Intex Challenger Kayak, Inflatable Kayak Set with Aluminum Oars and High Output Air-Pump

I bought this to take camping by a river. Overview: the kids had a great time with it, and started to learn to kayak - they have requested more river trips. Detail: its made of a thick version of paddling pool material - don't let this put you off - its easily strong enough to take a 80kg adult and - without the front seat) both of my children (9&11). The river we first used it on was very shallow in places and we ground out on unseen rocks quite a few times - with no visible damage to the bottom. I also had no qualms about the kids getting in and out in the rocky shallows. I think as long as I'm moderately sensible and stay away from sharp stuff it will last for years. Its easy to inflate with the provided pump (which also comes in handy for inflating airbeds etc) - and the two part valve makes it really quick to deflate. The paddles (of which there are two) collapse down into 5 parts. When put together there is a bit of movement - but I found them fit for purpose and fairly nice to use. They can be feathered or not as required. The skeg - which is the small keel - clips firmly into place on the bottom and detaches easily when taking the kayak out of the water. The whole thing is pretty maneuverable on the water - and also quite stable. If I was in the rear seat it was stable enough for my children to get out when they wanted a swim, and to get back in again without tipping me out. The whole thing packs into a single bag - the bag isn't very strong - but it doesn't need to be. I think with care I should get a good few years of use out of the kayak - am very pleased

I am very happy with this kayak. Straight out of the box we took it on the shropshire Union canal and travelled nine miles in it. First thing is that the kayak is super easy to inflate and set up, it took us 10 minutes take if from the bag and onto the water. The seats are fairly comfortable so long as you don't over inflate them if you do they will feel a bit hard. The velcro strips on the kayak and seats allow you to position them to suit your size and needs. I am 5f11 and my daughter is 5ft5 and we both fitted inside comfortable enough. On still water the kayak preformed well but it did feel like it wanted to keep moving to the left. In a head wind as soon as you stop paddling you will pretty much come to a stop but once the wind died down we made up for lost time. The kayak has a net on the front which was great for holding our 40l dry bag with our change of clothes in. There is also a small storage are at the back of the kayak behind the seat but don't place anything you want to keep dry there, we just put the pump there. The paddles are OK, they do the job but are fairly flexible and the poles fasten securely and hold out well, the fact they come free with the kayak you can't really complain. The only downside I have with this kayak is drainage. Over the course of the trip a fair bit of water dropped into the kayak which at the time was not a problem as the seats keep your bum out of the puddles but when we came to deflate the kayak trying to get the water out was a pain as the shape of the kayak just sends the water to another area when you are trying to tip it out. It took us about 15 mins from opening up the air valves and folding up the kayak to get it back in the bag so long as you remember how it came out it will go in easy enough. Overall this is a great kayak for anyone wanting to have a go and get into kayaking or for someone who does not have the space for a hard shell. We will definitely be getting some good use out of it this summer.

I bought this for my wife and I to use when we are on holiday in her native Italy. We leave it over there ready for use when we visit. Being inflatable I make sure that it is stored properly when we leave, but when it is inflated and used it is very easy to manage in terms of size and weight. Looks great on the water and can deal with modest swells on the sea. Not good though when waves start to break over it as it is low lying and can fill up easily with larger waves crashing over it. Comes with two inflatable and adjustable seats, and two collapsible double- headed paddles. Also includes the directional fin and a small puncture repair kit, although the plastic is quite heavy gauge and shows no signs of wear after several beachings on a pebble beach! There is a cargo covering net on the front and a tethering cable at the rear for holding onto. The front net also allows storage of a few small waterproof bags if needed where you can clip them onto the net for security. It also comes with a decent hand pump for inflation, although it can't be used for deflation, which in my view is surprising and a pity. There are other kayaks which are heavier duty and more professional in terms of design and quality, but for a fairly cheap product, this is actually pretty good quality and is very stable on the water (in coastal waters that are fairly calm). It also looks nice and you get some admiring glances from other beach-goers when it's set up and in use. If you want to transport it for holiday use it's probably best to buy a dedicated luggage trolley-bag but means you will need to pay for an extra bag when travelling on most airlines. However, with the right size bag the kayak and all the bits that go with it can be transported as a pack in a neat way. The carry bag that comes with it is too flimsy for airline use. We've had a lot of fun with it since we bought it and hope to continue to do so. p.s. don't over-inflate it or leave it in the sun fully inflated, both of these can cause bursting of the valves seals or seams resulting in difficult to repair damage. If you do leave it out in the sun just let some of the air out to relieve the pressure.

