Sea Eagle 380X
Best Uses: Day trips, flatwaters, rivers, ocean, camping, dogs
Brand: Sea Eagle
Available At: Sea Eagle – 380x Inflatable Kayak
Number of Paddlers: 2
Stats: Exterior Length 12’ 6”, Interior Length 12’ 2”, Exterior Width 3’ 1”, Interior Width 1’ 3”, Weight 47 lbs, Load Capacity 750 lbs
Accessories Included: Hull, shock-absorbent seats, two double-ended paddles, full instructions (printed and on DVD), inflation pump, repair kit, and convenient carry bag
Kayak Material: 1000 denier polyester-supported high pressure fabric with quadruple thickness, electronic welded seams
Pros: Stable, rugged, easy to lift, comfortable, great maneuverability, compact, easy entry and exit, great for families and dogs, excellent for camping trips
Cons: Not real speedy, needs the directional stabilizer for better tracking
More About the Sea Eagle 380X
The Sea Eagle 380x is the slightly larger version of the Sea Eagle 340x. Virtually every characteristic is the same except that it is just over a foot longer, is 5 pounds heavier and can hold an extra 150 pounds in weight. This model is great if you plan on pretty much always having a second person with you or a dog or two. It will hold a lot more gear and give you more versatility for tandem kayaking. 
I personally chose this model because I wanted the extra versatility and stability for only five extra pounds and very little extra money. I thought that while traveling I will just about always have a second person with me as well as lots of gear and I wanted the comfort of the extra room.
I thought I may regret the smaller model down the road. If you plan on doing a lot of solo whitewater running, the smaller 340x will likely be better for maneuverability and control. It all depends on what you will use it for. On the other hand if you want more space the explorer kayak also comes in an even larger version… the 420X.
Recommendations for Sea Eagle Explorer Kayaks
I would highly recommend that if you decide to purchase one of Sea Eagle’s explorer kayaks that you go for the pro kayak package that comes with the super comfy high backed seats and the better paddles. One common complaint for most people while kayaking is a sore back. Kayak seats do not always offer the best support and back tension and aches can be exhausting.
The Sea Eagle high back seats offer excellent back support and will literally help your paddling experience to be a hundred times more enjoyable. The AB40 paddles that come with the deluxe package are a little longer and quite ideal for the explorer kayaks as they are wider than many other inflatable kayaks. The AB40 paddles will help with increased power and reduced fatigue. Well worth the little extra money.
Also if you plan on paddling on lakes or in open water, it would be wise to get the directional stabilizer as this will really help with the tracking. The 380X is like a jack of all trades but a master at none. You will want the help of the stabilizer to keep it easily going straight.
Please read the longer review on the Sea Eagle 340x as it will go into much more detail and they are virtually the same boat except for size and weight.
Final Thoughts On the Sea Eagle 380X
The 380X is a powerful, stable, rugged (it is very difficult to puncture this boat), comfortable and versatile inflatable kayak. I would recommend it for anyone, old or young. It is not the fastest boat on the market or the highest performer. It is however a kayak that will get you anywhere you want to go. It is a very high quality inflatable kayak for an affordable price that with a little care will likely last a lifetime.
Update for 2010: Sea Eagle has come out with a brand new inflatable kayak model… the Sea Eagle FastTrack. If you are considering one of their Explorer kayaks you may also want to seriously look at the FastTrack as it offers almost all of the positive features of the 380X but has the added bonuses of being able to paddle much faster as well as weighing 12 pounds less than the 380X.
Pro Sea Eagle 380X
- Stable
- Rugged
- Easy to lift
- Comfortable – especially with the tall back seats in the Pro Kayak Package
- Good maneuverability
- Compact
- Very easy entry and exit
- Great for families and dogs
- Excellent for camping trips – you can load this thing right up
- 3 year warranty
Against Sea Eagle 380X
- Not super fast
- Needs the directional stabilizer for better tracking
For more pictures of the Sea Eagle 380X from the Sea Eagle website… click here.
OR view my own personal Sea Eagle 380X pictures.
The Sea Eagle 380X Inflatable Kayak is Available At:
- Sea Eagle – 380x Inflatable Kayak
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If you own or have used the Sea Eagle 380X please leave a comment and share your thoughts with others.
