INTEX Challenger Inflatable Kayak Series: Includes Deluxe 86in Kayak Paddles and High-Output Pump – SuperStrong PVC – Adjustable Seat with Backrest – Removable Skeg – Cargo Storage Net

----I purchased the Intek Challenger K1 to try kayaking and see if I enjoyed it enough to warrant spending $500-$600 on a solid-shell vessel. I spent the first few weeks paddling around a small lake behind my home and had no complaints. The Challenger is easy to inflate, easy to deflate, and fitting it back inside the carrying bag was easy as well. I would recommend purchasing a higher quality paddle because the one that comes with the Challenger is a bit short and not very durable. After approximately three weeks of use my paddle cracked, but since the packaged deal was so cheap I didn’t mind purchasing a new one. ----After about two months of paddling around in small bodies of water, some friends of mine and I decided to go on an 11 mile trip down a popular local creek that we heard was ideal for inner-tubing and kayaking. In hindsight, that decision turned out to be one of the worst we had ever made. Our trip took place in early May, 2011, and just two weeks prior much of our area was devastated by tornados. The creek was low, so we all drug out kayaks through ankle-deep water for the first half-mile. Once the water deepened a little bit we were kayaking like some pros, but at around the three mile mark we encountered some trees that had fallen across the creek. I was particularly nervous since my kayak was the only inflatable of the bunch, but I threw it on top of the pile of trees, climbed up beside it, threw it down into the water, and began cruising again. Less than 5 minutes after our first climb over trees, we encountered several more fallen trees. Again, I threw my Challenger on top of the pile of trees, climbed up beside it, threw it down into the water, climbed in, and paddled on. We all kept telling ourselves that we had to have gone through the worst of it, but the fallen trees we kept coming up on proved us wrong. The estimated three-hour casual kayaking trip we planned turned into 8 hours of tossing or pulling kayaks on top of tree piles (most of which were 10-12 feet high), dragging kayaks through shallow water, and navigating around all of the household items (lawn mowers, refrigerators, etc.) the tornados had dropped in the creek. About four hours into the trip I was hoping that my Challenger would get a hole in it so that I would have had a good excuse to scale the wall of the creek, walk to the nearest road, and call someone to come pick me up. Unfortunately, none of the abuse my Challenger received that day fazed it….not one single hole! ----After the “trauma” of that trip I decided kayaking was not for me and I draped my Challenger over a fence in my yard to dry. The kayak remained on top of that fence in blistering heat, rain, and cold for the next 9 months. In early 2012, I finally removed the Challenger from my fence, folded it up, put it in its bag, and stuck it in my shed. Recently I decided to give kayaking another try so I broke out the old Challenger and pumped it up to see if its time on the fence had damaged it. The Challenger pumped up as easy as the day I bought it, and it did not have a single leak. ----Overall, I would say that the Intek Challenger K1 Kayak is a great product and ideal for beginners or those who have to walk long distances to get to where they are going to be paddling. The kayak, paddle, and pump are relatively lightweight and easy to carry in the included case. As I said before, I would recommend purchasing a separate paddle since the one that comes in the kit is not the best quality. The Challenger does not glide through the water like most high-dollar solid-shell kayaks, but it easy to paddle and steer. If you are like I once was and want to try kayaking without investing a lot of money, the Intel Challenger K1 is what you need.

Bought this for the convenience of living in an apartment + budget friendly vs a real kayak and honestly it’s great. I’ve only taken it out once so far, but it’s SO easy. It comes with everything in a big fabric bag that weighs about 30lbs. And the raft itself has 2 spots to blow up. I didn’t use the pump provided, I used a super small rechargeable electric one which worked wonders. But this size is great for one or two people. If you want to relax on the water this is perfect for a solo adventure. I attached one seat instead of two and was able to lay in the kayak more like a raft with the seat as a pillow and was super comfortable. Took me a minute to realise I was t even sitting up properly to kayak because I was so comfortable with all the room! There’s space in the front and back, I was able to put the cloth bag in the back and had tons of leg room. I just put a towel down. Paddles were solidly sturdy too. I’ve seen some comments about dogs in them and that’s next on my list. I’m going to take my pug out once I get a yoga mat or something to lay down, but it was great. I was on the water for about 4 hours and didn’t have any issues with it deflating or anything. The only caveat I noticed was it did get pushed around by the wind pretty easily when I was trying to just lay. Could be because of the kayak shape or most likely because it’s inflatable. But otherwise it was great.

