Overview & Paddling Performance
The Gumotex Scout is the largest inflatable canoe in the entire Gumotex range, offering more space for paddlers and equipment than any other model. Designed as a true load carrier, it is ideal for families, extended river journeys and trips that require substantial luggage capacity. Despite its size, the Scout delivers stable and predictable handling and can be paddled confidently on both calm water and fast-flowing rivers.
Thanks to its length and relatively slim bow, the Scout achieves impressive speed for an inflatable canoe and is the fastest canoe in the Gumotex lineup. This makes it particularly well suited for long day stages and multi-day touring trips where efficiency really matters.
Areas of Use & Handling
The Gumotex Scout is a genuine all-round inflatable canoe and performs well across a wide variety of waters. On lakes, it glides efficiently and tracks straight, allowing its high cruising speed to fully shine. On faster rivers and in whitewater, the closable self-bailing drain at the stern ensures that splash water can quickly exit the canoe when needed.
Its exceptional interior width and very high load capacity make the Scout an excellent choice for multi-day trips with lots of gear or for families who need generous space. Even when paddled by three people, the canoe remains stable and easy to control—an important advantage over more compact Gumotex models.
Setup, Comfort & Features
Despite its size, the Gumotex Scout can be set up quickly. The three wooden seats and sturdy aluminium T-bars are installed before inflation and give the canoe its characteristic stiffness and structure. The three air chambers—two side chambers and one floor chamber—are then inflated via Push-Push valves to 0.2 bar.
The wide interior allows for comfortable seating even on long paddling days. Thanks to the open design, getting in and out of the canoe is easy, and the solid construction ensures calm and controlled handling even when fully loaded. The self-bailing drain adds extra safety in moving water and can be easily closed for calm conditions.
Material & Construction
Like all Gumotex boats, the Scout is made from Nitrilon®, a highly durable multi-layer material known for its abrasion resistance and UV stability. It is ideally suited for river use where gravel banks and rocky sections are common.
Welded seams provide long-term airtightness, while the T-bars beneath the seats add additional shape stability. Despite its large volume, the Scout packs down surprisingly compact once deflated and dries quickly thanks to the properties of the Nitrilon® material.
Model History & Conclusion
The Gumotex Scout was introduced in 2013 and has only seen minor refinements since then. For a period, a lower-priced version called the “Scout Economy” was available, but this model has since been discontinued. Today, only the higher-quality standard version remains in production.
With its combination of enormous interior space, impressive speed and rugged construction, the Scout is the perfect choice for families, touring paddlers and adventurers looking for a durable, versatile and highly load-capable inflatable canoe. It offers the largest interior volume in the Gumotex portfolio and is ideally suited for gear-intensive trips, long river journeys and varied outdoor adventures.
