Tag Archives: advanced elements kayaks

2021 Comparison Guide to Selecting an Inflatable Kayak at AirKayaks

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As the weather heats up in the Northern Hemisphere, thoughts turn to outdoor activities and “fun-in-the-sun.” If you’ve arrived at this blog article, you’re already intrigued with the idea of paddling across a lake, down a lazy river or along a coastline, and are looking into inflatable kayaks. Maybe you have limited space, want to pack into the back country, need lighter weight options or travel in an RV.  Regardless of the motivation, there are a myriad of choices which can be daunting.

To help you narrow down the field, AirKayaks has put together a table comparing our inflatable kayak options – the table is located at the bottom of this article. We have listed the following details – manufacturer, model name and stock number, price range, number of paddlers, kayak lengths, widths, weights, payloads, # of chambers, inflation pressures, design style, kayak type and whether a pump is included.

We have divided our inflatable kayak list into four sections sorted by price – Under $500; $500 to $749; $750 to $999; and $1000 and up.  Within each of those four sections, we have sorted by length.
AirKayaks originally posted this article in 2019 and 2020. We have updated it to reflect the kayak choices and changes for 2021.
To help you get going, we describe the attributes of each style first. For further information on inflatable kayak choices, benefits and definitions, please also see our popular guide to Choosing an Inflatable Kayak – What You Should Consider.
Enclosed Design Inflatable Kayaks

The enclosed hull design is similar to many hard shell kayaks; this is shown above in the Advanced Elements AE1044 AdvancedFrame DS-XL kayak.  The snugger cockpit design keeps excess water and wind from entering the kayak, and also less direct sun. Many of them have coamings (the gray tube in the photo above, encircling the cockpit) that allow you to attach a spray skirt.
 

What is a spray skirt? This is an accessory that attaches to the kayak around the coaming, and then again to your body (shown above on an Innova Swing). The function is to keep out even more wind and water.

Many of the enclosed decks can be zipped open for easy entry or to cool off, but the benefits of the enclosed design include the ability to kayak in windier and colder climates/situations (shown above, the Aquaglide Navarro series.)

A closed-design tandem can also be paddled solo, but it is not as balanced as the paddler must sit in the rear fixed cockpit, rather than the optimal position “just rear of center.” Typically, adding weight to the front will help balance out the kayak (as shown with Eddie sitting in the front cockpit of an Innova Swing 2 kayak).
Open Design Inflatable Kayaks:

This includes

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

2021 Comparison Guide to Selecting an Inflatable Kayak at AirKayaks

Feeds, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As the weather heats up in the Northern Hemisphere, thoughts turn to outdoor activities and “fun-in-the-sun.” If you’ve arrived at this blog article, you’re already intrigued with the idea of paddling across a lake, down a lazy river or along a coastline, and are looking into inflatable kayaks. Maybe you have limited space, want to pack into the back country, need lighter weight options or travel in an RV.  Regardless of the motivation, there are a myriad of choices which can be daunting.

To help you narrow down the field, AirKayaks has put together a table comparing our inflatable kayak options – the table is located at the bottom of this article. We have listed the following details – manufacturer, model name and stock number, price range, number of paddlers, kayak lengths, widths, weights, payloads, # of chambers, inflation pressures, design style, kayak type and whether a pump is included.

We have divided our inflatable kayak list into four sections sorted by price – Under $500; $500 to $749; $750 to $999; and $1000 and up.  Within each of those four sections, we have sorted by length.
AirKayaks originally posted this article in 2019 and 2020. We have updated it to reflect the kayak choices and changes for 2021.
To help you get going, we describe the attributes of each style first. For further information on inflatable kayak choices, benefits and definitions, please also see our popular guide to Choosing an Inflatable Kayak – What You Should Consider.
Enclosed Design Inflatable Kayaks

The enclosed hull design is similar to many hard shell kayaks; this is shown above in the Advanced Elements AE1044 AdvancedFrame DS-XL kayak.  The snugger cockpit design keeps excess water and wind from entering the kayak, and also less direct sun. Many of them have coamings (the gray tube in the photo above, encircling the cockpit) that allow you to attach a spray skirt.
 

