Inflatable Kayak Review | Advanced Elements - AirVolution
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- Опубліковано 2 лип 2024
- In this video I'm testing out the Advanced Elements AirVolution inflatable kayak. It's an inflatable recreational touring kayak made with drop-stitch construction that fits in a backpack and can be inflated and ready to paddle in a few minutes. Does the AirVolution perform as well as they say it does? How does it compare to other kayaks in this price range? These are some of the questions that I'll answer in this detailed gear review.
Learn more about the Advanced Elements AirVolution: www.advancedelements.com/infl...
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PADDLES
Aqua Bound Manta Ray Carbon Paddle:
Aqua Bound Tango Fibreglass Paddle: bit.ly/3iaGleJ
Aqua Bound Whiskey Carbon Bent Shaft Paddle: bit.ly/3z1kiOH
FOOTWEAR
NRS Kicker Remix Shoe: bit.ly/36F1B6Y
NRS Boundary Boot: bit.ly/2TaCMgl
PADDLING SHIRTS / TOPS
NRS Guide Long Sleeve Shirt: bit.ly/3yVID8j
NRS Guide Short Sleeve Shirt: bit.ly/3dkDYaD
NRS H2Core Silkweight Shirt: bit.ly/3xF43pX
NRS H2Core Silkweight Long Sleeve Shirt: bit.ly/3yZGbO2
NRS Hydroskin Short Sleeve Shirt: bit.ly/3wCvoI3
NRS Riptide Splash Jacket: bit.ly/3BbAZZJ
NRS Flux Dry Top: bit.ly/2U3Pvlw
PFD’S
NRS Odyssey PFD: bit.ly/3ibIk2n
NRS Zen PFD: bit.ly/2VCfrF3
NRS Chinook PFD: bit.ly/2TaEAG9
OTHER PADDLING GEAR
Zoleo Communicator: bit.ly/3zw7gw1
NRS Drylander Sprayskirt: bit.ly/36z5BG6
WRSI Current Helmet: bit.ly/2Te6KA6
PADDLING SHORTS/BOTTOMS
NRS Benny Board Short: bit.ly/2VIbK0L
NRS Hydroskin Shorts: bit.ly/3hCXPl2
SUNGLASSES
WileyX: bit.ly/3NtJQKR
FOLLOW KEN
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Blog: in4adventure.com
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#PaddleTV #RecreationalKayak #Kayaking - Спорт
I just gotta say, after watching nearly every video on these Advance Elements inflatable kayaks on UA-cam, your videos are the most enjoyable to watch. Entertaining, concise, and aesthetically pleasing to to the eye. You’ve got it all down wonderfully! Top notch content, Ken! Keep up the great work!
I bought an AdvancedFrame recently and trying it out next week! Excited to be able to have it in the trunk of the Tesla and drive half way across the country to go lake fishing with the family I haven’t seen in many years! Never would have thought it would be possible but your videos made me confident in my decision. You could say… I’m pumped! 🥳
Thanks for the encouraging words! While I'm enjoying doing these videos and testing the boats, it's great to hear they're appreciated! Cheers, and enjoy the road trip.
A quien le importa si tienes un Tesla. Lo siento por ti.
Thanks for putting this together.
You bet!
Looks pretty nice. Thanks, Ken. 👍🙂🚣♂️
Thanks 👍
Super-mega-thanks for the honest, thorough, and very useful review!
At first, and compared to much of the competition, these kayaks seem rather expensive, however, I totally love the idea of not having to buy a roof rack, not having to load them up there, tie them down, and unload them, not having storage problem in the garage, and not driving down the Interstate (and parking somewhere) with two boats on top of my small SUV.
If I get a couple of these kayaks, then I will be mindful of the rear fins during inflation & while transporting the kayaks before tossing them on the lake. I've only kayaked three times in my life and I'm looking forward to this experience very much.
Thanks again!
:)
Great to hear you found it helpful! Sounds like these kayaks are perfect for what you need. Enjoy!!