I have had this kayak for a year and been out on the rivers with my 7yr old son around 15-20 times. It is very stable (I'm 6ft 2and 100kg) even on a very windy day I never felt we was going to tip out. It is easy to inflate and comes with a gauge that you put on a scale next to the air intake. Takes about 15 mins to inflate everything. The seats move back and forward and have a belt to hold them upright. I found there was enough room to stretch my legs albeit I had to put them down the sides of the front seat. The paddles come in 5 parts and are self explanatory to put together, the skeg on the bottom of the boat is a bit fiddly to take off and put on but was reassuring, as it never moved once in. There us a cargo net at the front that we put a rucksack with food drink etc in. The net isnt the tightest but does the job. We had many hours out 6 hrs plus most times, and never had any problem, it was easy to paddle with one or two people. We tried swapping places and the kayak was a lot more unstable this way so would reccomend the heaviest at the back. I went out as a single rower and the boat was ok but I had to sit more centrally and the seat just didn't have the back support needed. The kayak comes with a bag that split on the first time we tried to put it back, that wasn't a problem though as we had bought a kayak rucksack. I would recommend a rucksack as it is easier to carry it deflated and folded and can be done near the bank. Folding it was mastered by the 3rd time Overall we are very happy with this as a 'learner' or something to throw in the boot of your car and go kayak. It has given hours of fun and helped to see the view from a different perspective. 26/8 today got the kayak out and pumped it up and it split down the seam between the inner and outer chambers. Unrepairable and out of warranty lol. Have had many hours of use so am tempted to buy another one. Hope this has been use full, from my year of use

Ordered this item 15th June, not realizing it would be sent from ITALY. after about three weeks it arrived, having travelled through Germany, Southampton then onto myself in Jersey (channel islands), box had some damage, and when I opened the box it did look like it was not a completely new item. I was still happy it had arrived, took it to the beach, inflated the top half with no problems, when I located the base valve, I did hear a hissing , but thought it may have been the valve, I couldn't get the base completely inflated , realised there must be a puncture somewhere, so disappointed, used it anyway , and managed to have an hour in in, even though water had got into the bottome of the boat. So now I am in the situation where I cannot send it back as it will cost too much, and not worth it. So I have had to purchase a repair kit, very disappointing as it was listed as a new item. Not one to give up. I am hoping to repair it and use the kayak again, but I would be wary of purchasing from overseas, as there is probably a greater risk of damage in transit. Hopefully the seller will see this review and respond, but we will wait and see.

What can I say about this kayak. It is wholly responsible for getting me into the sport. To say I put this craft through it's paces is an understatement. Now this wonderful kayak is really just a pleasure craft to bumble about in but I, did hundreds of kilometers in mine, on rivers, canal and the sea. I really pushed it to its limits and took it where no inflatable kayak should of ever gone, bearing in mind it's at the bottom of the inflatable kayak chain. If your after a cheap kayak to spend your summer in then look no further, it will give you hours/days of pleasure and the most fun you'll have for just over a ton. Realize it's limits (unlike me) pump it up and go and enjoy what our great British rivers, canals and coast has to offer. It's more robust than you think and all packs down nicely after a day on the water. Stay safe and go for it, you won't regret it... 🛶😎

What’s not to love about this Kayak. It’s cheap sure but that shouldn’t be its one defining quality. It will never be as professional looking or reach the high more stable pressures (psi) of other brands costing hundreds more but this is a capable Kayak if respected. We have used this Kayak in Cornwall both on Sennan Cove and Hayle Gwithian and it handled brilliantly. If there is a swell then be prepared to bucket some water out once you make it out to calmer seas. We purchased a manual bilge pump that worked great for that when out on the water. Just pump and get that water overboard. Paddles are of good length I didn’t find myself hitting the sides of the kayak and I’m by no means tall. Seats are well.. seats, they function as intended not entirely comfortable after a while and I found myself adjusting my legs to a more A frame position. As the rear rower I had more back support. Plenty of storage in this thing, we had a dry bag stashed under the cargo net. We kept the pump and bilge pump in the back compartment. Very stable on the waves, bigger waves hitting you broadside with obviously test your balance so do make sure you hit that surf straight on until you get out of the cresting waves. You will get wet though. Deflating it is easy but you will never get it back to its original size unless you happen to vaccuum the air out of it. This is heavy to carry over a long distance. We are already looking to invest in a sack truck as we purchased two of these so be mindful if your parking away from the launch location. Now for the respect part, do not use this in wind especially off or cross shore wind. This thing will keep going out to sea faster than you can paddle, we witnessed the RNLI make three rescues due to inflatables in windy conditions. Download wind compass apps to check before you use this at sea and always check the lifeguard instructions, Respect that and you will have a great time when the conditions are right. Planning to use this on the River Wye next week hopefully in a more natural setting but for all those sea farers out there go for it but be careful. Remember those life jackets!

What's not to like. I bought this to see if I like kayaking for this amount it comes with everything to get you straight on the water (except life jacket). Is the bag awkward heavy to carry? Yes, but this small negative outweighs the positives. It's not really stable but again it's and entry level Kayak. Tracks ok not the best even with skeg in but it's a low budget kayak not a massive issue. I've used it about 10 times so far each time at least 4hrs at a time mostly a lot longer and perfect for me and my 5 year old. I find the seats comfortable some may say different the paddles are not that great but again it's practically a pool toy. I mainly use it for cannals just master/practice/watch videos how to get in and out of a kayak first. I can carry it on my own for portaging yes it's heavy but not impossible, i start carrying it with my arms then use my head for extra support. I've just upgraded my kayak to a lighter quality better floor kayak just for my own preference so I can take my dog I wouldn't want to risk my dog in this kayak. Overall for a newbie you will be extremely happy and helps you find what you like and don't like about a kayak without the huge expense so next kayak you know what to look for. Quick setup be on the water in 10mins I would advise buying ropes tie either end especially if using it on a cannal so it don't get away.

