Side by Side Comparison of: Intex vs Stearns vs Onyx

We took this to the lake this weekend with our entire extended family and the kayak was a total hit. The inflation was quick and easy with the included pump. The kids we were with loved using it and the entire inflation took about 6 minutes. The kayak was great with all ages and we were super impressed with the quality.

This kayak is fantastic. It's easy to set up and take down (about ten minutes) and my whole family can enjoy it. The seat placement is adjustable and it's easy to maneuver. We're beginners and we're really enjoying learning exploring the coastlines near our house. We've gotten to see all kinds of marine wildlife up close (dolphins, manatees, sting rays) and people ask me all the time where I got the kayak and how much I love it.

I recently bought 2 of these K2 Kayaks and got to use them on the Russian River last weekend in an easy area where people mostly were floating around in inner tubes and canoes. I can say they seemed to be pretty durable even going over a bunch of gravel. We had a lot of fun taking our kids up and down the river, it sure beat just sitting around on the beach. As for the kayaks I received, one was a 2015 and one a 2016. The biggest difference is the skeg was redesigned. The 2016 is a little bigger, better shape and actually clicks into place because it has a plastic mount now vs rubber on the 2015 and prior. I can see how the previous models can have the skeg slip out, it just doesn't have that positive engagement. I would really prefer to have both be 2016 so I don't have to be concerned and would make sharing parts easier if needed as they're not interchangeable. The other minor difference is the seat buckles are a different manufacture so I need to keep the seats with each kayak, not a big deal. Overall they were fun to use, but do require quite a bit of work as you want to make sure to empty the water, then try to dry them out and then get the gravel out if you've been in the river. I ended up laying them out on my lawn for a few hours after we got home, wiped them down and finally vacuumed them out before folding them up and storing them in the provided bag which is nice to have and fits them easily. You can see the difference between the new 2016 (Left) and the previous design 2015 (Right).

This kayak meets and exceeds expectations. I am not a regular kayaker, bought it for my kids and some personal adventuring. The seating position in most kayaks is uncomfortable for me but this one is great and my young kids used it "right out of the box!". Inflates quickly, oars are well constructed and so far its sturdy enough to be toted and packed. Thanks to other reviewers for supporting this product. My purchase weighed heavily on comments.

After reading some of these reviews my friend I were skeptical...
We were wrong to be so.
This kayak is amazing. I've taken it out about 3 times now for extended periods of time (8+ hours).
-No skid problems (like some reviews mention)
-no control problems
-durability is quite amazing.

I even use this 2 person one when I go out on my own. Taking out the 2nd seat gives me tons of storage space!!

Packing up/taking out have a learning curve but it's easy to get into the swing of it. Just read the instructions and you'll be fine :)

Taking it out on rougher waters tomorrow. Will update.

Well guys to be completely honest this is one of the best items i have purchased off amazon. I recieved the kayak on time and immediately set it up. My first thought was i loved the size and the fact that i could take it out of the box and go straight to the water with it. The first trip out i was nervous being in a inflatable down here in the louisiana bayous that are riddled with stumps and cypress knees. After several minutes on the water in the kayak i was impressed. The seats are comfortable if adjusted right, the kayak tracks in a straight line especially with some weight in it and the skeg attached, the material is extremely durable and even with 2 people in it you have enough room to store some gear. I have been out in it several times now and after hiting all sorts of underwater structre the thing doesnt have a scratch on it. Now for the cons....although the paddles work fine they are cheap. I will be upgrading but mostly for the fact that regardless of how you paddle you will get wet. The pump also feels cheap but so far it has held up and if it does go out the same exact pump can be found at walmart for 9 bucks. Also with no gear in the kayak and going solo the kayak will walk side to side just a hair the wind will catch the sides like a sail. With either some gear to help weigh it down or a second person it tracks straight and is easy to handle in the wind. Overall guys and gals if youre thinking about purchasing this just quit thinking and buy it you wont regret it.

