The Sea Eagle Explorer kayak was my first inflatable kayak I ever owned. I bought it originally for its versatility and the fact that you really get a lot for your money.
They continue to remain very popular and this new solo version the Sea Eagle 300X is an awesome addition.
Best Uses: Whitewater – up to class IV, ocean surf, rivers, lakes
Brand: Sea Eagle
Specs:
- Length: Exterior 9.8’, Interior 8.8’
- Width: Exterior 40”, Interior 18”
- Weight: 30 lbs. (14 kg)
- Load Capacity: 395 lbs. (179 kg)
Accessories Included: Deluxe inflatable seat, 4-part paddle, carry bag, large slide in skeg, foot pump, repair kit, bow and stern bungee tie cords, 12 D-rings to secure seat and gear, 16 self-bailing drain valves
Optional Accessories: Tall back seat, upgraded carbon-fiber paddle, small kayak stow bag
Kayak Material: 1100 Decitex Reinforced, electronic welded seams
Pros: Stable, very strong, versatile, easy to maneuver, easy entry and exit, compact, comfortable
Cons: This kayak excels at whitewater and comes with a slide-on large skeg to be able to track well in flat water. Although this versatility is great, it does not excel on flat water. Tracking is good but the size and width do not make it fast.
Available At:
Click Here For The Best Deal On The Sea Eagle 300X At SeaEagle.com.
MORE DETAILS
The shorter length of the 300X makes it highly maneuverable in whitewater and it is able to handle up to class IV rapids.
It is fairly wide so extremely stable. It excels in rivers, whiteater and even riding ocean surf.
It comes with a removable slide-on skeg that allows you to paddle it in flat water as well. The skeg greatly helps with the tracking and you won’t want to paddle on a lake or open water without it.
The bow and stern bungee tie-down cords work great for securing gear. There isn’t a ton of space for storage but it’s not too bad considering it is a solo kayak.
IMPROVEMENTS
Over the years since I first bought my 380X Explorer kayak I have seen quite a few improvements made.
There has been a reduction in weight which makes the kayak even easier to transport anywhere you want to got.
The structural strength has improved, the removable floor has become more rigid, more drain valves have been added (16 in total now!) which allows for fast self-bailing in whitewater.
Also the removable skeg as added for improved tracking on open water.
My original Explorer kayak rocked and I used it for years. However all of these improvements made for a far better and more well rounded kayak.
Today you get even more for your money and I believe this new 300X kayak is a great deal.
QUICK SET-UP
Set-up is fast and easy. With the included foot pump, this kayak takes roughly five to eight minutes to inflate. The seat easily clips on to the side D-rings.
If you plan to paddle in open water such as on a lake or ocean bay then you will want to use the skeg. It slides into place and locks in.
Deflating the kayak is just as fast. A quick dry off, roll it up and store back in its carry bag. Very simple.
PACKAGE OPTIONS
There are three different package options to choose from for the 300X.
1. DELUXE PACKAGE Includes the hull, a 7’10” 4-piece paddle, deluxe inflatable kayak seat, kayak carry bag, foot pump, slide-in skeg and repair kit.
2. PRO KAYAK PACKAGE Includes the hull, a tall-back seat, an 8’ 4-piece paddle, the kayak carry bag, a foot pump, the slide-in skeg, a small kayak stow bag and the repair kit.
3. PRO CARBON PACKAGE Includes the hull, an upgraded 2-piece carbon-fiber paddle, the tall-back seat, the kayak carry bag, the foot pump, the slide-in skeg, the small kayak stow bag and the repair kit.
CHOOSING YOUR PACKAGE
Which package you choose will depend on the type of kayaking you plan to be doing.
The first package is great for a large majority of people. It’s great for simple kayaking trips where you’ll only be out for a couple of hours at a time.
The Pro package is nice because it offers the tall-back seats, which are very comfortable for longer paddling trips. I find they offer great back support and personally prefer to use them.
The kayak stow bag is convenient for packing a lunch or storing some extra gear. The longer paddle included in the Pro package is also more ideal for longer paddling trips.
The Pro Carbon package is really nice if you don’t mind spending a few extra dollars. The upgraded carbon-fiber paddle is much lighter and really nice to use.
Typically as people get better at paddling, they want to upgrade their paddle. So although this carbon-fiber paddle is not absolutely necessary, I will admit it is extremely nice to use.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This is a fantastic option for anywhere who wants a compact solo inflatable kayak that will excel in whitewater but also track well on flatwater.
It’s not the fastest kayak out there but for what it’s meant for it’s awesome.
This kayak is strong, versatile, comfortable lightweight and convenient for traveling. It is backed by Sea Eagle’s great 3-year warranty and 180-day risk free trial.
Click here to read more information on the longer 380X version of this kayak.
WHERE TO BUY
Click Here For The Best Deal On The Sea Eagle 300X From The SeaEagle.com Website.
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Hello Again Allison,
First, thank you so much for the excellent advice you gave me regarding purchasing a 380X. I don’t see the post on your site, but no matter. You advised me the 380 X would be the right size for my wife and me rather than the 420X. We love the kayak. Even enjoy using it with a small electric outboard. We have taken it out in ocean bays with very strong wind and current, and the outboard, along with us paddling, helps a great deal in getting around.
