Side by Side Comparison of: Outdoor Tuff vs Sevylor vs Stearns vs Premier Kayak vs Blue Wave Sports

Arrived on time, and exceeded our expectations!

I love this thing! I took it out today. Shipped in a giant box. It was easy to inflate and deflating is a bit tedious but it gets easier every time you do it. It tracked well on the Lake with low wake. I might change the paddle later to a bigger n sturdier one. I noticed theres not a lot of room in the Kayak. It's kinda tedious to reach back to my back. The kayak got unstable when i did. Maybe more practice it won't do that. I'll update when i go fishing next week to see how I feel about it.

We received our order quickly and we are excited to use it in the Springtime.

It is awesome! We bought TWO!

This has been a great kayak.

Good product, a lot of fun, even for handicap person like me. I keep it in my truck always ready! Faster to blow air in from hose, then finish with pump.

I researched for days prior to ordering this Kayak and I am so thankful I took the plunge and purchased it. My goal in writing this review is not just to tell you what I experienced with my new kayak but to encourage anyone that is struggling with their size not to let it keep you from getting out there. I am 5 8' 320 pounds give or take and I am trying my best to get out and be active. I loathe the gym and I am trying to find things that I can do. I have always been athletic but due to injuries from working out being the size I am has made adventures quite challenging and sometimes painful. But here's the skinny on my maiden voyage. My kayak arrived 2 days after order and I had a planned to head to the lake with a friend to try it out immediately. I inflated it in my home because I did not want any surprises happening on the lake. I ordered new paddles before my kayak arrived because of so many other reviewers reporting how crappy the ones are that come with the kayak and I must agree on that point. It was easy and quick to inflate but I have yet to figure out the back pack which also is the back support, The kayak fully inflated is very light and easy to transfer from the car to the lake area. There was a boat launch where we were which was nice. I decided to straddle the kayak to sit down into it as recommended by another reviewer, it wasn't pretty but it worked. I realize that the boat is made to hold up to 400 pounds but it did sag in the middle some and my bottom was wet the entire time but I didn't care because I was finally able to kayak!! It takes a while to balance and paddle at the same time as it does not track as well as a hard shell kayak but I got into a great rhythm and figured out how far to place the paddles in the water to maintain my stride and balance. The friend I was with had a hard shell kayak and I kept up with her perfectly. The back support is not much of a support but to me it was comfortable because I liked sitting back while I paddled. The top and back came up slightly out of the water and there was a small crease where I sat on the kayak but to be honest I didn't really care what I looked like I just wanted to be out on the water. The material was very durable and we were out when it was in the 90's. My dog laid comfortably on my leg as I paddled and her nails were no problem at all.

My first voyage was over 2 hours and I loved every minute of it and I can't wait to get back out there. So all in all I am giving this kayak 5 stars. It's an inexpensive alternative and it worked well for me.

I ordered one to go kayaking with my 11 year old who has a youth (hard plastic) kayak, we went the first night and I LOVED it! My Mom tried it out and she LOVED it, so we ordered her one, then my 11 year old tried it, and she liked it better than hers, so we ordered her one! Yes that is a total of 3! They are very durable, I was not sure how I would like it being "inflatable", but it proved to be really GREAT! It comes with a paddle and a hand pump. Get a more durable paddle!!! That would be the only complaint, and I never used the hand pump because we have an electric (air mattress) pump and that works! I would (obviously) recommend this product to anyone!

I love this kayak! It's perfect for paddling around on the lake. It's easy to maneuver and super lightweight to carry. The design is brilliant - from backpack to fully inflated in less than 10 minutes. In the off season, I store them on the wall in the garage - in the backpack. All of my friends are jealous and want one now. I'll definitely recommend they get one of their own.