 Great product. I purchased toward the end of summer for $94. So the the price does fluctuate with the season. Took me about 20min in set up the 1st time. About 15min for subsequent attempts. I've taken it out 3-4 times in the last 2 months. Collapses down small enough to fit in the trunk of a small car. The paddles work, but I felt were on the small side for me. This kayak is somewhat wide also. I ended up getting a 96inch paddle but i'm 5'10''. My 5 yr old daughter does ok with it. When I stretch out my legs, I have to tuck my feet to the sides of the front seat. The skin of the boat is reasonably strong. You'd have to scrape against some jagged metal or be hit head on by a hard pointy branch for this to puncture.For the boating itself, this craft is ok. It doesn't seem as smooth or can go as fast as a hard plastic boat. But that's fine considering it's $100-200 less. I even took it through some mild rapids (still choppy enough to splash me good) and it held up fine.The fin/skeg works fine and is easy to install but requires decent hand strength to remove (a good thing). It basically clicks in place and you have to push a tab down to remove it. I drilled a hole and put a fishing line through it in case the skeg falls off as suggested by others, but this is unnecessary. I even started heading away from shore once and the skeg, and only the skeg, hit an underwater boulder. I was going about 3mph when it hit and came to a dead stop, all 200+ lbs of the boat and people. The skeg edge was a little scratched but in place at the end. Maybe Intex updated the skeg after it 1st came out. I'm going to remove the fishing line before the next trip because it is unnecessary and gets seaweed,etc caught in it creating more drag.If you were to give me the choice (price not an issue) b/w a hard plastic boat and this, I'd pick the hard boat. That said, I'm very happy with this very inexpensive and easy to transport kayak.

I have 3, have owned them a season now and have been torture testing them, did great on over 20 lake trips this season, even did pretty good on my 8 river trips on a river that got up to class 4 (Poudre River), porting is not good enough for the larger rapids so you have to get to the side to dump it out occasionally if you are doing class 3 and up, I was very impressed how it could handle rock hit after rock hit in the turbulent watersOne did have a hole appear on one of the seams on the inside of the boat and I have not attempted a repair yet but I got a lot of use out of them and abuse them plenty by storing them in my car and unwittingly allowing friends to over inflate them, so I can see why the hole appearedAll in all I am very satisfied even if one of the three now has a repair awaiting it*UPDATEI have had these for a year now, all three got holes in storage, 4 holes in total including the seem I never got around to patching up.Got a thing of "stabond" and pvc patches from local kayaking shop and tried as best I could to follow the instructions given to me, they all hold up on lake trips and storage about to do the first river trip since the patches got layed down, will see how they do

I love this kayak! You can go swimming in the middle of the lake. Re-entering is easy and it won't flip. When you remove both seats 2 people can comfortably sit on inflated floor facing each other and enjoy lazy afternoon on the water. You can also buy kayak anchor and enjoy sunshine without a drift.

Took this out for a two hour trip down a calm river/creek. Handles pretty well, tracking is ok. Lots of complaints about losing the skeg, but I'm just not seeing how, if you actually click it into the mount. It's a pain to remove, if you know how to do it, as it should be.I even ran it aground a bit on shallow water that was unexpected. Maybe some scuff marks on the vinyl, but no puncture. Some complain about the water deflection cups, but, I'm guessing it's expected to get rained on. Can't see how it would be otherwise.Self-bailing works as expected. All in all, well worth the $90 for this. Since kayak rentals are $20/half hour near here, I already came out ahead on this one trip today.

A genuinely usable intro to the world of kayaking. I would upgrade the paddles for a more comfortable grip. Also, I improvised a semi-official solution to the lost-skeg problem by using a Go-Pro tethering system (search GoPro Surf Mount) to keep the skeg from getting lost once disconnected. See photo.

these are great to havewe had very old pfds and so we ordered several of these and they are perfect for us and our guestsgood adjustments and well made

Got it at a great price- just as a safety precaution for a larger 7 year old- and this fit him great- kept his head out of water- very safe! Does ride up a little- but that's likely because he's not adult height. Should fit standard adult well.

I ordered the same size for my husband and I and we are close in size. He's 5'8" and 170lbs and I'm 5'6" and about 140 for us both nicely. However my mother also used it and she is quite a big bigger and it seemed quite small on her. We live in SK and heRe you are required to wear life jackets at the water park these were the right price and perfect to meet the requirement.

I haven't tested to see if this thing will save my life or not. I do float when wearing it, so that's a good sign. In hindsight, I should have gotten the orange colored one, they are easier to spot off in the distance than the purple ones... Maybe I'll spray paint it orange!

Fits perfectly and is quite comfortable. I had to loosen the straps a bit to fit me well. I haven't fallen in the water yet, so can't comment on its functionality yet.

I'm a 260 woman usually wear a size 2x in shirts and it fit me perfectly, it can be extended bigger. After much researching I decided on this life vest, held me up quiet well in water and used in a small rowing boat, had fun on the lake with ease of mind!

A good cheap way to get out on the water.

Pros:
- Price
- Fits easily in a car trunk, including paddles
- Pretty fast to set up and break down (doesn't take much longer than dealing with a hard shell kayak secured to a roof rack)
- Since it's flexible, it rolls more gently over waves than a hard shell

Cons:
- Hull flexibility makes it a bit sluggish
- Inflatable seats not great for lower back support (pretty fatiguing if using for more than and hour or two)
- Included paddles are fairly wobbly.
- Doesn't track great, especially with two people (but, it's a bit big to paddle solo)
- It's a bit of a pain to get it properly dried out for storage.

