Intex Challenger Kayak, Inflatable Kayak Set with Aluminum Oars and High Output Air-Pump

I bought this for my wife and I to use when we are on holiday in her native Italy. We leave it over there ready for use when we visit. Being inflatable I make sure that it is stored properly when we leave, but when it is inflated and used it is very easy to manage in terms of size and weight. Looks great on the water and can deal with modest swells on the sea. Not good though when waves start to break over it as it is low lying and can fill up easily with larger waves crashing over it. Comes with two inflatable and adjustable seats, and two collapsible double- headed paddles. Also includes the directional fin and a small puncture repair kit, although the plastic is quite heavy gauge and shows no signs of wear after several beachings on a pebble beach! There is a cargo covering net on the front and a tethering cable at the rear for holding onto. The front net also allows storage of a few small waterproof bags if needed where you can clip them onto the net for security. It also comes with a decent hand pump for inflation, although it can't be used for deflation, which in my view is surprising and a pity. There are other kayaks which are heavier duty and more professional in terms of design and quality, but for a fairly cheap product, this is actually pretty good quality and is very stable on the water (in coastal waters that are fairly calm). It also looks nice and you get some admiring glances from other beach-goers when it's set up and in use. If you want to transport it for holiday use it's probably best to buy a dedicated luggage trolley-bag but means you will need to pay for an extra bag when travelling on most airlines. However, with the right size bag the kayak and all the bits that go with it can be transported as a pack in a neat way. The carry bag that comes with it is too flimsy for airline use. We've had a lot of fun with it since we bought it and hope to continue to do so. p.s. don't over-inflate it or leave it in the sun fully inflated, both of these can cause bursting of the valves seals or seams resulting in difficult to repair damage. If you do leave it out in the sun just let some of the air out to relieve the pressure.

Absolutely brilliant! Faced with the cost of buying two traditional fiberglass kayaks, and then the added cost of a £250 roof rack for my car, I decided to look into buying the Intex Challenger K1. I did a lot of research, read a lot of reviews and watched some videos, I was convinced enough to then buy two. They arrived quickly, were very well packed and had everything needed such as pump, paddle etc. So, my dad & I took them to a nearby river and set them up. Inflation did not take long at all and we were very impressed at how sturdy these kayaks are! We both weight close to 100kgs each and yet the kayaks had no problem at all supporting our weight. They are very stable, easy to maneuver and the back rest is very comfortable indeed. The only advice I would give is to not wear any trainers/shoes in the kayak as your feet get very squashed in the nose of the kayak. I am 5f 7in tall and my feet were wedged, not because of my leg length but because there is not enough room to stick my size 11 feet vertically and so they were bent down at the ankles and that becomes uncomfortable after time. Wear either proper wet shoes or no shoes at all, certainly nothing with a hard inflexible sole. Overall an absolutely brilliant kayak, especially considering the extremely low cost and ease of transport, negating the need for extra costs of roof racks, storage etc. I highly recommend buying these!

What’s not to love about this Kayak. It’s cheap sure but that shouldn’t be its one defining quality. It will never be as professional looking or reach the high more stable pressures (psi) of other brands costing hundreds more but this is a capable Kayak if respected. We have used this Kayak in Cornwall both on Sennan Cove and Hayle Gwithian and it handled brilliantly. If there is a swell then be prepared to bucket some water out once you make it out to calmer seas. We purchased a manual bilge pump that worked great for that when out on the water. Just pump and get that water overboard. Paddles are of good length I didn’t find myself hitting the sides of the kayak and I’m by no means tall. Seats are well.. seats, they function as intended not entirely comfortable after a while and I found myself adjusting my legs to a more A frame position. As the rear rower I had more back support. Plenty of storage in this thing, we had a dry bag stashed under the cargo net. We kept the pump and bilge pump in the back compartment. Very stable on the waves, bigger waves hitting you broadside with obviously test your balance so do make sure you hit that surf straight on until you get out of the cresting waves. You will get wet though. Deflating it is easy but you will never get it back to its original size unless you happen to vaccuum the air out of it. This is heavy to carry over a long distance. We are already looking to invest in a sack truck as we purchased two of these so be mindful if your parking away from the launch location. Now for the respect part, do not use this in wind especially off or cross shore wind. This thing will keep going out to sea faster than you can paddle, we witnessed the RNLI make three rescues due to inflatables in windy conditions. Download wind compass apps to check before you use this at sea and always check the lifeguard instructions, Respect that and you will have a great time when the conditions are right. Planning to use this on the River Wye next week hopefully in a more natural setting but for all those sea farers out there go for it but be careful. Remember those life jackets!

be careful of the welded seam front n bottom splits...... me n 3 mates got one pumped it up the seal weld split open ..no chance of getting a patch on ..oh ,and the carry bag splits . 15 k plus kayak in a paper bag sending this back ..hasnt even been on the water a let down for our camping trip ..oh well bummer xx