I have the 2020 AirVolution (no foot brace, taller skeg). I love it for what I need it for, which is flatwater lake paddling. I have shorter legs (62 year old female, height 5'5") so the foot brace is not a problem for me, I just move my seat forward and use the front combing for a foot brace, creating a small storage area behind the seat for my beverage/lunch cooler bag. I also use a seat pad similar to a Purple pad, because I have a bit of sciatica and sitting on a hard surface for hours makes my legs go numb. It works great for me. If I want variety, I can also sit cross-legged (indian-style) while paddling with no problem, and I actually find that comfortable. I love how straight the AirVolution tracks with the skeg, virtually no "back and forth zig-zagging. I've had it for about 2 months now, and it's been warm enough to take it out this month so I'm getting quite a bit of use out of it. I can carry it and inflate it on my own. I bought the Serene Life SLPump50. It's rechargeable battery allows it to fill the kayak about 3-4 times between charges, and I don't need to fill it near the car as I would have to with a cigarette lighter powered one. It takes about 8 minutes to fill it, and I can do it at the water's edge, so I don't have to carry the fully inflated boat from the parking lot. I purchased my 2020 model in March of 2021 and got it at $300 off, since it was last year's model. At $999, it was a screaming good deal. I recommend this for folks for whom storage and transportation of a hard kayak is an issue. I often kayak on my own, so loading and unloading a hard kayak on roof mounted rack on my SUV by myself was impossible.
Very cool! Thanks for all the info. It's great to hear from someone who is truly using it on a regular basis.
Very cool. Thanks
You are welcome!
Great video, I have been meaning to kayak for over 5 years now. I want to buy a safe inflatable kayak for touring with my wife but haven't been able to afford one yet. Your videos keep the dream going. Thank you.
Thanks! Hope you get your kayak in the near future!
Check out the 2nd hand market mate. There are lots of good inflatable kayaks out there at good prices, especially if you're prepared to wait for the right one to come up in the right condition. I hope you get one soon pal!
neat concept
Ken thanks for what you do. Love your videos and your conversational style.
We just bought an aquaglide chelan 155. Was between the airvolution tandem and the aquaglide. Since REI had the chelan, that’s what we got. Huge upgrade from our Intex. Hope maybe some day you can do a review of the chelan.
Thank you!!
Thanks for the kind words Greg. I'm glad to hear people are enjoying watching them, because I'm enjoying doing them! Congrats on the Chelan. That is indeed a nice upgrade from the Intex. I actually just picked up an Intex Challenger to test, as I wanted to see how the least expensive kayaks on the market compared to others. I guess I'll need to find a Chelan as well! :). Cheers.
All these portable kayak videos are so great! It would be helpful if at some point you compare them all, having now tested them all I feel like you probably have good insight on which is the best...or at least pros and cons between each
Good idea Juan! In fact... I do plan to do some 'Best In Class' videos in the near future, once I've had a chance to test as many of them as I can. Stay tuned!
@@PaddleTV yes please, it would be great to have them compared
I’ve owned this boat for a year now and absolutely love it. I agree with all the points you made in this review. I use an electric pump made for SUPs to inflate/deflate and it has been a game changer for me. Looking forward to getting my foot rest as last year’s model didn’t come with one and I’m pretty short.
Great to hear! I just tested a really cool electric pump as well. I'll definitely be using it from now on!
@@PaddleTV I didn't like the included electric pump. I switched over to a Dewalt heavy duty pump. But it's quite expensive. See my unboxing video here (Toronto, Canada) : ua-cam.com/video/69l7YzUV7u4/v-deo.html
@@ChristianLanctot The pump I just tried was the Outdoor Master Shark II, which is specifically designed for inflatable kayaks and SUPs.
I made my own foot support and have used it over 30 times. rick.sparber.org/TipsAndTricks.pdf
If you're wondering about his blue high-back PFD, well it's an older version of the NRS Clearwater Mesh Back PFD. 😀
Hi thank you for your video I have just bought one and will send you feedback thank you Andy from Adelaide South Australia
How do you like it?