We bought two Intex two person kayaks, the Challenger and the Explorer. The Challenger looks and feels sleeker, but is more difficult to dry out. The Explorer is roomier and feels more like a canoe with seats.

Took this out on the River this weekend. It sets up easy, I had a problem with the seats but that was my fault. The kayak does take on some water, but nothing drastic. I bought this to be able to take my grandson with me. I like it better than my hard shell Kayak because I don't have to put it up on my roof and then carry it down to the river. This is a little heavier than I would like, but I just put it in my wagon. The pump that they give you works great. I tried an electric pump and it actually took more time using that than the hand pump. I like that on each end there is storage room. Only draw back for me is I wish it was lighter. I may by the single just to use daily for myself. I would definitely buy another one.

This kayak was super easy to inflate and only took 5-10 minutes to set up (you will need one person to hold the pump to the valve and one to pump). It fit nicely in the back of my Nissan Versa Note, which is a smaller hatchback. My friend and I took it on a local mild river and we never felt tippy or like the water was going to flood the kayak at all. The only downfall is it's very difficult to steer and the two people kayaking have to be of similar weights or else the other sinks down quite a bit. For the price, is was a great purchase!

Okay, expect what you are paying for. put on the keel and the guide is great. Paddles are short and weak, buy new ones. Durability? how long do you plan on gliding the rocks? I'n my experience my friends don't like to step in the water, so it can put up with a pretty unforgiving scratch incident for a plastic kayak with no tears.

This is a great inflatable kayak and I give it a 4.5/5 stars.

This kayak is a great option for someone who needs the portability of it or lacks the space to store a hard kayak. This kayak was a savior in college being able to throw it into the trunk of my car and collapsing it into a bag that could fit into a closet. You can throw it in the trunk, drive to the lake, and in 20 min be into the water enjoying yourself. This is the same when breaking it down. You can have it packed back up in roughly 20 min again and have it in your trunk. I just make sure to wipe it down with a towel before folding it up.

I used this kayak mainly for fishing (I know an inflatable for fishing?). But this kayak is made of tougher material than you would think and could take a hook grazing along it or bumping into sticks or going over some occasional rocks. If this does get a puncture, it is actually relatively easy to glue and patch with the right resources. I had this happen with my past kayak and after sealing it, I had no problems with future leaks. I have gone into the trees along the edge of the lake when getting snagged and accidentally gone over shallow water and bottomed out without any issues.

The kayak can accommodate 2 people although somewhat snugly. You can definitely have 2 people in here but based on weight/size you might not have much more room for other supplies. It is manageable but I much prefer using one seat at a time and using the extra storage space for my backpack, fishing pole, anchor, tackle box, etc. The seats clip in and are pretty comfortable and you can actually sit the seat in 1/2 Velcro spots along the bottom of the inside. I basically move my back seat up as far as I can on the back Velcro spot and then I am set to use it as a one-seater.

The mesh part in the front is nice for some extra on-top storage. It stays relatively dry and holds my flip flops, life jacket, and other items pretty well. You can also use the rope around the edges of it for grabbing/carrying the kayak. There is also a bit of room under the front and back of the kayak as well for your flatter items. I can usually throw my flip flops, fish net, tarp, and life jacket under the front. In the back, I can usually throw my bag and pump and extra seat under the back edge.

The kayak actually navigates pretty true. With the skeg on, it tracks pretty well and can actually go decently fast. It probably can't compete with a hard kayak but it definitely isn't a "toy". I have had absolutely no issues with the skeg coming off either as others have stated. It has NEVER gotten loose and actually can take a little muscle at times to get out. The skeg just slides into the plastic cut-out on the bottom. If you're going forward and it gets hit on the bottom, it can only go inward so it shouldn't really come loose from that either. Just make sure it clicks fully into place - that's my best advice. Maybe others aren't fully engaging it.

Overall, this is a very nice starter kayak or kayak for those that cannot afford or don't have the storage for a hard one. I have had a very positive experience with it and would recommend it to anyone. I get compliments on it all the time and people walk over to see what it is. If you have any questions just comment and I will try to answer them for you.