My husband and I are on an extended stay in Florida but our vehicle is a Prius. We couldn't fit two kayaks in it if we tried and we didn't want to purchase a roof rack. So we found these kayaks. For the most part, they are 5 stars but there are a few things to note and why I marked it as a 4 star. 1. Inflates in just under 2 minutes. I use the K1 (one seater) and my 6'4 hubs uses the K2 (two seater) It takes me 60 pumps for the base and 40 pumps for the top. His K2 takes 90 pumps for the base and 60 for the top. It is extremely easy. We are nearly 60 years of age and it was a piece of cake to fill these kayaks. 2 minutes for each of us. 2. They deflate in under 30 seconds. I usually put mine in the car inflated then undo the plugs and fold over. By the time Jeff gets his into the car, mine is fully deflated. 3. They are a very nice quality, mostly. We kayak nearly every morning at sunrise and about twice a week at sunset. Additionally, we do an all day trip usually at least one weekend day every week, sometimes both days. In the first month of ownership, Jeff got a small tear. To be fair, he hit an oyster shoal. What was remarkable, is this did not cause him to sink. We carry the provided patches with us but we decided it would be better to use the higher quality patch (sold separately) if we could get back. We were over a mile from our launch site but his kayak barely deflated. After the initial hissing, it stopped deflating and was completely fine until we made it back. I have since gotten a small tear in one of the seat backs (separate piece) Both were easy to patch, we did, however, purchase a higher quality product for repairs from Intex than the provided patch. These separately sold products require 48 hours though so do not use on the trail, the ones that come with the kayak cure in a half hour. 4. These are insanely comfortable. There is simply no comparison to the comfort of these kayaks to a traditional kayak. 5. But they are slower. If you are kayaking with someone else in a regular kayak, they will have an easier/quicker experience. But if your whole party is using these it doesn't matter at all. We drink our coffee watching the sunrise nearly every morning and it is pure heaven. 6. In summary, we would still purchase again. Although, we had to repair and we anticipate having to repair again, the repairs appear to stay repaired. The tears occurred after extensive use. The price is great and the fun is endless, not to mention you can take them ANYWHERE!

I was a little hesitant to buy this kayak because my primary use for it is fishing, and the inflatable part made me pretty nervous. I also bought the two seater because I’m about 215 and the weight capacity on the single rider made me nervous. I’ve taken it out about a dozen times now in the month that I’ve had it and I love this kayak. It’s takes a small amount of time to inflate and deflate, and is perfect if you have a smaller vehicle but want to get out on the water. I read some reviews about tracking that I find to be true, especially if you’re riding by yourself. I try to offset the weight a bit by having a cooler by my feet, and it’s not terrible especially in calm waters. It is a slow kayak though. I was out on really calm water and decided to see how fast I could go, and was surprised at how slow I was moving. All in all, it’s a great beginner kayak that takes out the hard part of transportation. Ultimately I will end up getting a hard shell kayak, because I have had a couple close calls with my hooks while fishing, but I won’t be getting rid of this kayak when I do.

I purchased the K-2 model as I weigh just over 200 pounds, have long legs and wanted to have the ability to carry gear and my 15 pound Havanese dog. I did purchase an inexpensive yoga mat with mine as an added comfort for my dog along with some extra protection from claws. I also purchased a PFD and a longer paddle with drip reducing blades with a notch that facilitates that and doubles as a grappling hook. The paddles that come with it are decent enough but could've had a longer shaft. The shortness of the included paddles were a little awkward for me to make decent strokes at an efficient depth through the water due in part to the width of the sides of the kayak. I didn't like the shaft rubbing the sides of the kayak. I'm hoping the extra length of the replacement paddle allays my concerns and improves performance maneuvering through the water especially in windy conditions. PROS: It maneuvered amazingly well for an inexpensive watercraft and the added skeg makes tracking markedly better. My floating partner's watercraft does not have a skeg, and I could see her struggling more to keep it on course. We encountered a couple riffles that it handled very well. My 15 pound dog rode on the bow most of the trip and this didn't adversely affect its handling. I'm very pleased with its stability. It at no time felt "tippy" and for me as a first timer on a kayak, this was huge. CONS: no handles to assist in carrying, making it difficult for one person to carry, no cup holders and no drain plug to remove water when getting out of water and stowing. There's also a place under the bow to tie a rope to, however you'll need to purchase the rope, as it's not included. I had to deflate it partially (the screw out deflation part of plug can be extremely difficult to unscrew, next time I'm packing channel locks!) to fold in half, holding bow and stern ends up so water that collected (and it will, as the sides of this kayak is barely a foot above the water line, when you're going through moderate yet mild rapids and water splashes in over the sides. Bring something for baling water, incase you get swamped. Even with 6" of water where I was seated in the rear, this kayak maneuvered very well.) could run out towards middle, then wiped it out with a towel. I hope these cons are addressed in future models.

