Inflatable Kayaks Review

Hey there, I’m Matthes! Thanks in part to my partnership with Kanu-Online, I’ve already had the chance to thoroughly test a number of inflatable kayaks. In this article, I’ll share my experiences with several Gumotex and Zelgear boats. You can find the detailed reviews on flussfahrer.de:

10 inflatable kayaks tested

Gumotex Seawave

The Gumotex Seawave is far from outdated. With a fin – or even better, the rudder system – it still offers very good paddling performance. Yes, the newer Seashine performs even better, but that also comes at a higher price. If you’re not paddling exclusively on very calm waters, the Seawave remains a strong alternative in terms of value for money. Besides the rudder, there’s also an optional cockpit cover available as an accessory. The kayak is stable, beginner-friendly and also works well with children. It also offers enough storage space for multi-day touring. I personally own two Seawaves, which we regularly use for longer family paddling trips.

Seawave Starter Set | Seawave Touring Set

Gumotex Thaya

If you’re looking for an extremely stable inflatable kayak, the Gumotex Thaya is an excellent choice. Thanks to its large side tubes combined with a drop-stitch floor, the Thaya is incredibly stable. You would have to try quite hard to accidentally capsize this kayak. That’s exactly why it’s so popular among beginners and families. Heavier paddlers should also feel very comfortable in it. It’s not the fastest kayak, but it still reaches a decent speed – faster than I expected beforehand. The Thaya is an open kayak, so there’s no cockpit cover available. Officially, the Gumotex rudder system isn’t compatible, but the original rudder can actually be mounted on the Thaya and used without problems. In solo configuration, there’s plenty of space for luggage. When paddling with two or even three people, the available storage space is probably only suitable for day trips.

Thaya Starter Set | Thaya Touring Set

Gumotex Seashine

The Gumotex Seashine is essentially the evolution of the Gumotex Seawave. Its main innovation is the V-shaped drop-stitch floor, which tapers flat towards the stern. This gives the Seashine excellent paddling performance while maintaining very high stability. The kayak performs confidently in a wide range of conditions, up to class II whitewater rivers. The calmer the water, the more the Seashine can show off its strengths in terms of tracking and paddling performance. Thanks to the drop-stitch floor, the kayak is also suitable for heavier paddlers. Being another 15 cm longer than the Seawave, storage space is absolutely no issue, even in tandem configuration. An optional cockpit cover for one or two people is available, and the Gumotex rudder system can also be installed. The Seashine is a highly versatile and beginner-friendly kayak that also offers plenty of fun for more experienced paddlers.

Seashine Starter Set | Seashine Touring Set

Gumotex Rush 2

Drop-stitch floor, low side tubes, black colour: this is the Gumotex Rush 2.
The kayak is designed as a touring model. In solo configuration, there’s enough storage space for longer trips. When paddling with two people, however, part of the luggage has to be transported on top of the deck. Speaking of the deck: an optional cockpit cover for one or two people is available. Like many Gumotex cockpit covers, it comes with stiffening elements and attaches to the surrounding Velcro strip. Due to the low side tubes, however, foot space underneath the cover is very limited. With my shoe size 43, it felt far too cramped. In my opinion, the Rush 2 therefore only really makes sense as an open kayak. Used that way, though, you get a very stable and forgiving boat with good paddling characteristics – provided you use the fin or, even better, the optional rudder system. A good kayak for beginners.

Rush 2 Starter Set | Rush 2 Touring Set

Gumotex Swing 1

The Gumotex Swing 1 is a short closed kayak for one person. It’s excellent for smaller rivers and also feels right at home in light whitewater. The Swing is very agile, especially without the fin. With the fin installed, it tracks well while paddling, but as soon as you stop paddling, it quickly starts to turn around its own axis. Thanks to its wide shape, the kayak is very stable and therefore also well suited to beginners. Children can also handle the Swing 1 quite well – my 10-year-old daughter has already completed several accompanied tours in the Swing. It’s certainly not the fastest kayak, but it still reaches a reasonable speed on calm water. I also own this kayak myself. For me, it’s the ideal addition to the Gumotex Seawave, as it covers exactly those areas where the larger boat becomes more difficult to use. With minimalist luggage, even multi-day trips are possible in the Swing 1. However, I don’t like the standard seat; I simply find it uncomfortable. That’s why I use the Seashine seat, just as I do in my other Gumotex boats. I find it comfortable and very easy to inflate. To use a different seat in the Swing 1, however, you need to glue in an additional fitting.