This is a great inflatable! It is well designed and very easy to inflate. It paddles and tracks very well even in waves and breakers. The small skegs on the forward and rear bottom do make a difference in the tracking. It turns on a dime and is very responsive. I didn't care at all for the enclosed paddle that came with the kayak. It is a bit too long for me and came apart the first time I used it.
(I use my old paddle instead, which works far better)
I found a neat way to carry the boat is to push the paddle under the triangle bungee tree on the bow and hook the back of the paddle under the seat straps. That way you can use the paddle as a very efficient carrying rod for the kayak out of water. You just lift the whole thing up with one hand and carry it away! And, since it is light weight, it's easy to carry it. I am a little old gray haired lady of 71 and am able easily 'horse' it around with no problem! It tracks well in waves and is very stable. I've been paddling for over 45 years and am very pleased with this product.

The Sevylor Inflatable Sun Island is a great way to spend a nice sunny day on the water. Whether using it for water sports and/or games, or just simply wanting to float around to get some sun, this float provides a fun, sturdy, and comfortable experience.

PROS:
1. thick durable rubber material
2. over-sized air nozzle good for using various air pumps, also allows for quick deflation
3. no protruding objects or sharp rubber seams that would poke or scratch ya
4. The rope is great in helping maintain balance and stability
5. very good air tight seal
6. Large - 72" diameter
7. 'Snap n Stay System' - connect more than one in tandem

CONS:
1. becomes faded w/ or w/out pool chemicals (sun faded)
2. Any sunblock that gets on the material makes for a VERY slippery situation.(natural occurrence which doesn't affect rating)

This float was used on a river which has some occasional floating debris - sticks and such. No problems to report when coming in contact w/ debris.

A very well made, durable product.

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!

This is the perfect kayak for those who don't want to deal with lugging a heavy kayak around. It inflates wonderfully easy and floats nicely on the water. It folds and fits nicely into the backpack that comes with it. The paddles are fine, not great but good enough. The price is great.The drawbacks:1. the foot rest is way too short for me (I'm 5'10"). I just keep it out and let my legs extend into the covered front section.2. If it's a windy day, prepare to row hard to keep yourself from circling in the wind.3. The inflatable back rest doesn't provide full support, but it does allow you to recline comfortably.

I just baptized this today in NY off Jones Beach State Park. Foot pump works just fine, but give yourself at least 20 minutes to unpack and inflate. It's really easy, I didn't have any problems, and I'm a smoker, slightly overweight, and over age 45! I had to blow up the seat manually, couldn't get the smaller pump fitting to stay inside, and be careful, the markings on the kayak don't match the order of inflation. Floor is first, but not all the way, then the sides in the order marked. I had lots of boaters passing in my vicinity and it handled the wakes quite nicely. Not sure how you're suppose to check the proper pressure, I just used the ruler to measure the sides and my judgment for the floor. This kayak was definitely better than I expected.

So far, so good. For the price it is a very good product. But, as you can tell from all of the unanswered questions (including one of mine) customer service is lacking (or on vacation). Our son lost the inflation adaptor in deep sand when he took it off to fill the floor chamber. The floor should have the same valve as the side chambers for convenience and so that air does not escape when putting the cap back on. And ......so that 12 year olds do not have to remove adaptors and remember where they put them! Aside from that, all of my kids (75 lbs to 190 lbs) had a ball with it on Lake Tahoe. The kayak handled well in windy weather and was stable enough to pull yourself up-and-in after going for a swim. We plan to order another for an end of summer trip.

The User's Manual could use some intense help. The order of operations for inflation do not match the numbered valves on the kayak.Way too much verbiage - for instance talking about different types of valves without referencing a location or picture. A ruler is included with no direction on how or when to use it. There is a tool included with no idea what it might be for.For all of that, it was great fun. Inflation process took about 25 minutes the first time. We assume it will take less time as we gain experience. The kayak felt a little unstable at first, but we after a few paddles around the lake, was fine.

Bought for my daughter. She LOVES it.

It would best if the top of the floor tubes material was the same as the rest of the kayak. Otherwise, its a great packable kayak which actually exceeded my expectations. I would recommend this kayak to a friend.