Little about me: 5'2" 240lbs ______ I purchased this K2 kayak on sale for a hundred bucks. Best investment in rec sports I've made in a hot ass minute. Incredibly easy and fast to inflate even with the baseline pump it comes with. Though I do highly suggest on also investing in an electric pump, as it just makes everything a whole lot easier; especially with several people in your group having similar inflatable toys. I bought the K2 because I had done my research and was apprehensive on buying the K1 with the suggested weight limit. In so saying, I'm mainly using this as a single passenger transport. At my height, it provides for a comical amount of leg room once inside (though I'm planning on taking it out for a two day kayaking test run at Lake Powell this summer, so extra gear storage is now my saving grace). And I wish they had a more centralized anchor for seating (current buckling points for your inflatable seats are located at front and rear of kayak). Though it still makes for smooth rowing no matter where you decide on taking a seat. As my ass is very large, inflating the back rest AND the butt rest of your seat can prove to make your kayak a little unstable, I've decided on just inflating the back rest and it's still very comfortable. If you're out on the water for an extended amount of time with no fast way back to shore, I highly suggest taking your hand pump with you, as the sun and water pressure surrounding your kayak will eventually take it's toll on anything inflatable. The valves (all TWO of them) are conveniently located at arms reach of wherever you sit. On the topic of extended trips, I am planning on purchasing a bilge pump just for ease of mind and body, as the longer you kayak, your oars will obviously splash water into your kayak. I found that using and not using the skeg that is included is an infinitesimal difference (even when it's a bit windy). I bought my own oars, though in all truthfulness, they are not much different than the ones included with your kayak. I would add in that if you do buy separate oars, buy the long ones (89"-95"), as that allows for less splashing into your kayak. The canvas bag included with your purchase is more than roomy enough to carry everything included, plus a life jacket of your choosing. Though it is flimsy, and not conducive to an environment where you have to walk/hike to the body of water you decide to go to. I suggest purchasing a backpack type container if many of your reservoirs/lakes don't have direct parking to a beach/launch point like those around me. Always use a life jacket, and I even went so far as to purchase an ankle surf leash, as I'm very paranoid and very aware of how quickly shock and exhaustion can set in if you unexpectedly go overboard. I live in Salt Lake City, UT, so bet your sweet ass I will get all of my $100 worth out of this baby with the plethora of lakes and reservoirs at our immediate disposal.

I would like to update my review and complain that I lost my skeg 2 miles out on my last trip. Just like a lot of other reviewers this is a very poor design. This Kayak can hardly be steered without a skeg. It took me forever to paddle back. I bought a Quik Pak Kayak to replace this piece of crap! Original review: I just spent 8 hours on my new Kayak and had a blast. However there are some gripes.I'm 6"1 180 lbs and have been in hard Kayaks quite a bit. I can't say that this Kayak is roomy, but it wasn't uncomfortable. I spent as I mentioned earlier 8 hours in it and traveled about 10 miles. First off this Kayak is extremely stable in the water. I bought mine when the price went down to $69.00 and was the last one in stock. I Felt like I got a great deal. I set it up at home to see how simple it was and was impressed it only took me 5 minutes the first time. I never bothered with the included paddles. I purchased some more expensive ones after reading reviews. I launched at a creek and let the current carry me through a very wide river (miles from side to side), and drifted out in to a bay with depths well over 25 feet, which connected with the Atlantic Ocean. While I was in the creek 18 mph winds kept blowing me in to the shore as I attempted to fish. It was extremely frustrating when I tried to bait my line. Lesson learned buy a Kayak anchor. I thought the Kayak tracks pretty well even compared to hard Kayaks. if there is some current or wind you will drift when you stop paddling. It also felt like it took more effort to paddle at the same speeds I was used to in a traditional hard Kayak. My second frustration came when my back support to my seat deflated. It was not a puncture it's just the way the valve sits it's very easy to pop it open and leaning against the seat forces all the air out. My back started hurting after a while, eventually I was able to position myself to blow air in to it. 30 minutes later I had the same issue. I'm going to be looking for a new seat. With 18 mph winds, some current, and waves up to 2 feet high I had no fear of capsizing. I did take some water, but that is to be expected. Because the Kayak is so light I almost go flipped a few times when I turned my side to the wind. Once I realized I could not fight against the current of the tide going out and 18 mph winds I had no choice but to paddle to shore and drag it a few miles. I had no problems with the skeg coming off towing it from both ends. Quite a bit of that was through quicksand like mud up to 4 feet deep that sucked up and swallowed my water shoes for all eternity. What really aggravated me was the wind kept yanking the Kayak and dumping all my fishing gear. A few times I dragged it to shore and to my horror the wind sent it rolling down the shore spilling all my fishing gear again. It flipped and rolled over the fish hook on my fishing pole multiple times. I had a knife and hooks and no puncture. I was impressed how well it stood up. Putting it away required me using a towel to dry it and still ended up with a reasonable amount of water in my trunk even after dumping it multiple times. I didn't bother putting it back in the bag. A few people parked next to my car were very curious about the Kayak and asked a lot of questions. Lessons learned if you are fishing buy an anchor, this is not a good Kayak for windy days, it's hard to paddle against even a light current, even with me being extremely athletic. Buy a replacement seat. It's more sturdy than a pool toy don't be afraid to fish in it. It has very good buoancy even on some rough water. The skeg stays on securely just take your time and make sure you are putting it on correctly. Why would you rush to put anything together when you are risking your safety on it anyways? Bring a towel to dry it.Be prepared to put a little more work in your paddling compared to a hard kayak.A few reviews commented how the balance seemed uneven I noticed this on the side the wind was blowing on. Again not a very good Kayak for windy days. For the money I am satisfied with my purchase.

