Putting all of your recommendations & expertise out there for some of us with a lot less experience especially with the x500 is invaluable, having watched you from the start when it comes to kayaking in general, inflatable kayaking & kayaking safety your No 1, great video.
Very glad to hear this Carl. Thank you for the positive feedback 😎 Hearing that the videos are doing some good provides inspiration to keep them coming 🙂 This is actually why I started the channel; when I started out myself I found a few RUclips channels very helpful when I got my first kayaks. This is my way of giving back while also sharing some nice kayaking memories along the way. 🙂 How have your X500 trips been so far?
@@AirOnTheWater I am quite lucky as I have a few kayaks to choose from, if I’m not taking my best pal with me (Leia a chocolate Labrador) I will take the x500 if I just need to paddle and clear my head of everything else, I am 6ft 3inch and have no problem fitting in it or stability issues, previous experience some years ago being a member of the North Wales Kayak fishing club ( mainly fishing from Anglesey ) even though I live in the centre of England before Kayak fishing became so popular here, i take my Sea Eagle Razorlight or Aquaglide Blackfoot on the rivers canals & sea with Leia, I haven’t done any overnight trips as yet as I have being recovering from surgery & radiotherapy for throat cancer over the past 2 years but all clear now, put my weight back on minus the big belly lol, working out every day, with some mountain biking as well feeling fitter than ever for an old guy, I have commented on some of your previous videos and always had very kind thoughtful replies, I do follow a few of you other admirers as well Karl, George,David who also helped me in those dark days watching their videos when I could only dream that I might be able to paddle again,.thank you Patrik , Carl.
@@carlneill4034 Thank you for reaching out Carl! Like you, I have other inflatable kayaks as well, but I do enjoy the X500 for convenient paddles where it's about getting places. I am, unfortunately, sans labrador. Must be awesome to have a four-legged co-captain along. How do you like the Razorlite? I'm familiar with Aquaglide, of course, but didn't know of the Blackfoot model - is that aimed for fishing mostly? Glad you are recovering, and wish you the very best for continued recovery, though sorry that you have had to go through that. I'm guessing Leia has been a steadfast supporter through the process. Oh, and on a technical note, nice to hear that you're able to fit in at 6'3", I'm not quite sure where the limit is, but that's taller than works for many kayaks. Best wishes from Sweden!
Good timing, Im taking an x500 to Scotland next week. I will be solo in unfamiliar waters so just planning short inshore trips. Fun to see you and DanErik together. Maybe you can visit the UK one day?
Nice! Wish you happy travels and good paddling. Yes, we've paddled together on a few occasions. I certainly hope to, lots of locations there on my list!
The small pump is a good tip for long trips, but personally I would never have a bag on the top rear for as you said getting back in to the boat. However, everyone has there own technique for getting back in. Hard to believe this was made in October considering all the snow that hit you not long after. Great video Patrik with some very useful information. I'm so glad you mentioned about weight distribution because in my video that was one of the bits that got deleted by accident, and it's very important. 👍👍
Thanks George - yes, you're quite right. I also don't want to clutter the back of my kayak for that safety reason - re-entry. There's a difference if I'm in an extremely stable pontoon-style inflatable kayak, where it's quite easy to get in over the side. What I refer to in the video is that cowboy rescue (straddling the kayak from the back) can be a bit tricky in the Itiwit X500 for paddlers who haven't practiced it a lot. On calm water, I personally find getting in over the side directly is faster and easier. In choppier conditions, there's the paddle float. But in all cases, I don't think I've ever added a bag on top of the rear of the kayak; a spare paddle on occasion, but if I felt it was needed from a safety standpoint based on the paddle, I would place that in front as well. On a sea kayak, I absolutely would not place gear on top of the kayak that would impede a self-rescue. Yes, this was still quite nice in terms of conditions, even if it was a windy day. That snow hit not too many weeks after as you say. We still had snow here in the past few weeks - a very weird spring!
@@THE-RIVER-RAT Could well be! I'm torn about that though - I'd rather have full on winter for a few months and enjoy really cold paddles in falling snow and beautiful snow landscapes than a mild winter, where it might be warmer (for me that's just an overheating inconvenience when paddling in winter at say 6C - I'd rather take -5C), and no snow, so just fairly cold but without the beauty of the snow. Or worse, snow mixed with rain, causing slush and ice to make all the surfaces tricky to get about, even when just walking outside. Right now, it's cooold for the season.