Anything that gets folks safely on the water is fine by me. My concerns about inflatables include performance, rigidity, durability, and longevity. They don't meet the criteria for my paddling enjoyment at this time.
There's obviously a demand for these vessels. I'm happy to see them evolving beyond what many of us considered to be dangerous swimming pool toys when used in open or moving water.
Inflatable river rafts have been the industry standard for decades. They're certainly tough enough, but a bit too wiggly for my taste!
Excellent review as always Sir.
Please keep 'em coming!
Thanks! I agree... it's great to see inflatables becoming legit watercraft! It really opens up the opportunity to REALLY paddle to so many people who can't store boats, or transport them.
For the airvolution, lets go over some of your concerns:
1 - performance : It's near hard shell performance as Ken demonstrated in the video. I got the tandem and with two people paddling, it really zips along.
2 - Rigidity : You can adjust it a bit. From 8 PSI all the way to 12psi. Anything below 8 will be too soft. But at 12 this thing is as rigid as a hard shell. Most people I met thought my AV was a hard shell.
3 - Durability: I just went over a rock right down the middle just 2 days ago. Not a scratch! Even the skeg was fine. I think it's tough enough.
4 - Longevity : Unknown, mine is brand new. But if you store it properly (fully dried) and don't abuse it, like Ken said, it should last many years.
One thing I really like about the Airvolution is the stability. It is really stable! That's why I got it, the tandem, as my wife is still not 100% secure on water.
@@ChristianLanctot
Thank you for the response!
sea eagle's river skeg is the best one ive used. pretty much indestructible, not sure if its compatible with this kayak tho, but ive modified them to fit other inflatables with an X-acto
Hi Ken, Can you please comment on (1) the Adjustable Foot Brace? What does look like and how does it perform compared to that on the Sea Eagle RazerLite 393rl ? (2) How long does it take to pump up the AirVolution?
Thanks for your great reviews and insights. My husband and I would love to get started with kayaking but are unsure whether we should get the Airvolution or the Oru Beach. We are not going into wild waters but more shallow lakes and mostly calm rivers. It must be stable since we want to take camera gear. We would be interested in a direct comparison of the two in terms of stability, durability, tracking, ease of use.
Sounds like both kayaks would be a good fit... the question is 'which is better'. While I haven't tried the Oru Beach yet, looking at the specs, I would assume the Airvolution would be a more stable kayak. On the flip side, the Oru Beach would likely have better paddling performance, and it's lighter, which makes carrying it around easier. The Oru Beach should still be very stable... just not as rock solid stable as the Airvolution.
@@PaddleTV Thank you very much
Airvolution all the way. Stable, fast to fill, and a BIG advantage other drop stitch kayaks don't have: pressure relief valve to prevent a blowout (usually high temps with air expansion). Once drop stitch is blown a hole, it's game over and no repairable. Had a Oru and sold it after a month..broken buckles, broken seat, and water gets in the plastic channels and must me dried out.
@@gloppy101 Good points - Thank you very much. Do you still have your Sea Eagle Razor Lite?
Have just discovered your amazing videos - have learn so much and really enjoyed, plus subscribed: thank you! I am probably going to purchase a Sea Eagle Razor Lite 393 for myself, but for my husband (who would need something more stable for the times he joins me on flat/calm water), I am torn between An Advance Elements AirVolution and a Kokopelli Packcraft Moki (or Moki light). I don’t see any reviews on your channel for the Kokopelli Moki(s) and am wondering if you are familiar with/have tested them and how you think they compare with the AE AirVolution. THANK YOU!!!
Hi Linda, and thanks for the kind words! I haven't tried the Kokopelli yet, but I'm hoping to get a test boat in the near future. I would really like to try that one! What I can tell you, is that the AirVolution will be a much better match for your Razorlite 393, as the AirVolution will be significantly faster than the Packraft. Another good option would be the Sea Eagle 385 - bit.ly/3eYJ8H2. It's significantly more stable than the 393, but would match the speed pretty well too.
