Innova Inflatable Kayaks: Still Innovative and Indispensable

Innova Inflatable Kayak Reviews

Belonging to an elite group, Innova inflatable kayaks are considered by kayakers to be among the best pump-up kayaks in the world. Far more versatile than a hardshell, these portable little buggers are ideal for wilderness river put-ins after just a few minutes of inflating with a foot pump.

Five Star Reviews

Once you start reading a few reviews on Innova inflatable kayaks, you start to wonder if these things are just about the greatest invention since the world began. A negative word? Narry a one in the bunch.

Innova has designed a line-up that offers a kayak for any intended purpose: these inflatables are good for river running and wilderness trekking, fishing quiet waters, tagging along on a float trip with a raft group, or just paddle fun at a lake or beach.

Here’s a quick look the outstanding line-up of Innova inflatable kayaks:

• Safari – a new self-bailing, definite rocker, compact kayak with a low profile. With thigh straps as standard equipment, it allows for Eskimo rolling, technical paddling, and ocean surfing.

• Solar – 24 pounds of fun. This mighty 10’ Innova inflatable is the entry-level kayak yet offers the same tough 1200 denier based material as the advanced models. It even comes in its own airline carry-on backpack.

Compare Innova Inflatable Kayaks Here


• Sunny – the Sunny is a single or tandem kayak which has been redesigned to pack smaller and lighter, and offers improved back support. More stable than the Helios, the 12’8” Sunny comes with a removable tracking fin.
• Helios II – this legendary kayak now features Innova’s new Lite-Pack fabric for lighter weight and less abrasion against bare skin. The Helios, which Innova calls the all-terrain bike of inflatable kayaks, won the Reader’s Choice Award in Sea Kayaker magazine in 2005. New for 2009 is the Helios I — a single-seater version of the Helios II.

• Vagabond - a kayak that handles canoe duties for multi-day adventures.
• Orinoco – for more advanced water, the self-bailing Orinoco can be paddled from a kneeling position for river trekking.
• K1 and K2 - for big Class IV whitewater and expeditions, these kayaks feature backrests, footrests, thigh straps, and large self-bailing holes.
• Traveller – a short, high performance whitewater kayak with a semi-rigid cockpit, an inflatable deck, and a spray skirt.

PVC-Free

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is claimed by some environmental groups to give off dioxins. Innova is working to making all their kayaks PVC free, using Nitrylon coating, a blend of natural rubber, in its place. Nitrylon is both puncture and abrasion resistant, and performs better in cold weather than PVC.

Just All-Around Awesome

Contrary to popular belief, Innova kayaks are affordable and there’s a solo or tandem model suitable to every purpose and budget. These inflatables are stable enough for landing a lunker with a lot of spunk left in him, and forgiving enough for a nervous novice kayaker to hit Class III whitewater on Day 2 of lessons. But listen to experienced kayakers, who are the best salesmen for these boats; ask any one of them and they’ll tell you they prefer their Helios or Sunny over any other pump-up kayak or canoe they’ve ever owned. Best of all: with proper care, Innova inflatable kayaks will last a lifetime.

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