Thank you everyone for the positive engagement! If you find videos like these helpful and would like to support the Air On The Water project, there's the possibility to join as a member and receive access to bonus content. It's only a few $, but makes a difference and helps make future content sustainable! You can also "buy me a coffee" - link on the main page. ruclips.net/channel/UCKvtq_W4MMt_QfPQU7Kl8oAjoin
I agree about winter paddling. I like it more then i thought I would. A drysuit is a game changer in that it gives you more options as to when and where you kayak. It makes getting out in shallow water and shifting the boat easy to do and as you say, adds to your safety 👍😁
Agreed! I am seldom so warm as I sometimes get while winter paddling (means I'm dressed right for the water temperature and it's not enough degrees below zero in the air), but of course once back on land it can get chilly. A drysuit indeed provides so much freedom! With the water temps in Sweden, where I live, water temps make it a potential difference between life and death. If you're interested in the topic, there are two groups on Facebook called Winter kayaking and Cold water kayaking (as you may be aware). There's also a playlist and first page section on this channel with winter kayaking info.
Great video Patrik for people who are thinking about getting the X500. You really sure just how versatile she is. Like you I prefer winter paddling as it's so quiet and everything feels and smells so fresh. (NOT TO MENTION NO JETSKIS) 👍
Thank you George, fellow paddler in a drysuit! Indeed, it can be amazing to have the whole city waters or a river or whatever to oneself as often is the case in winter. And you're absolutely right - no jetskis 😎
Thank you for all your nice images and sharing your experience on the water. You give us plenty of good tips and common sense to enjoy kayaking with safety. I still need to watch you more then will ask you some help for the 1st kayak purchase :) cheers from France
What a gorgeous video, not just for those considering the x500 but just as a lifestyle lesson. I mostly just sup in the North Sea but am looking at itiwit kayaks. Thank you for taking the time to do this.
Thank you for the positive feedback appreciated - glad you enjoyed it and that it works on multiple levels. 😎 I have a SUP as well (used to have two) but need to get out with it more. Happy paddles!
I know you have taken it out on some nice adventures as well. I would really like to paddle in the kind of nature and scenery you have over there, but I guess regardless of where one is, the X500 is a lot of fun 🙂
Thanks - love the channel. I have the V1 (which did take a while to get used to). All the Australian stores only have the V1, but stock levels are running low. I do love mine it is great! Amazing kayak.
Nice! Yes, that's what I hear - the V1 seems to be what's available in Australia. I guess you need to focus a bit more on balance, but probably have a slight bit more speed on the plus side. Nice to hear that you enjoy the channel 🙂
Was on one today MK1 and fell in entering water and getting out lol but it was fast when paddling I'm not sure now to get 1 think I will ask to hire one for a day yours looks good .
The X500 might require a bit of practice to get a sense of the balance if you're a new kayaker, but once that's done it's a great kayak. Getting in and out of the water is typical with any kayak as the place where things go wrong 😂 I definitely recommend testing the X500!
Thanks for making this video, it's really useful to see the kayak still going strong after a year of really excellent use. My sis and I recently rented one from Decathlon to get a 'try before you buy' type of experience and were really impressed. It was the v1 (we think) so did feel a little tippy but nothing uncontrollable - if we bought it, and ended up being supplied with a v1, it wouldn't be offputting. Pretty sure we will buy one each now as a result of the rental experience and your video showcasing the use over a year. :D
Nice that you tried and liked the X500 and you enjoyed the video. 😎 I don't know what country you're based in, but in most European countries you're likely to be getting a V2 if purchasing a new one now. I've actually had the X500 for close to two years now and still use it as my most frequent kayak - will be posting a full 2-year review video going forward with more detailed impressions. If you're a subscriber on the channel you're bound to see it coming up. Happy paddles 😎
Hehe, thanks! I haven't actually seen or tried a Razor X1. The X500 I've had a lot of good fun with, obviously. A ton of videos with it in different settings here on the channel. Good luck with your choice in any case!