What is a spray skirt? This is an accessory that attaches to the kayak around the coaming, and then again to your body (shown above on an Innova Swing). The function is to keep out even more wind and water.

Many of the enclosed decks can be zipped open for easy entry or to cool off, but the benefits of the enclosed design include the ability to kayak in windier and colder climates/situations (shown above, the Aquaglide Navarro series.)

A closed-design tandem can also be paddled solo, but it is not as balanced as the paddler must sit in the rear fixed cockpit, rather than the optimal position “just rear of center.” Typically, adding weight to the front will help balance out the kayak (as shown with Eddie sitting in the front cockpit of an Innova Swing 2 kayak).
Open Design Inflatable Kayaks:

This includes

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

Product Review: New 10-12 PSI Hi-Pressure AirVolution Inflatable Kayak from Advanced Elements

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Advanced Elements of Benicia, California recently introduced two exciting new kayaks as precursors to the 2021 season – the AirVolutions. What makes them so special? The AirVolution solo and AirVolution2 tandem are constructed entirely from dropstitch material. With just two inflation chambers, and inflation pressures of 10 to 12 PSI, the kayaks are extremely rigid.

We initially posted a Sneak Preview on a pre-production sample of the solo AirVolution as well as a complete review on the AirVolution2 tandem.

Hot weather, fires, power outages and inventory shortages prevented us from reviewing the single Airvolution. This week we took the opportunity to check out the Advanced Elements AirVolution AE3029 (Patent Pending), a 13 foot high-pressure inflatable kayak weighing in at roughly 39 lbs.

Getting Started with the AirVolution

The box as received weighs 56 lbs, measuring 39 x 21 x 13 inches.

Inside, is a super-sized, backpack-style carrying case with wheels (6 lbs) , kayak body (37 lbs), an EVA seat (2.2 lbs), pump with gauge (3.25 lbs), tracking fin (0.45 lbs), cinch belts, repair kit (0.8 lbs) and instructions. The kayak with backpack and parts weighs in at 49 lbs, while the kayak body with seat is 39 lbs. The folded kayak size is roughly 35 x 18 x 13 inches.

We began by reading the manual. This includes pump set-up, inflation, deflation, folding, repairs and troubleshooting. And here we come to AirKayak’s Tip #1: No matter how excited you are, take a good look at how the kayak is folded before you set the kayak up, so that you can get it back into the carrying case.

First step, unfold the kayak.

The Advanced Elements AirVolution utilizes two main military valves for inflation, similar to the ones found on many standup paddle boards. These are very simple to use and feature an inflate mode (spring plunger is UP) and a deflate mode (spring plunger is DOWN). By using your finger to gently push on the plunger, it can be moved to the inflate mode (air goes in and doesn’t come back out) and deflate mode (air goes in and comes back out). Before you go to all the effort of inflating the kayak, PLEASE make sure the plunger is in the inflate position.

Next, set up the pump. The AirVolution comes with a very nifty, collapsible, dual-action pump with built-in pressure gauge. First step, attach the feet.

The bottom of the pump barrel features tabs that match up to slots on the feet; if you look carefully, you will see that two of the slots are longer than the third – meaning the foot will only go on one way. Line up the tabs, push the barrel into the foot and then twist to lock into position. Attach the

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

2020 Comparison Table Guide to Selecting an Inflatable Kayak at AirKayaks

Feeds, , , , , , , , , , , ,

As the weather heats up in the Northern Hemisphere, thoughts turn to outdoor activities and “fun-in-the-sun.” If you’ve arrived at this blog article, you’re already intrigued with the idea of paddling across a lake, down a lazy river or along a coastline, and are looking into inflatable kayaks. Maybe you have limited space, want to pack into the back country, need lighter weight options or travel in an RV.  Regardless of the motivation, there are a myriad of choices which can be daunting.

