Intex Challenger Kayak, Man Inflatable Canoe with Aluminum
Intex Challenger Kayak, Man Inflatable Canoe with Aluminum Oars and Hand Pump
Product Details
Made with rugged vinyl construction and built for performance, this sturdy kayak has an inflatable I-beam floor, a low-profile deck and high-buoyancy side chambers for stability, comfort and function. A removable skeg provides exceptional directional movement, while an adjustable, inflatable seat with a backrest is included for comfortable seating. A grab line at each end is provided for your convenience, as well as a cargo net for extra storage.
| Weight: | 13 Kilograms |
| Size: | 274 X 76 X 33 cm |
| Dimensions: | 274.32 x 76.2 x 33.01 cm; 1.1 Kilograms |
| Brand: | Intex |
| Model: | 68305NP |
| Colour: | Black |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | INTEX |
| Age: | Infant |
| Department: | Unisex |
| Dimensions: | 274.32 x 76.2 x 33.01 cm; 1.1 Kilograms |
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Size: | 274 X 76 X 33 cm |
Great product, just bit tricky to deflate completely to fold back up into the bag. Thats the only negative point. We use deflate mode on electric pump to try get the air out but still left with some air left so cant fold. Inflates really well just with hand pump alone.
Great fun. Slower, less aerodynamic and less stable than a hard kayak – this is to be expected. Great value for money. Tight at the feet for someone 6ft 2″ (have to curl toes/ankles dow wards to fit).
Had my first day out in the kayak yesterday and loved it. Inflated and deflated relatively quickly (once i tealsied there were 2 inflarion points but my fault as i didnt read instructions initially!) and for a novice like me, it was fun and I can’t wait to get back out in it!
Had this kayak for a few weeks now and taken it on lakes and the sea. Super easy to inflate, takes less than 10 minutes to inflate both chambers, the seat and the footrest. Deflation is a little more tricky. It is time consuming and difficult to get all the air out and put in the supplied carry bag. The carry bag is very flimsy and it’s a bit small but is holding up well, a few little holes but still useable. Seat is comfortable enough but I personally don’t think it provides enough back support. I find that I’m in a slouched position a lot of the time. I’ve tried to adjust the straps but it doesn’t really help. There is a blow up foot rest that goes in the front but that is useless as there are no anchoring points and gets pushed right to the end. It does help to keep the top of the kayak from touching your feet, giving a little more room in the cockpit. Handy bungee/ cargo net to store a dry bag, water etc. Paddle is flimsy with an overly flexible blade leading to loss of efficiency when paddling but the craft is not built for speed anyway.
Light enough to carry to the water on one shoulder although carrying it back can be a pain if there is water in there. Also difficult to get the water out completely. It does catch in the wind when carrying it, making it tricky at times but it is inflatable!
Getting in and out takes a bit of practice, due again to the closed design. Getting out makes it susceptible to getting water in, however it gets easier the more you do it.
Despite the paddle it is very easy to manoeuvre in the water and feels light. Tracks reasonably straight with help from the ‘removable’ skeg but loses speed due to the flat bottom.
Great on calm lakes and handles choppy sea water well, although the closed design can let a bit of water in. Feels stable enough in the sea, both in the breakers and in the swell. I haven’t felt like it may tip at anytime.
I have knocked a star off for the skeg. Any sand, salt or debris gets in the runners and that bad boy ain’t shifting! It’s difficult to remove anyway due to the design. It has a push button which needs depressing while you try and pull it out of the skeg box. Hard work! It is easier to try and remove when the kayak is still inflated. I have had to use a hammer to remove it due to sand in the box.
Overall, I really enjoy the experience of being in this kayak and I am fortunate enough to have the sea on my doorstep so can go at a moments notice. Quick check off the tide times and I’m away. Great price and I would recommend this kayak to anyone wanting to try kayaking. I feel that I have grown out of it already though and have ordered a rigid body kayak.
Bought on Prime day so was discounted.
Easy to pump up, even for me, 5ft and bad back lol. Easy to deflate. More stable than I thought it would be and felt really comfy. Had a couple of loch trips already but both days were flat calm so haven’t tested in a bit of wind.
My only niggle is that for adults getting your legs into the kayak really hurts as they scrape along the top cover bit.
