Which Kayak is right for me? And maybe you too...
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- Опубликовано: 26 май 2022
- With so many choices out there it is difficult to decide which kayak fits you, and the way you plan to paddle. Hopefully my experience can help you with your decision.
Hey Bert, I bought the SE 380X a week or so ago and used it for the first time this weekend. It was super fun and even better, my wife got in it and she loved it. Been spending time mapping all the lakes in the southern half of my little state (NH). Can’t wait to go out again.
Bert I'm about to reach my 65th year in a few months time .I've been paddling a sit on top the last few years I only discovered paddling 3 years ago and yes I'm about to buy an inflatable myself .The reason I now struggle to lift carry move it around I'm afraid the years are taking there toll on me .so your vids have been great they have convinced me to buy a inflatable. So thank you 😊
Thanks David! I'm glad you find them useful. You truly can not beat the convenience of the inflatables today. There are designs for every use case so you really can find the right boat for what you want to do!
Good to see you still playing in the water and making videos. I hope to take my Sea Eagle 385FT out in the ocean again this summer. Have fun,be safe.
Thanks! It’s been a tough year, but I’m really looking forward to all of the adventures to come!
I appreciate this video more than you may believe. I'm reaching 40, Ive put on some pounds, and got into kayaking a couple years ago. It's really the first thing to get me active in a long time. I've been trying the whitewater hard boats and I am way uncomfortable in them. Being uncomfortable in my boat definitely limits my skills. I have a tandem duckie but have been really considering a single person instead of using the hard boats. I think your video has encouraged me to make that move. Thanks Bert! keep the adventures coming!!!
You keep going Wes and float the boat that is best for you. Afterall, it's you that needs to get down the river and nobody else can help you!
Love that you reaffirmed your relationship with the inflatable and you’ve convinced us to finally buy the SE 380x. we just got it last week and have already been on the ocean and river runs in Oregon with it ! When we come back to Philly maybe you can show us the ropes! Thanks again Bert for your content, I’m not sure how the RUclips algorithm brought me to your channel, but you thorough, honest reviews got us on the water. 🍻
That is so AWESOME Nicole! Would love to meet you when you're in the Philly area!
How did the SE 380X do in the ocean?
I enjoy your vids. I have been paddling off and on for 40 yrs, I went through 15 kayaks in 9 months, I pretty much settled on 3 boats, due to injuries and age like yourself. I have hard shell for winter, and sit on top multi-water, and on back order a IK for me and the dog. C U on the river!
Thanks for the comment! The point is to get out on the water and have fun at the level you are comfortable!
Hi Bert - I totally agree with you! I have four Sea Eagles in my fleet and that is after having 14 different hard shell sit on top and touring kayaks over the last eight years. Like you, I am 56 now. I absolutely love the load carrying capacity, the weight of the boats, and also how you still get good efficient paddling depending on what model of boat you are using and in what conditions. Keep up the great work and have a great memorial day weekend!
Hey Cliff…. I think we need to do a collab video!!! I enjoy your work.
@@bertsadventures9974 The company I work for is headquartered out of Lancaster Pennsylvania. I get up there quite a bit. Maybe I stay over for a weekend. It sounds like you live up somewhere around Pennsylvania. I live down in Dallas Texas.
Perfect! I’m about 45 min from Lancaster.
@@bertsadventures9974 Great Bert, I will let you know when I’m going to be up there. Really enjoy your work as well! I’ve never done much white water kayaking, but would love to learn how!
@@KayakCliff excellent. Message me on facebook Bert Graul
From your new friend 🙂👍 I actually like them both here. It depends on your kayaking experiences and your preferences. The one on your right just looks so cool 😎
Hey Brandon! No doubt, the Katana is a great boat. I've just determined that, for me, I don't enjoy a sit in kayak.
You gave that Katana more of a trial in a few months than most people do in a year (or more.) It’s great to see the discussion here of the two different types, usually you just see people coming at it from their own point of view not having tried the other. Rarely do you get someone who’s run both through their paces like you have.
In fairness Brian, you did tell me last year that I probably wouldn’t be happy with a crossover!
