Side by Side Comparison of: ADVANCED ELEMENTS

Not wanting to transport our canoe on top of the SUV when camping, we had to find a more practical solution to getting on the water. I had researched a few inflatables earlier and was leery as to durability. When I started to read about AE products I felt this was what I needed. It has proven to be both portable and durable.This is a great looking kayak and tracks well. We will use it for sightseeing and fishing. Perfect for rivers, lakes and bays. I have no intention of using it in too severe conditions but would feel comfortable if those conditions arise.Setup and take down is relatively easy. Allow 30 minutes for each. Make sure it is dry before storing. The process takes some common sense in maintaining your investment. It will last many years if taken care of properly.I really don't feel there are any negatives on this kayak. Some complain that it is heavy (53lbs) but that is a sign of its quality. I know my 14' Old Town canoe weighs in at 75 lbs. It may not be a speed demon, but it is not designed to be.

These inflatable kayaks are very versatile, made well, track in the water very efficiently and I might say handle really well in the ocean with 3 to 4 feet rolling waves. I was so impressed I bought another so all my daughters and I can go kayaking often. The convenience and versatile of throwing them in your trunk then inflating them at your location is so awesome.

I am a whitewater kayaker and previously only had tried whitewater kayaks. I went through the whole novice phase where trying to paddle just turns you around and around - not to mention, extremely frustrating. White water kayaks are meant to spin very easily because you want to be able to maneuver your kayak really quickly when you are in the rapids or among rocks or other hazards. Speed is much less of a concern with a white water kayak since, well, the water is already moving, so you don't need to paddle very hard.However, taking a whitewater kayak in a lake is pretty much good for only two things: 1) An extremely good workout - since the kayaks simply do not want to go straight and 2) Practicing your skills in a safe environment without having to worry about hazards and currents.My wife had been wanting to go on the water with me for a while now so I finally buckled down and bought this kayak (of course after researching the hell out of inflatable kayaks.) Friend kayakers had told me that Inflatable kayaks are in general stable and this kayak just delivers on the mark. I bought it with the double action pump and it worked pretty well. The kayak is pretty heavy - 56 lbs. I consider myself strong but trying to carry it in the case to the water was a bit of struggle. The reason is not that the weight. Rather, the carrying case is is like an oversize shopping bag - of course, zippered, so it is completely enclosed. The handles are not big enough to give you enough length to hang around your shoulders. You can put your arm in and put it on your shoulder, but it is not very comfortable.Setting it up was pretty straightforward. It takes about 10 minutes to fully setup. One thing I had been dreading was pumping the kayak up. Surprisingly, the kayak barely requires 1-2 psi pressure when fully inflated, so the pump really pumps it up very quickly.I did a water launch of the kayak i.e. take it in about calf deep water and then place your butt in the kayak. Then raise your legs and bring them in. My wife is not a kayaker and does not know swimming, so I was quite concerned with stability of the kayak. I suited her up in the life vest and had her sit in first in the rear seat. Boy, it was stable! She sat down with not an issue. I got in without any issues as well. I tried to rock the kayak, it does not rock much. Both Primary and Secondary stability of the kayak are excellent. Primary stability means when the kayak is sitting on water and you try to rock it a bit, does it become tippy whereas secondary stability means when the kayak is almost on its side, does it become tippy or tips over. Happy to say, I did not feel any tippiness at all.Tracking: Tracking means when that when you are paddling, how well does the kayak move in a straight line. Coming from a white water world, I am really well versed with keeping a kayak straight (remember how I earlier said that white water kayaks DO NOT want to go straight and require skill to keep them moving in a particular direction). I was simply amazed at the tracking ability of this kayak. I mean after I paddled it for a few strokes and just let it go, it would go in exactly the direction that I left it at. No turning, no twisting whatsoever. Coming from the whitewater world, this just seems like magic. The fact that the kayak has a welded keel at the bottom and a plastic weldged spine at the bottom must be contributing to that as well. I tested the tracking in flat, calm water and it performed superb. Of course, if you try it in a windy place or otherwise moving water, it would affect the tracking.I noticed while setting the kayak up that there is an aluminum backbone in both the tips of the kayak which keeps the tips sharp and help it cut through the water. It was not much work to make it travel through the water.The seats are pretty OK. The seats attach to the kayak with two buckle straps and I tightened mine to make it near straight back sitting. After an hour or so, it was slightly uncomfortable. You might have to play with a few adjustments, aftermarket accessories if you want to go on a long trip. As someone else mentioned, the rear seat touches the back ring of the kayak, so the person in the back seat is likely getting more support and is likely more comfortable. Of course, this is a bit of nitpick. Any kayak, no matter whether hardshell or inflatable requires fiddling around with the seat to make it work best for you.NOTE: I had read a few comments on how the instructions on how exactly to inflate the kayak are a bit unclear. I concur with those comments. So, the pump connects with