SO HERE IS MY QUESTION: I am in my 70’s and the 380X at 40 pounds is a little too much for me to load/unload – pull in and out on a beach. Together with my wife is no problem. I really don’t want to pop a disc in my back or something… However, I want to be able to go out by myself. I also purchased a SE 330 but I don’t find it anywhere as stable as the 380X, I am considering buying a 30lb 300X, I plan to use it in the same bays, and ocean inlets – San Francisco area. Plan to use it all four seasons. I feel very secure in the 380X and believe I will have the same experience in the 300X. Would you recommend doing what I propose? The Fastrack is 35 pounds and might work also. What do you think? Again, I really appreciate the advice and your blog.
Thank you,
Keith
I was very excited to get my Sea Eagle, but quickly ran into a series of frustrating experiences.
First off, it took me 3-4 times to learn how to pack everything back into the carry bag. It looked so simple on the video!! I realized that I needed to fold the outsides in towards the middle and fold it as tight as possible for everything to fit.
The second occurred after my first exhilarating sail down the Delaware River. For some inexplicable reason one of the tubes would not deflate. I still don’t know what happened, but I had to load the partially inflated boat into my Highlander. Very frustrating. I tried again once I got the kayak home and it deflated fine.
The third occurred after I took the kayak to the bay side of Sandy Hook, NJ. While the ride was great, and the boat very stable in the bay with mild waves and great sail, cleaning the inside of the boat from the sand on the beach was a ROYAL PITA!!!! I had taken an old shirt to wipe things down and merely brushing the drain holes to get sand away from them removed one of the drain hole covers from the tab that held it in place to cover the drain hole. What poor quality for something one does not want to lose, like a drain cap. So again, since there was no way to clean the kayak once out of the water, I didn’t want to fold it into the bag, only then to have to reclean it once I got home.
To add to the RO YAL PITA experience, once I dragged the sandy kayak down my steps to get it washed out, not all the sand would wash out. Grains “hid” under the removable floorboard and stubbornly stuck to every nook and cranny of the 16 drain holes and their covers. Given the flimsiness of the drain cover attachment bands, I could not get the kayak clean when it was wet. So, I had to leave it for days propped up off the ground in the shade until I could get back to my weekend house. Then gingerly wipe off the dry sand move the unwieldy deflated kayak to a flat area of the yard to pack it away for next use. What an ordeal.
Undaunted, I took the kayak to the ocean side of Sandy Hook. We went to the wrong beach; in that it was probably 200-300 yards from parking lot to surf. With beach equipment and kayak equipment that was a very difficult walk there and back.
Don’t get me wrong. It was totally exhilarating being in the ocean in a kayak with a sail. I was in my own slice of heaven, soaking up the sun, having fun, listening to tunes, taking pics, surfing waves and sailing. Absolutely as good if not better than the ride waving video on the website. The ability to ride in this way was half the reason to buy the Sea Eagle in the first place, and this exceeded my expectations.
So, the other main reason was portability. I described the difficult walk above [next year will get a big sand wheel wagon] but one must either clean the kayak at the surf or take it unfolded and unclean back to the parking lot. The sand on the beach makes cleaning at the surf exceedingly difficult, even lying on two sheets. Pulling the kayak on a two-wheel kayak transport back to the parking lot after my second ocean excursion was also difficult. So, portability is poor given the need to clean the kayak before packing and the difficulty in getting this done someplace right out of the water, especially after being in the sea!!
Another worry was how much damage I was causing the kayak by having it be in the sun at the beach for a few hours as the warning is not to leave it in the sun. I thought that was for a really long time. But it seemed like the Sea Eagle lost a fair amount of air pressure after a combination of surfing and being a few hours in the sun. What am I not supposed to surf then hang out at the beach? Does one need a kayak cabana to protect it, or does one have to drag out the pump and do that again?
My efforts regarding customer support were mixed. I got no help when I asked about how to fold the kayak other than being told to watch the video. When asked about the drain hole cover attachment the tech person said it was a poor design and could not be fixed. When I discussed the mixed bag of using the skeg in the river, he suggested I try shaving off the bottom of a skeg as the tip probably did little to help with keeping on track, but would increase the ability to paddle I shallow water. I have not tried this yet. But he sent me a modified skeg and that was really positive. And when I did speak with people, they were nice.
One other issue that I have not broached with the staff is how vulnerable the kayak might be to critters. There are warnings about not having the kayak be exposed to creatures like mice as they might like the vinyl. Living along the river there is lots of wildlife, so I am afraid to leave it out for several days. Can I leave it on the ground? Do I need to cover it from the sun if I leave it on the dock? Do I have to bag it after each use? Can I store in in a wooden shed outside, or do I need to store the large bag inside the house? If a mouse chews it is that covered under warranty?
Overall, I did not return the Sea Eagle because of the fantastic ocean and bay experience. And it is really comfortable to sit in. But I chose to more often use my beat up 10-year-old Perception Sport with the Sea Eagle sail on the river. It tracks far better upstream along the bank, and the sail is fun and challenging. I might try the Sea Eagle down the Delaware above the Water Gap this week, but that is a big trip. I know what I have I store for me with the poor portability and cleaning issues I outlined above. Hopefully, it will be great fun and only a little pita.
I was going to add this review to their official site but it limited me just after the RYAL PITA sentence.