I literally love this Kayak. I bought it mostly because it mostly performs like a hardshell and its easy to transport it anywhere. I live in Switzerland amd I normally use it in my country on all the beautiful lakes and rivers we have.
Just back from a three-day lake mission. Admittedly it was calm, but I was surprised to find myself confidently paddling cross-legged in the middle of some big, big water. Never thought I'd be confident enough in the X500's stability to do that. The only downer on the whole trip is that my repairs to the bladder behind the cockpit have failed AGAIN. One thing about winter paddling: Just because the dock is dry and free of ice when you arrive, doesn't mean it will be once you've hauled your X500 out onto it. Folded the boat flat, stepped across it, and nearly went straight into the harbour, thanks to the water that had dripped off the boat and frozen in a perfectly clear sheet. Should be obvious, but wasn't.
Woups - that's a good point about the water dripping off turning into ice, making for slippery hazards. I tend to try and remind myself to consider any surface as potentially slippery while getting up on land in winter. Three days sounds like fun! For the stability, by the way, if things feel a bit dicy, I keep my legs ready to brace a bit against the coaming if I should need to. And of course I always recommend to have a bilge pump and paddle float along just in case. Sorry to hear the repairs failed. Are you using Stormsure or something similar?
@@AirOnTheWater That's what annoyed me so much - I'd assessed the dock as safe, even tested it underfoot, but failed to account for the fact that water from the boat would hit it and freeze. Lesson learned! I just repaired the leaks with CA glue (which is what Google recommended for the "soft PVC" that the manual says the boat's made from. I think the problem may be that it sets hard, then cracks when the boat is folded away. Never heard of this Stormsure, will have a look. The good news is that it seems to be a failure of a previous repair rather than a new hole; seems that adding the window insulation has prevented the seat from making any new ones. I've got a paddle float now, and a bilge pump, but honestly, I could empty the boat faster with the top half of a Coke bottle. Maybe I need a better pump!
@@6yjjk Stormsure seems to be getting good reviews for quick repairs on the seat. I'm hoping to test mine but it's gone into hiding somewhere, have to chase it down... and yes, the bilge pump takes its time, some people actually do something exactly like you mention, bring that along to scoop water out. The pump works better for the final amount on the bottom though, before a sponge becomes the hero for the final stuff if needed.. I think it's fair to miss the point that stuff can freeze while you're there, even if you've checked beforehand. Good you put it down as a reminder actually. Even out on the water, some months ago we had a whole section of the lake freeze (thin ice) while we were out paddling, as temperatures dropped. Can be seen here: ruclips.net/video/-PTygF_JFYo/видео.html
If you enjoyed this, this beautiful footage from paddling in the fall with reflections on flat water is a nice complement: ruclips.net/video/Hazs7PPgl-E/видео.html
Tackar! Det beror på när man är 1,90 eller längre - jag paddlade häromdagen med en som är just så lång och som det fungerade bra för, men han säger sig ha relativt korta ben för sin längd. Bäst är att provsitta/paddla först innan köp om du kan!
Yes, I store the kayak folded in its backpack. There's a problem that's known with that leaks can occur in the air tube behind the seat. Not really clear if this is actually due to the folding, or due to friction. Otherwise, I haven't had leaks due to folding.
Thank you! That's my friend's Pakboat Quest 155, folding kayak. Impressive performance, slightly lighter and definitely faster than the X500 - but apparently complicated enough to set up that he prefers to transport on a car rooftop rather than dismantling unless he absolutely has to.
A lot of people compare this boat to a hard shell sea kayak and maybe that is the best compliment of this boat… but I would like to hear opinions on this kayak vs other portable (inflatable and folding) kayaks. …is this the fastest portable kayak? Is it the fastest inflatable? Not interested in hard shell at all because I am larger in size and don’t want to transport a 12-14 foot hard shell.