the spring loaded air valves. What the instruction booklet does not make clear is that the central portion within the spring loaded air valves can be pushed with a finger and that you can actually turn it with a finger without grabbing it. No seriously, just push the central portion of the valve down and then just using pressure and friction, try to turn it left or right. It will turn. So, this central position has two positions, down and up. When the valve is up, you can pump air in and when you detach the pump, the kayak will hold air. If the valve is in down position, you can pump air, but as soon as you remove the pump, it immediately starts losing air. So lesson: when filling it up, keep the value in the up position and when you want to deflate, push the valve down and twist it with your fingertip till it gets stuck in the down position and it will let the air out.NOTE: Note the way the kayak is folded when you first take it out of the carrying case. If you don't, you might struggle quite a bit to put the kayak back in its case. For reference, this is how I fold it: The back side of the kayak folds a small fold, then the just folded portion is folded again over itself. Next, approach the kayak from the other edge. Fold the other edge on the main body. Now take the newly folded section and fold it over the rear side. Not sure if that helps, but that is the way I do it.Now for the Cons:- When the broadside is facing wind, the kayak feels a teeny bit tippy. I have heard that this is more common with inflatable kayaks. Even hardshells have it, but inflatables have it a bit more- No footrest. Coming from whitewater, this was a bit of a shocker. In white water kayaking, your lower body is completely locked win the kayak. You are pressing a footrest with your foot and your knees are under extended portion of the kayak that covers your knees. Effectively, the point is to make sure that your lower body and the kayak behave as one unit, so you can control the kayak with purely your lower body. This kayak has no footrest. In fact there is quite a bit of space in front of your legs. I guess for flat water, it felt just fine, although if I want to take this in moving water, I would probably stuff something in front of my feet to have something to push on. There are no knee braces, but I guess if you buy the extra shell, you might have something like it.- Water - Some water got in while paddling. Probably less than a cup or two but it did. This is not the kayak's fault. The kayak is open top so of course some water will splash in. I used the white water paddle with my kayak (they are a bit shorter and have wider blades) and no water splashed onto my wife. I read another reviewer's comment saying that it splashed water on the person in the rear, but I did not experience any such thing.- Drying - Now, this was a chore. With my hardshells, I just lift them on my shoulder and twist and turn till I let all the water out and then I just have them sit in the garage while they dry out. The fabric at the top, although nylong, is a woven nylon fabric which gives it great strength but also makes it retain some water. So after I brought it home, I had to use a sponge to take out all excess water. The fabric at the top and around the tubing was wet, so I let a pedstal fan blow on it all night and it was dry in the morning. I have seen comments saying that they leave it outside for a while in the sun and it dries up. I leave in Pacific Northwest and this is not really an option for me most of the year. I guess this is the cost I will have to pay to get the flexibility of an inflatable.I MUST really really complain about the carrying case again (by the way, the fabric of the case seems waterproof and is pretty solid). The issue is not just with this kayak but pretty much anything that comes with a case. The manufacturers try to save on the material to the degree that both taking the kayak out of the bag and putting it back in is a frikkin pain in the butt. I work up a small amount of sweat pushing it back in into the carrying case. I mean SERIOUSLY! I just paid $650+Tax for a kayak. If they would have taken care of making a case that was a few inches longer, I could actually have put the kayak back in easily. As is, it is like wrestling with a gator. It takes me and my wife both about 2-3 minutes pushing and shoving and pulling the case up to get it in.Final observation: I am a big complainer when I don't like something, so please don't read the above comments as if I am trying to dissuade you from purchasing the kayak. This is an absolutely fantastic kayak. I love it and would not trade it for anything. The construction is rock solid. The fabric used is both aesthetically pleasing as as pretty strong. The canvas at the bottom inspires confidence. The fact that they thought over and have two tubes with separate valves that by themselves can keep the kayak afloat - so that in case one of the tubes fails, you can still get back is a testament to the marvelous engineering the folks at Advanced Elements did.Overall, buy without hesitation but be ready to struggle with the wretched case.

I did a fair amount of online research before buying this kayak. I have a soft-top convertible car so a hard shell kayak wasn't really an option. I've never owned a kayak before, I've only rented them on vacation. This kayak is great. It's a breeze to set up. It only takes about 10 minutes with a dual-action hand pump to get fully inflated. It's really easy to put together. Deflating is also really fast. I just reverse the pump and it takes all the air out. I kayak in Sausalito so I just rinse the kayak off in the driveway when I get home and fold it up for the next time.In the water it handles very easily and seems to track well (I don't have a lot of kayaking experience to compare it to). If you're in the market for an inflatable kayak, I highly recommend this one.I like the kayak so much that I just ordered a SUP from Advanced Elements. I'll write a review on that once I get it.