The kayak arrived very quickly, but the pump did not work. I called the Intex support number and they say they do not warranty the pump. So rather than just sending me a replacement pump I now have to either rebox and return and get a replacement of the whole kayak set, or go buy a pump. I did put the kayak together, inflating it with my house vacuum. It went together easily and quickly (took me about 15 minutes while reading directions) and seems sturdy and well engineered. The seats have straps that attach to the body of the kayak to support the seatback, which makes the seating comfortable. Oars are decent quality It's not exactly clear what the true weight capacity rating is for the kayak. The box and owners manual say 400 pounds of people and gear, but the tag on the boat says 330 lbs of people and gear. The kayak comes with a flexible ruler that the instructions say you use to make sure it's inflated properly, but it does not say what you measure to do this. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what to measure.Losing the skeg seems to be a major concern, judging by other reviews. The skeg hangs down below the bottom of the kayak about 9", so if you're close to shore i.e. not in deep water, and sit over the skeg, it's going to hit bottom and pop off. Best to either tether it to the kayak, as described in prior reviews, or make sure you're in deep enough water on entry to avoid hitting bottom and knocking it off (or both)..Other than the pump issue, it seems like a great value. Disappointing to have to taint a great product with poor customer service and warranty policies, which cost them a star.

Fun and sturdy kayak. We have used it 3 times so far. Doesn't take long to pump up. The seats are nice and with the keel, it handles wind and current conditions better than expected. I am writing the company to ask for a replacement carry bay, however. The zipper is not of the sturdiest quality and ours tore off while zipping up. For the price this is a good kayak so far.

I was a skeptic as well! I searched through 50+ different kayaks on Amazon and other websites and read more reviews than I care to admit. I was prepared to spend $300-800 on a Kayak; we live 2 miles from a lake so I figured it would get plenty of use. I was convinced that the only way to go was a solid hard plastic kayak, but man those things are pricey when you start looking at the 2-seater options. This one popped up on my sidebar on Amazon at least 50 times before I decided to look at it, the solid rating is the only reason I even considered looking at it. Ultimately, I decided that even if it is a terrible product I would only be out $100, and could still search for another one. Don’t be me, don’t be a skeptic. This is a solid product if you are looking to go out and have a little fun. If you are trying to be a competitive kayaker then I might consider clicking the back button at the top of your screen. For the price this product can’t be beaten, no question.Assembly: 5 out of 5- This thing came together in no time. We didn’t test it prior to taking it to the lake and when we got there we were on the water within 10 minutes. The pump does an excellent job and is quite nice.Comfort: 4 out of 5- My wife and I are both average sizes, and we had no issues with the comfort. The seat backs could be slightly higher to provide more support, but overall solid.Fun Factor: 5 out of 5- My wife and I loved it, we did a 5-mile loop on the lake in a little under 2 hours. It is the perfect product for someone just looking to go out a couple times a month and have a little fun.Paddles: 3 out of 5- Not great, but not the worst. They get the job done, but you can tell that they are a bit flimsy and won’t last long term.Security: 4.5 out of 5- I didn’t feel like I was going to fall out or that the kayak was going to collapse around me at any time.Tracking: 3.5 out of 5- It did pretty well with two of us in there paddling, but it did have a tendency to have a mind of its own on occasion, we had to correct our direction several times throughout.

Living in an area that abounds in natural recreation, I've been debating purchasing a kayak for years. I been on many different hard types via rentals over the years, but the investment in both a kayak, and some type of frame to transport it on my car were definitely prohibitive factors. After a lot of online research, I decided to give an inflatable a try. One of the key requirements was that it was durable enough to bring a dog. This definitely fits the bill. I've taken it out several times, now, and I have to say that I love it.Some of the pros:Easily transportable in any vehicleEasily set up- it takes me about 10-15 minutes, from vehicle to waterDurable (I have brought 2 of my 3 dogs, nails trimmed)RoomyVery comfortableMoves well in the waterThe two dual valves are very reliableSome of the cons:Heavy (it's best to inflate in a location close to the water if possible)Not a one-person task for anyone with any physical limitations (I'm guessing)Paddle is a bit flimsy. I ordered a Day Tripper, which is much betterInstructions are a bit lackingPool-toy style of valves are difficult to manageDeflation can be tediousI chose the two-seater so that I could accommodate another person, or a dog. If you do go with this kayak, I recommend you set it up in your home first to get the hang of the inflation process, and make sure everything is in working order. The manual pump is quite easy to use, and it inflates the kayak quickly. I purchased a small motor pump, mostly for the deflation feature, as getting all of the air out can be challenging- especially the floor, which for some reason does not have the dual valve feature. There is a plug in the rear of the kayak which you should make sure is secure before getting in the water. The intention of this plug is to be able to drain any water from the kayak when done. This is not in the manual, and we found this out the hard way.If you intend to bring your dog, I recommend trimming and filing nails, and make sure he has a life jacket (I recommend Outward Hound). Also, I purchased an inexpensive yoga mat to put inside the kayak on the floor, just for extra protection, and to give more of a feel of stability under their paws.I'm very pleased with this purchase, and I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time exploring in it this summer.