I took it down the river Wye for about 8 miles with a friend of mine. It survived the rapids, shallow water and my lack of ability on the water. Easy to set up and easy to pack away, approximately 5 minutes to set up and 10 minutes to pack up. And miraculously it managed to fit into the bag provided. Brilliant value for money and surprisingly comfortable. It felt safe to use and hard to capsize. 10/10 would recommend for it's price bracket

I have kayaked for many years and bought this to get my daughter into the sport. She's 6 and hasn't been on the water before. I don't have space to store a solid kayak so this seemed to fit the bill. It is very very stable, solidly constructed and easy - so so easy - to get in and out of. Paddles are more than solid enough (I literally have no idea what some reviewers are on about - they are very good indeed) and the seats and backrests are more than adequate for an hour at a time. Inflates in 3 mins - again, unbelievably easy. Literally you pump the sections up in order (they're numbered on the boat), attach the seat back and shove it in the water. Daughter had first paddle today with me in the front - she loved it. Went on local watersports lake and even the senior sailing and kayak instructors loved it. Could possibly need a rudder for sea use but I think the new version (130 quid not 65) fixes the steering. It does zigzag a bit under power but then again so do slalom canoes. Obviously a top of the range fibreglass sea kayak with a rudder bar would be more directionally stable but they capsize very easily - this boat really doesn't want to go over and in fact I couldn't make it capsize even if I leant quite suddenly - great for children. I intend to use this on the sea (not in winds above 5 knots and even then only in on-shore winds) and I would recommend it to anyone. Spend the money you save on top-of-the-range buoyancy aids (like I did) and you and your kids will have a whale of a time. Bear in mind - plastic 'proper' kayaks are heavy, need a trailer, can fill up with water, love to capsize every 5mins and will bash you on the head if you fall out in sea surf. They are good at expeditions however. This is as cheap as a toy, sets up like a toy, is as easy and fun to use as a toy but is as safe if not safer than a 'proper' canoe and can be used by two strong adults or children. Just watch winds - which you should anyway. Maybe the lower profile of the new (green and black coloured) version is less susceptible to surface winds - I don't know or care really. This product is a winner and I know what makes a good canoe. Reminds me of a bit of advice about which telescope is the best to stargaze with: it's the one you actually use the most. The only issue for you is: what are you waiting for? Get this boat now and get out on the water. You'll have a ball.

Where do I start? A massive thumbs up from me and if I could give more than 5 stars I would. It's the best £91 I think I've ever spent. It was the reviews that made my final decision in purchasing this kayak and I'm not disappointed. I've been kayaking a few times but only on the local lake where not only is it quite expensive for the hire but you have a limited space and limited time. This allows you as much freedom as you like and although I've only been out on it twice It's pretty much paid for itself. The inflation is super easy and in 15 minutes it was on the water. Just make sure you inflate the bottom first before the sides. The first time I went out with it I took my friend and large cool box plus additional bits and there were no issues regards the weight. Decent amount of space for two and plenty for one so that was a massive plus if you needed to put your camping gear in with you. I brought a dry bag which came with a waterproof phone case and some aqua trainers. I put all the bits I needed ie; towel change of clothes etc into the dry bag which fitted nicely at the front underneath the netting. Paddling along the river with a bit of music on and the sun beaming down on you whilst watching the wildlife is serene. Great for my mental and physical health I just wish I'd thought about buying one years ago. The ball ache is the packing down but then I guess it always is. I found that slightly deflating it and tipping one end up and soaking up the excess water before doing the same with the other end a lot easier. Then deflate the whole thing before packing it away. When you get home half inflate it and give it a good wipe out before leaving it to air dry then fold away for next time. Yea it may be a faff but if you take the time and effort it should and I'm hoping last me and you a very long time. The only negative things I could say is that there were no ropes/strings to be able to secure it if you wanted to pull up alongside the river and take a break. Not a problem though because I improvised and put the end of the paddle through the netting at the front and the other end on the bank and stuck my rucksack on it. The second thing was not being able to know what PSI you was at when inflating the kayak. You just have to guess, I watched a video on you tube first which helped. For the price it's well worth it I genuinely love it and the freedom and the smile it puts on your face is priceless. Highly recommended.

What's not to like. I bought this to see if I like kayaking for this amount it comes with everything to get you straight on the water (except life jacket). Is the bag awkward heavy to carry? Yes, but this small negative outweighs the positives. It's not really stable but again it's and entry level Kayak. Tracks ok not the best even with skeg in but it's a low budget kayak not a massive issue. I've used it about 10 times so far each time at least 4hrs at a time mostly a lot longer and perfect for me and my 5 year old. I find the seats comfortable some may say different the paddles are not that great but again it's practically a pool toy. I mainly use it for cannals just master/practice/watch videos how to get in and out of a kayak first. I can carry it on my own for portaging yes it's heavy but not impossible, i start carrying it with my arms then use my head for extra support. I've just upgraded my kayak to a lighter quality better floor kayak just for my own preference so I can take my dog I wouldn't want to risk my dog in this kayak. Overall for a newbie you will be extremely happy and helps you find what you like and don't like about a kayak without the huge expense so next kayak you know what to look for. Quick setup be on the water in 10mins I would advise buying ropes tie either end especially if using it on a cannal so it don't get away.