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Product Review: Klickitat One HB Whitewater Inflatable Kayak from AquaGlide
We continue with our series on the new Aquaglide line of inflatable kayaks. Our previous reviews focused on the Chinook price-point line, the high-pressure Columbia touring series and the Deschutes recreational kayaks. We now move on to the high-pressure Klickitat whitewater models.
Following is our writeup on the Klickitat One HB, a 10-foot inflatable one-person self-bailing kayak selling for $599.
Getting Started with the Klickitat One:
We unpacked the box and laid out the pieces – inflatable kayak, backpack, instructions, repair kit, foot brace, tracking fin and seat.
Initial measurements showed the kayak body weighs 22 lbs, with a backpack size of roughly 27 x 22 x 12 inches, while the kayak with seat, fin and brace – all in the backpack – weighs 28 lbs. Boxed up, the dimensions are 33 x 20 x 17 inches with a shipping weight of 37 lbs.
(AirKayaks Side note #1: When initially removing the kayak from the carrying case, take a good look at how the kayak is folded This is probably the most overlooked step and it is VERY helpful when trying to get the kayak back into the bag.)
The included instructions are adequate and include diagrams with inflation details.
Set up is straight-forward and simple – unpack, unfold, inflate.
There are three inflation chambers utilizing high-pressure military valves – the two side chambers and the floor. The floor is pumped up first.
The military-style plunger valve is simple to use – with your finger, twist the plunger slightly to the “up” position to inflate (air goes in but doesn’t come back out) and “down” to deflate (air comes out).
The Klickitat One HB floor requires a military valve adaptor, which does not come with most standard pumps. Here is where we came to our first issue, but one we already knew about from previous reviews – no military valve adaptor was included. In the interim, Aquaglide had shipped us a box of adaptors, so we were ready to keep going. (AirKayaks note #2: The first couple of Aquaglide shipments did not include the adaptor, but subsequent shipments will. We did obtain a number of fittings that we will be including with the first shipments.) Friction fit the military valve adaptor onto the Boston valve adaptor, then lock onto the military valve with a slight twist. Since the chambers are inflated from 3 to 12 PSI, it is helpful to use a pump with pressure gauge to ensure the kayak is inflated appropriately.
The floor is held in place with two straps. Pump up the floor to at least 6 PSI – this took us about 20 complete pumps with a double action pump. While the instructions say it can be inflated up to 12 PSI, at 6 PSI it is
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New Video: AquaGlide Columbia Tandem HB Inflatable Kayak for 2+ Paddlers
Our fourth video in the AquaGlide inflatable kayak series! Check out our newest video on the Columbia Tandem HB inflatable kayak.
The 15 ft Columbia Tandem HB inflatable kayak offers multiple seating arrangements with a capacity of 600 lbs. Perfect for one person with lots of gear, two adults, or with the included third seat – bring along a child or furry friend! The Columbia Tandem HB features a high-pressure 6 to 12 PSI floor, making it extremely rigid and perfect for touring. The comfortable seats sport fishing rod holders and it’s roomy enough to carry mega-gear. It’s rugged, fun and – with the included backpack – highly portable.
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For more details or to purchase, see the Aquaglide Columbia Tandem HB product page at AirKayaks.com. Or read our Detailed Product Review of the Aquaglide Chinook Tandem Inflatable Kayak with Photos, here on our WordPress blog.
Product Review: Deschutes Two HB Inflatable Kayak from AquaGlide
We continue with our series on the new Aquaglide line of inflatable kayaks. Our first several reviews focused on the Chinook price-point line, then moved to the flagship Columbia line of high pressure inflatable touring kayaks. This was followed by the Deschutes line of high-pressure, recreational models for 1 to 2+ paddlers.
The first Deschutes review was on the Tandem HB, a 12-foot long inflatable kayak designed for one or two paddlers, with extra space for gear, child or pet. We now follow-up with the Deschutes Two HB, (shown above) a smaller 10-foot long inflatable kayak with multiple seating locations, allowing it to be paddled by one or two persons. (Please note: some of the information will be repeated from other writeups.)
Getting Started with the Aquaglide Deschutes HB Two:
We unpacked the box and laid out the pieces – inflatable kayak, backpack, instructions, repair kit, foot braces, tracking fin and two seats.
