheaper Betta 1 which is now green vs. red, has the inflatable seat, which looks like a better seat than the more expensive Steam St-312.
The carry bag is flimsy, which is not really great, I don't think. For the price of the boat, I would expect a hardier carry bag.
Overall, I really really like the boat.
