Tandem
Tandem Recreational/Flatwater Inflatable Kayaks
Below are the tandem inflatable kayaks that are best suited for recreational flatwater paddling. These boats will perform best on lakes, slow rivers or on a calm sea. They are excellent for taking on your travels and most of them are easily carried by one or two people. As these are tandem kayaks they are built for two people. Some of them can also fit a small child or a dog (or two).
Advanced Elements Advanced Frame Convertible
An excellent and popular inflatable kayak that can be paddled with two people or converted into a solo. The Advanced Frame Convertible can handle many different water conditions and is a very well constructed and attractive looking kayak. Excellent for traveling (though a little heavier than most) as it is very versatile and perfect for outings with a partner or your dog. This kayak sells for under $1000 and is worth every penny. Read full review.
Advanced Elements Lagoon 2
The Lagoon 2 is a very affordable and easy to use tandem recreational inflatable kayak that is best suited to calm
waters. It is very light weight for a tandem model and is an excellent kayak to bring travelling. The one thing to keep in mind with the Lagoon 2 is that the load capacity is only 350 pounds. Read full review.
Sea Eagle 330
The SE330 costs under $500, weighs a mere 24 pounds and is capable of holding 500 pounds. This is one of Sea Eagles sport inflatable kayaks and is great for paddling out on lakes and to bring along camping (as it can be loaded right down with gear). This kayak also comes in a larger size, the SE370 which is much roomier if paddling with two people. A great recreational inflatable kayak but if you are looking for more performance I would highly recommend Sea Eagles Explorer Kayaks (the 340x, 380x or 420x). Read full review.
Sea Eagle 370
The 370 is the larger version of the 330. It can hold up to three people and is a wonderful kayak for families and dogs. It can hold an extra two hundred pounds than the 330 and is extremely rugged and very stable. A great beginner’s kayak. Read full review.
Sea Eagle 340X
This is an extremely popular inflatable kayak. It is unbelievable rugged, can handle any water condition, is self-bailing, stable, really comfortable and highly affordable. It is a tandem kayak but can be converted into a solo. If you plan on doing mostly tandem kayaking however you may want to look at the 380x which is just slightly larger and much more comfortable for two. The explorer kayaks can be loaded to the max and get you anywhere you need to go. Read full review.
Sea Eagle 380X
The 380x is my favorite of Sea Eagles explorer kayaks. It is truly a great boat. It is so sturdy and rugged that you can hit it with the sharp end of a hammer over and over and never puncture it. It is stable, extremely comfortable and can handle all water conditions. It is self-bailing so you will never fill up with water and is light enough to travel the world with. Excellent tandem kayak and can also be paddled easily while solo. Read full review.
Sea Eagle 420X
The 420x is great for families, dogs, big camping trips and for anyone who just really needs the extra room. It can hold a whopping 853 pounds and easily fits two adults and at least one child or a couple of dogs. This is truly the ultimate family expedition inflatable kayak. It will provide hours of fun and years of beautiful experiences. Read full review.
Sea Eagle Paddle Ski
The Paddle Ski is extremely unique in that it is an inflatable kayak but has a catamaran/kayak design that allows for the versatility of attaching a small motor which is great for fishing, has the option of attaching a rowing seat and rowing oars, as well as the option to attach a sail rig that attaches so easily and quickly that you can row for the morning and attach the sail rig for the afternoon to catch the wind home. The Paddle Ski is a phenomenal value and can be paddled by any person of any age. Read full review.
Aire Super Lynx
The Super Lynx was designed to be able to glide nicely on flat water and still handle the rapids of a raging river all the while being able to hold up to six hundred pounds. It reminds me of a jack of all trades kind of boat but an expert at none. It has great versatility and is backed by a 10 year warranty. It is excellent for families, dogs and anyone looking for a stable, roomier inflatable kayak that can go on any type of water. It will probably last you forever. Read full review.
Aire Tributary Strike II
Great for flat water as well as whitewater. Very versatile kayak, not super fast, but extremely stable. Extremely well constructed with a five year warranty. Expect comfort and ease of use. Read full review.
Airis Play 12
A little higher priced, be prepared to spend a bit more for this kayak. However the quality is superb and the construction sturdy and rugged. Carry it on your back to anywhere you want to travel and paddle in absolute comfort for hours on end. Read full review.
Bic YakkAir 2
The YakkAir 2 is a new tandem inflatable kayak on the market as of June of 2009. It has a great design and is quite lightweight and works well for traveling. However there are some flaws at the moment that need to be addressed before I would recommend this kayak. Read full review.
Innova Helios II
Great inflatable kayak. The Helios II is more closed in than many other inflatables which gives you more of a traditional kayak feel. It is solid, rugged, and excellent for flat water as well as calmer rivers and sea kayaking (comes with optional rudder). Lightweight and simplistic in design, this kayak is excellent for traveling. Read full review.
Innova Sunny
As the name implies, the Sunny is a much more open design than say the Innova Helios. This inflatable kayak has lots of room for two adults and a child or dog. There is also lots of space for drybags. It comes with a removable fin that helps greatly with the tracking and very comfortable seats. This is truly a favorite kayak for many. Perfect for traveling. Read full review.
NRS MaverIK II
This inflatable kayak is best on flat water though it is advertised as great on whitewater. It can handle both but is really not geared for large rapids. It does come with a ten year warranty and is extremely stable and sturdy. However performance wise it is really lacking. Read full review.
Sevylor 2 Person Sit On Top
This tandem sit on top inflatable kayak works well for two people wanting to bring an inflatable kayak traveling. It is very affordable and offers a fun paddling experience but don’t expect too much from this kayak, the performance is lacking. Read full review.
Sevylor Fiji
The Fiji is advertised as a travel inflatable kayak because it is extremely lightweight and very affordable. It would work well for kids, traveling or playing around. However do not expect too much from this kayak as it is not very good quality and in my opinion is barely worth the hundred bucks that it costs except maybe just to use to splash around for a summer. Read full review.
Sevylor Pointer K2
The Pointer K2 is great for a beginner kayaker who plans on doing mostly flatwater recreational paddling. It comes with lots of great features as well as an affordable price tag. The quality of construction isn’t as good as many other inflatables, but it would be fine for a newbie. Read full review.
Sevylor Tahiti Classic
The Tahiti is a self-bailing tandem inflatable kayak that comes at a very low price. It is one of the very first inflatable kayaks that was produced in 1963. It is very basic and would be good as a starter inflatable kayak or for kids. Read full review.
Clear Blue Hawaii Hanauma Inflatable Kayak
The Hanauma is a unique inflatable kayak in that it has two clear viewing panels on the floor of the kayak in front of each seat. This kayak will perform best on calm water and in my opinion is slightly overpriced for what it offers. Read full review.