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Your reviews of the Sea Eagle Explorer line have been very helpful! I plan on purchasing either the 380x or the 420x this month. But first I would like to clarify your recommendation regarding the most comfortable seats to buy. The reviw recommends that one purchase “the deluxe package with the super comfy high back seats and the better paddles (the AB40 paddles).” It appears that Sea Eagle’s packages may have changed since your review was written, for I see that the black “Tall Back seats” and the AB40 paddles are now included with the “Pro” package and not the “Deluxe” package, which includes the “Deluxe Inflatable seats.” I especially wanted to confirm that your recommendation is for the non-inflatable “Tall Back” seats and not for the “Deluxe Inflatable Seats.” Many thanks for all of your information regarding the Sea Eagle Explorer kayaks!
Hi Kevin,
I am really glad you asked because I didn’t realize my wording was wrong. I meant to say that I recommend the tall back seats in the ‘Pro Kayak Package’. To be honest the inflatable seats in the ‘Deluxe Package’ are quite good but I find the back support of the non-inflatable tall back seats far superior and much more comfortable for a lengthier excursion. Sorry for the confusion.
Good luck with your purchase! We would love to hear how you are enjoying your kayak once you get it.
Cheers,
Allison
So far I have not had much luck with the 380x or 420x. While the manueverability is great I am a large guy and have to squeeze into the boats. They are very narrow. The pro seats are very cheesy and don’t hold you up at all. I am still working on finding a configuration to get them to hold me up. I am going too try an add some additional D-rings. The D-rings also are positioned where as if you toss the boat on the roof rakcs of your vehicle upside down the D-rings will ping the top of the vehicle. So I will have to work on something to cover them also. Perhaps liquid vinly dip will work for them. It is a very uncomfortable craft. Now my kids are loving them at age 12 and 14. ZWe only went on one short trip so far the bigger test will be in late July when we hit the rapids. So far I am very disapointed with the crafts. I will report back as things get better with the boats. I say this because I hope it can’t get worse. I am curious as to how the drains will work in a WW situation. This ought to be really interesting. I hope this helps. I’m not bashing the boats, so far it’s just not for me.
Hi Mark,
I am sorry you are having trouble with your kayaks. A thought with the seats… when I first got my 380 I couldn’t get the pro seats to stay up either but I found that once I got them positioned properly under the floor straps and got them hooked onto the right d-rings and pulled tight enough they were really sturdy. You likely have already tried this but what worked best for me was to have the floor strap positioned right around the middle of the bottom part of the seat. When in that position, once I sat on the seat and pulled the back straps tight enough towards the d-rings, the seat didn’t budge.
Adding the extra d-rings is also a good idea and could make a big difference as then you could really get the back part pulled tight. If you are still having problems contact Sea Eagle as they may have some helpful suggestions. I hope things work out.
Allison
I am a fairly creative and adaptable guy. I’m sure I’ll work out the kinks and tweek it too make it all work. The positive things are it appeared to be the most versatile boat I researched. I am on a calm flat water area one day, and a white water rage the next! While I have not been on a white water fury yet, I will be, and will report back after that mission is completed. I just want to be a fair critic in hopes whoever may purchase or read the reports, and maybe even Sea Eagle, can learn from honest evaluations of the crafts as to what needs improvement and adjustments as they proceed to make a better boat.
was thinking of the sport kayak mainly because of price but after reading many reviews for a few hundred dollars more the Sea Eaglke Explorer 380X seems a better all around kayak. It seems to have better reviews for all around handling, tracking, easy entry and exit, , a better buy.
One concern is the deluxe seats compared to the ridig high backs, is there reallly that much difference for the price?
Hi Gerry,
I would 100% say that the 380X is a far better kayak than the sport kayak. I have used both and there is no comparison. The Sea Eagle 380 explorer kayak will likely satisfy you for a much longer time period than the sport kayak and is quite honestly a much better buy. As for the difference in the seats I think it would depend on how often you plan to use it. The deluxe seats are really good and I don’t have any hesitations in recommending them. The difference with the high back seats is that they offer more stability for your body and more back support. I found that I could go further and longer with the rigid high back seats. Also the package that includes these seats includes longer paddles as well which is nice because the Sea Eagle boats tend to be fairly wide. However if you are looking to keep the cost down the deluxe seats are still really good and you could always upgrade to the high back seats sometime down the road if you wanted to.
Cheers, Allison
I am thinking about getting a Sea Eagle 380x, but I have one question first.
How much storage room do you have when you get two people in the kayak? Some pictures I have seen it looks like there is an air chamber under the front splash guard, if so that would not leave very much room for gear.
Thanks!