Well, that was fun. This Advanced Elements inflatable, convertible kayak was procured at the last second before leaving on a tour thru Oregon. I ended up putting it into several small lakes (Sparks, Elk, Hosmer) as well as sending it down a river (Clackamas near McIver SP). Due to the length and diversity of our tour, my Perception Acadia hard shell was once again left at home.There are several things you need to know. First and foremost, where ever you go you will be the only one with one of these. You will be conspicuous. You will be watched. At the boat ramp, people will stare at you because either they've never seen anything like it or because they wonder if they too should get out of their hardshells and into something a lot more portable. Whereas other inflatables reveal their parallel tube design, the Advance Elements products wraps the tubes in a conventional looking and handsome envelope. Reviews of other smaller tandems mention that leg room can be an issue, so I'm happy to report that at 15 feet there is plenty with the AE. Don't count on a much cargo though unless you convert over to single passenger.The second thing you should know is that it does its job very well. On the lakes it was fast in the open and, close to shore, impenetrable. On the river, the tough rubber lower survived rude rocks in class 1+ rapids. Yes it is heavier than the others, but it is also stable, robust and sturdy.Third, those electric pumps normally used for matresses will not work. Surprisingly, a cheap 14" double-action will do the job, in about 200 strokes, allowing you to get from car trunk to water in under 10 minutes. I recommend going to a 19" pump. Count on getting the pump online because currently, kayak dealers and sporting goods stores provide almost no inventory or support for inflatables. I got a longish 240cm paddle and was glad I did as the inflatable tubes necessarily make the kayak wider than a hardshell.This was an unexpected game changer for us because we can now tour knowing we have impromptu access to lake & streams along the way without worrying about security and storage for a hardshell.

I was very happy with this boat for its maiden voyage. My only gripe is that the back bone and pump with a guage is really needed and it was an extra cost and not included.I read a lot about people complaining about the weight of this boat but I hope they remember that this is a 15' boat. I am 6'2" and I rode int he back quite comfortably with a 5'2" girl in the front. We were also able to bring some gearI strongly recommend this to any one who is looking for an inflatable. This is no pool toy

Sturdy and packs back in the bag it came in. Moves great on a lake (only place I have taken it) and the built in paddle holder can double as a fishing pole holder. Not a lot of storage so get a PFD with some pockets if you are planning on fishing. Great boat for a day on the water. Folds back into bag for storage, and easy transport.

I am a petite woman and was searching for a canoe I could easily transport on my own. This one is wonderful, I inflate it once for the whole summer, and it fits nicely in my truck bed (haven't tried yet the roof top of my Subaru), very light and fun to use

I have owned Advanced Elements kayaks before (the Advanced Frame expedition). The quality of materials for the price is excellent, especially on this model. It performs well and is very light and easy to set up. HOWEVER, my Kayak arrived VERY badly stained, its no fault of the manufacturer.. Amazon shipped me a returned item.. the good thing of all this is that when i emailed Advanced Elements directly they where VERY helpful, offering to send me free of charge replacement parts and gave me excellent customer support. Advanced Elements is awesome.

Working in Entebbe, Uganda and right on the shore of Lake Victoria, I needed a good kayak in a bad way but couldn't find one for sale in the area and tried through several sources to find something that would work, but to no avail. Then I scanned Amazon for some different models, brands, and types of kayaks that would be suitable and possibly delivered.. but insane expensive to deliver or ship sent me to the inflatable options. This FireFly sounded good based on all the reviews and I was not disappointed at all. Now the down and dirty on this awesome package! I timed everything so I could pick it up on my 2 week vacation and bring it back with me on the plane to Uganda. First, it was delivered in record time and neatly packaged tight. The kayak fabric/rubberized material was very strong and durable. Instructions on proper care and maintenance were super simple to understand. The FireFly, airpump, and 2 sectional oar, all fit nicely in 1 checked bag that was will within the baggage fee. Once Back in Entebbe, I couldn't wait to get in the water. It has seperate air bladders for floor and inner/outer shells and inflated easily. As per the instructions, each bladder also has it's own air preassure but my pump as a guage so it was simple, however, depending on your body size and displacement, I found it to be very flexable. I am 6' and 170lbs..Fully inflated, this fit me like a driving glove.. very snug and secure. Out on Lake Victoria, the Kayak handled crisp and fast on flat water.. som reviews mention that it needs a keel but it actually has a small keel and some people just need to pracice their technique. Lake Victoria, being the largest fresh water lake on the continent, can also get pretty nasty duriing the rainy/storm season resulting in 3'-7' waves making for a fun and exciting trip. I could stay out and play for hours as this kayak was stable through it all and not once rolling over. I took it later up the Congo river to see how it would act in some rougher conditions and even with some side slipping, it swam perfectly. At times when it was flat water and my legs would get stiff inside, it was even more comfortable to use the kayak as a recliner and just throw my feet on top, lean back and take a nap. Now that I am back in the states for a while, I sold my kayak to a mate in Entebbe and baught a second one for my time here in the states. I will be getting my wife one soon for her birthday as well, since she has been wanting us to kayak together. In closing, if you are looking for a snug inflatable, then you can stop looking. It is snug on me, so I should say that if you are over 6'2" and 200lbs, this will be too small for you but I'm sure I'll see you in a larger kayak in the Intercoastal Water way some day, ay? Happy Paddlin- Cheers Mates!