Good questions. This inflatable kayak is probably closer to a sea kayak than most other inflatable kayaks - it isn't fully comparable, of course, and notably shorter than a typical sea kayak, but it's certainly usable for sea kayaking. It's not the fastest portable kayak - many foldable kayaks are a bit faster, for example, my friend's Pakboat Quest 155. It's certainly one of the fastest inflatables. The Advanced Elements Airfusion EVO is comparable in performance, with some advantages but with a more complicated setup. There's also the more expensive Grabner Escape. The new Itiwit Race 500 is faster, but that's a different purpose kayak. The Itiwit X500 has become the kayak I use most due to its quick setup and high performance for an inflatable. When it comes to size, I recommend to test the kayak if possible if you're very tall or have very large feet. For a heavier paddler, important to check the maximum weight specs. It's also not as stable as pontoon-style inflatable kayaks, so good to know. I find it quite stable, but many beginners/some intermediate paddlers might not!
I'm around the 80-90 kg range. The official specs, I believe, are that the kayak can support up to 125 kg (paddler + gear). Usually you don't want to be too close to that limit. Within that range I believe you can adjust as needed as you can decrease the floor tube pressure somewhat if needed for balance.
It took me over a year until I had any kind of leaks with this kayak, but these were my fault - at an earlier point, I got out on a gravel beach and was in a hurry, so I rocked the kayak back and forth to get out when I realized the water was too shallow, rather than taking the spray skirt off, getting out, lifting the kayak up, getting in, and putting on the spray skirt again. Unfortunately, this was a bit too violent, so I got some tiny pinhole leaks under the bottom of the kayak, which before patching resulted in a slow loss of pressure over time.
For me, it's pinhole leaks on the bladder behind the cockpit. Seems to be a common problem, I think it's where something gets between the seat and bladder then rubs through. I put some rubber strips on the bladder to protect it, but I'm still dealing with the old holes.
find out after two years right side air chamber leaks small which can be noticed after one day, find no solution to fix this. Repair from outside seems not a problem, but inside find and fix seems impossible to me. decathlon disclaim to fix this.
Sorry to hear. But if you have a leak from the outside, e.g. a small pinhole leak or tear, you'd want to use appropriate glue and the patches that would have come with your repair kit? Or is the leak on the inside? Usually the trick is to cover with soapy water once inflated and look for bubbles. Hope it works out.
@@alexanderoliverio5089 Not sure how the price situation is there. You could ask in the "Itiwit X500 owners" Facebook group or check the Decathlon website for the country/store closest to your location!
Thank you everyone for the positive engagement! If you find videos like these helpful and would like to support the Air On The Water project, there's the possibility to join as a member and receive access to bonus content. It's only a few $, but makes a difference and helps make future content sustainable! You can also "buy me a coffee" - link on the main page. ruclips.net/channel/UCKvtq_W4MMt_QfPQU7Kl8oAjoin
So impressed by you marvellous English! I never would have guessed you aren´t English/ British.
Thank you for the positive feedback - that's very kind and nice to hear. Have a good continued week!
I agree about winter paddling. I like it more then i thought I would. A drysuit is a game changer in that it gives you more options as to when and where you kayak. It makes getting out in shallow water and shifting the boat easy to do and as you say, adds to your safety 👍😁
Agreed! I am seldom so warm as I sometimes get while winter paddling (means I'm dressed right for the water temperature and it's not enough degrees below zero in the air), but of course once back on land it can get chilly. A drysuit indeed provides so much freedom! With the water temps in Sweden, where I live, water temps make it a potential difference between life and death. If you're interested in the topic, there are two groups on Facebook called Winter kayaking and Cold water kayaking (as you may be aware). There's also a playlist and first page section on this channel with winter kayaking info.
congratulations on another well done video Patrik!
@@gloppy101 Many thanks 😎 Glad you liked it! Lots of fun had there.
Great video Patrik for people who are thinking about getting the X500. You really sure just how versatile she is.