Initial measurements showed the kayak body weighs approximately 27 lbs, with a backpack size roughly 27 x 23 x 14 inches. The kayak with seats, fin and braces – all in the backpack – weighs 38 lbs. Boxed up, the dimensions are 36 x 24 x 14 inches with a shipping weight of 49 lbs. Folded, the kayak body is 27 x 22 x 6 inches.
We were able to get everything, including an optional pump, into the backpack. Paddles can be placed in the side mesh pocket.
(AirKayaks Side note #1: When initially removing the kayak from the carrying case, take a good look at how the kayak is folded This is probably the most overlooked step and it is VERY helpful when trying to get the kayak back into the bag.)
The included instructions are adequate and include diagrams with inflation details.
Set up is straight-forward and simple – unpack, unfold, inflate.
There are two inflation chambers utilizing Boston valves – the two side chambers – while the high-pressure floor features a military valve. There are two more small chambers with twistlock valves, for the seat bases. The floor is pumped up first.
The military-style plunger valve is simple to use – with your finger, twist the plunger slightly to the “up” position to inflate (air goes in but doesn’t come back out) and “down” to deflate (air comes out).
The Deschutes Two HB floor requires a military valve adaptor, which does not come with most standard pumps. Here is where we came to our first issue – no military valve adaptor was included. We were aware of this from our previous writeups on the Columbia series, and pulled one out of our parts box. (AirKayaks note #2: As previously mentioned, we spoke with AquaGlide. The first couple of shipments did not include the adaptor, but
Product Review: Columbia Two HB Inflatable Kayak from AquaGlide
We continue with our series on the new Aquaglide line of inflatable kayaks. Our first two reviews focused on the Chinook price-point line. Our third and fourth reviews featured two in the flagship Columbia line of high pressure inflatables; the Columbia One HB – a high-pressure touring model for one paddler, and the Columbia Tandem for 1-3 paddlers.
We’ve now moved on to the Columbia Two HB, a 13.5 foot long inflatable kayak designed for one or two paddlers. (Please note: some of the information will be repeated from other writeups.)
Getting Started with the Aquaglide Columbia Two HB:
We unpacked the box and laid out the pieces – inflatable kayak, backpack, instructions, repair kit, foot braces, tracking fin and two Pro-Formance seats.
Initial measurements showed the kayak body weighs approximately 32.5 lbs, with a backpack size of roughly 27 x 23 x 14 inches, while the kayak with seats, fin and braces – all in the backpack – weighs 44 lbs. Boxed up, the dimensions are 30 x 29 x 15 inches with a shipping weight of 54 lbs. As a note, we were able to also get the pump in the case, with the paddles stuffed into the mesh pocket.
The included instructions are adequate and include diagrams with inflation details.
Set up is straight-forward and simple – unpack, unfold, inflate.
(AirKayaks Side note #1: When initially removing the kayak from the carrying case, take a good look at how the kayak is folded This is probably the most overlooked step and it is VERY helpful when trying to get the kayak back into the bag.)
There are two inflation chambers utilizing Boston valves – the two side chambers – while the high-pressure floor features a military valve. There are two more small chambers with twistlock valves, for the seat bases. The floor is pumped up first.
The military-style plunger valve is simple to use – with your finger, twist the plunger slightly to the “up” position to inflate (air goes in but doesn’t come back out) and “down” to deflate (air comes out).
The Columbia Two HB floor requires a military valve adaptor, which does not come with most standard pumps. Here is where we came to our first issue – no military valve adaptor was included. We were aware of this from our previous write-ups and had one handy. (AirKayaks note #2: We spoke with AquaGlide. The first couple of shipments did not include the adaptor, but subsequent shipments will. We did obtain a number of fittings that we will be including with the first shipments.)
Lock the adaptor onto the conical Boston valve adaptor by friction fit, and then attach to the military valve with a slight twist. Since the main chambers are inflated to 2
Choosing an Aquaglide Inflatable Kayak: Columbia 2 HB vs Columbia Tandem HB
This year, Aquaglide – a division of North Sports – launched their inflatable kayak line with a series of 13 models. The Columbia line sports two high-pressure tandem models – the Columbia Two HB and the Columbia Tandem HB.
A popular question is – which one should I choose?