These kayaks are so much fun to play in. They are easy to grab and go and I was worried they'd be a pain to set up but they aren't. They are so fast and easy, the only time we don't use them is if the weather is too bad to go. Highly recommend them for a fun way to get outside & play on the water.

This is a very nice Kayak and easy to set up. There is a quality feel to it. Regretfully I had to return it as my 72 year old body did was not up to the task of getting in and out of it. This was no fault of the Kayak but rather due to recent back surgery. I would recommend this Kayak.

Right up top, let me say this review is by a novice kayaker who up until purchasing this had never kayaked, just done a little river rafting. This kayak takes a little while to warm up to. The first time I tried to set it up it took me literally an hour, and it was still crooked. This was in large part because of the Durafloor attachment in there, but you may want to practice setting this up in your backyard before hitting the water. Once I had it set up my daughter and I practiced with it in the pool, and we took turns falling out and climbing back in. The kayak proved very stable, we were able to get in and out easily. Next we practiced with our 60-lb dog, who fits nicely between the two seats. Again, the stability kept us from rocking too much as the dog would turn around.I took it to a lake first and it was great, although it revealed one of its drawbacks: it's big and heavy. At fifteen feet long and fifty pounds (plus oars, gear etc) it was too much for my little man body to carry, and my daughter isn't strong enough to carry a side. Luckily a nice guy at the lake helped us, but had there not been someone to help out I would have just had to drag it. So if two adults are involved, no problem. There are some little kayak trailers out there, one of which I purchased but it sucked.Since the lake I've taken it to the ocean a few times, and again, it's been great. Make sure to inflate the floor enough, it seems to make a big difference in the kayak performance. Since I have to rinse off the kayak after the ocean I've started skipping using the bag and just dumping it in the back of my truck. The bag works well for storage but sometimes you'll fold it like you have every other time and it just won't fit.Overall I have been very happy with this kayak, and even as a novice I was able to pick it up very quickly. I'd say I can deploy it using a hand pump in about seven minutes now, which isn't bad at all. I have noticed a scrape with a little missing PVC on the bottom already, so be extra careful not to drag it! The only thing I don't like about it is the original floor. It's basically a crappy pool toy raft, and it isn't dog safe so you have to purchase one of their superior floors. I'd rather they just offered the kayak with a nice floor all in one package.

Love the Kayak, very versatile 1 or 2 person. I use it with my 6 years old and it's very stable and comfortable. I'm thinking about purchasing the shell + the backbone to make it even more rigid.It's a 15 feet kayak so it's not light but once inflated and on the water it's a great product!

So I have had this boat for a little over 2 years now and have had some great experiences. First of all this is high quality boat and is built really well. There is plenty of space for 2 people or even 1 person and two kids or dogs etc. It tracks really well and is a pleasure to paddle on the water.Pluses- great amount of space if your taking multiple people - not a problem to paddle alone but there may be better options- design with outer shell seems perfect for durability - no problems at all to report- paddles really well and tracks well- setup is fairly easy - after the first time setup shouldn't take more than 10-15 minutes- storage is great as it fits into a large bagDrawbacks- weight - even though fairly easy to store its pretty heavy to heft around- drying it out after use is the only reason I cannot give five stars. A certain amount of water gets into the kayak and based on the design its very difficult to dry out unless you remove the inner part and dry seperate - once you do this putting everything back together is definitely a pain.In conclusion I can highly recommend this boat but just be aware that even though setup is a breeze that drying out and preparing for storage is a bit of a project.

I have been using this Kayak almost every week. Yes indeed, it is a hard work to inflate and build the kayak and worse once you are tired deflate the Kayak clean it, and store it. However, it worth the effort. Some people say that is better than having to carry a hard kayak, and I believe it.I was inexperienced, and was hard to me keep in a straight line, until I realized that the Backbone need to be perfectly in place and also the current make it harder. I had my learning curve, still learning, but it has been a lot of fun.Every time I inflate the kayak, the people always approach to me asking me where I bought it, how much does it cost, and if it is safe.I think AE Convertible still has a great value, but you need to be aware that you need to spend in: 2 paddles ($70), Pump ($26), 2 Life Jacket ($80). Then if you are planning to go to the Sea, you also need the Backbone ($94) that I would recommend. The initial AE Kayak I received had a problem with the air chamber 2. I don't know if it was caused by the backbone, or if it arrived damaged. I could never inflate it correctly because it had that problem. But even loosing air the Kayak was able to navigate. Amazon made it very simple, they sent me a RMA, I dropped the Kayak in UPS, and send me a new one next day. It was an amazing experience for such a bad problem. Thanks Amazon!

