SVX100DS Inflatable Kayak?

[tenex198]

Have been in the market for a cheap ik to play around on a couple of local runs. Was just wondernig if any of you had past experience with the boats, and might provide a little insight on the matter. I really do not want to invest a whole lot of money on the boat, since it will be used a couple of time a year.

Cheers

Attachment 13388
http://www.sevylor.com/canoes.html

[cmsummit]

a friend of mine paddles one of those and he likes it. I think he paid around $400 new versus $800-$1000 for some of the NRS brand IK's. It's not built as "bomber" as the NRS IK's, but he still runs class 4 in it with no problem. I would only worry about the integrity of the thing if I was bumping over alot of rocks or took a swim and the thing got pinned. I'd say that if you're only going to be using it a few times a year, it's a good value.

[Conundrum]

Sevloy used to make a red one called the River X that was pretty cheap and seemed to be well constructed.

Another option might be a Tributary. It's a spinoff from Aire and they are the same design as the Aires but manufactured in China and use a slightly thinner material. A little more than the Sevlor but you will get more out of it in terms of longevity and resale. The solo model is $650 but you can join ACA or AWA and probably get a 10-15% discount at most paddle shops.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product_list.asp?deptid=1695

[nate s]

You should check out the NRS Bandit also. It is really light and would be cool for hike in stuff or travel. Has more rocker than the strike and is a little smaller and would be more nimble on the water. I was going to buy one for my g/f who isn't a boater until I found a good deal on some sotar paddlecat tubes.

I would stay away from the sevylor, they seem like cheap crap that would be worthless in a year or two.

Not a big fan of the tomcats, we have some at work and they never stiffen up no matter how much air you put in them (maybe a concern with the lightweith bandit as well?) and they have a very vulnerable seam on the bottom. The bandits also have a seam on bottom but have a little proterctive strip over it.

In general, the cheaper IKs skimp on fabric weight and stiffness and valves. (You don't want to buy something that you can replace something like a valve cap).

I would also recommend calling outfitters and searching for an older IK being decomishioned. An older Lynx will last longer than a new inexpensive IK, and will still sell for not much less than what you paid. You should be able to find a top brand IK in not too bad a shape for ~$500.