To help you narrow down the field, AirKayaks has put together a table comparing our 2020 inflatable kayak options – the table is located at the bottom of this article. The kayaks have been divided into four sections sorted by price – Under $500; $500 to $749; $750 to $999; and $1000 and up.  Within each of those four sections, we have sorted by manufacturer, model name and stock number, price range, number of paddlers, kayak lengths, widths, weights, payloads, # of chambers, inflation pressures, design style and kayak type.
AirKayaks originally posted this article in 2019. We have updated it to reflect the kayak choices and changes for 2020. To help you get going, we describe the attributes of each style first. For further information on inflatable kayak choices, benefits and definitions, please also see our popular guide to Choosing an Inflatable Kayak – What You Should Consider.
Enclosed Design Inflatable Kayaks

The enclosed hull design is similar to many hard shell kayaks; this is shown above in the Advanced Elements AE1044 AdvancedFrame DS-XL kayak.  The snugger cockpit design keeps excess water and wind from entering the kayak, and also less direct sun. Many of them have coamings (the gray tube in the photo above, encircling the cockpit) that allow you to attach a spray skirt.
 

What is a spray skirt? This is an accessory that attaches to the kayak around the coaming, and then again to your body (shown above on an Innova Swing). The function is to keep out even more wind and water.

Many of the enclosed decks can be zipped open for easy entry or to cool off, but the benefits of the enclosed design include the ability to kayak in windier and colder climates/situations (shown above, the Aquaglide Navarro series).

A closed-design tandem can also be paddled solo, but it is not as balanced as the paddler must sit in the rear fixed cockpit, rather than the optimal position “just rear of center.” Typically, adding weight to the front will help balance out the kayak (as shown with Eddie sitting in the front cockpit of an Innova Swing 2 kayak).
Open Design Inflatable Kayaks:

This includes the largest number of kayaks. The open design consists of a kayak with higher

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

10 Neat Fishing Gifts for a Kayaking Angler

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The holiday season is rapidly approaching. Searching for gifts for a fishing kayaker? Here are 10 nifty gift ideas, sure to make any angler enthusiast happy. We’ve updated this for the 2019 holiday season!
1) Seattle Sports Digi Wallet & Audio Case – $6.95
Two compartments with two levels of protection for phones or personal items while on or near the water. The wallet side is waterproof and totally protects phones, cameras, MP3 players, money, credit cards and personal items – you can even talk, text and manage music right through the case. Features a headphone pass-through port with audio capability for your smartphone or MP3 player.

2) Advanced Elements Folding Anchor System – $33.95
The 3 lb. Anchor System is a unique folding/locking 4-fluke design. It is great for use with kayaks and canoes, and holds well on most types of bottoms – from sand to rock. The galvanized anchor has a sliding collar which keeps the flukes drawn up tight against the shank when stowed, and then drops to lock the flukes open when deployed. It is easy to remove the anchor from the water – simply pull and stow!

3) Accessory Frame Mounting System from Advanced Elements – $59.95
Retrofit your inflatable or hardshell kayak for fishing, video and photography with an accessory bar! Once installed, add any aftermarket 1” rail-mounts, and customize most kayaks with rod holders, a fish finder, camcorder, cameras or other equipment. The Accessory Frame bar consists of three pieces of anodized aluminum with push-pin construction; once in position, the push pins keep the bar from sliding out, but allow for easy dismantling.
4) Seattle Sports Catch Cooler 20 Fishing Bag – $59.95.
The Seattle Sports 20-inch deck-side coolers offer super-convenient access for stowing and keeping your catch fresh during a day on the water. Reel one in from your kayak or SUP board with easy attachment points and low profile design. Also available in 32″ size.