I bought this kayak a year ago and I really like it. I use it to paddle my daughter (age 3 1/2) and usually a dog, or two. The material is durable, it is easy to assemble and inflates quickly with the double action hand pump. I went with the inflatable kayak because I don't have to maneuver a hard shell on and off of my car alone and it packs away conveniently to store. It has stayed clean, in spite of the fact that I don't get to drying & cleaning it immediately after use. My daughter can easily jump in and out of the water and stand up without tipping the kayak. It is very stable.A few thoughts: I am paddling alone with a child & canine passenger. The kayak is pretty huge for just day use and I probably could have purchased the single (it would be fine for two adults and a dog). I did not buy the spine and I think I might for better maneuverability. My set up now is ideal for a slow moving river or a lake on a calm day, but I had some trouble paddling alone on a lake with wind... just a lot of work. I have the basic seat and I think there are some upgrade options there also. I put a boat pad under my seat to raise the height slightly (I am small) and, because I am in and out of the water, keep the water off of my bum. I'm not sure how wet this would be on a cold day (I don't have the skirt). This is a great product, but with all of the extras, quite expensive.

I have always wanted to have my own kayak but did not want to take up all that space in my garage. Bought the convertible this week and spent the day on it with my family at the lake today. Loved it. I didnt put the back bone in correct so the kayak leaned to one side but we still had a great time on it. It didnt take much to fill it up with air and setup was a breeze. The kayak is comfortable and extremely stable. The material is tough and stood up to the elements well. After a day on the water, I deflated the kayak and cleaned it before packing it away...no problems at all. A couple of recommendations. 1. Get a backbone, its worth the money and adds stiffness to the kayak. 2. Unpack your new kayak and set it up at your home and get familiar with the process. 3. Bring a tarp to set underneath your new kayak for setup so not to cause unnecessary damage. Enjoy!

In theory this is the perfect kayak for a lake or slow moving river..i live by a river but yet would have to transport kayak to water and back. At 16 plus pounds this kayak is easy to transport and a breeze to inflate. Tacking leaves a bit to be desired, it just doesn't go in a straight line. Not bad but your always compensating. Right now the water is very cold and I found after a hour it deflated slightly, no big deal next time I'll bring it to shore and reinflate but didn't think of that the first time..for the price and transport, no roof rack, no big storage issue..if you just want to get out there and have fun. This is a great deal.

This is a perfect kayak for a short person or youth. This is my 2nd AE kayak and I like this one the best. I will outline the pro and cons below:Pros:1. Easy to carry.2. Very comfortable for me, I am 5'3" tall female.3. Easy to care for, wipe down and done.4. Handles waves with ease. I use it on ponds and large lakes.5. Can't beat the price.6. I feel very safe in it. Perfect for fall and spring outings.Cons:1. Poor quality inner tube. Pay attention to the instructions and do not over inflate.2. Since it is so short, the front sways with every stroke. It drove me nuts for the 1st few times I used it.3. Hard to get in and out.Overall this is a nice, little kayak and I am considering purchasing a 2nd one.

We had to get a replacement. The first one had a hole in it, and we never made it to the water. The replacement works just fine. My 7 year old son uses it, and he likes it. It does sit a little high in the water and thus does not track well. But this is the trade off with being able to haul it to and from the water and it is easy to store!

Bought this for my husband & also to have an extra kayak for guests. It sets up in 10 minutes, light in weight but sturdy, & tracks well. It does not, however, have enough room in bow for one to wear water shoes w/o having large feet feel squished. This can affect maneuverability & comfort. All in all though good purchase.

I chose this kayak, as I don't have a cross-bar on my Subaru, and even if I did, I don't have the upper body strength to lift a Kayak up on to my high car roof (new Forester) by myself.It was easy to inflate. I used a bellow air pump (foot), and it took less that 5 minutes to inflate all 3 separate chambers.The first day I used it, the chambers were not equally inflated and it was rather crooked, but stayed afloat very well.So heads up, the second chamber which inflates the tube that surrounds the inside of the Kayak, needs to be manipulated as you're inflating it so that it inflates evenly, especially when it is brand new. Caution: do not over-inflate the chambers, as that can cause damage to your the Kayak. So far, I'm very happy with this inflatable Kayak.