Did not notice if kayak had foot place for power pedaling about that
Great review. Thanks! If you had to pick between the Sea Eagle RazerLite 393rl and this one, which one would you pick?
Hi Allan. A few people have asked this question. Here's what I think... The AirVolution is more stable, but not as fast as the Sea Eagle 393. The Sea Eagle is more my style of boat, because I'm happy to give away stability for performance. The Sea Eagle 393 also fits a big fella like myself better. That being said, they're both super rigid, and very nice boats.
@@PaddleTV I had this exact question... I'm 5 11 .... so I'm going with the sea eagle
In a head to head competition do you prefer the Razorlite 393rl by Sea Eagle or Advanced Elements AirVolution?
Better buy Aquatec kayak is the same inflatable kayak and almost $1000 less expensive!
Although I haven't tried the Aquatec, I'm a firm believer that 'you get what you pay for'.
My DIY plywood kayak goes not OK without rear FIN.. Without fin it wants to drop from straight, goes arc way, and if it did the force ща "stall recovery" is growing. Do all kayak not stable on course without fin?
Now I have got fixed about palm size fin.. and it is absolutely stable on course but it makes me search for deeper water (3-4 inches) and I do love shoals...
Great video! Do you think this kayak Can do coastal waters in the mediteranean? Looking for a kayak to go around Majorca. Or are there better alternatives?
This is a great kayak for calm water. If you're going to go into water that's exposed to waves, this kayak will fill up, because you can't use a skirt. Even though it won't sink (because it's an inflatable), it will be extremely hard to paddle when it's swamped with water. My feeling is that you should choose a sit-on-top kayak that is self draining, or a sit-inside kayak that accommodates a skirt. Hope this helps!
option to use spray skirt?
1. Can this kayak be dried easily?
2. Between the airvolution and the chelan, which would you suggest (tracking, durability, stability, etc)?
1. With it being all drop-stitch with no fabric encasing, you don't really even need to dry it. Just tip it over and get water out of the cockpit, wipe the kayak down and you are good to go.
Make sure you hose it down after use though (portable washer if you want to do it at the site and not at home) and get a tarp or something similar for rolling it up on so dust and stuff doesn't stick on to it when you are rolling it up.
2. Both are a solid choice. Same maintenance requirements. I'm fairly certain that the Airvolution tracks a little bit better and is probably a little bit faster in a straight line. Stability wise the Chelan is probably a tiny bit better but that's not to say that the Airvolution isn't stable, it's extremely stable. Durability is likely roughly the same but the Airvolution is all drop-stitch so perhaps it has less weak points.
I own the Sandbanks Style Optimal which is essentially the Airvolution with minor differences.
Thanks for this excellent review! I'm torn between this kayak and the Sea Eagle 393.
I'm not a beginner kayaker, so the Eagle is appealing. Performance is more important to me than stability. Have never fallen out of a kayak and don't really worry about that. Having said this, the AirVolution seems like a pretty solid inflatable kayak--quite good, too. My only concern is how slow it might be. Is it just a little slower than the Sea Eagle or is it a lot slower? Would an intermediate kayaker feel like they're in their grandma's kayak? Or is it still an excellent kayak regardless?
Btw, is there a 3rd option one might consider? I feel like it's either the AirVolution OR the Sea Eagle. Maybe the Oru Bay Street? Seems great, but I wonder, though, if the AirVolution would track better...
Another consideration is availability. Might not be able to get the Sea Eagle until the end of the summer. I have a lead on an AirVolution I could get sooner. Tough decision.
Anyway, thanks and keep up the great work!
Hard choice! If I had the two in front of me, I would probably go with the Sea Eagle 393, simply because I feel it is s a little faster/sportier, it has space for overnight gear, and it fits me better. That being said... I don't think you'd be disappointed with the AirVolution unless you're over 6' tall. The Bay Street is another great option for sure... although I haven't tried it yet.