It didn't even occur to me to check that it didn't have a drain valve. I have TUBES that have drain valves??!! I was teaching my 15 yr old nephew, who is 5'4", how to get back in the kayak if he falls out. Somewhere in that process we noticed not only had it taken on a lot of water, but it was deflating somehow. It was very difficult to get an inflatable full of water empty. Next time we went out, I gave him a bucket and sponge, and I brought an emergency float in case something happened again. The inflate valves are very difficult to close. They have this ring that keeps the cap attached, but it wants to slide in between not creating a seal but introducing a gap. I couldn't finger tight it enough for it to not leak, so I used an adjustable pipe wrench to help me close it. Not cool when you forget to bring the wrench with you. I also ended up taking the o ring off so i could close the cap, but then overzealous helpers when deflating I had to search for the caps. I would have returned this if I hadn't run out of my window. I kept searching for a way I can add a drain valve myself. This is not a kayak I would use again as an adult. For short teenagers maybe for lakes where you can swim to shore if something goes wrong. This really is more novelty than a real kayak. I have an inflatable paddleboard that is amazing and just as good as a real board, so I had high hopes for the kayak. I also really didn't like the location of the inside inflate valve. It was also difficult to get the cap back on where it is located. My nephew had a good time, it did inflate, we did use it on a tubing excursion, so I gave three stars for that reason. Oh and ... it's horrible in packing up because you need to dry it, which I used those absorbing towels, and it still had a musty smell when I took it out the second time.

Well built. Good material. But border police stopped me from using on open sea.

Sorunsuz, sağlam duruyor. Bayıldımmm

🚣‍♂️ Le kayak K2 Explorer est tout simplement INCROYABLE ! 🤩 Après plus de 500 heures sur l'eau, je peux vous dire qu’il est ultra stable, très robuste, et procure un vrai plaisir de navigation 🌊🔥. ⚠️ ATTENTION : ne le gonflez pas trop ! Sinon, l’une des valves devient très difficile à dévisser 😅. Il faut bien respecter les pressions indiquées ✅ – tout est clairement renseigné dans la notice, donc prenez le temps de bien suivre les instructions 📝👌. La qualité des pagaies est également au top 🏅 – solides, légères et efficaces 💪. Franchement, pour ce prix, c’est une valeur sûre, même après des heures d'utilisation intensive ! Un grand bravo pour ce produit qui m’accompagne sur tous mes parcours 👏🌞🌿

I bought this to take camping by a river. Overview: the kids had a great time with it, and started to learn to kayak - they have requested more river trips. Detail: its made of a thick version of paddling pool material - don't let this put you off - its easily strong enough to take a 80kg adult and - without the front seat) both of my children (9&11). The river we first used it on was very shallow in places and we ground out on unseen rocks quite a few times - with no visible damage to the bottom. I also had no qualms about the kids getting in and out in the rocky shallows. I think as long as I'm moderately sensible and stay away from sharp stuff it will last for years. Its easy to inflate with the provided pump (which also comes in handy for inflating airbeds etc) - and the two part valve makes it really quick to deflate. The paddles (of which there are two) collapse down into 5 parts. When put together there is a bit of movement - but I found them fit for purpose and fairly nice to use. They can be feathered or not as required. The skeg - which is the small keel - clips firmly into place on the bottom and detaches easily when taking the kayak out of the water. The whole thing is pretty maneuverable on the water - and also quite stable. If I was in the rear seat it was stable enough for my children to get out when they wanted a swim, and to get back in again without tipping me out. The whole thing packs into a single bag - the bag isn't very strong - but it doesn't need to be. I think with care I should get a good few years of use out of the kayak - am very pleased

Works as expected, a bit struggle with getting the air out before folding, and the paddle blades could have been stiffer, but overall very good for the price level. (I have used it frequently during first 2-3 w so no long term experience)