Sevylor Inflatable Kayaks
February 2, 2010 by IK World
Sevylor is one of the oldest and original manufacturers of inflatable kayaks. They are not for everybody but there is no denying that Sevylor kayaks are very popular and meet the needs of a lot of people.
While doing some research on Sevylor I found the story of how they began to be quite interesting and thought I would share it with all of you.
How Sevylor Began…
Sevylor began originally as an electronics company in 1948 in Paris, France. It was called Societe Electronique de Vitry… or SEVY for short.
SEVY was commissioned by a man in New York to produce high frequency welding machines that were capable of welding a new material (at the time) called PVC. The machines worked very well and the American company became very successful manufacturing swimming pool products. From there SEVY learned how to work with PVC.
One of the first products that SEVY produced was an inflatable bathtub called Dou Dou. It was a very popular invention in postwar France giving mothers a way to bathe their children even when there were no facilities. From there SEVY began constructing small pools and all sorts of flotation devices such as pool toys.
The company eventually established a new headquarters in a tiny Alsatian village called Buhl and decided to add the letters “lor” to its name… thus it became Sevylor.
In French, l’or means gold and with this new name they became a massive contender in the inflatable kayaks and inflatable boats market.
Inflatable Pool Toys or Inflatable Kayaks?
The fact that Sevylor began with making inflatable pool toys this branding has stuck with them and consequently many of their kayaks are considered to be like pool toys. They are known for producing cheaper inflatable kayaks but in recent years have begun to make some fairly high quality ones as well.
Their popularity I believe can be directly related to the fact that many of their inflatable kayaks are so affordable. For anyone looking for a play boat or a way to get out on the water a few times a year, the Sevylor prices can seem pretty good.
Even though the quality of Sevylor inflatable kayaks do not compare to other manufacturers such as AIRE, Innova, NRS and Sea Eagle, they are still one of the most popular inflatable kayak brand names and the company seems to be making a major effort to offer higher quality inflatables as well.
Most people who have used an inflatable kayak or have thought about using one have heard at some point or another the statement that inflatable kayaks are simply over-glorified pool toys. Unfortunately this kind of statement originated from having used a product such as a Sevylor inflatable kayak.
Of course it is not true, the inflatable kayaks of today are anything but a pool toy and are even used by the US Army and Navy as well as the Coast Guard. The inflatable kayaks of the past don’t even compare to the quality of the inflatable kayaks of today.
Sevylor was one of the original manufacturers of inflatables and have had to step up their game in order to compete with the amazing quality and performance that we see in inflatable kayaks today.
Conclusion on Sevylor Inflatable Kayaks
I may not be a huge fan but there is no doubt that Sevylor is here to stay and their products are used all over the world. I cannot deny that if you only want to spend a couple of hundred dollars then a Sevylor may be your perfect boat. I have heard from many people who have very much enjoyed using them and their higher end kayaks do deliver a decent performance and seem to be rising in quality each year.
The market for Sevylor kayaks is recreational paddlers looking for a low to mid price range. If this is you please check out our Sevylor inflatable kayaks reviews for detailed information and pictures for each Sevylor boat.
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