Not too bad for the price but a few notes... Definitely doesn't handle like a hard plastic kayak and having more weight in the front would of helped with that. The paddle isn't the best and the hand grips are tough on the hands. You're butt is going too get wet so be prepared for that. Perfect for calm lakes but would be difficult to maneuver on a choppy lake. Fits well into the pack which is a pretty awesome design and is great for any size car. All in all a good buy.

I like this inflatable kayak. I am not a small woman at 250lbs so weight capacity was a consideration. I found that the front did tip up a little which made it hard to steer at times. I utilized it for hours and would do so again. I will probably put a small cooler in the front to keep the front down a little bit more which solves the minor problem of it tipping up.

Had 2 issues:
1. No way you'll ever get it back in the "backpack" which is really just your kayak seat that wraps around it.
2. The paddles broke and fell apart first time in the water. They are held together by plastic rings that bend and break with the rowing pressure.

HOWEVER, Great little kayak, easy to air up, easy to transport, just not as easy as it is supposed to be. Much easier than mounting on a car rack.

This kayak was easy to tote around, since I don't have a rack for my car. A little bit of water gets in it, but it may be that I didn't inflate it enough. The paddles that came with it are very cheap but that's no big deal - I can just buy a better one. For the portability, and not having to rent a kayak, I felt it was a great purchase and very reasonably priced. I did order the pump that you plug into your cigarette lighter, and that was also well worth the 16.00!! Inflated it in less than 5 minutes, with no effort at all.

Ok, when I purchased this, none of these ratings really helped, so my rating is going to be very honest and hopefully help some ppl with their purchase decision. First- I'm a big girl- 38 yrs old, 5'5 355 44DDD. Yes, that's relevant, in a moment I'll explain why. I bought this bc it's weight capacity says 400lbs, & I figured it would be a perfect way to figure out if I wanted to, would enjoy or could use a hard shell kayak, without spending $500+ So I'll start with set up- relatively simple. It's heavy when folded up, so if you're weak, or have any mobility problems, this maybe tough for you. I laid it out in my living room and pumped it up. There's 5 air chambers, 2 large, 3 small. I chose to do it at home rather than at the water, simply bc I was so unsure I could do it all alone. I fit it in my Toyota Camry, fully blown up/assembled by angling it from the back seat behind the drivers chair to the front seat in front of the passenger. Not ideal, bc I couldn't see out the back but I was only going a mile. I put mine in at a boat launch on a very slow moving river, which ended up being very helpful bc of the incline of the ramp. I was nervous to try and figure out how I was going to get on this thing without flipping over or making myself look foolish. I decided I'd just straddle the seat & sit in one motion. Done. Since its inflatable, and somewhat flexible I was able to get my leg over it and adjust my position while straddling it and standing in the water. As another reviewer mentioned, the middle sinks slightly. My rear was soaked but I was pleased to be on board. Since the middle sunk slightly, both the front and back end, were lifted out of the water a bit. Now, here's the honesty part. I'm top heavy, my chest gets in the way slightly, and so does my belly, however I am able to sit up right on the floor with my legs together, in front of me, but it's not terribly comfy. I found sitting on the kayak, with my legs in the leg rests, while balancing, very difficult. If you carry most of your weight in your belly, you may want to consider a canoe. The seat back lends little support on this kayak. I ended up sitting with my legs straight out but open with my feet slightly hanging off. Much easier, and gave me a bit more stability. I paddled around for about 2.5 hours on my maiden voyage. Never flipped, but had a few close calls. I was quite proud of my little adventure. When I returned to the ramp I found it slightly difficult at first to exit the kayak. But moving to water that was just about to my knees seemed easier. I used the paddle for leverage, and rocked forward, and stood up.
About the kayak itself- very durable. The material used is very heavy duty. I had no fear of ripping or snagging it. The drink holder is useless for bigger folks. The paddle is ok, since I'm a beginner but I can see wanting better quality in the future.
All in all if you're a beginner, I think it's a safe way to learn. Great for slow moving, flat water.
400lb weight rating? I'd say it's more like 300lb person max, with 25lbs of gear split between the front & back ends to balance the weight out a bit. But it's fun, relaxing, & gets some exercise in.