Using the orange compression strap from the kayak gets the backpack down to a manageable size. The pump is a pain in the arse. It needs to go in first, and it needs to go in right, otherwise it takes up far too much space and gets in the way. I'm definitely looking at a smaller one; the electric ones are tempting but I'm not sure I'd trust one way out in the sticks, one more thing that absolutely cannot get wet! I'm really liking these packing-cube things, so much easier to pack and unpack than dry-bags, especially for that kitchen-bag with the stove and everything else in it that you use every time you stop. Waterproof ones are expensive, though, so for now I'm limited in what I can put in them. If someone made dry-bags that opened on the long side, that might be better.
Using the compression strap is a good tip and trick! The pump, and some models are worse than others, can indeed be tricky if there's too much gear in there. It can be quite narrow to get it to fit, and you don't want to risk damaging the rear hatch. I agree that an electric one wouldn't seem like a safe choice I'd rely on out in the field far from base either. I've kind of found the way to negotiate it as long as the black/orange Itiwit pump is aimed the right way, but with the larger orange pump, things used to be trickier. Drybags that opened on the long side would be awesome, practically speaking, as you say. I guess the zippers are a limitation. I've also been using 1,5l bottles for water quite a bit, though of course, a proper water sack is much better space-wise. Still, I've been surprised at how much you can actually fit into the X500, for example, and also always marvel at how you basically need the same space for a one night camping trip as you do for a much longer trip, with the exception of some extra water and food.
@@AirOnTheWater Sorry to but in to your conversion, but Just spotted this comment. As it happens LOMO where I get a lot of my gear from do make some dry bags that open on the long side, I have two, a 60L & a 40L But use them mostly for storage, and to keep my gear in the car.
@@THE-RIVER-RAT Hey, that's a good tip about hthe LOMO bags - thanks George! By the way, when it comes to the huge drybags, I actually have had a 65L one for a while, but eventually ended up selling it as I always used more modular smaller bags anyway. It could be a nice way to save space though.
The multi-part detailed gear series by @the-river-rat that I refer to in the video is available on his channel, at ruclips.net/video/BXYWPFnEwjU/видео.html (part 1)
Hi There! Thanks for your Videos !!! 7:50 you note that Itiwit is woring on an expedition-adapted extendet version. Can you maybe post the source of that infomation? Ty
Thanks for the positive note! The source of that info was from e-mails that were sent out from Decathlon or Itiwit in terms of asking paddlers about input about upcoming potential products. In that online survey there was a description of an expedition-style upgrade based on the X500 Strenfit and paddlers were asked about input to support the development process, but I haven't seen official updates on that since, so can't provide any updated information as to whether this is still a confirmed project or an upcoming product.
Good information! I've never gone on an overnight camping so I have not tried to see how much I can pack into my Oru Coast XT. I would like to add more bungee type cords to my Oru for added storage on top of it. Do you ever pack a spare paddle?
Thanks Karen! Yes, I bring a spare paddle during camping trips and many longer trips, or in conditions where the geography calls for it. I've never broken a paddle while paddling, but have heard quite a few stories from those who have. It could also be a case of losing a paddle mid-trip. For the Oru, would you consider adding flotation bags for buoyancy for safety if it were packed for camping?
@@AirOnTheWater I use many floatation bags inside my Oru if I'm kayaking in the open ocean or San Diego Harbor. When I kayak in the Bay or a lake or at night (so I can use the light discs) I don't use the float bags. I could substitute dry bags filled with gear for the float bags.
@@karenb_ca Gotcha! I was just out for a super-mini-night paddle, very short distance but with some fun light effects 😎 Might try and put up a short video up later tonight.
I take the Itiwit x500's pump on expeditions in a 65L dry bag on top of the kayak in front of the cockpit. The boat's backpack also rides in this large dry bag along with dry clothes, a towel and assorted other things and I have an 8L dry bag and a water bottle in the cockpit. A snack and the first aid kit rides in the cockpit. On a long expedition, a 40L and a 20L dry bag and a gallon of water ride in the boat's storage compartment. The water rides in the rear. Another gallon of water rides behind the seat, and a third gallon rides in front of my feet. The 40L bag contains my tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pads and hammock. The 20L bag contains food and assorted other things. I'm planning a five day expedition in the Okefenokee Swamp in October, and I'll take more than four gallons of water, so I may take an 8L or 10L water bag behind the seat.
Sounds like a nice setup! That way you get volume on top of the kayak in front, but not weight, and you distribute plenty of water across the kayak, which is of course the main issue. I think I saw Ken Whiting (@paddleTV) posting a clip in the Okefenokee Swamp, which looks awesome, though the alligators would give me pause... One more mundane aspect when I pack on deck in front, with this or other kayaks, is trying to set up camera angles, since I document for the channel, without having too much of the stuff on deck get in the way of the lens. What's the longest expedition you've done with the X500?
