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Name: bogotabro

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Was in the market for an inflatable kayak so after some shopping around, decided on the Aquaglide Chinook 100. Bought it from the dealer AirKayaks.com and it arrived promptly. Admittedly I had never had any experience with the Boston valve used on these things so did not know what I was in for. I didn't have an air pump with a nozzle connection that would fit this valve, it is very specific to this application, so the dealer did send me a demo hand pump. The design and operation of this valve is one of the most idiotic, frustrating things I've ever encountered. It's composed of cheap plastic parts and only connects by "popping" the nozzle in place, but the movement of the air hose while pumping causes it to constantly pop out. You either have to use one hand to pump and the other to hold it in place, or have another person assist you. The solution offered for this is to "rough up" the edges of the valve nozzle plastic tip with sandpaper, to help keep it from popping off. The videos say this thing can be easily inflated and ready for the water in less than ten minutes. Uh, no I don't think so. That is blatantly misleading advertising. After ten minutes the frustration is just beginning. After much effort getting the side hull and center bladder inflated somewhat, I noticed that the velcro strips that hold the seats in place on the cover of the center bladder were not evenly centered, noticeably off to one side by almost two inches. I knew before even getting this thing in the water that it wouldn't track straight and would lean to one side with the seat not perfectly centered. OK, I've had it, and contacted the dealer to get an RMA label for return and refund. I was informed that Aquaglide refused this, and only offered to send a new cover for the center bladder (which may or may not have correctly placed velcro strips, who knows) with virtual dismissal of the idiotic Boston valve design complaint. The dealer did accept my return and with some effort I was able to get my money refunded, but not before forking out the $70 return shipping costs myself. The whole experience was a total nightmare. I really wanted to like this thing but would recommend staying far away from Aquaglide products. I can't speak for any other brands, but I know most of the low to moderate-end inflatable kayaks use this Boston valve. I've seen where some of the higher-end brands like Advanced Elements use a better design where the nozzle actually screws into and secures more adequately to the valve, but they are quite costly. So do your research be aware of what you're getting in to or you may also have a cautionary tale like mine.