If you are looking for an affordable introduction to this activity that leads you to an understanding of what you want next (should you chose to pursue it further), this is very good option. If you find out this activity isn't for you, you haven't broken the bank. This is not a serious kayak for those well acquainted. It shouldn't be compared to higher end kayaks.This was my first one and here are the best points about it from that vantage point. 1.) It is very stable. Some have called this a glorified inner tube (a bit harsh), but that is a good thing when it comes to concerns about flipping over. (Just stay centered, which is hard not to do.) 2.) It is very portable. Just starting out, you don't want to have to go buy a roof rack and find a storage space for this. Once deflated, it can be carried in the trunk of your car and stored in a closet at home. 3.) You will still want to keep this should you get another later on. Sometimes it will still be the best option for quick portability.What you won't have with this? 1.) A whitewater adventure craft. This is for easy/relaxing waters. I have taken it on a class one that maybe had a couple class two spots on it. That was as harsh as this would take. (It did do well for as many rocks as I rubbed on.) 2.) Speed. You can use the inner tube example to imagine the speed. You do have some tracking (directional) ability here, but you aren't going to blaze a trail. 3.) Storage. This was really what pushed me into my next kayak. There just isn't much room at all. A day trip down the river forced me to ask others to borrow some space on theirs for my stuff. You can carry a couple bottles of water, some sunscreen and a light snack, but not much else. 4.) Legroom. I am 5'10" and 160lbs. I can't fully stretch my legs out (slight bend at the knees). If I am just floating I sometimes throw my legs on top and do fine.This really works best for floating on a gentle current. That is where I will still use mine. Not bad to bob around on a lake and take in some sun as well. Inflates/deflates easily (I recommend the AE pump with the gauge for proper inflation), stores away nicely, has good durability and convenience. For the beginner with a light budget, storage space and transportation options this is a great way to go.Lastly, I ended up buying some cheap accessories that I hadn't considered to start. A dry box (~$10) for a cell phone, keys and maybe a small camera. Paddling gloves (~$15-25) to keep blisters at bay, particularly when there is no current to carry you. A good sun hat, unless you like being a redneck.

While the kayak is fun and functional when inflated, the effort to inflate and, more importantly deflate has proven to be a big damper on the amount I use this product. That may sound lazy, but let me be more specific: its almost impossible to thoroughly clean. After trying to superficially clean it at the park where I put in, it always ends up going in the back of car dirty (don't even think about trying to put it in the bag still damp). Then I get home and need to lay it out to dry (where it is still getting dirt all over it), but then I should probably inflate it to wash it off, right? Well, there are so many crevices and places that don't get revealed well that inflating to clean doesn't help much either. Also, any time you try to move this thing around too much while deflated the internal bracing gets all wonky, which you don't realize until you have it fully inflated and the nose or rear is floppy. When that happens you have to deflate it, fiddle with the bracing, and try inflating it again hoping you set it all up correctly.Overall I would say if there is no way you can get and/or transport a hard body kayak then this is a decent replacement, but don't think that it will be a quick and easy gig. The "convenience" in transportation you get by being able to pack this up is quickly lost in the effort needed to unpack, inflate, deflate, clean (if it ever gets clean), and then repack. With a hard body you can just throw it on your car dirty and wash it off at home with a hose. This requires a couple extra steps that I don't think make up for the inflatable aspects.

Difficult to set up, wish we had just bought the non inflatable type. They are sturdy and fun, once you get them blown up