Wayne
Hi Wayne,
There is a very tiny space behind the back seat and a slightly larger space part way under the splash guard up front but it won’t hold a whole lot. Of course you can store gear in the bow and stern bags… they actually hold a fair amount and you can easily fit the pump, hoses, repair kit, lifejacket, lunch, camera, keys, etc. in the bags.
If you plan on bringing a large amount of gear you will need to tie it down with the d-rings on top of the bow and stern. It doesn’t look like a lot of space but you can really pile it on and you could also add extra d-rings if needed. You could likely store a decent sized dry bag up front around your feet if you wanted to, but I think I would personally tie it on top of the stern bag for more comfort.
If you do want to bring a huge load you may want to consider the 420x simply because it gives you a little over a foot of extra space. However I think you would be surprised how much you could store on the 380x and it really is a nice size.
Hope that helps! Allison
I have 2 kids (12,10) a medium dog and my wife. Which do you think would be better, the 420x or the 380x. I don’t want to carry the extra weight of the 420x if I don’t have to as it will likely be me doing the lugging.
It will probably be used for day trips and maybe an overnight campout.
I don’t like the idea of running out of space because whiney kids have to be too close to each other either, lol.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Joseph,
Yikes, that sounds like a load and a half. Unfortunately the 380x is going to be too small for you. You could all fit but you will be quite squished and the dog would have to sit on someone’s lap
It would be possible to fit everyone into the 420x as it offers almost another foot and a half of length. However I think you still might feel slightly cramped if you will be paddling for any extended period of time.
I wouldn’t normally suggest a Sevylor over a Sea Eagle but in your case you might want to take a look at the Sevylor XK17. It is roughly the same price and provides an extra two and a half feet of length over the 420x and weighs almost ten pounds less… just a thought as perhaps comfort in your case might triumph over the better quality Sea Eagle boat. Barring that you might have to leave the kids behind or tow them in a raft. lol
Good luck!
Allison
I have just been able to take my SeaEagle 380x out. It is perfect for my son, dog and me to paddle around. My son can set it up in about 20 minutes. I can keep it in my trunk and we can go kayaking whenever we see water. We have just moved to Vancouver Island so there are a million places for us to explore. I was wondering if anyone has tried fitting the Advanced Element backbone in the SeaEagle.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your comment. I think Vancouver Island is one of the most beautiful places to explore with a kayak… there is so much to see.
I have never heard of anyone fitting the AE backbone in the SeaEagle and am not sure if it is possible. If you don’t hear from anyone else here I would suggest emailing Sea Eagle and asking them what they think… they are usually really good at answering any type of question and it would be worth a shot.
Enjoy your new kayak!!
Allison
Had my Seaeagle 380 now for about 3 weeks. Have taken it out every week end and I really like everything about it so far. I have a couple of questions though. I am starting to get a few marks on the boat, what is something good to clean it with that wont damage it?
Also, is it really good to keep folding the boat back up in the same places every time or should you try folding it a little different every time. I was wondering if you keep folding it in the same place every time, it might start to crack in the creases.
Thanks in advance,
Wayne
Hi Wayne,
As far as cleaning the kayak you can get a boat cleaner from Sea Eagle called 3M Marine Cleaner & Restorer. It will remove stains from mud, bird droppings, oil and most other marks. I have never used this cleaner myself but I heard it works quite well. I am fairly sure you could also get a good cleaner from most marine stores, just make sure you get one that is specifically for an inflatable boat. You might want to also look at the 303 Protectant from Sea Eagle. I spray this on my 380 every so often and it protects the kayak from UV rays, chemicals and other types of harmful exposure. It will basically help to keep your boat in good shape.
I pretty much always fold my kayak up the same way each time. Every now and then it gets folded a little differently depending on if I keep my directional stabilizer on or not. I have never noticed any problems with cracks in the creases so I don’t think it is a problem.
Hope that helps and really glad to hear you are enjoying your SE 380!
Cheers,
Allison
I have been looking for a long period of time at the Sea Eagle boats. I am interested in the 380X model so far because of the diverse uses it seems to endure. I am on a gentle rolling river one day and a raging river the next and live along some of the best coastline in the USA. I was curious if the floor is attached to the inside of this boat or it is removable?