@@bertsadventures9974 It is funny that you got the Katana 10.4 which is what I was also looking at after having my 380x and 300x to try a hard boat out. In the end I ended up with a Mamba 8.6 (large river runner) figuring I could store some stuff in the stern due to its large size. If people want to bomb down a river in comfort the Sea Eagles are great. Nice thing is you can lend one to friend and they can get down Class I and light Class II relatively easy. That is not the case with a hard WW boat. Nice thing about the hard boats is you can surf, ferry, and catch eddies much easier (after you have a little experience...). Inflatables are more plug and play, or inflate and play :)
Hey Bert. Your situation sounds very similar to mine except I did the opposite of you. I started in hard shell boats. Everything from dedicated WW boats to crossovers to SOT's. I paddled many. One day a light bulb came on in my head. I will be 59 in a few weeks. I did not start in WW until my mid 40's. I realized that I had no desire to be a class 4/5 boater. I bought a Zoik IK and have had a blast in IK'S ever since. I currently own 2 Aire Lynx Solos and a Sea Eagle 380. My Lynx are set up very similar to your SE. I bought the 380 because it can be paddled tandem or solo. It has not seen water yet...hope to change that this weekend.
The versatility of the 380 is unbeatable. I love it for multi-day trips and the ability to put my trolling motor and swivel seat turns it into a nice little bass boat as well. It really is a do everything boat!
Bert, appreciated the video. Bought the wife and I a pair of SE 300X boats and just starting out. Third trip on slow lazy river today. Just a great experience. Learning from your video to remember my experiences when I was younger with WW outfits. Any advice on equipment (I’m a Noob for all intents and purposes for using the 300 on WW) is appreciated. I just subscribed and will check out your other posts! Thanks!
Steven... Congrats on the new boats! I'm sure you'll love them. I think if you're gonna do any class II / III water it makes sense to have thigh straps. I also just added the Aire foot brace and it makes a huge difference.
Hi Bert! I have the PaddleSki 437. I originally wanted the 380X for fishing and whitewater travel but my wife wanted to go for "an occasional boat ride!" so we wound up with the PaddleSki! She's had one ride! LOL!
I'm planning to purchase the 380X in the spring and was wondering where you obtained the inflatable footrest. Would you recommend it for the 380X assuming that I'll be doing some whitewater? Where can I get one, please?
I enjoy your frank opinions and watching your adventures. Keep on trucking!
Thanks Eric! You'll love the 380X. The footbrace is an Aire Inflatable Footbrace and I purchased it on nrs.com It makes a world of difference. That being said, I like my 300X better for whitewater. The smaller boat is just easier to handle, but the 380 does great as well.
what happened I was looking forward to seeing your videos this summer I hope all is okay
Thanks Ed! Life got in the way this summer.
My 330 is rated for class lll. I'm not LOL but my boat is.
I honestly don't know if I would want to do any whitewater in an inflatable unless it had drop stitch or a rigid floor. I've seen people in less expensive boats and they literally fold when hitting a wave. That's not for me!
@@bertsadventures9974 watch the Seaeagle 330 whitewater videos. super cool! As I said, I'm rated for say, l maybe ll but not lll. LOL
I think you have to try Gumotex Safari 330 for whitewater. It is tiny smaller than 300x, and is true sports car in water. It got drain holes too what works. I know what you mean saying feeling unsecure after being in open deck kayak.
Thank You, enjoyed the thoughtful discussion behind your decision. Your enthusiasm is contagious! If you could only keep ONE sea eagle between the 300x, 380x, and 393rl, which would you choose? Also, which is more comfortable between the 380x and 393rl?
Thanks for the comment. Hands down, my choice would be the 380X since it offers the most versatility. I've had it on white water and despite it's size it was easy to manage. The ability to put on a motor and the swivel seat are game changers. It let's me bring all the gear I need/want for multi-day trips and it is more that satisfactory on flat water. The only real knock on it, for me, is that it is susceptible to wind, but I don't like to go out when it is windy anyway. Easy choice. I think the 380X is the best boat made by Sea Eagle!
