Intex Explorer K2 Inflatable Kayak Review

The Explorer K2 is crazy popular.  I put off reviewing the Intex inflatable kayaks in the past because they are so cheap.

I am used to paddling much higher quality inflatables and I couldn’t imagine that the K2 was anything but awful to paddle.

After a ton of people asking for a review I knew it was time to just go for it.

Turns out I wasn’t wrong.  This kayak costs very little and you can’t expect a whole lot from it.

The quality is decent but not great.  The material is thinner than I’m used to, the valves are not nearly as good, it doesn’t track super well and the accessories are cheap.

HOWEVER… I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable and fun it was to paddle. 

For someone who isn’t looking for high performance or for someone who is just getting into kayaking, the K2 requires very little investment and gets you out paddling on the water.  Sometimes that’s just enough.

This Intex Explorer K2 makes it easy to get out and explore and that’s a really good thing.

EXPLORER K2 SPECS

SPECS
LENGTH X WIDTH	10’3″ X 36′
WEIGHT	30.6 LBS.
MAX LOAD	400 LBS.
PERFORMANCE
STABILITY
WARRANTY	90 DAYS
PRICE	BEST DEAL: AMAZON.COM

VIDEO REVIEW

Don’t feel like reading? Check out my quick review video below for the important details and to see this kayak in action.

TANDEM OR SOLO

The K2 is a tandem kayak but it can also be used as a solo as well.  With two people I found it a little cramped but doable.

There isn’t a ton of leg room and a couple taller adults might not be as comfortable.

When used as a solo however there is plenty of leg room and space to stretch out.

I think it’s a good choice to use as a solo kayak mainly but nice to have the option of bringing someone out with you if wanted.

It’s also ideal for taking out the kids as it’s easy to paddle.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

The features that come standard with the K2 are:

INFLATABLE SEATS WITH BACKREST

The seats are fairly comfortable all things considered and super quick to inflate… only takes about 30 seconds to fully inflate the seat.

The seats attach to a velcro strip on the kayak floor so they don’t budge.

The side straps secure to the clips on the sides of the kayak. You can tighten these straps to make the back more rigid.

GRAB LINES AT BOW AND STERN

The grab lines are handy for grabbing the kayak if you are in the water or for pulling the kayak to shore.

OPEN COCKPIT

The open cockpit is comfortable enough. I took my little dog out with me in the K2 a lot and there was plenty of space for both of us.

When paddling solo the cockpit is certainly roomier than the solo version of this kayak.

However when paddling with two people it’s a little cramped, especially if you are taller. With two adults there isn’t much extra space.

GRAB HANLDES

There are grab handles at either end of the K2. The grab handles make it easy to carry with two people, pull to shore or grab from the water.

MULTIPLE AIR VALVES

There are several air valves on the Explorer K2. The valves are all numbered so it’s easy to know in which order to inflate them.

There is a Boston valve on either side of the kayak as well as a smaller valve on the floor and one at both the bow and stern.

It doesn’t take long to inflate each valve chamber. Only a few minutes for the main chambers and a few seconds for the small ones at the bow and stern

INFLATABLE FLOOR

The inflatable floor is rigid enough to efficiently paddle and support whoever is in the kayak but it’s definitely not a high-pressure floor. 

CONSTRUCTION

Made with rugged vinyl construction with an inflatable I-beam floor.

Weight capacity 350 lbs. – Which is pretty amazing really for this inflatable kayak.  I wouldn’t have expected it to hold that much weight.

PADDLING WITH DOGS

I have been paddling it a lot with both seats in the kayak, with myself in one and my dog on the other. 

Although I normally always take my dogs out with me in my inflatable kayaks I was a little nervous about bringing my dog out in this one.

With the thinner vinyl material I just wasn’t sure if my dogs claws would be a hazard.

However he was happy to sit on the inflatable seat and I haven’t had any problems at all.

Another option would be to put a towel or mat down for your dog to sit on. 

STABILITY

This isn’t the most stable kayak on the market but overall I found it stable enough and I think total beginners would feel comfortable fairly quickly.

I would recommend only paddling this kayak on calmer water however, it isn’t made for rough water.

I had no trouble getting in and out of the kayak once on shore. It’s a little wobblier than what I’m used to but easy enough.

PERFORMANCE

As long as you’re not expecting too much from the K2 performance wise, you won’t be disappointed.

Tracking isn’t perfect but I didn’t find it frustrating.  I have definitely had worse.

With two people paddling it moves along nicely.  With one you have to work a little harder to stay on a straight line but if you’re not in a hurry then it’s no big deal.

For cruising around on the lake or on a calm river it’s a lot of fun.

PORTABLE

One of the nicest things about the Intex Explorer K2 is that it is super portable and easy to store.

This kayak rolls up into a very small package.  It stores inside the included carry bag and only weighs ? so it is extremely easy to carry.

The portability factor of this inflatable kayak is fantastic.

You can also store it in a closet or take it in an RV or on a larger boat.

The packed dimensions are:

SETUP

Setup is very quick.  The Explorer K2 doesn’t hold a lot of air pressure so it’s very fast to inflate.

The package comes with a little hand pump that to be honest is quite awful.  It’s so tiny and uncomfortable to use.

I was quick to toss it aside and grab a dual action hand pump that I had handy. 

If you don’t have a better pump at home then the Intex one will have to do but if you want a better option this one is much easier to use plus you can see the PSI level on the gauge.

The fin needs to be attached before you inflate the kayak.  Then to remove the fin you have to deflate the kayak.

Inflating the seats takes only a minute and they secure to the kayak floor with Velcro.  Again nothing high tech here but it does the trick.

ACCESSORIES

CARRY BAG

The bag is flimsy and very easy to put a hole through it.  I can’t imagine that it’s going to last that long.

So far I’ve made it work but you might want to consider storing it in a big duffle bag.

ALUMINUM PADDLES

The two aluminum paddles are easy to clip together and feel okay to use.  They’re heavier than I’m used to but no complaints.

The paddles come apart into 5 pieces and fit inside the carry bag.

CLIP IN FIN

This kayak comes with 1 removable fin. It is best to secure the fin once the kayak is inflated.

The fin slides into the fin box easily and clips into place.

MANUAL PUMP

The pump that comes with the Intex kayak is tiny and honestly I find it a bit awkward to use.

It’s easy enough to inflate and doesn’t take much time. However if you happen to have a foot pump handy I found that much easier to use. If not don’t worry it’s very doable with the hand pump, it’s just very small and a bit back breaking to use.

WARRANTY

The warranty is only 90 days, which kind of says a lot. 

I have heard over and over that Intex doesn’t budge on that warranty period.  So my advice would be to inspect your kayak carefully when you first get it.

I personally haven’t had any issues with mine at all so far.

IN SUMMARY

This inflatable kayak is very appealing for the price.  It is an extremely affordable way to get a two-person kayak that is portable, quick to setup and ideal for storing in a small space.

For the price it’s a decent package.  Just don’t expect the world from it and you’ll be quite happy.

At the time of writing this review there was almost 6000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.5 Star rating. That’s impressive.

The truth however is that the Explorer K2 wouldn’t be my personal choice if I was shopping in this price range.

I much prefer the Sea Eagle Sport kayaks. The Sport 330 is right in the same price range and the Sport 370 is just slightly higher but offers much more space.

They’re a little longer, offer more leg room and they’re more durable. Plus they come with a great 3-year warranty, which blows Intex’s 90-day warranty out of the water.

WHERE TO BUY

Amazon.com consistently has the best deal on the Intex Explorer K2.