So great value for the price, and a very good kayak to learn on.
It’s just a brilliant thing in a bag! Moments to inflate. If all you want is a couple of hours fun on the river, then this is perfect for you. So lightweight. I usually inflate at home, shove in the car, drive to destination and drop in the river. Durable and performance is the same as my friends, with their hard kayaks. Only difference is when done, I’m packed up and waving bye, as my friends are still heaving their heavy kayaks onto their roof racks.
Great for value
Perfect for a child but tight for adults to get legs i
I was anxious about buying this because it is a cheap product compared to others on the market.
I inflated it as a trial at home, to make sure I wouldn’t embarrass myself on my maiden voyage. I was amazed at how quickly and easily it inflates!
I had my first trip out and everything went according to plan. I felt very stable and secure in this little kayak.
Easy to deflate AND packs away into the bag!
Honestly, this is an amazing little vessel for the price. The only flaw is that it is heavier than the 1.1 kg that is on the information. Still, it is easy enough for a small woman to manage on her own, so I am not complaining!
I have only used this once and found it easy to inflate and put together , I think this is good value for money and a good starter into kayaking . It’s best used at a leisurely pace but don’t expect great speed from it , it’s also sturdy but can struggle a bit when rowing into the wind , I’m happy with my purchase
Impressed with the kayak, very easy to inflate and paddle. I have only used it twice in calm conditions. I don’t think it will be very stable in choppy conditions.
The only thing that doesn’t make it perfect is the leg space, but i am 6’5 with long limbs, so thats a bit expected, but apart from that, this kayak has opened up a whole new world to me! Its been reliable and easy to use, its great! Highly recommend as a beginner kayak!
For the cost the kayak is excellent quality. Can be used for someone over 5 ft 10 but really tight. Still worth i
Would have been a 5* but the seat came with a couple of holes in the bottom section meaning it just stays flat.. unfortunately it had passed the return date before I opened it up (silly me). I have had a 2 person inflatable kayak before which had a plug in the bottom to let water out which would be useful on this one too but can always tip it over although there’s always some left in the crevices. Overall, very happy with the actual kayak and I look forward to more adventures in it!
It’s now used for my Rusty Nail and Broken glass transportation business which is going well but due to the number of punctures I was getting I decided to fill the inflatable sections with concrete which worked wonders. I now have a puncture free submarine for running refugees along the sea bed. Winner winner Jubilee dinner!
So I’ve been out of 3 trips with this kayak.
First off I’ve been on a canal twice and the river Trent.
The kayak is very stable. It’s easy to paddle but isn’t super fast so it’s very hard to paddle against currents.
Also it’s almost impossible to use without the skeg, I found this out yesterday on the river as the river was very shallow getting in so I left it off. Ended up going round in circles.
But I did scrape the bottom of a huge log and on the bottom of the river and had zero rips or punctures so don’t panic when going out on it.
I myself don’t inflate the bottom part of the chair as you sit lower and then the kayak becomes even more stable.
The only real downside is the funny looks as people just seem to have the look as if you’re in a inflate you dinghy.
But that aside it’s well worth the money.
The only really bad part is the bendy not very stable paddles.
Anyway if you’re thinking of getting it then go for it.
i found the legroom ok (i’m six foot), i could stretch out my legs fully (which also helped lower the centre of gravity slightly more) but my size 10 feet could not stretch out fully so i had to curl my toes, which was a bit annoying. to be fair i did have something underneath the netting which impacted on the ability of the upper part of the canoe to give and allow me more toe room. next outing i will avoid using that netting area for storage and that should help but that does rather mean the netting is pointless if you have to leave that area free for toe-room.
it also works ok without the skeg, to avoid catching it on anything (a river hazard), maybe that’s for more open waters? (i use my canoe mostly for small quiet rivers). i tried it without it first, but with the seat, it’s possible that with the seat and the skeg it would be more stable but with the seat out it was way more stable and when i later put the skeg on for the return journey, the benefit was not nearly so noticeable as removing the seat, so i’m not sure of the extra stability it adds but logically it must help.
also of note was the difficulty in getting all the air out to pack it away. i still have not got the hang of that and it does not go back in the carrier bag! maybe there’s a knack to it?
