It may not look like it, but the Intex Explorer K2 Kayak is not your typical inflatable boat. Your standard inflatable? You would be lucky to get a few days a year of use out of that before you are hauling it off to your local dump. The Intex Explorer K2 is built for regular use. In fact, there are some people who are using their K2 day-in, day-out much, in the same way, they would use any other kayak. Let’s take a little look at it in this Intex Explorer K2 Kayak review.
This kayak has been designed for those heading out onto small bodies of water. It isn’t going to be able to handle torrential waters or the sea. It performs best in rivers with a mild flow, or even on a shallow lake. If you are looking for something that is going to send you cascading down your local river rapids with ease…look elsewhere. For small bodies of water or general exploration? This is the bit of kit you need.
Packed into the K2, you have 2 seats, with the rear one being adjustable. So, you can take it down to one seat and give a bit more space for the sole user, if you wish. The kayak is able to cope with up to 400lbs in weight. You get a skeg on it, but that can be removed if you want.
We think to get a better idea of what the K2 brings to the table, we can take a little look at the pros and cons. This will give you more of a view as to whether this is the right kayak for you.
Great Things about the Intex K2
This kayak is solidly built. This is one of the reasons why it is set apart from the rest of the inflatables out there. It would take a good solid knock to dent this kayak, let alone puncture it. A quick brush against some rocks and the like won’t do it any harm. This is a kayak that is going to see you through a good few years, and the price is ridiculously affordable too.
The included skeg is an absolute godsend. While it isn’t always perfect, the tracking on the K2 is some of the best tracking we have ever seen on an inflatable kayak. As long as you keep moving forward, you aren’t going to veer off course. It barely needs any corrections. In fact, most of the corrections will come when the kayak is stationary. It seems to veer off a little bit, but that is fine. It is to be expected.
Not only this, but the amount of space you have inside of the kayak is extraordinary. It can fit two fully grown adults. If you want, you can also remove one of the seats to create a solo boat. You will have a huge amount of legroom, and it is a far better option than nearly every other inflatable. We can see this bit of kit getting regularly used as a fishing kayak (remember; the hooks are unlikely to puncture it!)
Inflating your Intex Explorer K2 will be incredibly simple too. There are three air chambers. These provide a good seal, so you could be spending hours and hours on the water and you won’t notice any change in the air consistency in the kayak. It is one of only a few inflatables that do this, and none of the others come in at such a low price. Deflating takes a couple of minutes through these same chambers, so you can be up and ready to leave pretty soon after you climb out of the water.
To cap it all off; pretty much everything that you need comes loaded into the kayak box. You get your pump. You have a carry case. You even have some oars. All for that low, low price. If you pick up the Intex Explorer K2, you can literally head out there and kayak the day it arrives. There is no need for you to wait for any additional accessories. It is ready to roll (or float!)
The Downsides
As we mentioned before; the K2 is only designed for those who are planning to head out on shallow bodies of water. It doesn’t really have the stability or strength to cope with heavy flows of water. If you are tackling those, then you are going to need to have something a bit more solid in tow. While we can’t imagine that the K2 is going to instantly crumble under the pressure, and a spot of lighter rapids will be fine on occasion, you probably do not want to be taking it out too much like that because it won’t last. This is really an exploration kayak through and through.
You must also bear in mind that no matter how strong the kayak material is, it is still going to be nowhere near as strong as a plastic kayak. From our experience, it is going to take a lot to even slightly puncture the Intex Explorer K2. As long as you take care of your kayak, it is going to last you years and years of use. However, do bear in mind that unlike a good, solid plastic kayak, it can break. You do get a decent patching kit included with the K2, but it is probably going to be best to avoid breaking it anyway.
You will also find that the K2 isn’t going to travel anywhere near as fast as your typical plastic kayak. There is also a lot less stability in the direction you are heading, even if that skeg is attached. Although, this is something to be expected. It is a lighter kayak. It also seems to create a bit more drag, especially when the kayak is ever so slightly deflated. For that reason, it is not going to be ideal for those who are heading out on long, epic trips. For a quick kayak of a few hours? Sure! Got a deadline to meet on your trip? No way.
Intex Explorer K2 Kayak Review
If you are after a quality, portable, inflatable kayak then you seriously won’t do better than the Intex Explorer K2. If you are a day-tripper heading out onto shallow waters every so often, this could easily be the best kayak on the market to spend your cash on.