I observed in one of the video presentations the floor being put into the craft. I had one of these style boats and when I’d get into some rapids the darn floor would pop out. It made for a more dangerous situation than the river itself. I would appreciate an answer to assist in making my decision. Thank you in advance I await your response. Mark
Hi Mark,
Yes the floor in the SE 380X is removable but there are three straps to keep it secure in the kayak. The floor needs to be placed in the kayak the first time, then the straps get secured and then the floor gets inflated. From there when you are deflating the kayak, the floor does not need to come out of the boat again. The straps are really secure and can be adjusted to be as tight as you want. Although I have never taken my 380X into heavy whitewater, I would be very surprised if the floor moved at all even in the worst situations.
Hope that helps. Good luck with your decision!
Cheers,
Allison
Do the seats get strapped down to the floor of the 380x with the nylon straps or do you just rely on the clips onto the D rings?
Hi Tony,
Yes the seats do get strapped down. The bottom part of the seat goes under the floor straps and then the back part gets clipped onto the D rings. The tall back seat will still slide a little until you sit on it and then it is really secure.
Cheers, Allison
Hi Allison,
Is the 380X or Pro380X (not clear on the difference here) self bailing?
Tks,
Scott
Hi Scott,
Yes the 380X is self-bailing… there are four self-bailing drain valves.
The 380X comes in two package options… the Deluxe or the Pro. The only difference (besides price) is that with the Pro Package you get a few extras like longer and better quality paddles, high back seats (as opposed to inflatable seats) and bow and stern storage bags.
Cheers,
Allison
I bought a Sea Eagle 380 Explorer, but I’m returning it after less than 5 hours of paddling.
The interior is VERY narrow – only 15 inches across. I’m 5′11″ with a 38″ waist, and sitting in the stern put painful pressure on my trocanters (top of the thigh bone on the side). The pressure is tolerable if I sit in the middle seat, but I’d planned to do most of my paddling from the stern with a passenger in front.
I even had another paddler, with a 34″ waist sit in the boat, and it was uncomfortable for him too. (He and I are both whitewater kayakers used to paddling snug-fitting hard boats.)
Also, if you paddle with the drain plugs out, expect to sit in several inches of water all the time. I paddled with my 205 lb father (a very fit 73 y/o, with a 36″ waist) and we were in about 4 inches of water the whole time. It would take large Class III/IV water to make it worth having the drain plugs out, but in class II, it’s probably better to leave them in.
For a boat that’s rated for 750 lbs and up to three paddlers, I was surprised at how small the interior is (my father was tight in the middle seat, but not miserably uncomfortable), and I was suprised that with about 450 lbs of people and gear, that we sat in so much water with the drain plugs out.
On the plus side, the boat is very well made, had excellent rocker, great stability, and manuevers well.
I’ll have to keep looking for a tandem inflatable kayak that can run class III – IV and still be okay on flatwater (not great, but okay). If the Explorer were only a bit wider internally, I’d have kept it.
Rob
Rob,
I’m sorry you were disappointed with your 380x. I was wondering which set of seats you were using: the high-back seats or the inflatable seats? If the former, it might be possible that you would be more comfortable with the latter. From all I have read, the inflatable seats put one in a higher seating position which might feel less constraining given the relatively narrow dimensions of the 380x, and which also is drier. I have just ordered but have yet to receive one of the Sea Eagle FastTrack kayaks, which has the same interior width as the 380x. So I was interested in your predicament and wondering whether there might be a relatively easy fix for you.
Best of luck to you in finding a comfy kayak!
Kevin O’Byrne
Hi Kevin!
I’m thinking of ordering the FastTrack and was wondering how you like yours? Did you get the Pro or Deluxe seats?
I’ve been kayaking only twice in my life and I already love it! The Sea Eagle boats look great.
Thanks for your help!
Marie
Hi Marie!
What a timely question! I just received my FastTrack last week when my brother ferried it down to Mexico where I live by Lake Chapala (this was to avoid Mexican customs duties which would have been significant). However, I’ve been so busy entertaining brothers and sisters-in-law – and recovering – that I still haven’t had the time to take the FastTrack out of its box!! So, within the next week I hope to be able to tell you and Allison more about the FastTrack’s maiden and subsequent voyages.
I ordered the high back seats, largely on the testimony of Allison regarding their superior back support. I resisted, for now anyway, the impulse to order at least one of the inflatable seats as well. The dealer I bought it from said that both he and the President of Sea Eagle personnally preferred the inflatable seats, largely because one is sitting off of the floor and, therefore, they are drier. I may still buy one of these on my next trip to the States, just to see for myself.
I wish you the best of luck with your purchase. And I’ll be sure to report back on my own experience with the FastTrack just as soon as I have some!
Kevin