After having this for a year I can tell you this is a really good kayak for the occasional jaunt onto smooth water. My wife and I have taken it out multiple times and find it a real pleasure to use. Easy to setup and put away. It is heavy and a little bulky to store but you expect that. when inflated it is a nice smooth ride through the water.This is an inflatable kayak, and those who review it in comparison to a solid hull craft are doing it a disservice. You are not going to go white water kayaking with this and you're not going to be going on week long jaunts with tons of gear either, it is meant to be recreational in purpose, nothing more. With that in mind for the price you cannot go wrong. Also comparing this to the 4-600 dollar models is not fair either, it is not meant to be in that class.Suggestions:Drill a hole in the Skeg and tie a line to it and then to the stern of the kayak to prevent losing it. It WILL come out as others have said.Do not overinflate the seats, they don't need to be rock hard.Get some longer oars if you can afford it. Better quality wouldn't hurt either. But if you can't the stock one will work in a pinch.1st time you use it make sure you reach inside and press the drain plug in the stern in FIRMLY. it will come out and your back side will get soggy.Get a better bag to store it in. I use a large Coleman duffle bag I had laying around. The bag they give you is crap and will tear out. Plus it will not hold the oars anyway.Other than that just enjoy it. it is nice way to waste and afternoon.

Works as advertised. Easily holds two adults. You could also load one adult and two smaller kids at your discretion--it holds up to 400 lb. Not intended for whitewater, but great in a lake or slow river. My only complaint is that there's a total of nine air valves to pump up and then let out the air when you're done, and you really have to let most of the air out to put it in the trunk of your car--it's bulky with any air remaining. The included pump works fine, so do the paddles, which also float if you drop one in the water. Overall, a great buy!After using it a few times, I have one added comment/warning: the rudder will pop off if you hit a rock or stump, and it doesn't float. Without the rudder, the kayak does not maintain directional stability. Luckily for me, it popped off in shallow water and I was able to locate it on the bottom. Later, I glued the rudder in place using Shoe Goop glue. Hopefully that will keep it from popping off again. Another reviewer mentioned drilling a hole in the rudder and using monofilament to tie the rudder to the mounting bracket on the bottom of the kayak. Either way, you need to insure it doesn't pop off, as the kayak is almost useless without the rudder.

They are light enough that you are not restricted when in your Kayak. They arrived on time. Stearns Adult Classic Series Vest, 3000004475, Blue, Universal

It's a great for the price. I took it out in Huntsville State Park where the water was very calm. I'm not an expert kayaker, I've only been on calm water and this was a great alternative to having to rent one. I'd read reviews about the paddle not being great but for my level it worked fine.

4 stars because it only fits female or very tiny guys. For male even the oversize doesnt fit either. Anyhow, the vest is very nice and durable. the color is bright and look pretty much the same as the photo.

Fit great and wasnt too heavy or bulky feeling. I do not like the way the back of the vest sits pretty high or isnt long enough but it was still comfortable and probably would have worked very well...if I ever fell in.

Fits me!!! I am 315 with a 46 waist and 50 jacket size. Haven't tried buoancy yet. Won't unless my boat sinks.

Great price. Fit a larger sized chest female with more slack that could have been let out. Didn't have to actually rely on it but wore on a air boat. Was not too uncomfortable. It didn't stay up around my neck like some others do such as the ones that only fit around your neck. All in all a good buy.

Good alternative to a regular kayak if you don't have storage space for it. A bit too large and heavy for being portable. A bit of a pain to dry completely to put back into bag.

Great product for what we needed. We had a trip to the San Juan Islands in Washington State and wanted something to tool around in-i.e. not for big water, just to get out into our little bay and do some close-to-shore exploring. It worked pretty well and came with a pump, which is cool. We had it shipped from Amazon to the place we were staying. It ended up being cheaper to buy this kayak than rent kayaks for the week.
One caveat-when we deflated it to bring it home and tried to put it into the bag that it came with, the bag completely fell apart and the zipper ripped out, so we had to leave it behind.

Kayak is a good deal for the price but the pump is cheaply made and broke the first time my family and I used it. Called customer service who suggested I return the entire kayak and pump. I just wanted a new pump because the kayak works great. Amazon customer service credited me for the pump because I complained it would be way too difficult to return the kayak now that is was out of the box.

