Optimal Double Seater Inflatable Kayak

Very simply - can’t fault it. We wanted a double kayak with shallow draft, good tracking and powerful glide to push against the ebbing tide in Poole harbour, that can travel in or in my Jimny. After its first trip out we are thrilled. It tracks very well without the fin attached if required, is very stable which is important as we are well past middle age. It is also very comfortable allowing us to paddle on longer journeys without becoming too fatigued. Plenty of room to take kit in canoe bags and I like the idea of being able to put water bottles in the seat pockets. We are totally confident to take the kayak out on any water (in suitable conditions for kayaks). Delivery was super reliable and service first class. Absolutely recommend.

We are thrilled with our new inflatable kayak - the service was great and the product exceeds our expectations. I rang the day before Prue's birthday to discuss availability and the shop got one out and ready for my son-in-law to collect later that same day, so it was presented to Prue on the day itself and went into active service later that afternoon.
I was really impressed by how rigid the kayak is once it's pumped up - didn't take too long to inflate and we were on the water very quickly. We were both delighted with the speed and manoeuvrability of the kayak in the water, felt remarkably like the rigid ones we had been using in Greece a week before, but so good that it can be deflated and easily stored and carried around. The grand-children also loved it straightaway and it is now in high demand.
All-in-all a great experience and a super product.

I'm about as likely to write a review as I am to buy a kayak without doing a buttload of research first. Either way, here we are.

After realising inflatable kayaks were a thing these days, and then realising I didn't have to invest in a roof rack, chiropractor and psychiatric appointments to get my daughter involved in a passion I've had since I was younger, I started the hunt. Took me a while to hear of drop stitch tech, but as soon as I did, and weighed up the pros and cons, I realised that was the perfect balance between hardshell ambitions and realistic logistics - the unicorn of all paddlers.

After annoying the team at Sandbanks with many questions... on an actual phone call (numerous times in a single day - talk about the good old halcyon days of customer service) I went for the Optimal double. One word: amazing.

Pros:

As stable as they all say.

Performs as well, if not better than a lot of hardshells I've been lumbered with over the years.

Tracks like a dream.

Looks very cool - we all know that's important.

Exceptionally rugged (I was led down a path with nettles and protruding branches that gave me a heart attack - not a puncture to be seen, despite several glancing blows).

Gives a satisfying thud when slapped.

More spacious than you'd think, especially if you're not planning multi-days or don't require an air mattress and 40-inch TV to enjoy a night on the banks. I had easily enough space to stow two 20l dry bags between our legs and still have the bungees free for bigger fare.

The paddles are a decent step up from most beginner sets.

The seats are a lot more comfortable than my ageing back expected.

Great amount of glide.

Also, a lot faster than my mate's Itiwit X100: 'it looks like you aren't even trying' - smug!

The one con:

It's not as light as you'd imagine for something that's inflatable... but a second paddler, who isn't my five year old daughter, or a pair of wheels, and that isn't a huge problem at all - I still managed two lock portages on the hottest day of the year. And, remember, the extra weight is where the increased durability is... mad not to take the trade-off.

The verdict?

It changed my perception of what's possible with some PVC and a hand pump - a total game changer. From exceptional customer service to hearing my five year old daughter say 'daddy, I love kayaking', this isn't just a great purchase... it's responsible for the proudest dad moment I've had so far.

I run an adventure travel company that has kayaking on calm waters as one of its mainstay activities, and have to say that these kayaks have moved things on considerably from the inflatable boats we used to use. Brilliant quality, superb tracking, speed through the water every bit as good as a rigid, comfort and space far in excess of a sit-on-top, way better for beginners than a sit-inside. They take 10 minutes to inflate by hand and just two to pack up, and the fact that they look stylish too is just a bonus.

Quibbles are few: the seat squabs and drop stitch floor combo can be tough on the bum after a few hours, and at 4.3m they’re not the easiest boat to turn. Otherwise, I can’t think of a better purchase for the money for what we do.

This really is an excellent kayak, which works well either as a one- or two-person boat. It's easy to carry either in its bag or fully inflated, quick to set up, and simple to pack away. Once it's deflated (which is very fast) and dried off, it folds to fit in the bag easily and with plenty of room to spare. I had no trouble with any part of this as a solo user.

On the water, the boat is much more stable than one might expect, and it makes a decent speed if required. I found that the skeg makes a huge difference in achieving directional stability: without it, the boat was surprisingly susceptible to currents and wind. With the skeg fitted, it kept nice and straight, yet I had no difficulty turning tightly when required, even solo.

With two on board, there's room to take enough kit for a comfortable day trip if one makes use of the bungee cords on the decks. With only one person though, deck space is plentiful, and the boat still handles with ease: this is probably how I'll use it most often. I'm glad I chose the two-person Optimal over the one-or two-person Explorer.

Build quality seems excellent. I've found a small amount of wear on the bottom of the bag after a few trips and a D-ring on one of the packing-away straps snapped, but I count these as pretty inconsequential. I think the seats are comfortable and I've no complaints with the paddles, though I can see that they'll start to move as usage wears the fittings. I've made a footrest for single paddling: basically a length of hose inside a foam pool noodle. One of the straps will hold it in place through existing D-rings on the boat.

While the pump that's been supplied works pretty well, it's slow, hard work to inflate the boat fully. An electric pump makes a big difference - but it might be difficult to find one with a big enough battery to inflate two decks to 10-12PSI.

Overall, this is a first class boat and I'm very pleased with it indeed. Buy one and enjoy the freedom of paddling when and where you like without being restricted to hiring!