Like you I prefer winter paddling as it's so quiet and everything feels and smells so fresh. (NOT TO MENTION NO JETSKIS) 👍
Thank you George, fellow paddler in a drysuit! Indeed, it can be amazing to have the whole city waters or a river or whatever to oneself as often is the case in winter. And you're absolutely right - no jetskis 😎
Wow, great video!👏
Thank you 🙂
Thank you for all your nice images and sharing your experience on the water. You give us plenty of good tips and common sense to enjoy kayaking with safety. I still need to watch you more then will ask you some help for the 1st kayak purchase :) cheers from France
Thanks for the positive feedback! Glad to hear it's helpful. Have a good weekend!
@@AirOnTheWater same for you. I hope you will cruise kayaking this WE :)
What a gorgeous video, not just for those considering the x500 but just as a lifestyle lesson. I mostly just sup in the North Sea but am looking at itiwit kayaks. Thank you for taking the time to do this.
Thank you for the positive feedback appreciated - glad you enjoyed it and that it works on multiple levels. 😎 I have a SUP as well (used to have two) but need to get out with it more. Happy paddles!
Thx for the great review
Thank you! This is more of an overview actually - a full review video will follow in the near future :)
Excellent video!! Thank you for your dedication on doing it.
Thanks for the positive feedback! Yes, it took some work but it's a nice overview of a lot of good paddle memories 😎
This is the best inflatable kayak guys . I love mine !
I know you have taken it out on some nice adventures as well. I would really like to paddle in the kind of nature and scenery you have over there, but I guess regardless of where one is, the X500 is a lot of fun 🙂
Merci pour la vidéo.
Je suis heureux que vous l'ayez apprécié!
excellent video. Very informative.
Thank you for the positive feedback. Glad you liked it :)
Thanks - love the channel. I have the V1 (which did take a while to get used to). All the Australian stores only have the V1, but stock levels are running low. I do love mine it is great! Amazing kayak.
Nice! Yes, that's what I hear - the V1 seems to be what's available in Australia. I guess you need to focus a bit more on balance, but probably have a slight bit more speed on the plus side. Nice to hear that you enjoy the channel 🙂
Was on one today MK1 and fell in entering water and getting out lol but it was fast when paddling I'm not sure now to get 1 think I will ask to hire one for a day yours looks good .
The X500 might require a bit of practice to get a sense of the balance if you're a new kayaker, but once that's done it's a great kayak. Getting in and out of the water is typical with any kayak as the place where things go wrong 😂 I definitely recommend testing the X500!
Thanks for making this video, it's really useful to see the kayak still going strong after a year of really excellent use. My sis and I recently rented one from Decathlon to get a 'try before you buy' type of experience and were really impressed. It was the v1 (we think) so did feel a little tippy but nothing uncontrollable - if we bought it, and ended up being supplied with a v1, it wouldn't be offputting. Pretty sure we will buy one each now as a result of the rental experience and your video showcasing the use over a year. :D
Nice that you tried and liked the X500 and you enjoyed the video. 😎 I don't know what country you're based in, but in most European countries you're likely to be getting a V2 if purchasing a new one now. I've actually had the X500 for close to two years now and still use it as my most frequent kayak - will be posting a full 2-year review video going forward with more detailed impressions. If you're a subscriber on the channel you're bound to see it coming up. Happy paddles 😎
Love this channel. It's very inspiring!
@@pengain4 Thank you - glad to hear it 😎🌊
Thanks for thoughts and impressions. I am considering one of these. Itiwit X500, or the Razor X1.
You speak better English than Prince Charles!
Hehe, thanks! I haven't actually seen or tried a Razor X1. The X500 I've had a lot of good fun with, obviously. A ton of videos with it in different settings here on the channel. Good luck with your choice in any case!
Feel most welcome to share your favorite month or season for paddling here!
Great video...have the X500 too
Nice! How do you like it? What was your best paddle trip with the X500 so far?