I like the simplicity of construction and the durability, however after using it for 20 minutes the skeg fell off into the lake, never to be found. In going to the webpage, the way of contacting Intex does not really allow this boat to be found in the "pull-down" menu portion of the online form. If anyone can get me a simple email address for the company customer service, I would really appreciate it. I will certainly keep using the boat, however controlling it without the skeg is difficult

.http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Challenger-2-Person-Inflatable-Aluminum/dp/B00177FIJ8

Fun part is that the boat was a blast to take out on Lake Tahoe - smooth waters with mild boat wake. I thought it handled well, especially with two people. With just me, I sat in the rear to get better back support and felt I lost a little tracking because of that. The inflatable seats give only low back support where the strap holds the seat up -- they are not that sturdy.
Now for the defective parts...
The carrying bag came with a torn handle, but this product was not advertised as having a carrying bag.
The vinyl on the bottom has an indentation like it got poked when it was manufactured. It still holds air. I discussed with Intex customer support who say they believe it will continue to hold air.
The instruction manual says I should call them directly for support but the phone support said I should contact Amazon for a return if I am not satisfied. Am debating whether I want to go through the effort to pack it back in the little box to return or take my changes with the potentially weakened vinyl.

Pros and Cons:Pros: Great price. Well put together. Has everything you need. Quick to inflate with electric pump. I've seen no problems with the skeg (fin) falling off. Good customer service.Cons; The seats are inflatable. The seat material is thinner than the hull material. One of my seats got a pinhole leak in a crease. With shipping, it costs $56 to replace a seat. Might as well buy a new kayak and get 2 seats for less money. Hoping my Shoe Goo patch will hold...

The Kayak itself is good, but the inflation mechanism for the floor of the kayak is not optimal. There are three main inflation points for the kayak. The floor and the two sides. There are two cosmetic inflatable strips in the front and back, but they dont really serve any purpose and dont stay inflated as the inflation hole is not a one way and as soon as you remove the pump insert the air comes out. Now for the other three inflation points - two of them - the sides are solid and they come with a double locking mechanism (not sure of the technical name) where you unscrew the top and inflate and the bottom "lock" keeps the air in.. so you dont have trouble with air escaping when the pump tube is taken out. For the floor, I dont know why they went cheap and put it a simple plastic/rubber inflation stop (similar to what you see on rubber toys) and this is a pain as it does not do a great job with locking the air in when you take out the pump pipe. The other challenge is that the rear seat is on top of this inflation plug - so one time when I took the kayak out, I adjusted my seat and I realized that I was hearing a hissing sound. Turns out that the seat had popped the inflation cap and it was leaking! Good thing I caught it near the shore and went back to inflate and put the cap on properly and adjusted the seat so it didnt pop the cap. If they had just made this inflation point the same as the other two, it would have been rock solid. To the vendor: is there any way to make this more secure?Inflating the kayak takes a while though - so plan on a good 20-25 mins to inflate. Deflating and folding up is simple, but also time consuming 20-30 mins (not unexpected or something that's a flaw). Otherwise, material is quite solid.

My wife purchased 2. The kids like it. My wife likes the ability to carry it easily and stick it in the car easily (our canoe is heavy to carry and lift to the roof of the van). But the canoe doesn't need inflation. The first time I went out on the inflatable, it snagged on an underwater branch and ripped a one inch hole. We didn't see it coming, and it wasn't avoidable. Just a sudden, unexpected tug and then the bubbles in the water. The bottom needs to be tougher than that, because it's the first thing you'd be worried about if you're buying an inflatable. I also felt cramped with the leg room. If you're shorter, you probably won't get that. My kids like theirs. If you're short and you're going on a lake, it's probably for you.

Took it out today for the first time. Love it! Great way to be able to kayak if you don't have room to store a hard shell kayak. Heavy gage. Easy to transport and store. HOWEVER.......on subsequent uses we noticed......It was hard to navigate in a straight line. Thought maybe it was just us. However we noticed on closer inspection that it is defective. The bottom of one side does not inflate, stays bunched up and tilts to that side since it does not totally inflate. Very disappointed. Would be awesome if not defective!

The SKEG ( the underside rudder made of plastic) is poorly designed, and also bowed to one side (warped) due to what appears to be a quality control issue as well as it being made of too thin material.It's surface area is insufficient, and the two combined problems make for a lousy in-line paddling and steering-aide experience.I will be forced to make my own replacement part, due in-part to the seller's unwillingness to replace "only that part" on the recently purchased item. They offer to take the entire inflateable kaya back and replace it with a new one; however... it will likely be the same skeg design and identically injection molded, so what is the point?All it will amount to is more downt-time away from the fun of paddling.With this small component being poorly though-out, the entire watercraft's performance is affected, but all-in-all... if you can accept that this recreational vehicle is a glorified dinghy inthe shape of something between a kayak and a canoe; and can be used both ways......then you will be happy just having fun.