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 for lakes wth few obstacles as vinyl is not real thickNot designed for rivers or whitewater as viyl is thin and there are no bailing holes

It seems like it's built ok but it is small. Small may be good for some people in some applications tho. The seat is lousy at best and the fins on the bottom may get knocked off if you are in shallow water on rocks. Oh yeah, and the seat isn't very good at all.

As most the reviews say, this kayak handles great.The paddle is great. I just wish someone had written about how uncomfortable the seat is. The seat has almost no structure and feels more like an afterthought. The strap that wraps around the back of the seat and connects to the kayak cuts right through the seat and it digs into the middle of your back.It is hard to enjoy how well it handles without being able to sit comfortably. Sadly, I would not recommend this kayak simply because of that. I'm sure there are more out there with more comfortable seats.

I really wanted to like this kayak but I was disappointed due to the fact that on the very first usage it had a leak in one of the three inflatable chambers (see attached photo and you can see the chamber that is under inflated due to air loss. Additionally, you need to carefully read the instructions regarding the inflation valves as that info is contained in two sections of the manual. The manual is not well thought out. The kayak comes with some goofy inflation ruler that is never properly explained as to how to use it. Also, they include a plastic wrench for the inflation valves and the wrench is not mentioned in the instruction as to what it is used for. I am returning this kayak for a refund. If it weren't for the leaking valve I would have kept it as it is a nice unit for the money.

I'm like 220 lbs, holds me pretty well, but I do tend to get wet as the center tends to sag. I was careful to not over inflate it. Also, the two skegs are about 2-3 inches in depth. Does not appear to be enough depth to overcome cross breezes. Hard to keep on a straight course.

Plan on buying your own paddle. Mine broke withing 30 minutes of using it. Cheap plastic bindings. The actual raft was was easy to set up and fun on my first use. May plan on tubing with it since its so durable.

This kayak is awesome. I am amazed at how sturdy it is and how it doesn't flip or even react when I plunk myself down on it. It's very wide and stable. From the image I had assumed I'd get very wet...but truly I haven't. It's designed very well, easy to inflate and deflate. I can't comment on the paddle as I have my own.

Edit Changed from 5 to 3 stars: I love my purchase of 08/16 so much that, because I'm flying overseas on vacation, I ordered a new one, just so I wasn't putting something sandy or not completely deflated in my suitcase. I waited till two nights before I'm leaving to open the new box. Imagine my disappointment: It is NOT a brand new kayak. It has obviously been inflated previously and not completely deflated...there's also footprints and water spots on it and was not packed the way the first one was (which came IN the backpack). This one was so poorly deflated they couldn't even fit it in the backpack. I worried that it may have a hole in it, so I've inflated it all the way (which grossed me out because the seat and foot rests I inflate by mouth)...anyway I now have an inflated kayak on my couch overnight to confirm there will be no deflation through holes...my whole concept of flying with the a new/compact kayak is gone. SHAME ON THE SELLER for selling this item as NEW.

I still love it though. I wonder if it comes in a male version.

Purchased two of these for my husband and I to give kayaking a try without a huge investment. Worth noting, my husband is 6'3" and about 260 lbs., I'm 5'6" and hover around 200. These have individual weight capacities of 400 lbs, so I didn't have any concerns about it keeping us afloat. That said, our backsides were pretty soaked after using.

Inflation is quick and can be a bit of a workout for two of them, especially on a hot day. Our first trip was to a mountain lake in Colorado. We were able to get on the kayaks easily and were off and kayaking fairly quickly. We did upgrade the paddles based on reviews here that the paddles it comes with are horrible. While we haven't used those paddles, the construction of them seemed pretty flimsy, especially compared to the new paddles we purchased. Cruising around the shoreline the steering wasn't too bad. Once you get used to how it maneuvers it's quite easy. We were on calm water with gentle wind, so lucky for our first trip.

Our second trip was to a lake in the Denver suburbs. The water on this like was quite choppy, but we still had fun paddling around and no really problems maneuvering it around.