Swing 1 Starter Set | Swing 1 Touring Set

Gumotex Framura

A narrow solo kayak with a permanently integrated deck. The Gumotex Framura is designed for still waters or calmer rivers. Under the deck, it offers plenty of storage space that can be accessed comfortably through the built-in zips. In principle, this makes the kayak very well suited to touring. Thanks to its narrow shape, the kayak reaches a good speed and is probably the fastest kayak from Gumotex. The price for that, however, is its lower stability. This is also the reason why the boat didn’t really convince me. In the Framura, I always had the feeling that I couldn’t properly judge the tipping point, and I therefore never felt fully comfortable in this kayak. If you’re looking for a fast but noticeably more stable boat, I would recommend the Zelgear Igla 410 instead.

Gumotex Safari

The Gumotex Safari is a self-bailing whitewater kayak. In slightly less wild water, this extremely agile and manoeuvrable boat can also be paddled with a fin. That noticeably improves its tracking. I still wouldn’t recommend it for calm water, though, as even with the fin it remains very agile and you constantly have to compensate for its turning movements while paddling. Thanks to the self-bailing floor, incoming water drains away well. From a certain load weight, however, water can also enter the interior through the drain holes. At around 100 kilograms, this load limit is reached, and you’ll permanently have a little water standing in the boat. There is enough space for luggage at the front and back of the open kayak, so multi-day trips in the Safari are easily possible.

Safari Starter Set | Safari Touring Set

Zelgear Igla 410

The Spark and Igla series from Zelgear are quite similar and mainly differ in length and width. The Igla is the narrower boat. The Zelgear Igla 410 is not quite as stable as a Spark, but I still always had the feeling that I could control the boat and never felt unsafe. The great strength of the Igla is its speed, which can keep up with that of a hard-shell kayak. Thanks to the shaped keel line at the bow and stern, the boat tracks extremely well with a fin. With the installed rudder system, I was completely impressed by its paddling performance. The drop-stitch floor is removable, which brings several advantages. Water that collects in the boat runs underneath the floor, so you always sit dry. And if the floor is ever damaged, it can be replaced separately. The side tubes consist of two smaller air chambers stacked on top of each other. This means they are not as wide, giving the boat a surprisingly spacious interior despite its narrow overall width – and therefore plenty of luggage capacity. Solo trips with luggage are no problem at all. If you want to paddle with luggage and two people, the longer Igla 490 is another option. The current deck is simple and functional, but also affordable. Another deck is currently being developed. This one will support deck bags, eyelets, nets and similar accessories. The current deck is expected to remain available as well, giving customers a choice.

Igla 410 Starter Set | Igla 410 Touring Set

Zelgear Spark 370

The Zelgear Spark 370 is the shortest boat in the Spark series. With a fin, it tracks extremely well; with a rudder, it also becomes more agile. The boat is fairly stable, but can still be edged nicely. The thigh straps are very practical, giving you excellent contact with the boat. One person can fit everything needed for a multi-day trip into the Spark 370. The boat can also be paddled by two people, but the person in front should be on the smaller side, otherwise it gets too tight. For two adults, the longer Spark 450 is probably the better choice. I was surprised by the robustness of the material. Even when I dragged the boat over the ground, I couldn’t see even small scratches. Another great feature is the pressure relief valves on the side tubes. The drop-stitch floor has enough reserve when heated by the sun, while the side chambers release air through the valves. That means you don’t have to worry about air chambers bursting while you’re out on the water. And when the air cools down and the pressure drops, the valve positions on top of the side chambers really come into their own when topping up the air. Even fully loaded, they remain easy to reach. A deck for one or two people is also available for the Spark 370. Here too, another alternative deck is planned, similar to the Igla 410.

Spark 370 Starter Set | Spark 370 Touring Set

Zelgear Spark 450

The Zelgear Spark 450 is not only comparable to the Gumotex Seawave in length, it is also a serious alternative. The flat and firm drop-stitch floor in the Spark is very pleasant, and with its excellent paddling characteristics, the Spark certainly doesn’t need to hide. Thanks to the double and therefore narrower side tubes, there is much more space inside compared with the Seawave. Even with two people, there is enough room for all the luggage needed for several days. And if you really want to go even bigger, you can simply choose the Spark 520, which is 70 cm longer. For the 450 model, there is a simple deck for one or two people, and an alternative deck is planned here as well. The rudder system can also be installed, which further improves the paddling characteristics. This inflatable kayak will make both beginners and more experienced paddlers happy.

Spark 450 Starter Set | Spark 450 Touring Set

Conclusion on the inflatable kayak test

As you can see, the boats differ quite a lot in some of their characteristics. That’s why I’m not naming one ultimate test winner. These kayaks simply cover very different requirement profiles – some better, some with a few compromises. I still hope these short reviews help you find the best inflatable kayak for your needs. I wish you many wonderful and safe hours on the water!

Matthes

PS: You can find my detailed reviews of all the inflatable boats described here on flussfahrer.de.