Was a great 7 hour ride on a wavy lake. However, it popped a small leak in the right pontoon before or during the first time I used it, which slowly deflates the pontoon over a course of several hours. Can't find the leak yet. Also, the paint chips easily and the dark inner color quickly heats up the kayak under sunlight, making the plastic feel soft and malleable which may have encouraged the leak.Edit:Found microleaks randomly across the other pontoon which I thought wasn't leaking, or at least appreciably, after filling the kayak with water. The less than pinhole size and position near front of the kayak and towards the interior shows that its probably not from a puncture but from defects in the material. Still give it 3 stars because even with microleaks, I was able to stably row for 7 hours on a lake.

its okay

This would be 5 stars, but for some reason Stearns didn't see fit to put a d ring on it to attach to the kill switch.

Its okay but didnt fit as expected.

It rides up in the back

typical life jacket. Needed some for extras on the boat

Does the job. A bit smaller than i imagined.

Bought this for husband as a Christmas present. He went to a lake for its maiden voyage with our 12 year old son. The water was calm. The paddle my son was using broke within 30 mins of use, right down the middle.... The kayak itself was okay, looks pretty sturdy, but would have to wait to see how well it holds up. Have to look for a new paddle before we use again.

The kayak was deformed. One of the plastic buckles to steady the back of the seat was mishapen, a big problem. The seat would not buckle in to the floor of the kayak, and as a result one seat has no back support.

Seam split on the side as soon as we sat in it. Inflated per the instructions. On first inspection, I thought it would be of reasonable quality for the price we paid. Knew it wasn't going to last forever, but for light occasional use, thought it would do the trick. The paddles are solid, good quality. Pump worked rather well. The inflatable seats could definitely use some additional rigidity to provide enough back support. Valves worked really well for inflating, and held the air. So, I don't know if we got a lemon that had a poorly fused seam, or if this is a design/manufacturer issue. I think if you are willing to take a chance, but for the price, may be worth the gamble. Might be better suited for kids, less weight.

I would give this product 5 stars easily if it wasn't for the detachable ruder thats located on the underneath of the kayak and the seats. It is a grate concept the plastic is super heavy duty, you will not have any problems with punctures. We took it to Croatia and some of the beacher were sharp rocks, no problems at all. The only two issues we had is that the seats were worthless literally did not support you at all whatsoever, so if you are ok paddling without back support and you want to work out your abdominal muscles then go for it. The other issue the ruder that's detachable, actually detached at some point while we were out at sea and after that happened without a ruder and no back support it was nearly impossible to paddle and stay on course. Over all it's an excellent flotation device if you want to stay dry and float around but its nowhere close to an actual kayak that you can use more than once.

holy moly!! the frist trip was fun.. it was funny! everytime we started in a direction the kayak would quickly spin around and go in a different direction. the sencond, third, etc.. not so funny!! u have nooooo control!! u work so hard to get nowhere. i am going to try the idea a man had with the balsa wood!! hope it works!!

This was shipped incomplete -- missing the seats and fin. I wanted to just have the missing parts shipped to me, but there was no automated to do that via the website, so I requested a return. This was not a difficult process. However, after the first use, one of the welds that creates separate chambers on the floor of the kayak became unglued, resulting in a lopsided, uneven ride. The return window is closed and I now I'm stuck with a kayak that doesn't paddle well.

The price came down a little and it became a Prime only product. Vinyl material is thinner than Challenger. Kayak bends when you get in it. Sorry, I think Intex is cutting corners with this one.

Unfortunately, after 2 short, careful uses, one chamber deflated. Amazon, like always, made good and i returned it for a full refund. It's a neat idea, we cold put it in our camper and have an inflatable anywhere, however, 2 uses isn't adequate. It's not a regular kayak, slower and harder to paddle, by the way, if you get one, plan on purchasing better paddles..

It's ok. Just ok. I wish I'd shopped longer- the seats just stink. Best way to put it

This came missing a plug that makes the kayak not usable. We didn't use the kayak until now, and we can't do a return. All we really want is the cap for the plug so we can use this .... please help!

Loved it on first use but the neXt attemp to inflate it the bottom would not keep in air. In first inflation of the seats one had a hole in it. I loVed the idea but now I have top pAtch 2 places and only used it once for 15 minutes. Very dissatisfied

Meh. I thought it would fit better and not have bulky blocks in it. I was wrong.

I am sending this back. It looks good and quality seems good but the clasps are so hard to open. I even got my finger stuck and severely pinched trying to open it while testing it. Disappointed.

Product is too short waisted and seems like a person could slide right out of it.

The regular adult vest just had the straps extended, it fits weird and doesn't really cover you properly.

A bit of a disappointment as I was looking for a life jacket to fit a large person. Not an easy task..

Too short (I'm only 5'1") When I got in the water, it pulled up on me and felt like it was going to come off. Poor quality.