I literally love this Kayak. I bought it mostly because it mostly performs like a hardshell and its easy to transport it anywhere. I live in Switzerland amd I normally use it in my country on all the beautiful lakes and rivers we have.
@@donzmeuheu6153 Nice! Yes, sounds like it would be perfect there - and the views there are amazing, must be great for a paddler.
Just back from a three-day lake mission. Admittedly it was calm, but I was surprised to find myself confidently paddling cross-legged in the middle of some big, big water. Never thought I'd be confident enough in the X500's stability to do that. The only downer on the whole trip is that my repairs to the bladder behind the cockpit have failed AGAIN.
One thing about winter paddling: Just because the dock is dry and free of ice when you arrive, doesn't mean it will be once you've hauled your X500 out onto it. Folded the boat flat, stepped across it, and nearly went straight into the harbour, thanks to the water that had dripped off the boat and frozen in a perfectly clear sheet. Should be obvious, but wasn't.
Woups - that's a good point about the water dripping off turning into ice, making for slippery hazards. I tend to try and remind myself to consider any surface as potentially slippery while getting up on land in winter. Three days sounds like fun!
For the stability, by the way, if things feel a bit dicy, I keep my legs ready to brace a bit against the coaming if I should need to. And of course I always recommend to have a bilge pump and paddle float along just in case. Sorry to hear the repairs failed. Are you using Stormsure or something similar?
@@AirOnTheWater That's what annoyed me so much - I'd assessed the dock as safe, even tested it underfoot, but failed to account for the fact that water from the boat would hit it and freeze. Lesson learned!
I just repaired the leaks with CA glue (which is what Google recommended for the "soft PVC" that the manual says the boat's made from. I think the problem may be that it sets hard, then cracks when the boat is folded away. Never heard of this Stormsure, will have a look. The good news is that it seems to be a failure of a previous repair rather than a new hole; seems that adding the window insulation has prevented the seat from making any new ones.
I've got a paddle float now, and a bilge pump, but honestly, I could empty the boat faster with the top half of a Coke bottle. Maybe I need a better pump!
@@6yjjk Stormsure seems to be getting good reviews for quick repairs on the seat. I'm hoping to test mine but it's gone into hiding somewhere, have to chase it down... and yes, the bilge pump takes its time, some people actually do something exactly like you mention, bring that along to scoop water out. The pump works better for the final amount on the bottom though, before a sponge becomes the hero for the final stuff if needed..
I think it's fair to miss the point that stuff can freeze while you're there, even if you've checked beforehand. Good you put it down as a reminder actually. Even out on the water, some months ago we had a whole section of the lake freeze (thin ice) while we were out paddling, as temperatures dropped. Can be seen here: ruclips.net/video/-PTygF_JFYo/видео.html
Love seeing the winter footage. Can you say sauna?!?
😎 It's soon winter here! At least it was drysuit time today..
If you enjoyed this, this beautiful footage from paddling in the fall with reflections on flat water is a nice complement: ruclips.net/video/Hazs7PPgl-E/видео.html
Hej! Mycke bra video och fint filmat👍🏻 Jag funderar på att skaffa just en x500 men jag är rätt lång 190cm tror du den fungerar för mig? Mvh Henrik
Tackar! Det beror på när man är 1,90 eller längre - jag paddlade häromdagen med en som är just så lång och som det fungerade bra för, men han säger sig ha relativt korta ben för sin längd. Bäst är att provsitta/paddla först innan köp om du kan!
Do you store the kayak folded? I have heard that this can create a weakness in the fabric and that some owners found it and then leaked air.
Yes, I store the kayak folded in its backpack. There's a problem that's known with that leaks can occur in the air tube behind the seat. Not really clear if this is actually due to the folding, or due to friction. Otherwise, I haven't had leaks due to folding.
That is a nice overview over he different seasons.
What is that for a kayak at 15:35 besides your X500?
Thank you! That's my friend's Pakboat Quest 155, folding kayak. Impressive performance, slightly lighter and definitely faster than the X500 - but apparently complicated enough to set up that he prefers to transport on a car rooftop rather than dismantling unless he absolutely has to.