@@AirOnTheWater My four day (three nights) trip to the Okefenokee was my longest expedition, and I'll be back for six days in the Fall. I camped and kayaked for two nights earlier this year, but I didn't pack my kayak for the entire trip.
@@restonthewind Cool! Nice that you're also using the X500 this way. My only multi-day trip this year so far was a 3 day trip in the archipelago (with a sea kayak in that case), which ended up being fairly cold at night with temperatures down to just below the freezing point. Upcoming expeditions in coming months (including in coming weeks, hopefully) should be quite a bit warmer.. and needing less clothing packed.
Why doesn't anyone say anything about the elephant in the room?. That backpack, full of what you need to go on a bitter kayak ride, weighs around 24-25Kg, which makes it unwieldy without a stroller. THE Kayak IS HARD TO CARRY! I had it for a week and returned it. I love the kayak, but I don't want to hate carrying it and give up. I have Gumotex Swing, with all in the backpack have 13.5 Kg
You're right - the kayak plus bag weighs 18 kg and with all the gear you might want to bring, it can get heavy as you say. I use two drybags that I can sling over each shoulder, and that way the backpack, if correctly strapped, plus paddle and PFD on the outside of it is workable (for me). I've gotten used to the weight. The pain is during the cold season when you need so much extra gear! I have different inflatable kayaks, some very lightweight at 1.8 kg (like a packraft), 7.9 kg, or 11-12 kg. On trips where I know I don't need the performance of the X500 and will carry stuff a lot I often bring my lighter kayaks. You can see them on this channel and there's an 8 kayaks comparison video as well.
![KAYAK TEST: Itiwit X500 Strenfit - 5 trips, 3 days, 5 locations! Inflatable kayak demo [not review]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KYt9cT7vWPk/mqdefault.jpg)
![KAYAK TEST: Itiwit X500 Strenfit - 5 trips, 3 days, 5 locations! Inflatable kayak demo [not review]](/img/tr.png)
![Lethal Company Music Video 🎵 "Follow The Orders" [VERSION A]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QeooZB4Z7RA/mqdefault.jpg)
Putting all of your recommendations & expertise out there for some of us with a lot less experience especially with the x500 is invaluable, having watched you from the start when it comes to kayaking in general, inflatable kayaking & kayaking safety your No 1, great video.
Very glad to hear this Carl. Thank you for the positive feedback 😎 Hearing that the videos are doing some good provides inspiration to keep them coming 🙂 This is actually why I started the channel; when I started out myself I found a few RUclips channels very helpful when I got my first kayaks. This is my way of giving back while also sharing some nice kayaking memories along the way. 🙂 How have your X500 trips been so far?
@@AirOnTheWater I am quite lucky as I have a few kayaks to choose from, if I’m not taking my best pal with me (Leia a chocolate Labrador) I will take the x500 if I just need to paddle and clear my head of everything else, I am 6ft 3inch and have no problem fitting in it or stability issues, previous experience some years ago being a member of the North Wales Kayak fishing club ( mainly fishing from Anglesey ) even though I live in the centre of England before Kayak fishing became so popular here, i take my Sea Eagle Razorlight or Aquaglide Blackfoot on the rivers canals & sea with Leia, I haven’t done any overnight trips as yet as I have being recovering from surgery & radiotherapy for throat cancer over the past 2 years but all clear now, put my weight back on minus the big belly lol, working out every day, with some mountain biking as well feeling fitter than ever for an old guy, I have commented on some of your previous videos and always had very kind thoughtful replies, I do follow a few of you other admirers as well Karl, George,David who also helped me in those dark days watching their videos when I could only dream that I might be able to paddle again,.thank you Patrik ,
Carl.
@@carlneill4034 Thank you for reaching out Carl! Like you, I have other inflatable kayaks as well, but I do enjoy the X500 for convenient paddles where it's about getting places. I am, unfortunately, sans labrador. Must be awesome to have a four-legged co-captain along. How do you like the Razorlite? I'm familiar with Aquaglide, of course, but didn't know of the Blackfoot model - is that aimed for fishing mostly? Glad you are recovering, and wish you the very best for continued recovery, though sorry that you have had to go through that. I'm guessing Leia has been a steadfast supporter through the process. Oh, and on a technical note, nice to hear that you're able to fit in at 6'3", I'm not quite sure where the limit is, but that's taller than works for many kayaks. Best wishes from Sweden!
Good timing, Im taking an x500 to Scotland next week. I will be solo in unfamiliar waters so just planning short inshore trips.
Fun to see you and DanErik together. Maybe you can visit the UK one day?