The first time we took the kayak out it had a hole. No problem, I thought, I can just patch it up with a bit of silicone and one of the included patches. The second time we took it out there were two holes. Oh, and the skeg was broken when it arrived. The material the kayak is made from is thick and heavy, but suprisingly fragile. The carry bag is poorly made and the zip detached after only a couple of uses.

The kayak works OK for one person but it tends to take on a lot of water. It's pretty hopeless with two people. The front seat has zero back support so you end up either with a sore back, or you lie back on the other person's legs and still get a sore back but with the added bonus that the other person also has sore legs. The seats are closer together than in a normal 2-person kayak so it's important to stay in sync with the other person. It's very easy to end up with your paddles colliding.

I wouldn't recommend this kayak. It's not really suitable for two people and it damages easily.

The kayak deflated on its first use. We were very careful to keep it away from sharp objects and did not drag it at all. Very disappointed.

I opened the box this morning ,inflated and and launched and a leak appeared almost immediately. We were only able to keep afloat while paddling back to shore by keeping a finger on each of the two holes that appeared. I see their warranty policy allows you to return in 30 days at your own expense! Apparently quality control is not high on the list.

Purchased a Challenger last September. I was hesitant to get an inflatable Kayak, but as a city apartment dweller, I took a chance for the sake of convenience. I took it on one test run to make sure it was functional before it got too cold out. I was hooked immediately. In fact, I was so impressed by the apparent durability and ease of use that I went out and bought a single person inflatable kayak for solo trips. Fast forward to June, and I start inflating the Challenger for the second time ever. I got the second chamber about 75% full, and it starts deflating, and I realize that the seams along the upper middle side of the outer chamber had started to split. I literally took it out of the box, inflated it, took it out on a lake, packed it away, inflated it a second time, and it died. How disappointing. It was pretty good for the 75 minutes of use I got out of it... I guess that's something.

Like many others have reported, the poorly designed skeg fell off after second time of gentle use - now it is not maneuverable anymore.

This was a great kayak until it wasn't. I've my first one in June, and there was a leak the very first time I took it out. The return was so easy, that I stayed hopeful that was just a fluke and got a replacement.The replacement kayak was great for about 2 months, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking it out. I probably took it out 12 or so times total. Yesterday I blew it up and noticed another leak in the middle compartment. It wasn't even on the bottom, where there would have been a possibility of being snagged on a rock or something.This is an incredibly poorly made kayak. you get what you pay for.

So, had this kayak for just under a year, and have used it about ten times. Easy to transport and to set up, which is why we bought it. We have only used it in fresh water, always cleaned it afterwards, and stored it flat.Out on the lake today a light hissing sound started at one seam that quickly went from a hiss to a pffft to a POOOOF! One whole side deflated instantaneously and we went into the lake...So A for convenience, but F for quality. Do not buy if you intend to use this product more than a year or ten times. DON'T BUY!P.S. Warranty is only 90 days, and the company did not want to do anything for us. However, Amazon gave us a $20 credit for our troubles. Go Amazon!! D.S.

I was excited to purchase this product, especially after reading the reviews. My first time taking it out and inflating it properly (following all instructions), one side began leaking before I ever got it in the water. One of the Boston valves was defective and continued to leak air. Will not purchase this (or likely any) inflatable kayak in the future.

My friend recommended me to buy this kayak and I did. However, just after his two months usage his kayak had a air leakage. My kayak had a small hole at the end of the boat where the two plastic sheets are supposed to be glued together just after the 1 month return period with about 5 times using it.

I took it out on it's maiden voyage today and it was a totally miserable experience. It was hard to manage and unwieldy, the seats were awful, kept coming loose, no back support. If I had it to do over, I would not buy this. My money would be better spent elsewhere. My wife has a solid kayak, that costs $300.00 out at Costco that was so much easier to handle, and handled much better than this Intex behemoth. Just my opinion, but I'm not real happy with my experience.

The kayak's bottom is leak after three times using. Now it become a heavy trash and could not be replaced or returned.

Should be marked undersized not over fits my 12 yr old

I have now purchased 2 of the oversized adult vests. I weigh 240# & the vests do not even come close to fitting. I am returning them.

This thing is very short. It looks like a child's life jacket.

This vest is not for big people. It would not fit me and I am 6' 240 pounds. It did fit my wife she wears a woman's med T-shirt. I was very disappointed.

Measurements they advertise is completely wrong. Universal jacket only fits children or small adults. If you're normal size go with the oversized. My girl have a normal skinny body with 34DD boobs and she can't fit into this universal. Stearns need to post the measurements right.

did not fit at all was suppose be a 2xl size may in child's