Well built. Good material. But border police stopped me from using on open sea.

Sorunsuz, sağlam duruyor. Bayıldımmm

🚣‍♂️ Le kayak K2 Explorer est tout simplement INCROYABLE ! 🤩 Après plus de 500 heures sur l'eau, je peux vous dire qu’il est ultra stable, très robuste, et procure un vrai plaisir de navigation 🌊🔥. ⚠️ ATTENTION : ne le gonflez pas trop ! Sinon, l’une des valves devient très difficile à dévisser 😅. Il faut bien respecter les pressions indiquées ✅ – tout est clairement renseigné dans la notice, donc prenez le temps de bien suivre les instructions 📝👌. La qualité des pagaies est également au top 🏅 – solides, légères et efficaces 💪. Franchement, pour ce prix, c’est une valeur sûre, même après des heures d'utilisation intensive ! Un grand bravo pour ce produit qui m’accompagne sur tous mes parcours 👏🌞🌿

Works as expected, a bit struggle with getting the air out before folding, and the paddle blades could have been stiffer, but overall very good for the price level. (I have used it frequently during first 2-3 w so no long term experience)

Zuerst mal die technischen Details: Nicht aufgepumpt ist das Boot sehr kompakt und passt mit allem Zubehör in eine mitgelieferte Tasche und somit in jeden, auch kleinen, Kofferraum. Die mitgelieferte Pumpe ist nicht schlecht, es empfiehlt sich aber eine richtige Doppelhubpumpe dabei zu haben. Mit zwei Pumpen ist das Boot in zehn Minuten komplett startklar. Die Ventile sind ziemlich hochwertig und halten dicht. Überraschend gut sind die aufblasbaren Sitze. Der Klettverschluss hält die Sitze recht stabil und die arretierung über verstellbare Zugbänder gibt einen guten Rückenhalt. Nach der Fahrt lässt sich das Boot in ein paar Minuten wieder zusammenlegen und einpacken. Wirklich stressfrei. Auch sehr hilfreich ist das Netz zur Verstauung von Wasserdichten Taschen am Bug. Verhalten auf dem Wasser: Zuerst haben wir das Boot auf ruhigem Gewässer getestet. Die mitgelieferte Finne hilft hier wirklich deutlich beim Kurs halten. So ist das Paddeln zu zweit ziemlich entspannt und es muss nicht ständig korrigiert werden. Wenn man zu zweit ist, sollte man nacheinander vorsichtig einsteigen. Abrupte oder heftige Seitwärtsverlagerungen beim Einstieg enden garantiert mit einem Vollbad. Wenn seichte Flüsse mit Stromschnellen befahren werden, ist es ratsam die Finne abzunehmen, da sie sonst mehr stört als hilfreich ist. Das Boot selber hat einen sehr geringen Tiefgang. Wassertiefen von 15cm sind kein Problem, aber ohne Finne. Für diese Preisklasse sind die mitgelieferten Paddel ganz OK. Sie lassen sich leicht zusammenstecken und ebenso wieder auseinandernehmen. Die Paddel sind stabil und griffig und erfüllen ihren Zweck. Erfahrungsbericht Wildwasser Stufe 2-3: Bitte beachten bevor ihr loslegt !!! Meine Frau und ich haben schon einige Erfahrungen bei Wildwasserfahrten gemacht und sind dementsprechend versiert und funktionieren im Team, jeder weiß was er zu tun hat. Das ist in brenzligen Situationen wirklich wichtig. Eigentlich haben wir uns das Boot für Erkundungsfahrten der Nebenarme der Donau gekauft, weil man da mit dem Motorboot nicht hinkommt. Sei es drum, nun haben wir es mal gewagt auf einem ziemlich lebhaften Fluß eine ca. 8km lange Tour zu wagen. Bei erhöhten/normalen Wasserstand ist hier eine Stufe 3 gegeben, da zurzeit niedrigwasser herrscht, schätze ich es als 2-3 ein. Ja, es ist möglich mit diesem Schlauchboot (Erfahrung vorausgesetzt) eine Wildwasserfahrt der Stufe 2-3 zu meistern. Schwimmwesten sind dabei jedoch Pflicht und unerlässlich falls man doch kentert. Fazit: Für rund 90,- Euro kann man nichts falsch machen, die Qualität ist OK, das Material ist robust und kann wirklich was aushalten. Dennoch nicht übertreiben. Ideal geeignet als Nebenboot für kleine Erkundungsfahrten in seichtem Gewässer aber auch zum Spass haben in Wildwasser.