Sea Eagle Kayak Comparisons
February 16, 2010 by IK World
Sea Eagle kayaks are some of the most popular inflatable kayaks on the market. They are not the top of the line but they do offer more versatility and features than most others in their price range.
It is no secret that I am a big fan of Sea Eagle kayaks, in particular their Explorer kayaks. My favorite model is the Sea Eagle 380X. I found that this inflatable kayak meets almost all of my needs:
- Tandem kayak that can also be paddled solo
- Versatile enough to paddle in different types of water
- Decent warranty
- Rigid yet very comfortable
- Can be taken traveling… anywhere
- Costs under $1000
Those were my basic requirements for an inflatable kayak and the 380X Sea Eagle kayak fit the bill… but how does it stack up to other comparable inflatable kayaks?
Below I will go through some comparison factors to other similar models.
The Sea Eagle 380X Compared To:
Aire Super Lynx
I strongly considered the Aire Super Lynx when I began searching for the right inflatable kayak. This kayak has been extremely popular and is similar to the Sea Eagle kayak in that it is a jack of all trades but a master at none. I don’t mind that because it tends to mirror my kayaking style.
- The Super Lynx is longer and is able to pick up higher speeds, which is nice.
- It weighs 43 lbs.
- It can hold a good amount of weight
- It is self-bailing and is known to be very comfortable.
- The quality is excellent and it has a top of the line warranty.
The problem… it is expensive. The Aire Super Lynx runs roughly at $1500 and that only includes the kayak and the seats. With the Sea Eagle kayaks you can get the kayak, the good seats, the good paddles, the air pump, etc. all for just over $800. Once you add all the essentials to the Super Lynx it will end up costing more than twice as much. Even though I do believe the Super Lynx is worth it, I am willing to settle for a slightly less impressive inflatable kayak for a much, much lower price.
Another thing to consider is that if you do plan on paddling your tandem kayak solo at times, the Super Lynx is long and may not be as easy to handle for one person.
Advanced Elements StraitEdge 2
The AE StraitEdge 2 has had its share of popularity. I would describe Advanced Elements kayaks as “middle of the road”. I like the StraitEdge because it can be paddled on flat water or whitewater, it is self-bailing, similar in size and weight to the 380x as well as similar in price.
I ended up dismissing it for a few reasons:
- There is no option to add a rudder.
- I am not fond of the AE seats (though these can always be changed).
- The Advanced Elements quality of construction is not as good as the Sea Eagle kayaks, nor is their warranty.
Aire Lynx II
No doubt about it, the Aire Lynx is a fantastic inflatable kayak. This kayak has many factors that are better than the Sea Eagle kayaks including:
- the quality
- the warranty
- the performance
In fact they are better than just about every other inflatable kayak on the market. However the Lynx is purely designed for whitewater and would not track well or paddle well on flat water.
I like the fact that it weighs only 39 pounds but dismissed it because I am not a hardcore whitewater kayaker. The Lynx II costs almost twice as much as the 380X and if I were to pay that kind of money, the kayak better meet all my needs. The Lynx II would be well suited to those wanting a really good quality, compact inflatable kayak that is able to take on big rapids.
Tributary Strike 2
For some reason the Tributary Strike seems to get overlooked. The Tributary kayaks (owned by Aire) do not offer the same excellent quality that the American made Aire kayaks do. The Tributary Strike however is one of the better ones and does offer versatility, a decent performance, similar dimensions to the Sea Eagle 380X as well as great stability.
It is in truth quite comparable to the Sea Eagle Explorer kayaks… the big difference is that it costs a fair amount more. Why would I pay almost $1000 for this kayak then still have to buy my paddles and my pump when I can get just as good of a kayak with Sea Eagle for a lot less? Well I wouldn’t.
Conclusion…
I know that not everyone would agree with me but even when I consider all these other similar inflatable kayaks, my choice is still the 380X Sea Eagle kayak. I am willing to sacrifice a little speed for a kayak that meets all my other needs.
The one thing that I would have preferred was a kayak that weighed a little bit less. The Sea Eagle 380X weighs 47 lbs which is still okay but for traveling I would have loved it to weigh less. However for all the pluses it offers I was willing to overlook this. Besides when a kayak is too light it tends to get blown by the wind and becomes hard to control.
I suppose that if I were to recommend one inflatable kayak that offers everything the Sea Eagle explorer kayak does and more it would be the Aire Super Lynx. It comes down to whether it is really worth it for you to spend twice the amount of money for a slightly better kayak. For me right now, it is not… but I would consider it down the road.
For more detailed information on individual models please see our reviews of inflatable kayaks.
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Allison,
Thank you for the great comparisons! You really did answer the question uppermost in my mind: Is the Aire Super Lynx really so superior to the Sea Eagle Explorer 380x as to be worth the additional money? I agree with you that, unless one is not concerned with the cost, the answer would appear to be no.
I wonder that you did not include the Innova Sunny in your comparisons to the 380x. Based on your own review of the Sunny, it would seem to be a worthy competitor for the 380x, while answering your wish for a lighter weight boat. Between these two, if you were deciding today, what would tip the balance in favor of the Sea Eagle boat?