@@AirOnTheWater Thanks! :)
@@mephisto8101 No worries! You can see the Pakboat more in action here, for example. ruclips.net/video/pLQB_aMdD5k/видео.html
A lot of people compare this boat to a hard shell sea kayak and maybe that is the best compliment of this boat… but I would like to hear opinions on this kayak vs other portable (inflatable and folding) kayaks. …is this the fastest portable kayak? Is it the fastest inflatable? Not interested in hard shell at all because I am larger in size and don’t want to transport a 12-14 foot hard shell.
Good questions. This inflatable kayak is probably closer to a sea kayak than most other inflatable kayaks - it isn't fully comparable, of course, and notably shorter than a typical sea kayak, but it's certainly usable for sea kayaking. It's not the fastest portable kayak - many foldable kayaks are a bit faster, for example, my friend's Pakboat Quest 155. It's certainly one of the fastest inflatables. The Advanced Elements Airfusion EVO is comparable in performance, with some advantages but with a more complicated setup. There's also the more expensive Grabner Escape. The new Itiwit Race 500 is faster, but that's a different purpose kayak. The Itiwit X500 has become the kayak I use most due to its quick setup and high performance for an inflatable. When it comes to size, I recommend to test the kayak if possible if you're very tall or have very large feet. For a heavier paddler, important to check the maximum weight specs. It's also not as stable as pontoon-style inflatable kayaks, so good to know. I find it quite stable, but many beginners/some intermediate paddlers might not!
How much do you weigh ? What do you think is the optimal paddler weight for this inflatable kayak ?
I'm around the 80-90 kg range. The official specs, I believe, are that the kayak can support up to 125 kg (paddler + gear). Usually you don't want to be too close to that limit. Within that range I believe you can adjust as needed as you can decrease the floor tube pressure somewhat if needed for balance.
What kind of air leaks did you get?
It took me over a year until I had any kind of leaks with this kayak, but these were my fault - at an earlier point, I got out on a gravel beach and was in a hurry, so I rocked the kayak back and forth to get out when I realized the water was too shallow, rather than taking the spray skirt off, getting out, lifting the kayak up, getting in, and putting on the spray skirt again. Unfortunately, this was a bit too violent, so I got some tiny pinhole leaks under the bottom of the kayak, which before patching resulted in a slow loss of pressure over time.
Important information. Thank you
@@kosmatifizik Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
For me, it's pinhole leaks on the bladder behind the cockpit. Seems to be a common problem, I think it's where something gets between the seat and bladder then rubs through. I put some rubber strips on the bladder to protect it, but I'm still dealing with the old holes.
@@6yjjk Sounds unfortunate if you have multiple ones!
Nice video! What is your equipment the january?
Thank you very much! Do you mean what kind of clothing, etc, I use? If so, I discuss that in this video 🙂 ruclips.net/video/KHnhAPh6CMg/видео.html
find out after two years right side air chamber leaks small which can be noticed after one day, find no solution to fix this. Repair from outside seems not a problem, but inside find and fix seems impossible to me. decathlon disclaim to fix this.
Sorry to hear. But if you have a leak from the outside, e.g. a small pinhole leak or tear, you'd want to use appropriate glue and the patches that would have come with your repair kit? Or is the leak on the inside? Usually the trick is to cover with soapy water once inflated and look for bubbles. Hope it works out.
How much in Hong Kong dollar
@@alexanderoliverio5089 Not sure how the price situation is there. You could ask in the "Itiwit X500 owners" Facebook group or check the Decathlon website for the country/store closest to your location!
@@AirOnTheWater oky thanks
@@alexanderoliverio5089 Most welcome!
Show us how easy it is to climb on it when you flipped over and fell out of it far from the shore!
Good luck, boss 😂
@@ХорошийЧеловек-ш2л There are videos both on my channel and on others showing how a re-entry works with the X500.