During the last 12 months, we’ve been testing and prototyping inflatable kayaks. Whilst the concept is nothing new, we wanted to make sure anything we bring to market ties in with our ethos of quality and sustainability.
It’s taken three iterations to get to the point where we’re happy with the product end result. For us, any inflatable kayaking product should be easy to use and accessible but offer decent performance in a variety of scenarios. Something which both the singland-handed Go Paddle X1 and double-handed Go Paddle X2 do. Check out the Go Paddle X inflatable kayak in the McConks online shop here.
Sit on top inflatable kayaking has always been a popular paddle sport and way to access the water. For some, a kayak is a much more palatable way to get afloat than a stand up paddle board. Time and again we see paddle boarders sitting down. Either with a kayak seat affixed or just on the flat deck. Whilst not wanting to sound critical most SUP board riders who tend to sit would be much better off with a kayak. So having a quality offering is therefore a good idea in our book.
It’s also wise to evolve as a brand. We’ve dabbled with many things over the years. But kayaks possibly have the most synergy with everything else we do. They’re great for families, perfectly complement SUP and work well as recreational watercraft.
Sit on top kayaks are traditionally made from rotomoulded plastic. Roto moulded plastic is incredibly hard wearing and durable. But unfortunately, it’s heavy. A kayak made from plastic is pretty hard to move around and transport. We see many plastic sit on owners struggling with their boats. And we wanted to keep things simple and as hassle free as possible. Plus, inflatable kayaking products sit well next to our inflatable paddle boards.
Inflatable kayaks are far simpler to move around and store at home. In the same way as a SUP you can quickly inflate an air boat. Especially if you use an electric pump. And Drop Stitch technology is such these days that you can manufacture a well finished, performance-orientated kayak in the same way you can an iSUP. So going inflatable made sense.
Inflatable kayaking and kayaks can take on many forms. Depending on how robust the boat is will dictate how hardcore you can push things. Here at McConks we’re all about the adventure. Pushing the envelope of performance isn’t always required. SImply getting outdoors and into the wilds is enough.
That all said, we’ve engineered the Go Paddle X1 and X2 to be able to cope with a degree of white water rider conditions. And if you find yourself at the coast then we’re pretty sure you’d be able to snag a few mellow waves. So there’s definitely performance built in if you want it. We just wouldn’t suggest you go hucking massive air drops off waterfalls and such!
There are many reasons to sit down and pilot an inflatable kayak. Here are seven but there may be more –
We’re not about to pivot the McConks brand to inflatable kayaking and move away from SUP. Far from it. But we do feel the need to offer a broader range of paddling toys to appeal to a wider audience. Not everyone wants to stand and paddle. But the benefits of getting afloat are abundant. So inflatable kayaks make perfect sense.
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