Cheap Vs Expensive Inflatable Kayak - What Is The Difference?

Are you paddling with a purpose, touring, fishing, exploring? Then forget that cheap middle of Lidl special, it isnt built for what you have in mind.

Kayaks below £500 in most cases would be a good purchase for the odd weekend with the family at the lake, the coast, a mellow river etc.

If you are heading for a weekend fishing, a longer paddle in the evenings more regularly or want to load up with gear, with the dogs, with more family onboard... spending more pays dividends quickly.

Quality, thats the main difference, the materials use vary hugely. At the low end PVC bladders + nylon skins are the standard construction method... but between a cheap brand and a premium product the thickness (denier) of the PVC and Nylon can vary hugely. Look out for premium brands using 600D or even 800D skins, with cheaper products as low as 200D or 420D.

Levelling up further we start using Duratex and Dropstitch materials, this gives you serious stiffness, and immense durability. Products like the BOTE Lono, the Aquaglide Chelan and the Spinera Hybris, these products are built to take the punishment and survive dog claws and fishing hooks.

Features and accessories are noticeably different too as you spend more. The BOTE range has the Magnepod system built in, and countless features like the Paddle Sheath and KULA connections. The Aquaglide Blackfoot has the universal mounts which allow Yakattack or other fishing mounts to click straight on. All features designed to enhance your paddle!