I bought this item off a membership-only wholesaler and I have not been let down in my three years of ownership. Though advertised as a two-person vessel, two people make it very cramped, especially for me as I have very long legs.
But for a single passenger, this kayak is very comfortable. It is very transportable, I fold it up to keep in my trunk in the spring and summer months, and I've also taken it on several camping trips over the years. With just one person, there is plenty of room to pack a cooler, and my favorite option is using bungee cords to strap down gear to the front or back of the kayak.
This kayak has many great surprises, the valves (Boston valves) let air in one direction to inflate, which is always an issue with air mattresses, and things that need a real firm pressure. The provided foot pump is ample, but makes for a tiresome setup, but still in under 10 minutes. The repair set for small holes and punctures works great, I've had a small puncture sealed back to normal for almost two years. Paddling is smooth with the two skegs (fins) on the underside provide straight steering and efficiency.
The biggest let down on this kayak is the seats, which are inflated, and do not provide the support of a hard-plastic seat in fiberglass kayaks. Overall though, this kayak can provide a great weekend getaway in the local river/lake/bay. I have not taken it out to the beach, but I believe it would not underperform.
I paid roughly two hundred dollars; a deal for me, but as inflatable kayaks have improved, I would now invest in the Sevylor Colorado Canoe (just like this kayak) because of it's reinforced seats and the option of adding a trolling motor. Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak with Pro Package
First off, this is offered as a two person craft. I think it's a little small unless you put children in it. Which would be a great idea. This little boat is very stable once you get used to it. At first it feels like it will flip right over, but no. I've taken it down a few local rivers and it does very well, especially at boulder pong. My river skills would have left a canoe in very sad shape several times over. I'm not saying you should get in a river with too little experience for the conditions, but it does seem easier. Now, again with the bad. On still water, there are much better boats. Wind and difficulty paddling can make this more work than play. It's a great creek or small river boat where you would take a canoe, packs small (I've carried it on the passenger seat of a Kawasaki Concours), and sets up easy. I'd also like to say it is far and away more comfortable than a canoe. I do wish they had the 370 when I bought mine. That one may be long enough for two adults. I can't say enough about this boat. For the price and what I put it through, it's great.
I bought this kayak about 3 weeks ago and have since taken it on 2 trips, one to the NC mountains and one to coastal Maine. I'm delighted with it. We drove to the mountains and I floated about 6 miles down an easy section of the north branch of the New River in it and found it great. The river where I was is simple (easy enough for tubing with no rapids to speak of) and the solo kayak was fun -- and easy to set up, manage, and get back out of the river. For the ocean in Maine I found it less suitable; I'm not a serious kayaker and had limited ability to be in those waters, period (cold Atlantic ocean shore shielded by a few islands). That said, I found the kayak easy to board and to get back out of from the dock of the place where we were staying and enjoyed paddling it around the cove where I was close to shore. I personally didn't feel it was a good boat to take out into more open waters in that setting though more experienced kayakers might disagree; its high profile made it very susceptible to being blown by the wind, and it doesn't track wonderfully, despite its skegs. But I was able to pack it (in a large wheeled duffle) and bring it via airplane + rental car with no trouble and enjoyed having it handy for short / near-to-shore paddles. In Maine I used it with both my preschooler and my mom (not at the same time!) and we found it useful for both purposes -- for me and my kid to float around in a bit, and for me and my mom to paddle along the shore. It's comfortable, but not spacious, for two average sized (5'6" / 150#) women, would be tight, I think, for two people if either were much taller than that. And compared to other kayaks, the price can't be beat. I'd definitely recommend this for someone looking for an affordable entry-level kayak and/or wanting something portable, though as I say were I considering using it with 2 large adults I'd go for the larger (370?) model.
Its light weight notwithstanding, with all its parts (paddles, seats, pump) and packed into the wheeled duffle, the boat only just fit under the airline weight limit for checked bags of 50# -- but it did weigh in under that.
I find the pro package seats only reasonably comfortable and imagine the deluxe seats must be pretty aggravating (though maybe I'm wrong -- I haven't tried them); I'm glad I bought the more expensive and supportive package. I'm pretty inflexible physically, so others may find these seats more acceptable.
I'm a poor student without the funds nor the space to store a big hardshell kayak, so I decided on the sea eagle 330 pro. The thing is built very well, it doesn't feel or look cheap at all. I take it out primarily on still water with average 10mph winds and can paddle about as fast as I can walk. As soon as you stop paddling though the kayak will turn so the left or right side faces the wind and you'll be slowly pushed unless you anchor yourself. Fortunately, there's enough room for yourself, a cooler, an anchor, even a waterproof radio.
I've taken it out with myself and a small girl (I'm six feet, she's 5'6") and it was pretty cramped.
The reason for four stars instead of five is because of how slow the thing is. But I imagine that with no wind and on still water, the speed would be faster. - Inflatable Kayak - Sea Eagle'
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