Sevylor Inflatable Kayak Review

The Sevylor inflatable kayak was the first widely available inflatable kayak. It's been around since the 1960's. That's 15 to 20 years longer than most other inflatable kayak.

It's been the butt of many jokes from hard boat paddlers and outfitters.

Still, thousands of people have had a great time in them.

And, there is a whitewater outfitter that has been using them to take guest down some of the great whitewater rivers of the western U.S. since 1969.

Sevylor is the Rodney Dangerfield of inflatable kayaks. It doesn't get any respect.

The first inflatable kayak I owned was a Sevylor. That was in the late 1980's. I paddled the lower Green River (Class I & II.) We made it down the river without incident. We even survived the laughs and sneers of the hard boat paddlers on the river. We used it a couple more times and then sold it for about half of our purchase price.

I didn't love the Sevylor inflatable kayak. I didn't hate it. I did want something stronger.

In the last few years, Sevylor has built some inflatable kayaks that are much stronger.

Please note: Sevylor makes several different inflatable kayaks. Some are better than others. This review doesn't cover specific Sevylor inflatable kayaks.

Learn how the new XK takes Sevylor from Rodney Dangerfield to Aretha...

Is the Sevylor inflatable kayak a good value?

For the right person in the right situation, it can be a good value.

Consider compare other boats before you buy a Sevylor. It may be a good boat for you.

The Good

Widely available.

The Bad

Some of the models do not have as much structural integrity as I would like.

The material the boat is made out of is not the best for an inflatable kayak.

What can you do with this inflatable kayak?

Sevylor makes lots of pool toys. Their inflatable kayaks can serve that purpose, but they can do more.

Would I use this boat on a lake?

The Sevylor inflatable kayak built for whitewater would not do good on a lake. It tracks poorly, isn't extremely stable, and it's light weight makes it more prone to getting pushed around by the wind.

The Sevylor sea kayaks should do great on a lake.

Please note that most inflatables don't perform well on lakes. The exceptions are those inflatables built for touring and/or sea kayaking.

Inflatables give you more stability. The trade off is more drag. You're going to work harder to move an inflatable on a lake. And, if you get a windy day, you could be fighting to make much progress at all.

Would I take Sevylor inflatable kayak on a calm water river?

Yes, it would do okay.

Would I take this inflatable kayak on Class II whitewater?

For the lower end models, probably not.

Some of the newer whitewater models would do great on Class II whitewater.

Can the Sevylor inflatable kayak handle Class IV whitewater?

For the lower end models, no.

Some of the newer whitewater models are built to handle Class IV whitewater? I would probably go with a different brand if I planned to run much big whitewater.

Can this inflatable be used for fishing?

Sevylor does make some models that are designed for fishing.

Their whitewater inflatable kayaks are not good fishing boats.

Could this inflatable kayak be used for an overnight or multi-day trip?

The newer sea kayak models of Sevylor inflatable kayak could work good for overnight or multi-day trips on the right water.

Can I resale this boat if it doesn't work out for me?

Overall Recommendation

You're not going to get a lot of respect in a Sevylor, but you may have a lot of fun.

Sevylor can be a great boat for you, but don't buy one until you have explored other options. You may find out that Sevylor is the boat for you. If so, enjoy.

About This Review

The reviews are based on years of experience with inflatable kayaks.

In the end, this review, like all reviews, reflects personal opinion.


Here's the outfitter that runs whitewater in a Sevylor inflatable kayak...