Submitted: 04-30-2004 by Mats Jansson
We use this kayak for lake and class I-III on family trips with kids in the 5-11 year range. We will probably never tackle really difficult white water, so this review is for those that are looking for a fun, inflatable kayak that will last years and perform well enough to be used over and over (not a cheap toy).
So far, the SVX200 has lived up to that promise beautifully. After having gone on one trip with someone with inflatable seats, I will never consider a boat without the types of seats that the Sevylor comes with - they are very comfortable, and it's easy to turn the 2-seater into a solo by reversing the boat stern to bow.
Inflating it is incredibly fast and easy by letting the car (12V) pump the volume, then top off with the hand pump. I have it down to less than 10 minutes and this is really important since I store it deflated (no room in the garage). I have never owned another inflatable so I cannot compare it with other boats, but if it holds up in the long run, I will be super happy. It turns quickly, yet on flat water, after about 5 minutes of "figuring it out" it is possible to keep it on a very straight track, and I was doing it with my 11 year old daughter who was a beginner.
We have had 2 adults, and 3 kids in the kayak on a lake once and it didn't even feel crowded. Last weekend we did a 2 night camping trip, so had gear and food for 2, and we ended up taking extra cargo from my friend who ran out of room.
Anyway, you can tell I am happy with it - hopefully it will stay that way. |