@@PaddleTV Thanks so much! I actually ended up ordering the Aquaglide Deschutes 110--something totally different. This was after trying out someone's Oru Beach and Bay kayaks. Long story short, someone who runs a kayaking meetup group recommended it--and somehow, I realized it might be better for my purposes right now. I"ll def keep the Sea Eagle in mind for a later date depending on how much I use the 110.
Anyway, thanks again!
@@leanta11 What factors made you end up choosing the Aquaglide instead of Sea Eagle and Advanced Element?
@@goldent4655 Weight. I picked up my boyfriend's 30-lb kayak just to see if I could handle it. It felt heavy! Meanwhile, though I liked the Orus, there were issues. The one I liked (the Bay) was hard for me to get in and out of. When I was in it, I felt like I was in a luge. I didn't love the performance of the Beach.
Then, I met a woman in a FB group who leads a kayaking meetup group. She told me that she has the Sea Eagle and likes it, but has to wheel it to the water due to its weight. I believe it's 30 or more lbs. (The Adv Elements is even heavier.) She highly recommended the AG Deschutes 110. When I checked the weight, it sounded good to me (18 or 20 lbs). She said it would be easy to inflate and dry off--and she is right.
Anyway, it was a combination of the above. I thought--for my first kayak (I've kayaked for yrs, but never owned one), I'll start light and then, take it from there. If I want something a lot faster, etc, I'll revisit the drop stitch kayaks in the future, but I'll keep in mind that I may need to wheel them to the water somehow.
Funny….I broke my fin first time out too ( 8 years ago…Innova Swing…hate fixed fins!)
Now I'm retired I have so many excuses not to go kayaking! But I want to but can't afford a $1300 kayak. Please, review cheaper ones for us oldies. Subscribed.
:) Yes, $1300 isn't cheap. Did you see the review I did of the Advanced Elements Advanced Frame kayak? That's about as affordable as you're going to get for a quality kayak. ua-cam.com/video/OmHZjuttT8s/v-deo.html
Ken, how long did it take you to deflate it? And did you have to spend a lot of time drying it out in the sun? Thanks!!!
I deflate my AirVolution with the suction part of my inflator. It takes less than 1 minute ( ua-cam.com/video/ZO9f5NruxKY/v-deo.html ). I leave it deflated and wipe it down with a wet rag. Then let it air dry for a few hours.
Exactly what Rick said... the pump can be quickly switched to draw air out of the kayak instead of putting it in. Takes a minute or two of pumping to flatten it. I then wipe it down with a towel to get it as dry as possible, and that's it. Ideally, you would give it time to fully dry... which I would do at the end of the season, before it gets stored for an extended length. But if you're going to keep using it, and you don't have the ability to let it fully dry out by leaving it out in the open air for an hour or two, then I wouldn't stress about it.
@@rgsparber1 Thanks Rick!
@@PaddleTV Thank you Ken!
I have one, the Tandem. And yes, the Fin is needed for tracking. I tried with and without and it's so different. I'll keep the skeg thing in mind but I've rested the kayak on the fin with no issues so far. But I'm gentle, I don't toss around or drop my boat on the ground.
The footbrace is always a problem with airvolutions. That's why they included an inflatable one for 2021.
As for pumping, the included electric pump isn't all that good. Get a good one to do the job.
Check out my Airvolution 2 unboxing video where I go over the kayak and talk about the pump and other features: ua-cam.com/video/69l7YzUV7u4/v-deo.html
Thanks for sharing your tips!
How does it compare to the Sea Eagle 393?
Good question... The AirVolution is more stable for sure. But not as fast as the Sea Eagle 393. The Sea Eagle is more my style of boat, because I'm happy to give away stability for performance. The Sea Eagle 393 also fits a big fella like myself better. That being said, they're both super rigid, and very nice boats.
@@PaddleTV I would also say that the Airvolution has lower sides than the 393 Razorlite. But it is much wider. You need a long paddle with the airvolution but I've found the low sides really does help for relaxed paddling.