I bought an Advanced Elements Advanced Frame Convertible inflatable kayak and took it out yesterday for the first time. I am new to kayaking but very experienced in inflatable boating. The target consumer is someone like myself who is restricted by portability and/or storage size restrictions, and certain compromises are to be expected in performance, but I was pleasantly surprised. My target need was portability for storage to fish Tampa Bay and inshore coastal waters of the Gulf which kayaks are commonly used for that purpose.The base AEC is a quality, albeit, expensive piece of gear, with compromises stated above, but also some not well thought out shortcomings. Being 6'2" and over 300 pounds, I knew I was stretching the design limitations of this kayak, but the specs, depending on which you read, state a rated load of either 500 or 550 pounds. None the less, I am often faced with issues surrounding my physical size, so what I found wasn't a surprise, but as always, somewhat disappointing. Irrespective of size issues, I found a few glaring issues that anyone should be concerned about when investing this amount of money for an inflatable. Overall, the AEC will fit my immediate requirements but will require personal upgrades and design alterations at additional cost to render it fully useable.I purchased and tested the following; AEC kayak, AEC Backbone, AEC inflatable foot brace, AEC Pack Lite 4 Paddle, AEC Single Deck Conversion, AEC Lumbar Seat, AEC Double-Action Hand Pump with Pressure Gauge and an AEC 12 volt Pump online at Amazon. Other considered AEC accessories pending my initial evaluation at purchase time were the AEC Double Deck Conversion, AEC Accessory Frame System and AEC Dura-Floor. Additionally, I purchased an AEC RapidUp Sail and an AEC Forum member recommended large spray bottle of 303 Fabric Guard, plus other needed marine supplies at a local West Marine store. Total investment for the purchased AEC components was over $1,400.00, with other AEC considered options of an additional $150 + the cost of the as of yet unpriced AEC Dura Floor. This investment takes it well within the upper range of fully equipped poly kayaks, and approaching actual marine grade inflatable, and trailerable boats and should not be considered lightly.Currently having only an apartment with no garage facilitated the need for an inflatable. I had owned and used for years a fully accessorized 12 foot Sevylor Fish Hunter that took loads of abuse and wear and satisfied every need including loading into a Cessna for transport , so as stated, I am fully experienced in inflatable use, design compromises and care. I should mention also the Sevylor, at the time, was a considerable less investment with much more room, including a 50 lb. thrust Minnkota, but the comparison between the two styles of boats is not a fair comparison, but the cost factor is.I fully built out the AEC in my apartment the night before, check-fitting all equipment and was pleased with the build process, and basic quality. What was immediately clear was I am too big to use the AEC Single Deck Conversion I bought. Unless you are an average person- or far less- in size, you will be using the AEC without a deck. This did not bother me as I live in Florida and am not afraid of being wet. It would be an immediate consideration elsewhere. The next thing that immediately became clear, and that I am always fearful about was the AEC Lumbar Seat, as well as the included standard seats, do not provide the support necessary for someone of my size. The AEC Lumbar Seat comes very close, but more on that later. Lastly, the AEC is almost completely void of any useable, and/or accessible storage areas, the most glaring a real, fixed anchor point, either for or aft. This is very bad for any vessel.I collapsed and packed the AEC with relative ease and will mirror other reviews that the storage bag- while big enough to pack a wet AEC, is ill-designed as the zipper used does not allow the bag to be opened wide enough to conveniently stow the kayak, seats and floor. Ultimately, the bag should be designed larger to facilitate the additional purchased AEC components that make up a fully built AEC to include Deck Conversion, Dura Floor and or Drop Stitch Floor, possibly the AEC Back Bone and paddles- anything the becomes wet. This feature would demonstrate forward thinking and added value on the part of AE for the investment. Instead, this equates to additional cost and inconvenience to the customer in additional storage bags for wet gear. I took the AEC to the Dunedin, FL causeway for the maiden voyage. At high tide, this represents a short grassy beach approach to the water, at low tide, a wide, sharp, rocky beach is exposed. The sea conditions were 2 foot swells with a 10 knot wind, not ideal for a maiden voyage, but good for a real evaluation. I setup the AEC as the night before which did not include the AEC RapidUp Sail. I found the $99 RapidUp Sail to be a novel idea, but in no way worth the cost and poor, cheap design. The plastic clips felt cheap and did not even fit the AEC D Rings without cursing. Above all other accessories, the RapidUp Sail was of a MUCH lower quality than expected. After completing the setup, I sprayed the entire bottle of 303 Fabric Guard on all exposed surfaces, including the AEC RapidUp Sail, let it cure before using it for 4 hours, 2 hours less than the minimum recommended but I got a late start to the day.Finally, it was time to hit the water. For this, I had to remove the AEC Single Deck Conversion. Most kayaks in Florida are sit on, open styles and this was not a concern. In the surf, I managed to board with little water, and paddled away with little effort. However, I boarded with poor placement to the AEC Lumbar Seat and immediately leaned back nearly flat on me back. I continued, as it was fun anyway. I was impressed by the tracking and the speed I could make in the 2 foot seas and headwind of 10 knots. The RapidUp Sail I could not get to full collapse so it was some measurable impediment to progress. I continued into the wind until I thought better of going back and re-boarding properly to evaluate the additional cost of the AEC Lumbar Seat. Turned the vessel, released the too-short tie down of the AEC RapidUp Sail, and it worked, except one of the cheap plastic clips broke in front immediately. The RapidUp Sail became the RapidBroken Sail.I tied the strap of the sail the D-Ring when back at shore and re-boarded. The AEC Lumbar Seat provided "better" support this time, but overall, proved that using the AEC will be a painful experience- not totally it's fault but a better design will work for big people as well as others, and would be a value-add for the investment. This time I continued for thirty minutes in the conditions which provided a slight flooding I am certain could be avoided if the deck conversion could be used. Even with some water aboard, the vessel was very stable and fun. I finally turned and raised the RapidBroken Sail and used it all the way to shore.I went out a third time with the same results of a painful but fun paddle, against the swells and wind and was convinced the AEC has potential, but at additional cost over and above the large investment.Teardown was not any pain that wasn't expected, especially now that the operator was tired- something a chore to consider in all inflatables. The storage bag design could be so much less of a hassle and a much more welcomed convenience, that I already anticipated this and shopped for- and didn't find, a bigger storage bag before my AEC was delivered. This is a necessity as no wet inflatable packs, with wet accessories, like it arrives from the factory. Again, something to be very appreciated when in falling darkness, cold, tired and wet. AEC would do its customers well by making the storage bag bigger, redesigned with a full open zipper. HINT HINT. Building an inflatable is easy dry and with excited anticipation of a fun day, packing a wet inflatable when exhausted sucks. Male that experience easier and you are well on your way to a successful total solution people will outwardly talk about.For people who have absolutely no recourse for storage or portability issues, the AEC represents a quality "start" that will make their dreams of inshore accessibility a reality. But be advised, certain issues will present themselves; setup, teardown and cleanup time associated with any inflatable, high investment cost of this particular product, and some items clearly designed with cost cutting measure in mind that need immediate upgrade- additional tie down/anchor points, unusable conversion decks, poorly designed sail, total lack of rod holder.Would I purchase this again, knowing what I know now? Not for the cost- I would hold out and invest in something more costly, less portable but overall more satisfactory. The investment is that near that decision point. Will I keep using it? Yes, it will work out over time.