The Columbia Two HB (photo above) is a 13.5 foot touring model with a sleek silhouette and long waterline; the Columbia Tandem HB (photo below) is a 15 foot stretched-out version. While there are many similarities, some of the differences are quite subtle. Ultimately it comes down to a personal preference, so here are some things to think about.
Both kayaks are made from the same materials, use the same valves and have the same 6-12 PSI high-pressure floor with 2 PSI side chambers. Both come with two ProFormance seats, fishing rod holders, splash decks, deck lacing, molded rubber handles, multiple d-rings, neoprene knuckleguards, velcro paddle holders, drain plugs, removable fin, foot braces and the same backpack.
Both the Columbia Two HB and Columbia Tandem HB utilize velcro floor strips and multiple d-rings to create infinite seating positions for one or two paddlers. And while they both sport an open design – making it easy to get in and out of – Aquaglide will be introducing single and double spray decks for the two models, allowing one to be in a more enclosed cockpit and utilize spray skirts.
At 13.5 feet in length with a weight of 44 lbs in the pack, the Columbia Two HB is lighterweight and shorter – easier to carry around solo in windy weather. It paddles well and has a great glide. With both seats positioned at their outer ranges, the Columbia 2 is a good tandem option for normal-sized adults, yet still is quite handle-able by one person as a solo. This is a great choice with people concerned about kayak size and weight, who don’t plan on long days of tandem touring, who want an open design yet the (upcoming) flexibility to be enclosed. As a solo with a 400 lbs capacity, it still has room for gear or a child/dog. And it costs slightly less.
The Columbia Tandem is 1.5 feet longer and weighs 5 lbs more (15 feet and 49 lbs). The long waterline makes it a great choice for extended (and short) range touring. It paddles well and has great glide. As a tandem with a weight limit of 600 lbs, there is plenty of room for gear or – with the included third jumper seat -a third smaller being. Yet the Columbia Tandem is also versatile enough to be paddled by one.
We put the Columbia Two HB and Columbia Tandem HB next to each other to
Product Review: Deschutes Tandem HB Inflatable Kayak from AquaGlide
We continue with our series on the new Aquaglide line of inflatable kayaks, now turning our sights on the Deschutes HB line of high-pressure recreational kayaks. Prior reviews focused on the Chinook price-point line, then moving on to the flagship Columbia line of high pressure inflatables.
We begin this series with the Deschutes Tandem HB 2+, a 12-foot long inflatable kayak designed with multiple seating positions for one or two paddlers – yet still with extra space for gear, child or pet. (Please note: some of the information will be repeated from other write-ups.)
Getting Started with the Aquaglide Deschutes HB Tandem:
We unpacked the box and laid out the pieces – inflatable kayak, backpack, instructions, repair kit, foot braces, tracking fin, two standard seats and a jumper seat.
Initial measurements showed the kayak body weighs approximately 34 lbs, with a backpack size of roughly 27 x 22 x 18 inches, while the kayak with seats, fin and braces – all in the backpack – weighs 45 lbs. Boxed up, the dimensions are 36 x 24 x 14 inches with a shipping weight of 56 lbs. Folded, the kayak body is 30 x 21 x 9 inches.
(AirKayaks Side note #1: When initially removing the kayak from the carrying case, take a good look at how the kayak is folded This is probably the most overlooked step and it is VERY helpful when trying to get the kayak back into the bag.)
The included instructions are adequate and include diagrams with inflation details.
Set up is straight-forward and simple – unpack, unfold, inflate.
There are two inflation chambers utilizing Boston valves – the two side chambers – while the high-pressure floor features a military valve. There are three more small chambers with twistlock valves, for the seat bases. The floor is pumped up first.
The military-style plunger valve is simple to use – with your finger, twist the plunger slightly to the “up” position to inflate (air goes in but doesn’t come back out) and “down” to deflate (air comes out).
The Deschutes Tandem HB floor requires a military valve adaptor, which does not come with most standard pumps. Here is where we came to our first issue – no military valve adaptor was included. – but we were aware of this from our previous writeups on the Columbia and Klickitat series, and pulled one out of our parts box. (AirKayaks note #2: As previously mentioned, we spoke with AquaGlide. The first couple of shipments did not include the adaptor, but subsequent shipments will. We did obtain a number of fittings that we will be including with the first shipments.)
Friction fit the military valve adaptor into the conical Boston valve adaptor (found on most pumps) and then lock the adaptor
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