Again, many thanks for your cogent and detailed comparison!
Kevin O’Byrne
It’s funny Kevin because I actually did have the Innova Sunny in there with my comparisons but then took it out. You are right it is fairly similar to the 380x except for the fact that it is not self-bailing. There are no drain holes in the Sunny and it is therefore strictly suited for flat water paddling. Even though the Sunny weighs less and is faster, in my opinion the 380x still offers a lot more versatility as it does have drain holes and also has the option for the rudder which makes a big difference for ocean kayaking. The 380x can also hold almost twice the amount of weight.
That being said, the Sunny is still one of my favorites and I would love to have it as a second kayak… strictly for traveling and maybe some lake kayaking. Ideally I would like to have two or three kayaks, but that seems a bit extravagent doesn’t it.
Let me know if I can help further Kevin and also what your final decision ends up being.
Allison
I just bought a Sea Eagle 380. I am so excited I can’t wait to put it into the water. I bought it used and it does not have the directional stabilizer. I asked at a few of the local kayak stores here in Courtenay, BC and they looked at me like I was crazy. Is this a common item or is it exclusively from Sea Eagle?
I love this site. It has been so helpful for me making my decision to buy an inflatable.
Hi Kim,
I am very excited for you to take out your 380. I am taking mine out this weekend as well (hopefully the sun sticks around for a bit). Not all kayaking stores are knowledgeable about inflatable kayaks and though Sea Eagle calls it a directional stabilizer, most hard-shell kayakers will call it a rudder. I am really not sure if just any rudder can be used on the 380 or if it has to be their own. I would suggest emailing Sea Eagle directly to ask them. I have a feeling you may have to order one from the Sea Eagle website unless you can find someone who has a used one. They will be able to tell you more and I have always found them to be extremely helpful. If you are going to be kayaking in the ocean a lot I would definitely recommend gettting the directional stabilizer as it really makes a big difference.
Hope that helps and good luck with your new kayak!!
Cheers,
Allison
Hi Allison,
Thank you so much for such detailed comparisons. I’m a landscape/nature photographer and thinking of using an inflatable kayak to expand my views. As this review was written in February and now Sea Eagle just announced their new model, the 385FT FastTrack. How would you comment on this new model? For me it sounds like best of two worlds: much lighter and better tracking. It should also be faster than 380X. It doesn’t handle class IV but I don’t think I will do anything higher than class II with my expensive camera backpack. (I just got a Lowepro Dryzone 200 watertight camera bag). It also looks much more stable than Innova Sunny. I would feel more comfortable if I have shoot pictures on a 385FT. My question is, Can I fly with it? I won’t carry it as carry-on bag (my camera backpack is my carry-on bag), if I pack it as check-in bag, will it cost me a lot more? It’s just 2 lbs more than Innova Sunny EX, but deflated size is much bigger — my only complaint about it so far.
Thanks again,
Henry
Hi Henry,
Your camera backpack sounds fantastic!!
I think you are right, the FastTrack would be the best of both worlds. If I had my choice today I would have purchased the FastTrack over the 380X. I have just recently done a review on the FastTrack, here is the link for more info: Sea Eagle FastTrack Review
I think the FastTrack would be much more versatile than the Innova Sunny and more stable as you mentioned. However I haven’t seen the FastTrack in person yet and am unsure about flying with it. It is light enough that I don’t think it should cost you any more money to check-in (I believe we are allowed to have 50 lbs. without extra charges) but because the deflated size is fairly big I am not sure how easy it would be to check it through on an airplane. I would suggest emailing Sea Eagle directly and asking them their opinion on flying with it. They are usually very helpful and prompt.
Hope that helps!
Allison
Hi Henry,
Another quick note… I just checked out your webiste… your pictures are STUNNING!
Thank you Allison for the reply and compliment. I will probably go with FastTrack, will decide before April 30. I hope the new IK will bring me more stunning shots. LOL.
Hi Allison
I am looking to buy an IK prdominantly for use on flat water (the Thames in the UK). Acknowledging you haven’t had a chance to try the Sea Eagle fast track, speed wise, is the fast track likely to close the gap on the Sunny.
Thanks
James
PS I’ve found your web site really useful and informative. Well laid out, well written. Thank you very much.
Hi James,
Thank you for your kind words.
I do think that the SE FastTrack offers more versatility than the Innova Sunny but I don’t know if it is going to be as fast as the Sunny. The Sunny is longer and slimmer and I have to think will still paddle faster… but I really can’t say for sure.
Good luck with your decision!
Cheers, Allison
Further to James’ email – I ordered a Fasttrack a couple of weeks ago and it should hopefully be arriving this week…. our first organised trip later this year will be kayaking down the Thames from the source (well Cricklade) to London over 4 days.
Our next trip will by a bit of sea kayaking around the Isle of Wight. I am hoping that the Fasttrack will be up to both tasks.
p.s. good, informative site
Hi Mark,
Would love to hear your feedback on the FastTrack after your four day adventrue. Sounds like a fantastic trip!
Good luck and thank you for your comment.
Cheers,
Allison