UPDATE: i would also like to add that the lettering on the surface of the craft rather spoilt the style and could have been relegated to a piece of paper in the package and made the look cleaner.
Initial impressions after first use….
I wouldn’t take it out in winds of more than about 7mph or tides of more than about 3mph.
Packing and instructions:
Fits easily inside the bag. Light enough for an adult to carry a fair distance. I was glad I unpacked and practiced at home as I was much more confident when we got to the water. Note, assembling the paddles was confusing until I realised the instructions cover two different types and there are two diagrams depending on type.
Assembly:
Generally very easy. After a practice takes 10mins.
On the water:
You’ll get a bit wet so wear suitable clothing. Very sturdy and stable. Consensus is that it’s practically impossible to capsize an inflatable kayak. Pick your launch spot with care so you don’t break the little fin (skeg) at the back or get stuck on stones. From a beach, I’d suggest floating it in backwards until the skeg is well clear of the bottom, then straddle the kayak above your seat so you can just sit down. If launching from a deck/canal side you can put a fair bit of weight on the hull but it’s not quite solid enough to fully stand in it like you would in a rigid kayak. Nevertheless I was able to get in/out with the kayak about 30cm below the bank. Any more of a drop and it might be a challenge.
Note, the paddle is not strong enough to sit on when transferring from kayak to bank like you would in a rigid. I put a bit of weight on it to hold the kayak steady but I would definitely keep most of my weight off.
It does swing a bit from side to side when paddling and will turn a lot when paddling across a steady wind – I was paddling just on one side to maintain a straight course. I was surprised how much progress could be made directly into the wind though – I thought I’d struggle.
Because inflatables have wider/taller sides you have to lift the paddles quite high and water will steadily drip into the kayak. I realised it’s best to have the paddle rings as far out as possible to minimise this. Nevertheless, I would want to land the kayak after an hour or two to drain the water before I ended up sitting in a puddle. There isn’t a drainage plug and it’s tricky to get the last of the water out. The seat is ok and I felt quite well supported but like others I prefer to underinflate/not inflate the part of the seat you sit on as this keeps you lower in the kayak and feels more stable.
There is storage behind the seat but only for waterproof containers as it will get wet.
After:
Landing was the reverse of launching – come it to shore until it’s shallow enough to get out and wade – any closer and you might break off the skeg.
We took a large water container in the car to rinse the salt-water off the kayak to save doing it at home. Then a careful drying off with an old towel before deflating. One advantage of this cheap, single-skin type of inflatable is that you can dry it quickly. More expensive, tougher inflatables that have a second skin over the top retain water much longer and need to be left to air dry for some time.
It deflates quickly but the bottom and seat valves are like a lilo – you have to squeeze them let the air out – if easier you can take the pump hose off the pump and push the nozzle into the valve to let the air escape (or push something like a coffee stirrer into the valve to stop it closing up).
I’d take a waterproof tarp or plastic sheet in the car – especially if you don’t have time to dry it thoroughly before driving off. It’s difficult to remove the last of the water from inside – I find it best to partially deflate both sections so the PVC can be pulled around a bit to let the last dregs out.
As I’m so short when it comes to leg room it’s not an issue at all, there’s loads for me (probably not so much if you’re a super model).
Set up takes less than 10 minutes and the valve system is brilliant, the small upper valve is to inflate then you just undo the larger lower valve and it deflates really fast, I had to get someone to help me undo that though because this was my first paddle in years and my arms were like limp noodles but I managed it fine on the test inflate in my flat yesterday.
Oh yes, before you get to the water do a test run so you know where all the bits go and make sure everything’s in working order before you’ve schlepped all the way to the water.
Inflated and folded in the bag this is really easy to carry and like I said, I am a little wimp. However I only carried it short distances, I wouldn’t be able to do anything over tough terrain or further than a couple of hundred yards.
On the water it was a bit flighty at first and though I had a few wobbles it was actually really stable and I felt very safe (I forgot to use the little fin on the bottom so it’s probably easier with that!) I went out on the sea and it was pretty calm but I wouldn’t use this in choppy water, oh and I got a life vest too because you never know!