5) AquaGlide Blackfoot Kayak Fishing and Beverage – $69.95
Carry your fishing supplies or picnic lunch while out on the water! The Blackfoot Fishing Cooler is perfect for carrying supplies or perishables while out kayaking. With 9 quarts (8.5 liters) of lined and insulated storage space, the Fishing Cooler can hold up to 24 chilled 120z cans with ice. Includes four extended rodholders, 2 side zipper pockets, large front pocket with flap and a clear map/license pocket organizes your gear.

6) MTI Calcutta Universal Size Fishing PFD – $89.95
For paddlers, anglers, naturalists and birdwatchers who love pockets! This 30-56″ chest “all-person-fit” jacket is all-equipped for kayak fishing! Sized to fit slim to super-sized torsos, with cool open sides and adjustable front buckle straps that can be loosened for quick ventilation. Five pockets for holding all sorts

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

2019 Comparison Table Guide to Selecting an Inflatable Kayak at AirKayaks

Feeds, , , , , , , , , , , ,

As the weather heats up in the Northern Hemisphere, thoughts turn to outdoor activities and “fun-in-the-sun.” If you’ve arrived at this blog article, you’re already intrigued with the idea of paddling across a lake, down a lazy river or along a coastline, and are looking into inflatable kayaks. Maybe you have limited space, want to pack into the back country, need lighter weight options or travel in an RV.  Regardless of the motivation, there are a myriad of choices which can be daunting.

To help you narrow down the field, AirKayaks has put together a table comparing our inflatable kayak options – the table is located at the bottom of this article. We have listed the following details – manufacturer, model name and stock number, price range, number of paddlers, kayak lengths, widths, weights, payloads, # of chambers, inflation pressures, design style and kayak type.

We have divided our inflatable kayak list into four sections sorted by price – Under $500; $500 to $749; $750 to $999; and $1000 and up.  Within each of those four sections, we have sorted by number of paddlers – 1 paddler; 1-2 paddlers (seats can be repositioned), 2 paddlers; and 2+( extra room for gear, child or dog). This is followed by body style enclosed, open and sit-on-top. To help you get going, we describe the attributes of each style first. For further information on inflatable kayak choices, benefits and definitions, please also see our popular guide to Choosing an Inflatable Kayak – What You Should Consider.
Enclosed Design Inflatable Kayaks

The enclosed hull design is similar to many hard shell kayaks; this is shown above in the Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame DS-XL kayak.  The snugger cockpit design keeps excess water and wind from entering the kayak, and also less direct sun. Many of them have coamings (the gray tube in the photo above, encircling the cockpit) that allow you to attach a spray skirt.
 

What is a spray skirt? This is an accessory that attaches to the kayak around the coaming, and then again to your body (shown above on an Innova Swing). The function is to keep out even more wind and water.

Many of the enclosed decks can be zipped open for easy entry or to cool off, but the benefits of the enclosed design include the ability to kayak in windier and colder climates/situations (shown above, the Advanced Elements AirFusion EVO).

A closed-design tandem can also be paddled solo, but it is not as balanced as the paddler must sit in the rear fixed cockpit, rather than the optimal position “just rear of center.” Typically, adding weight to the front will help balance out the kayak (as shown with Eddie sitting in the front cockpit of an Innova

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

10 Neat Fishing Gifts for a Kayaking Angler

Feeds, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The holiday season is rapidly approaching. Searching for gifts for a fishing kayaker? Here are 10 nifty gift ideas, sure to make any angler enthusiast happy. We’ve updated this for the 2018 holiday season!
1) Seattle Sports Digi Wallet & Audio Case – $9.95
Two compartments with two levels of protection for phones or personal items while on or near the water. The wallet side is waterproof and totally protects phones, cameras, MP3 players, money, credit cards and personal items – you can even talk, text and manage music right through the case. Features a headphone pass-through port with audio capability for your smartphone or MP3 player.

