Review of Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Kayak

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Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Kayak
By: ADVANCED ELEMENTS Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 2
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improperly named

On: 2008-07-30

This is the advanced frame convertible kayak misnamed and with a separate page; review the other page as well to get the best deal.

I t does the job

On: 2007-12-05

Ive been using this kayak for a couple years. I mainly wanted something to get me out on the water for photographing wildlife in the bay. I paddle it around a wetland wildlife reserve, through a large, heavily-trafficed harbor, out into the open ocean. The boat is slow compared to 17 to 19 touring kayaks Ive paddled, but far more stable. I bought the AE Backbone to stiffen the boat - which helps.

I use a relatively heavy camera to shoot birds, etc., so stability is more important than anything else. I can maneuver this boat however I need it with total ease, and lean way over to get a low-profile shot.

Setup only takes 5 minutes now that Im used to the process. I use a double-action pump to push air on both the downstroke and the upstroke (nice and fast). Cold water causes air in the main tube to compress, so a good pump is needed to provide enough pressure to compensate.

I cant really complain about quality. Ive run the boat up onto rocks and into all kinds of muck. I got one tear in a top seam, but patched it with the provided patch kit. The longer Ive had it, the less care I take with it, but it still performs and holds up well.

Its not ideal for long or fast trips, nor for open-ocean swells, but it does exactly what I wanted it to do. Calm-water paddling and riding currents are great, while chop makes it sluggish. Keep it recreational and all will be fine.

A Great Product!!

On: 2007-11-13

This inflatable kayak is just great! It is inexpensive and made of strong material. It looks great, like a hardshell, not like a boat-shaped balloon costing 3 times as much. It is lighter than hardshells and you dont need to buy a $600 roof rack to take it places. Unlike other reviewers, the first time I assembled it, it took about 20 minutes. 8 or 9 assemblies later, it takes less than 10 minutes. It is the most comfortable kayak I have ever sat in or on, and has been quite durable. If you are purchasing this product, you ABSOLUTELY MUST also purchase the floor beam. Advanced Elements BackBone-Bow & Stern Frame-Advanced Frame I This beam goes under the floor mat of the kayak and converts the base of the boat from flat to v-shaped, drastically improving tracking and speed, as well as efficiency, allowing one to paddle further expending less energy. It makes an enormous difference. Also, Advanced Elements makes a large line of products to accompany this boat, and most accessories for standard kayaks fit this boat. If you are in the market for an inflatable kayak, buy this one!!

Lousy experience shopping Amazon.com

On: 2007-10-28

Purchasing a kayak through Amazon was a mistake. They displayed a photo and description of a two man kayak at a very good price. I ordered the kayak and received a one man kayak. I emailed the company that drop shipped the kayak and they said the price I paid was for the one man kayak. I have no use for a one man kayak so I sent it back to the company that shipped it and they refunded my credit account. When I get ready to order a two man kayak at the going rate I will order directly from Summit online.
I havent reviewed the ad in Amazon yet to see if they have corrected it but I will after I write this review. All in all this was a crappy online shopping experience and somewhat of a hassle reshipping the kayak.

excellent

On: 2007-07-13

excellent, takes minutes to iflate, can be carried on back or over shoulder in bag. folds pretty easily back into carrying pack. Ive watched the new york fireworks from this, done a 2 night kayak trip from beach to beach, gone around manhattan.

best way to zipper it shut: straddle the pack (one leg on each side of the zipper) and use your legs to push the zipper sides together to zip it.

one slightly annoying thing: the two main valves require a little trick to inflate: only open them barely and then when done inflating, hit the inflating hose (while its still connected to the valve) a couple times with your hand, this will pop the valve closed.

excellent

On: 2007-07-12

excellent, takes minutes to iflate, can be carried on back or over shoulder in bag. folds pretty easily back into carrying pack. Ive watched the new york fireworks from this, done a 2 night kayak trip from beach to beach, gone around manhattan.

best way to zipper it shut: straddle the pack (one leg on each side of the zipper) and use your legs to push the zipper sides together to zip it.

one slightly annoying thing: the two main valves require a little trick to inflate: only open them barely and then when done inflating, hit the inflating hose (while its still connected to the valve) a couple times with your hand, this will pop the valve closed.

Great idea but.....

On: 2007-05-14

I picked up this kayak because after trying to lift a hard shelled kayak to place on top of my SUV, I thought an inflatable would make better sense - both for my back and for my vehicle. The Advanced Elements Kayak looks great & is made of good materials but it is a pain to inflate & one of my valves fell apart upon the 1st attempt to fill it up with air. I think the idea is a good one but the company should invest in some quality control. I gave this product a 2 star rating for the idea of a lighter more convenient boat. After my valve fell apart, I returned the product & went back to buy a hard shelled kayak.

A convenient pleasure

On: 2007-04-04

Weve been doing hardshell sit ins and sit upon kayaking, both touring and in the ocean for years. This year we thought it would be fun during a visit to Venice, Italy to kayak the canals and participate in the Vogalonga. After extensive internet research, it didnt appear that there were any kayak rentals easily available in Venice. A little more research and we stumbled on Advanced Elements 10 foot inflatable as a good possibility to take with us to Italy.
Weve now tried it out locally touring on flat water 4 times and my wife wants to throw out all of our other kayaks. Warning, the first inflation takes about 20 minutes with the manual; after that it takes about 5 minutes. Fully inflated it tracks pretty well and can keep up a good touring pace with hardshell sit ins. Its comfortable to sit in; my wife keeps on asking if its OK to inflate it and put it in the water just to nap in.
The take down is simple, quick and the reverse of inflations. We wipe it down with one of those super absorbant camp towels before stowing it in the carrying bag. Then off it goes into the back of the SUV and laughs at us while we spend the next 45 minutes hoisting and securing the remaining kayaks on top of the truck.
I would definitely recommend it as a well designed and constructed inflatable. Its not a pool toy. Let you know how it likes the Italian food.