Airis Kayaks
September 8, 2009 by IK World
Airis kayaks are manufactured by a marine company named Walker Bay. Walker Bay has been around since 1997. They manufacture motorboats, sailboats, rowboats, rigid inflatable boats, inflatable air deck rollups, tenders, inflatable docks and luckily for us… inflatable kayaks.
They have a lot of experience in the boating world and when they decided to manufacture inflatable kayaks they put their knowledge and expertise to work and used only the highest quality and most rugged materials possible. The result was a class of inflatable kayaks beyond most others. The Airis kayaks are the lightest, most compact and highly rigid inflatable kayaks in the world… hands down.
Below are the 4 Main Models of Airis Kayaks…
- Airis Play – extreme fun, ultra-lightweight (15 – 18 lbs), good for flatwater, ocean surf, or whitewater, very versatile
- Airis Sport – good for short expeditions or day trips, good tracking, lightweight, great for all skill levels
- Airis Play 12 – 2 person kayak, good for families, couples or paddling solo with your dog, great for traveling
- Airis Velocity -sleek and fun, great tracking, great speed, compact, the ultimate inflatable kayak
What Makes Airis Kayaks so Special?
There are lots of people who have either purchased an Airis kayak or have tried one and know how amazing they are.
- When an Airis kayak is inflated it practically feels like a hard shelled kayak because it is so completely rigid.
- Walker Bay has succeeded in creating inflatable kayaks that are so compact and light weight that they can be rolled up and easily put into the backpack that comes with them.
- When they are inflated and in the water they provide excellent performance as well as extreme comfort. I have always been a huge fan of Airis kayaks and have been dreaming of owning the Airis Velocity for quite some time.
- They all come with a 2 year warranty.
Airis Kayak Material
The Airis kayak material is U.V. treated, multi-layer PVC fabric. These kayaks are made with AirWeb high pressure construction that is formed from a heavy duty, seven layer polymer coated fabric that is joined inside by thousands of drop-stitch fibers. This provides the rigidity and durability that they are so famous for. The AirWeb allows the Airis kayaks to be inflated to more than 6.5 PSI or 0.45 bar. That is up to six times the maximum air pressure of other inflatable kayaks. They are tear and abrasion resistant and extremely quick to inflate.
What are the Negatives?
The fact that Walker Bay’s inflatable kayaks were built so well came with one main disadvantage…
Airis kayaks had a fairly high price tag. I believe the higher price tag has steered people away from them and the Airis kayaks were not able to stay competitive with many of the other inflatable kayaks on the market. I know that I myself wasn’t so keen on coughing up the big bucks for the Airis Velocity even though I was fully aware of what a great kayak it is. So I can understand people being hesitant to purchase them and likely wondering if they are really worth the higher price tag.
The good news is that Walker Bay has come out with new lower prices for their Airis kayaks for 2010. Now these kayaks are more affordable than ever and yet still provide the same great quality.
Final Thoughts on the Airis Kayaks…
It is no secret that I am a huge fan of the Airis kayaks. I wish more people would realize the phenomenal quality of these boats and how much fun and convenience they offer. The fact that they are so lightweight that they can literally be carried on your back to anywhere in the world you are going is very exciting. The fact that they provide excellent performance and comfort is even better. For short expeditions and fun day trips Airis kayaks won’t disappoint. With the new Airis pricing one day soon I will be posting pictures of my new Velocity.
Read our comprehensive Airis kayak reviews for more detailed information and pictures.
OR view other inflatable kayak reviews.
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