I have a 300x and 380x and would pick the 380x for the versatility. 300x is great if you are just going out for the day without a ton of stuff.
Bert - I liked your IK vs K1 video (along with the banjo music). I have a Sea Eagle 420X that my wife and I have enjoyed on flat water up to Class III. I also have two hard boats; a Dagger Caption OC2, and a Dagger Torrent SOT. We are both in our 60s and are liking the stability of the 420X for our tandem adventures. I am considering selling my hard boats and just going with the tandem 420X and either the 380X or the 300X for solo paddling. I would love to speak with you about this (it's hard to get rid of some old favorites) to gain some insight. Also, I am 6'5" and about 245lbs so I have to be wary of IKs that are too small for me (ala some of the Aire boats).
Thanks for the comment, Douglas! Glad you enjoy the banjo. My kids mock my intro music, but I dig it! I really like the 300X for whitewater, but honestly have not paddled it solo on flat water, but I assume it would track similar to my 380X.
@@bertsadventures9974 I grew up in Alabama paddling the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River (original home of William Nealy). I have also paddled a lot of the other Southeastern rivers over time (including the Chatooga) so a good banjo soundtrack is perfect! It seems like you prefer the 300X to the 380X for whitewater. Is that correct? I have been looking at Aire Lynx boats but decided against getting one this year when I got the email from Sea Eagle with your comparison video. I think I have also seen you on a previous multi-day trip on Pine Creek in the 380X. If so, how would you compare the 300 vs 380 on that level of river?
Scrolling down it looks like you answered my question with a preference for the 380X. I would like to be able to use it on Class III-IV like the Lower Yough in PA and the Upper Colorado in CO.
Thank you, nice vid. I like to install some air foot braces, where can I buy a pair? Thanks.
I purchased on the NRS.com website. Good luck!
Hi Bert! Thanks for the videos! We are a retired couple thinking of purchasing a Sea Eagle Explorer 380X or 420X to use on flat water. We want to maximize comfort , exercise, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. We recently rented a non-inflatable Kayak and my spouse ended up uncomfortably wet sitting in water. We are looking at the two kinds of seat available with the Sea Eagle Explorer kayaks. I have noticed that you have had both types of seat. I saw that with the high back seat you put some kind of pad underneath. What would you recommend for our seating? What did you use for the pad? What other things might we do to stay dryer? Thanks in advance for ay advice you can provide!
If you arnt going to use it for whitewater and want it for exercise the Fast Track 385 is a much better choice. Faster, more leg room, will tracks better and you can stand in it to stretch your legs.
I have it and it's one of the best purchases I've ever made.
Hey Bert, I've got a 380X too, and I was wondering what you use to clean and protect your SeaEagles, during the season and before storing them for the winter?
I simply hose them down and wash with soapy water then let dry thoroughly. To be honest I only wash them a couple of times during the season because I keep them inflated from April - Nov but I always clean and dry before storing for winter.
Hi Bert, Did you buy that air foot brace or did you make it. If you bought it, could you please share the link to where you got it? I have that boat on my radar but not happy that it doesnt have the foot brace.
www.amazon.com/AIRE-Inflatable-Kayak-Foot-Brace/dp/B07NF32YJW/ref=asc_df_B07NF32YJW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343161289152&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2282974238092737828&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007376&hvtargid=pla-717017596739&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=74745022731&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343161289152&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2282974238092737828&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007376&hvtargid=pla-717017596739
I see ur from my neck of the woods I’m from royersford an would love a kayak buddy or fishing buddy to take out my kayak with it gets boring going out by myself
Im in!!! I live in Chester Springs and would be happy to get together!
@@bertsadventures9974 do u have a Facebook I’ll send you a friend request so we can set something up
@@tylermohn9542 Bert Graul
Bert may I ask were have you gone to .
Hey David... life got in the way last summer. I have every intention of getting back on board soon. Actually planned a video for this weekend, but winter has decided to reappear in my neck of the woods so I won't be getting out on the water as planned. Thanks for asking!
It needs somewhere to brace your feet.
Hi Liz! I address that in the video. I use an Aire foot brace and it works great!