Third trip to another lake....one kayak seems to be leaking but we can find no holes, but chambers 3 and 4 definitely losing air. After thorough checking we believe the valves were the culprit. When we returned home I pumped it up again to check for holes and found none, but did still have noticeable air loss within 1/2 hour. Fortunately I was on the very last day that I could return the item to Amazon, so back it went.

We really like these kayaks. I wish the one would have held up better under gentle, adult only use. All in they were used for 2.5 hours, so I'm concerned about durability. I would expect more usage at this price point. We were meticulously careful with cleaning the kayaks and letting them dry before packing it back into the pack it came with, so I don't think there was any carelessness on our part. We did keep the other kayak and I hope to see better performance from it.

The kayak is good quality and the backpack is cool but the kayak itself does not glide at all so expect to paddle the whole time and not be able to keep up with hard kayaks at all. The paddle is nice but definitely want to get a new one because the one it comes with is small and not curved and the plastic will wear away at your hands.

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.

I returned this kayak because 1) one of the chamber valves would not close after inflation and 2) the material used for the kayak did not seem as sturdy as I thought it should be 3) the pump included with the kayak is nearly worthless.

One of the seems failed on one of the 3 we purchased, while we were on vacation. Come back from vacation to find out the return window closed while on vacation. (by 2 days) Where we were had no reliable connection to cell service, forget 4g or anything of the sort...
Oh... The paddles are fine, if you are under the age of 10, or only have the strength to lift 10 pounds... Anything beyond that, and the will snap, with no notice... They break right at the screw on joints.

Acutally it worked pretty well for the price. Trying to get somewhere in the thing was slow since diredtion control was hard. It seems to be built pretty sturdy, but be careful fishing,,,a catfish fin can sink you.

It did great the six times i took it out. It gives a good cardio workout. Took it out for 7 th trip inflated ,launched , within twenty min it was leaking bad enough i returned to shore and have since purchased a real kayak. Feeling safer these days on the river

These are really big and can support a good amount of weight but they get punctured by just about anything. I bought two and they lasted me a few days each.

We were very pleased when we received this inflatable. It was a little bigger than expected and seemed well-made. After using it one time in the lake the outer ring deflated. There must be a leak but we don't have the time to try and find it. There is a 30 day return policy, may look into the shipping costs for this.

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.

I thought this would be great for a 2nd Kayak. I unpacked and spent an hour or more trying to blow up the main section. My son tried and said..there must be a hold. The sides blow up very quickly. If there was a hole even before we put in the water how safe would this be. Returned and went out and bought a plastic one. this was a waste of time.

Right out of the package there are numerous scratches/nick marks that look like they will soon allow the kayak to burst. I posted pics that are a sample but not all the scratches.

Ordered new, Arrived in a trashed box held together with a random assortment of various tapes, without the pump or backpack. Valves don't seem to mate with kite pump which I had on hand. Didn't even get it inflated.

This company has horrible customer service.

I bought two kayaks. Returned warranty card with all required information.

One paddle broke on first outing. Thought it was just defective and we would get a replacement or part to fix.

I submitted request.
Had to complete a questionare via phone.
Company emailed requirements:
1. Picture of kayak serial # with issued incident number written next serial #.
2. Receipt of purchase.

Denied since receipt was not in PDF format.

Will submit with screen shot of receipt.

I had to submit a picture of the serial number on kayak with incident number issued by them

Deflated upon first use...somewhere there is a hole...as soon as i used it iti noticwd it was deflating i thought it was due to use but it has a hole and i just put it in the water to use it i pafdled around ut was greag amd fun but when i brought it home to pump it up.more it quickly continues to deflate there is obviously a hole i want a refund

Seat had a hole in the seem after one use. Now I have to patch it. Would not recommend anyone spend over a hundred dollars for 1 time use.

Bought two kayaks....one showed up with a hole in it and the other took out on to lake very hard to move through water and stay with group. I never stopped paddling and kept falling further and further behind.

poor material is not durable not worth the money

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