Storage wise this is no problem to fit in my car, I have a citroen c1 (which is tiny, the boot is smaller than some suitcases) though I did have to take the paddle into three pieces to fit in my boot but the kayak in the bag, paddle and my life vest all fit in no problem along with my other stuff and took up about half the boot.
I hope this helps, honestly this is a brilliant purchase and I am over the moon with it
Update: so today I went out and actually attached the little fin (skeg?) to the bottom and the difference was incredible, it handled so much better! Also, I’ve just ordered a spare pump because while I was inflating it today the handle flew off (luckily it was easy to fix but I realised what a pain it would be if I didn’t have a spare and it broke completely!) and a paddle tether because it would also be a pain if I dropped my paddle while bobbing about on the bay and it bobbed off without me.
Happy paddling!
Further update – used twice and on the third time I was out on the sea and the bottom section wouldn’t stay inflated, I can’t find any punctures so am really baffled about why this happened! However, this happened within the return window and Amazon being brilliant just arranged a replacement with no fuss or anything so I am still really happy with this product!
>Great value for money – for just 64.99 – free delivery in 1 working day (w/Amazon Prime)! Brilliant, and allowed me to plan a day on the water only one day in advance!
>Comfortable seat – plenty of leg room, seat does not collapse like other inflatable kayaks I have used – holds you upright
>Trustworthy inflatable – I have used similar budget inflatable kayaks, and after a few minutes of use the material starts to feel soft, as if it is slowly deflating. Also, other kayaks have bent in the middle because of this. However, this kayak – after 2 hrs use was just as sturdy after pulling it out of the water compared to before. There was no detectable lack of air
>Easy inflation – The inflation of the two main chambers is done with the use of two Boston Valves, which allow you to inflate the main body of the kayak in around 4-6 minutes.
>Acceptable tracking – The kayak tracks OK in the water, and does not easily get blown off course, even after short periods of inactivity. This is mainly due to the addition skeg which comes f.o.c. with the product – once again – great value for money.
>Tough construction – After one day of use, there was no deflation, or tears in the material of the kayak – impressed!
>Great for touring – the paddles which come with the kayak work GREAT as long as you put the drip rings close to the paddle ends, and are careful not to submerge them in the water. This will allow water past the drip rings, and allow it into the boat. The paddles work great with this boat as it is low in the water – compared to other inflatable kayaks with high sides it is much more comfortable to paddle. It is very stable and relaxing on the water, and you can get fairly close to shore, even with the skeg.
>Lots of storage space – There is a lot a space behind the seat and in the cargo net at the front. This means you could take a small picnic and some spare clothes with you – as long as you have a dry bag! The cargo net is in front, allowing for easy access whilst on the water. The cargo space behind the seat is more for storing stuff you don’t need whilst on the water – e.g. the pump and bag and other accessories.
Cons:
>The material of the kayak, when inflated, was slightly twisted towards the right – a fault during manufacturing? Also, the kayak felt easier to tip towards the right than the left – in fact, I fell in the water this way when I was adjusting the seat. Probably my own fault though.
>Although it has plenty of leg room, my feet did feel numb a number of times – as they were constricted for some reason.
>The inflatable seat and foot rest use ordinary inflatable valves, and take longer to inflate and deflate than the Boston valves (obviously) and let out air when you are filling them up and trying to seal them. They remained inflated all day for me, though, so no worries there.
>The kayak has no draining valve – the only way to bail out is tipping the kayak upside down – not really an option 250m into the sea – no worries for me though – I had a boat to evacuate onto. However, you might want to consider turning into waves to avoid taking on water as this is a real problem.
>The bag it comes with it rips – mine ripped on the first day – it still holds the kayak fine, but it’s not exactly of premium quality. You might consider buying another.
Conclusion: It’s great value for money – if you want it, just get it! You will not be disappointed! Within 2-3 trips it will have paid for itself in comparison to hiring kayaks – and you can go wherever you want, and stay on the water as long as you like, without the worry of ‘how long do we have left before we have to turn round’.
In summary, it’s one of the best purchases I’ve made – it’s not as good as a proper rigid Kayak, but it’s a cheap way to get started on the water before you invest in a full on rigid kayak
I bought this for use on the canal – I have never used it on open water, rivers or the sea and have no intention of, although I see no reason why it wouldn’t be fine for these in calm conditions.