2) Advanced Elements Folding Anchor System – $33.95
The 3 lb. Anchor System is a unique folding/locking 4-fluke design. It is great for use with kayaks and canoes, and holds well on most types of bottoms – from sand to rock. The galvanized anchor has a sliding collar which keeps the flukes drawn up tight against the shank when stowed, and then drops to lock the flukes open when deployed. It is easy to remove the anchor from the water – simply pull and stow!

3) Accessory Frame Mounting System from Advanced Elements – $59.95
Retrofit your inflatable or hardshell kayak for fishing, video and photography with an accessory bar! Once installed, add any aftermarket 1” rail-mounts, and customize most kayaks with rod holders, a fish finder, camcorder, cameras or other equipment. The Accessory Frame bar consists of three pieces of anodized aluminum with push-pin construction; once in position, the push pins keep the bar from sliding out, but allow for easy dismantling.
4) Seattle Sports Catch Cooler 20 Fishing Bag – $59.95.
The Seattle Sports 20-inch deck-side coolers offer super-convenient access for stowing and keeping your catch fresh during a day on the water. Reel one in from your kayak or SUP board with easy attachment points and low profile design. Also available in 32″ size.

5) AquaGlide Blackfoot Kayak Fishing and Beverage – $69.95
Carry your fishing supplies or picnic lunch while out on the water! The Blackfoot Fishing Cooler is perfect for carrying supplies or perishables while out kayaking. With 9 quarts (8.5 liters) of lined and insulated storage space, the Fishing Cooler can hold up to 24 chilled 120z cans with ice. Includes four extended rodholders, 2 side zipper pockets, large front pocket with flap and a clear map/license pocket organizes your gear.

6) MTI Calcutta Universal Size Fishing PFD – $89.95
For paddlers, anglers, naturalists and birdwatchers who love pockets! This 30-56″ chest “all-person-fit” jacket is all-equipped for kayak fishing! Sized to fit slim to super-sized torsos, with cool open sides and adjustable front buckle straps that can be loosened for quick ventilation. Five pockets for holding all sorts

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

Product Review: New AirFusion EVO Dropstitch Inflatable Kayak from Advanced Elements

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Nearly eight years ago, Advanced Elements debuted the original AirFusion kayak – an inflatable hybrid designed to rival the handling and speed of skin-on-frame kayaks. The AirFusion was unique in that it featured a blended design of aluminum alloy frame poles and pressurized air tubes, resulting in a high performance rigid frame system.

This was followed by the AirFusion Elite, which featured a streamlined set up procedure with fewer poles, a wider beam and integrated rear storage hatch.
At last summer’s Outdoor Retailer show, Advanced Elements unveiled their 2018 inflatable kayak product line with announcement of the new AE1042 AirFusion EVO a 6-8 PSI high-pressure model constructed from dropstitch material, with a Barbie-sized 24″ waistline.
Just this week the first AirFusion EVO arrived, a double cardboard box measuring 37 x 25 x 12 inches and weighing in at 47 lbs.
Getting Started with the Advanced Elements AirFusion EVO
The rugged carrying case/backpack houses the kayak body, seat, repair kit, foam floor, screw-on and Boston pin adaptors, instructions (located in the small plastic pocket inside the backpack), two thwarts, nose and stern bags, and anodized aluminum poles. The kayak folded size is approximately 34 x 17 x 8 inches. Everything in the case weighs 37 lbs, while the kayak with seat is 33 lbs. The case has just enough room to include a small pump and breakdown paddle (not included). AirKayaks note: Take a good look at how the kayak is folded BEFORE setting up, this will help during breakdown.
The manual is pretty well-written though initially a little daunting. (AirKayaks note: Some of the initial AirFusion EVO boxes contained instructions for the droptstitch floor. The AirFusion EVO does not use an inflatable floor, so you can just toss those.) After the first read-through it seemed simple enough – piece together the poles, position the floor, pump up side chambers partially, insert bottom pole through the thwarts connecting both ribs, pump up thwarts, finish pumping up side chambers, pump up bow & stern tubes, attach seat, inflate coaming tube. Done!
AirFusion EVO Setup/Inflation

Unfold the kayak body, locating the kayak bow (front) and stern (rear) – this is easy as the integrated storage hatch is located at the stern.

