I bought a Convertible last year and used it twice, once on a lake and once on a river trip. It paddles fast and tracks straight and has plenty of leg and storage room with just me in it. The back seat was a little hard to recline in during lazy stretches of river but I got fairly comfortable. My chief complaints are the weight, around 60lbs, and the need to pull the floor out and the shell off to get it dried properly and then put it back together and deflate and fold it. But it's obviously a serious, heavy duty piece of equipment that should prove very durable and enjoyable if I don't throw out my back lugging it down to the water.
Edit--Two years and a dozen trips later and I'm still happy with this kayak. It's comfort and stability compared to canoes I float with make river trips doubly enjoyable as I fish out the gear floating downstream and ask how cold the water is while people right their canoes.
On a sandy shore I once removed the spreader bag and seats and put my sleeping bag inside for a cozy, though coffin-like, airbed. Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible Inflatable Kayak
We just purchased this kayak plus accessories and went on several paddles (river, large lakes, small lakes) in the Eastern Sierra. Here's a little review of each part we got (minus PFDs and paddles):
*The boat is great -- comfortable, sturdy, handled well, pretty easy to set up. It was a pain to clean at the end of our trip mostly because it's hard to dry it out well without fully disassembling it more than you otherwise ever have to. It would be more convenient to have a solid kayak for ease of getting going, but this one fits in the back of our subaru, in our garage, etc. It seems more versatile than other more raft-like inflatable kayaks which seem more appropriate to rivers (but I don't really know).
*The pump -- we got the Advanced Elements hand pump with gauge. The gauge was very useful for determining how much air to put in since it's not always intuitive. The dual-action hand pump is pretty fast and effective. We ended up replacing it because after a hot day in the car the air in the pump pushed the handle out, which was then pushed on by something else in our car, and it melted in an immovable position. Fortunately the brand-free knockoff at the local Rite-Aid was the exact same pump down to nearly matching packaging. So you could save some money by just starting with that.
*The optional zip-on deck: we used this sometimes, not with spray skirts but as a splash deck. Without it the person in back gets a lot of spray from the front person's paddle, and has no sun coverage on the legs. It makes almost no difference for the person in front.
*The stiffening bar: we used this on about half of our trips. It improves tracking, but we didn't have much trouble without it either. Probably most useful for travel on rivers with current or large lakes. The one pain is that it goes under the floor so you have to pull out the seats and floor to put it in and take it out each time you use it. Without it in you can just deflate the kayak, fold the whole thing in half or thirds and stuff it in the back of the car.
*Other: we did not use the bilge pump or kayak sponge we got because you float so high in an inflatable you don't really swamp with water (and you're at no risk of submerging even if you take on some water). But I suppose it's good to have these things. A tiny clip-on dry bag is a nice addition to this boat since the seat-back zipper compartments are pretty useless.
This kayak is the best of both worlds- storable and usable. Yes, it is a bit heavy at 56lbs, but tracks well, is faster than you expect, and is a really good boat. Spent a week on Frenchman's bay in Maine in it and it handles wind, chop, and tides, and tracks very well. Not as knife cutting as a hardshell, but unless you're on a weeklong, open water, island hopping paddle, you won't notice. Extremely durable. Landed on beaches of mussel shells and rock weed and not a scratch.
Everyone came up to it skeptical and to a person walked away, if not impressed, then accepting that it is an actual kayak, not a pool toy. A few asked me if it was a Klepper until they got right up to it.
If you can't store a hardshell or want an extra kayak that you can throw in the trunk for friends, this is a great boat. For the extra fee you can also check it as luggage if you want to paddle in far off locales.
Time to inflate: 35 minutes the first time, 20 every time thereafter.
Time to deflate and pack (not including drying): 25 minutes.
What fits in the bag: Kayak, deck cover, seats, and paddles (4 section).
Must haves: The deck covers which tighten the line a bit and make it a really comfortable paddle.
****EDIT****
This spring I caught a really sharp rock on a Virginia river. When we took the kayak out of the water I noticed a gash in the first layer of the bow of the kayak. No damage deeper, just the protective outer cover. I contacted AE to inquire about a solution. They immediately sent me a patch kit for free! Unbelievable customer service and still an amazing boat. If you're on the fence, jump. This boat rocks.
P.S. We took this with friends and it took the same amount of time for us to inflate as it did to unload and set up their kayak with their family gear.
I purchased this a month ago, and it has seen quite a bit of action. 10 couples with children; my 75 yr old mother and her older sister; my wife and I noodling around a small lake with a camera. You wanna talk to loons? Paddle up to some otters? Get one of these. I just bought another one for my Mom.
Durability does not seem to be an issue. Valves most satisfying. Recommend same brand paddles: a joy to propel, with little wiggle or drift. Weight concern overblown if you aren't going to portage. - Inflatable Kayaks - Kayaks - Inflatable Kayak - Boats'
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