Nice! Wish you happy travels and good paddling. Yes, we've paddled together on a few occasions. I certainly hope to, lots of locations there on my list!
Really good video and explanation!👍
Thanks for holding the camera and for 5 great kayaking trips in 5 counties and different cities following this 🙂
@@AirOnTheWater thanks, we had an amazing time!🙌🤗
@@danerik.westerlind That we did 😎
The small pump is a good tip for long trips, but personally I would never have a bag on the top rear for as you said getting back in to the boat. However, everyone has there own technique for getting back in.
Hard to believe this was made in October considering all the snow that hit you not long after. Great video Patrik with some very useful information. I'm so glad you mentioned about weight distribution because in my video that was one of the bits that got deleted by accident, and it's very important. 👍👍
Thanks George - yes, you're quite right. I also don't want to clutter the back of my kayak for that safety reason - re-entry. There's a difference if I'm in an extremely stable pontoon-style inflatable kayak, where it's quite easy to get in over the side. What I refer to in the video is that cowboy rescue (straddling the kayak from the back) can be a bit tricky in the Itiwit X500 for paddlers who haven't practiced it a lot. On calm water, I personally find getting in over the side directly is faster and easier. In choppier conditions, there's the paddle float. But in all cases, I don't think I've ever added a bag on top of the rear of the kayak; a spare paddle on occasion, but if I felt it was needed from a safety standpoint based on the paddle, I would place that in front as well. On a sea kayak, I absolutely would not place gear on top of the kayak that would impede a self-rescue.
Yes, this was still quite nice in terms of conditions, even if it was a windy day. That snow hit not too many weeks after as you say. We still had snow here in the past few weeks - a very weird spring!
@@AirOnTheWater I will make a prediction This year you will have a mild winter. Let's hope I'm right.
@@THE-RIVER-RAT Could well be! I'm torn about that though - I'd rather have full on winter for a few months and enjoy really cold paddles in falling snow and beautiful snow landscapes than a mild winter, where it might be warmer (for me that's just an overheating inconvenience when paddling in winter at say 6C - I'd rather take -5C), and no snow, so just fairly cold but without the beauty of the snow. Or worse, snow mixed with rain, causing slush and ice to make all the surfaces tricky to get about, even when just walking outside. Right now, it's cooold for the season.
Using the orange compression strap from the kayak gets the backpack down to a manageable size. The pump is a pain in the arse. It needs to go in first, and it needs to go in right, otherwise it takes up far too much space and gets in the way. I'm definitely looking at a smaller one; the electric ones are tempting but I'm not sure I'd trust one way out in the sticks, one more thing that absolutely cannot get wet!
I'm really liking these packing-cube things, so much easier to pack and unpack than dry-bags, especially for that kitchen-bag with the stove and everything else in it that you use every time you stop. Waterproof ones are expensive, though, so for now I'm limited in what I can put in them. If someone made dry-bags that opened on the long side, that might be better.
Using the compression strap is a good tip and trick! The pump, and some models are worse than others, can indeed be tricky if there's too much gear in there. It can be quite narrow to get it to fit, and you don't want to risk damaging the rear hatch. I agree that an electric one wouldn't seem like a safe choice I'd rely on out in the field far from base either. I've kind of found the way to negotiate it as long as the black/orange Itiwit pump is aimed the right way, but with the larger orange pump, things used to be trickier.
Drybags that opened on the long side would be awesome, practically speaking, as you say. I guess the zippers are a limitation. I've also been using 1,5l bottles for water quite a bit, though of course, a proper water sack is much better space-wise. Still, I've been surprised at how much you can actually fit into the X500, for example, and also always marvel at how you basically need the same space for a one night camping trip as you do for a much longer trip, with the exception of some extra water and food.
@@AirOnTheWater Sorry to but in to your conversion, but Just spotted this comment. As it happens LOMO where I get a lot of my gear from do make some dry bags that open on the long side, I have two, a 60L & a 40L But use them mostly for storage, and to keep my gear in the car.
@@THE-RIVER-RAT Hey, that's a good tip about hthe LOMO bags - thanks George! By the way, when it comes to the huge drybags, I actually have had a 65L one for a while, but eventually ended up selling it as I always used more modular smaller bags anyway. It could be a nice way to save space though.
@@THE-RIVER-RAT Nice one, thanks for the pointer!
@@6yjjk your welcome mate
The multi-part detailed gear series by @the-river-rat that I refer to in the video is available on his channel, at ruclips.net/video/BXYWPFnEwjU/видео.html (part 1)
Hi There! Thanks for your Videos !!!