Next, put the foam floor into position, setting the wider end inside the center of the cockpit – this will position the small rectangular cutout over the velcro tab in the floor. Make sure you pull the velcro tab through the cutout. Tip: the foam floor only covers the area where your feet rest.

Layout the bow and stern thwarts. Each of these is tapered. The front airbag (which also acts as a foot brace) is larger than the rear airbag, while the larger side of each airbag faces the cockpit/center. Lay

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

Video: Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Inflatable Kayak

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Our latest AirKayaks video on the AE1012 AdvancedFrame inflatable touring kayak from Advanced Elements, which updates our previous video from 2007.

The AdvancedFrame inflatable kayak from Advanced Elements, a classic model blending performance, price and portability. At 10 ft 5 inches, a weight of 33 lbs and a 350 lb payload, the AdvancedFrame is perfect for all ages and experience levels. It’s maneuverable, speedy, and glides through the water. Great for lakes, small rapids, rivers, bays and coastlines.
Also read our detailed writeup – Product Review: New Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Inflatable Kayak – which covers setup, features, specifications and performance.
To purchase or for more info, visit our AE1012 AdvancedFrame product page at AirKayaks.com.

Original Source: AirKayaks >>

Sneak Preview: New AirFusion EVO Hi-Pressure Inflatable Kayak from Advanced Elements

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At the recent 2017 Outdoor Retailers Show in Utah, Advanced Elements debuted one of their cutting edge new models for 2018 – the high-pressure AirFusion EVO inflatable kayak with dropstitch bladders.

Nearly six years ago, Advanced Elements debuted the original AirFusion kayak – an inflatable hybrid designed to rival the handling and speed of skin-on-frame kayaks. The AirFusion was unique in that it featured a blended design of aluminum alloy frame poles and pressurized air tubes, resulting in a high performance rigid frame system.
The original design was followed three years later by the AE1041 AirFusion Elite. The Elite featured a streamlined set up procedure with fewer poles, a wider beam of 28″ and an integrated rear storage hatch.
The new, patented AE1042 AirFusion EVO design kicks that up a notch, with high-pressure, left and right drop-stitch side chambers which can be inflated from 6 to 10 PSI. Drop-stitch (DS) material is the same used in the inflatable paddle board market, where thousands of threads string the top and bottom panels together, allowing it to be pumped up to higher pressures, thus making it more rigid.
According to Ryan Pugh, designer at Advanced Elements, the leading factor in developing the EVO was to keep improving on the AirFusion design, maximizing performance and simplifying setup. The EVO features 6 inflation chambers (two side chambers, booster seat, two thwarts and the coaming tube) versus four side chambers in the previous model.  The DS tubes are removable, allowing one to replace just a part – rather than the entire kayak shell – if ever needed.

As the DS chambers are more rigid, the kayak is less finicky to set up – originally, one had to air up the kayak slowly, reposition chambers and then top it off. According to Ryan, the EVO is much simpler – just install the poles, air up and go.
In the case of the AirFusion EVO, the DS material on the side chambers also creates a narrower profile without decreasing the interior width. The EVO as currently designed is 24 inches wide.
Additionally, an extra “DS booster” chamber on the seat base, keeps one off the floor.
The outer shell is now constructed from a polyurethane tarpaulin, which – in conjunction with the DS side chambers – gives a smoother finish, increased rigidity and a more hydrodynamic outline.
The EVO still features three aluminum ribs on the floor and under the hull, providing a sculpted look as well as a v-shaped keel, which aids in slicing through the water.
Other features incorporated from the prior models include a foam floor, integrated storage hatch, bungee deck lacing, coaming tube for attaching a skirt, two landing plates, lower seat back and the ability to use an optional tracking fin.

How does

Original Source: AirKayaks >>