It looks like a real kayak. It is rather fast and does not side tracks much. The complete set is skimpy: no paddles, no pump, no backbone, and no frame deck. In my opinion the backbone or something like this is absolutely necessary as otherwise the kayak just folds in the centre like an air mattress. It also says somewhere in the description that there are 3 layers in this boat to protect from drowning. This applies only to main inflation chambers. There is only one layer on the bottom. Otherwise, so far so good. I tried the kayak with 2 little guys, 5 and 4 year old. We could all fit in this boat comfortably and had lots of fun.

Bought it when on my way to Baja, I paddle on the Sea of Cortez. Found it OK in the waves and calm seas, no way into the wind! I launch in fairly rocky areas and the FireFly developed a slow leak that I have yet to find. I am 70 but fit, have some difficulty getting in and out. Agree with others about the lack of back support, ease of set up and take down. Good stable first recreational kayak especially for kids but I recommend spending more for a more satisfying experience in terms of speed and tracking.

I really wanted to love this kayak, because it inflated easily and is relatively lightweight. The problem is that it is not stable on the water and is a very tight fit for an adult. I am a relatively slender female at 5 feet 6", tall and 122 lbs, and I barely fit in the kayak. It was very uncomfortable with no room to move my legs. I am not sure who the reviewers were that indicated that they were 6ft tall and easily fit. There is just no way that is even possible. There is no tracking whatsoever, even on very calm canal waters. The last concern I had and the reason I finally donated the kayak to charity, is that the bag that comes with the kayak is not water proof, as indicated by the manufacturer, which caused the kayak to mildew. I am over all very disappointed with this purchase.

The inside seat is very narrow so made for small people. THe design is great though. And it is very stable on water. It is also very light to carry.

Inflates easily with care to balance both sides evenly. My 85kg husband felt a little cramped but said the challenge made him work harder, so that's good. Length wise the kayak is short so you yawn left and right but generally go in the right direction. The width of the tubes in the centre provide very good general stability and can handle body weight without bowing into the water. There are handy Velcro straps to hold the paddle to the topside whilst not in use and sturdy attachment/drag handle at the front.Fun and perfectly reasonable for the price. Great for kids and ladies. If you want something more serious you have to spend more bucks.

I love the Advanced Elements single kayaks, but this tandem one did not do it for us. The boat was lopsided, and even when we adjusted the outer tubes the best we could (covering up the velcro strips to do so), it was never even and we got water in it. Also, putting the heavier person in the back was a disaster. It was better once we switched. The manual does warn that a 12V pump (for air mattresses) will not be enough to fully inflate it, so we probably should have spent even more money on a more powerful pump, but we sold this one instead and bought two hard-sided ones. The engineering on larger inflatables I think is just more tricky, and we were just never happy with this product.

If you want a $250 inner tube that's easier to paddle in than a standard round inner tube. Get this. If you want a kayak, you're going to have to look elsewhere.For all your questions about it's performance. Assume it's an inner tube and you have a paddle. That's what you can do in this. Float in the lake? Yes, Float down river? Yes. Slowly float across flat water? Yes.No upstream, no distance traveling along a coast(unless you have time and friendly currents), no island hopping. (yes, if you take the time and you're an awesome paddler, you can do these things... but you could do that in an inner tube as well)

This is a high-priced inner tube. There is no seat or back rest so it is uncomfortable. It is also difficult to get out of. It is difficult to paddle a straight line as the bow moves back and forth with each stroke of the paddle. This kayak would be fine for kids to paddle around in with adult supervision. It is easy to inflate and deflate, and it comes with a good storage and carrying bag. It is very portable and can be carried easily in most vehicles.

Item returned.

really liked it till after 4 hours of use when we realized it was loosing air.dont you test these before selling . so now what do i do .a lot of money to have such problems.sorry i bought this on line if i had purchased it at a store i would just bring it back to where i bought it .

When I first received and unpacked this boat I was quite impressed with the design and quality. However, once I inflated it I noticed that there was a lot of slack in the fabric deck on the right side. Looking closer and per the manufacturers advice, I removed the tube to see what was going on. Measuring it, I found that the circumference of the tube on the right side was significantly smaller than that on the left - in some places as much as 7 cm smaller. While the kayak would float and basically worked fine, it didn't look right, being visibly smaller on the right side. Given the price, I wasn't satisfied with this.I informed Advanced Elements, and they sent me a replacement tube, concluding that there was a manufacturing defect. However, the new tube had the exact same problem - it was skinnier on the right side than on the left! At this point I decided to return the boat for a refund - too much trouble to deal with it any more. I haven't yet decided which boat to buy instead.This boat has a lot of potential, but based on my experience some of the parts may have manufacturing defects. If the one you purchase has this problem, and you bought by mail order, it's going to be a headache either way - waiting for a replacement part which may also be defective, or returning a package that weighs in at 60 pounds.

Not a good product. Very tippy