7:50 you note that Itiwit is woring on an expedition-adapted extendet version. Can you maybe post the source of that infomation?
Ty
Thanks for the positive note! The source of that info was from e-mails that were sent out from Decathlon or Itiwit in terms of asking paddlers about input about upcoming potential products. In that online survey there was a description of an expedition-style upgrade based on the X500 Strenfit and paddlers were asked about input to support the development process, but I haven't seen official updates on that since, so can't provide any updated information as to whether this is still a confirmed project or an upcoming product.
@@AirOnTheWater Thank you so much.
@@PeterMaffay-t8x Most welcome 😎
Good information! I've never gone on an overnight camping so I have not tried to see how much I can pack into my Oru Coast XT. I would like to add more bungee type cords to my Oru for added storage on top of it.
Do you ever pack a spare paddle?
Thanks Karen! Yes, I bring a spare paddle during camping trips and many longer trips, or in conditions where the geography calls for it. I've never broken a paddle while paddling, but have heard quite a few stories from those who have. It could also be a case of losing a paddle mid-trip. For the Oru, would you consider adding flotation bags for buoyancy for safety if it were packed for camping?
@@AirOnTheWater I use many floatation bags inside my Oru if I'm kayaking in the open ocean or San Diego Harbor.
When I kayak in the Bay or a lake or at night (so I can use the light discs) I don't use the float bags. I could substitute dry bags filled with gear for the float bags.
@@karenb_ca Gotcha! I was just out for a super-mini-night paddle, very short distance but with some fun light effects 😎 Might try and put up a short video up later tonight.
I take the Itiwit x500's pump on expeditions in a 65L dry bag on top of the kayak in front of the cockpit. The boat's backpack also rides in this large dry bag along with dry clothes, a towel and assorted other things and I have an 8L dry bag and a water bottle in the cockpit. A snack and the first aid kit rides in the cockpit.
On a long expedition, a 40L and a 20L dry bag and a gallon of water ride in the boat's storage compartment. The water rides in the rear. Another gallon of water rides behind the seat, and a third gallon rides in front of my feet. The 40L bag contains my tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pads and hammock. The 20L bag contains food and assorted other things.
I'm planning a five day expedition in the Okefenokee Swamp in October, and I'll take more than four gallons of water, so I may take an 8L or 10L water bag behind the seat.
Sounds like a nice setup! That way you get volume on top of the kayak in front, but not weight, and you distribute plenty of water across the kayak, which is of course the main issue.
I think I saw Ken Whiting (@paddleTV) posting a clip in the Okefenokee Swamp, which looks awesome, though the alligators would give me pause...
One more mundane aspect when I pack on deck in front, with this or other kayaks, is trying to set up camera angles, since I document for the channel, without having too much of the stuff on deck get in the way of the lens.
What's the longest expedition you've done with the X500?
@@AirOnTheWater My four day (three nights) trip to the Okefenokee was my longest expedition, and I'll be back for six days in the Fall. I camped and kayaked for two nights earlier this year, but I didn't pack my kayak for the entire trip.
@@restonthewind Cool! Nice that you're also using the X500 this way. My only multi-day trip this year so far was a 3 day trip in the archipelago (with a sea kayak in that case), which ended up being fairly cold at night with temperatures down to just below the freezing point. Upcoming expeditions in coming months (including in coming weeks, hopefully) should be quite a bit warmer.. and needing less clothing packed.
@@AirOnTheWater I'll kayak around Tybee Island later this month, and I'll be camping there, but it's not really a kayak expedition.
@@restonthewind At a quick glance, looks like an interesting area with all the little creeks and the Fort Pulaski National Monument.
Why doesn't anyone say anything about the elephant in the room?. That backpack, full of what you need to go on a bitter kayak ride, weighs around 24-25Kg, which makes it unwieldy without a stroller. THE Kayak IS HARD TO CARRY! I had it for a week and returned it. I love the kayak, but I don't want to hate carrying it and give up. I have Gumotex Swing, with all in the backpack have 13.5 Kg
You're right - the kayak plus bag weighs 18 kg and with all the gear you might want to bring, it can get heavy as you say. I use two drybags that I can sling over each shoulder, and that way the backpack, if correctly strapped, plus paddle and PFD on the outside of it is workable (for me). I've gotten used to the weight. The pain is during the cold season when you need so much extra gear! I have different inflatable kayaks, some very lightweight at 1.8 kg (like a packraft), 7.9 kg, or 11-12 kg. On trips where I know I don't need the performance of the X500 and will carry stuff a lot I often bring my lighter kayaks. You can see them on this channel and there's an 8 kayaks comparison video as well.