Just starting my research into kayaks and either need inflatable or folding but I’m also unsure if there is such a thing as a do it all kayak? I was looking at the sea eagle 300x as it can be used as a dry floor or opened for white water. I’d like to try river rapids again but realistically it’s a further drive and wouldn’t get used much but I do live near half moon bay, Santa Cruz, capitola etc and I want to kayak is the ocean bays. Would something like the 300x still work or would it be an unenjoyable kayak and feel like a slow raft in flat bays? Would something like the advanced elements be ok for ocean bays? It gets confusing when they say protected waters does that mean lakes only? Totally new so not sure what classifies as what.
I have 5 inflatable kayaks, The Sea Eagle 300X is really nice but for me my back aches, Also it blows around in the slightest breeze, Tracking is not as expected either. Otherwise very durable and easy to manage. Advanced Elements I prefer the AE1012 with the backbone. The Airvolution is extremely stable, quick, tracks very well but also blows around kinda easy.I also have a Sea Eagle 330 which seems toyish compared to other inflatables I have. 5th one I have is the Intex Explorer which is kinda toyish as well.
Good questions. First of all, protected water is any water that is protected from strong wind and waves. Depending on how big the ocean bays are, they can be protected or unprotected. I don't think you'd enjoy the 300X in the bays. In fact... I know you wouldn't. It isn't designed to track, for speed, or for ease of paddling. The AE Airvolution would be a much better choice for the bay. It wouldn't work for whitewater though. Wish I could tell you there was one kayak to do it all, but it just doesn't exist - especially for such different types of paddling and if you're looking at inflatables. There are some hard shell options, like the Dagger Axis 12.0 www.dagger.com/us/kayaks/axis-120. That would be boat that could do both decently. Hope this helps!
@@PaddleTV hmm well I ordered it and I guess I have 120 days to see if it’s right for me. I hope to go to white water in a week so it’ll shine there and then as long as I can cruise around the bays it should hopefully be good. I figure I won’t be doing huge distances at first anyway so
if I like the hobby and get more serious maybe I add the razorlite or air fusion later. Unfortunately hard shell won’t work for me as I have a small car and no where at home to store it.
@@jessehill3780 Which brand and model did you order?
@@toledolimo5905 ordered the sea eagle 300x. Excited to test it this weekend
Anybody out there or the maker of these video ever tried to stand up on this particular kayak? Use it as a stand up paddle board?
I have the Sandbanks Style Optimal kayak which is essentially the Airvolution with minor differences. I have tried standing up in it and it's very doable. You can paddle it as a paddleboard however a proper paddleboard would be a better choice if you actually want to paddle board.
It's too bad you couldn't review this with the skeg
Yup... I did get a replacement skeg, and tested out afterwards. No big surprise... it tracked a lot better. It also still turned pretty quick with the skeg in. Fun boat!
@@PaddleTV that’s great! Hope to see maybe an Airvolution and Razorlite comparison video one day as they’re two popular inflatables in the same price range that most people debate on purchasing in North America
What country is it made in? If it's China, I'd just buy a near identical one from a cheaper brand.
$$$! For that money you can get a 2kg packraft that can do rapids better and you can take it hiking!
That's true, and packrafts definitely have their place, but in general, you give up flatwater paddling performance with a packraft because they aren't nearly as firm (not constructed with drop stitching). They also tend to be shorter and wider, which makes them considerably slower. Of course, the trade off is their weight, versatility (ability to handle rough water) and the storage you get inside some of them. What packraft do you use? I'm really interested in testing some different pacrrafts out!
@@PaddleTV I really like either a moving river (nothing too crazy), or exploring creeks and overgrown rivers. That’s why I’m biased towards packrafts because they’re for forgiving on moving water, and they’re so light to lift over fallen logs or portage, and if the river becomes impassable I just pack it up and hike out.
I have an Alpacka Caribou. It’s about 2kg so suits me perfectly.
@@PaddleTV kokopelli is pretty neat in that they can add on skeg bases to any of their packrafts, to handle flatwater
PVC? Oh no....
It is disappointing that they gave you a flimsy plastic fin for that kind of money. Companies have no sense of pride anymore.