One thing I would say – this is not a rigid Kayak, so it would be unfair to compare it against them. Rigid Kayaks are obviously more robust, more solid and a bit more stable, but they come with a much higher price tag. This kayak is intended for leisure use, not for serious competition or long distance touring, so if these are your intentions you’d be better off with a rigid Kayak
The kayak comes in a carry bag – as supplied the deflated kayak, deflated seat, 3 piece paddle, skeg and hand pump all fit in the bag. The idea is that you can store the kayak and accessories in the bag when not in use – but we all know in reality you will never get all the air back out of the kayak again, and will never be able to fold it back to the same compactness as supplied. You can get the kayak deflated enough the get it back into the bag along with the seat and paddle, but I personally have never managed to get the hand pump back in. That said, it still takes up far less storage space than a rigid kayak, and will still all fit in a car boot.
The hand pump supplied is actually surprisingly good – it will inflate the kayak in less than 10 minutes. I bought an electric pump with the assumption this would inflate the kayak quicker, but it actually doesn’t – the electric pump can’t even inflate the kayak, it can’t generate enough pressure. So if you are thinking of buying an electric pump to take the work out of inflating the kayak, I honestly wouldn’t bother.
The kayak itself appears well made – it has 2 main air chambers (the base and the sides/upper structure) inflated separately. It also features grab lines and a cargo net for helping move it around, and carrying a small dry bag when you head out. These all do the job fine – again, the quality is not as good as a rigid kayak, but for leisure use they work perfectly well. The seat is also inflatable, and is separate (held in by velcro and straps). It works well, but I find I can’t get into the kayak very well if I inflate the base of the seat, so I tend to only inflate the backrest.
On that note, one downside to the kayak is that it is a bit of a tight fit where your legs go – I can’t wear any kind of shoe when in the kayak or I just can’t get my feet in. It’s not a major issue, but if the seat is inflated I suspect I would struggle a lot more.
The paddle is OK – it feels a bit more flimsy than other ‘proper’ 1 and 2 piece paddles I’ve used in the past, but it works well enough.
The kayak handles well in the water – but I would suggest you use the skeg. Without it the kayak is a bit wayward, and tends to pull to one side or the other and proves difficult to pull back with sweep strokes. Fitting the skeg makes a huge difference, and the kayak tracks extremely straight. The kayak is fairly stable – a little less than a rigid kayak, and the way you position your weight does have more of an affect, but it feels generally pretty good.
I haven’t owned the kayak for long enough to comment on durability – obviously you have to be a little more careful to avoid punctures and I wouldn’t want to go bashing the kayak into the banks or jetties. I do have to be a bit careful, as the bank of the canal near my house is supported by metal plates, but so far no issues. given the low price, I’ll be happy if I get a year of use out of it, as I’m planning on this being a stepping stone to getting hold of a full rigid kayak.
Finally – remember what this is. If you judge it against rigid kayaks and expect the same performance and quality you will be disappointed. But if you take it for what it is – a cheap way of getting started on the water for light leisure and recreational use, it does the job just fine.
A lot of thought has obviously gone into this kayak and it is well designed with some great features. I would definitely recommended it and in fact have just bought a second one to take friends and family with me!
Edited to add: I’ve had this kayak for almost 6 months now and have done well over 100kms on the water – still very impressed with it to the extent that I now have three of them to take family and friends out with me. The only issue I have encountered is this really needs a water drain plug in the bottom like the two seater version. It is a real pain to get any paddle splash water out of the kayak before deflating, and not just simply a case of turning it upside down as it runs from bow to stern and gets trapped in the fabric furrows. Intex please add a drain plug to future models and you will have the perfect inflatable kayak!
Added 22/7/19: Got my first puncture near the rear keel which I suspect was from something like rose stem cuttings that you occasionally see floating in the Thames. I have to say I was very impressed with how the kayak performed – there are two air chambers so although the lower one partially deflated and it sat a bit lower in the water, it was still perfectly paddle-able for the 3kms back to the car. That said the repair patches that come with the kayak are useless. I ended up buying a vinyl glue repair kit which worked very well.