Driftsun Almanor Inflatable Recreational Touring Kayak with EVA Padded Seats with High Back Support, Includes Paddles, Pump (1 Person, 2 Person, 2 Plus 1 Child)

I researched almost all inflatable kayaks prior to purchasing the Almanor 130 and I believe I made the right decision. Everything is well thought out, especially the portability. I read many people having problems repacking with some brands, Driftsun provides a true solution for transporting this kayak from the parking lot or wherever down to the water. The bag can be carried by two people using straps on either side, or one person using a central strap, or one person using the built-in shoulder straps (my favorite). The shoulder straps are great but you need to have something to "park" the bag on like a bench or picnic table when you go to get in or out of it as bending down to the ground is a bit hard at least for me. I'm only 128 lbs. and the whole package is about 45 lbs. on your back. A second person could help lift it on or off your back. But when you think about it, your entire ride is in that bag; the kayak, paddles, seats, foot rests, keel, pump and I even had room for two self-inflating life vests. Inflating is very easy with the supplied pump, takes about 10 minutes, stick on the keel, place the seats and footrests where they're comfortable for you, assemble the paddles and you're ready to go. There's space in the bow and stern to roll up the bag and place the pump if you didn't want to return them to your car. The floor is solid enough to stand up on when getting in and out and you're not going to tip this thing over, the side tubes are very wide. The seats are well padded and provide plenty of back support and are easily adjustable depending on how straight you want your back. Both my wife and I are 128 lbs. and we find sitting between the side tubes they are right up against our hips, not tight but comfortable. However, if you are significantly wider in the hips you might find it a "snug" fit. Paddling the Driftsun is a breeze even in a breeze. We are using it mostly on lakes and protected rivers, it tracks surprisingly straight when paddling. When my wife got tired, I had no problem paddling it myself a half mile or more across the lake with a pretty stiff wind blowing. Construction looks good as the material is heavy and has extra protection (rubber skeg under the bow) for beaching and added padding where your hands or paddles would rub on the side tubes. We got compliments from other kayakers immediately upon inflating and while on the water, the color scheme and overall look is very pleasing on the eye. As with any inflatable, you want to make sure its dry before storing but its not necessary for just transporting. We wiped the water off with a towel after returning and in 10 minutes it was mostly dry. The fabric top holds wetness versus the rubber underside. We deflated and packed everything back into the bag (keep the foam protector that's supplied with the keel mount as it protects the rest of the hull from getting an indentation when folded up). After we get it home I do a partial inflation and leave it outside until the topside and inside edge of the side tubes where they contact the floor are dry. Overall we are very happy with this purchase and look forward to taking it camping with us. It comes with repair patches but no glue as its considered dangerous goods and can't be shipped by air. However, a quick call to the company in CA and you'll receive a small tube in the mail with a couple of more patches. I really can't find any fault at this point, we've only used it twice and I'll update with some photos and any useable information going forward. On a very minor note, I might look for longer paddles at some point to reduce water dripping off the ends and into the boat. Even though there are rubble washers supplied for each end of the paddle to keep water from running down the handle, water still comes off the paddle and wets the top of the side tubes. This is VERY minor since you're in a kayak after all, not a motor yacht.

We love everything about this kayak! It's easy to inflate, assemble, and get on the water in under 15 minutes. Very comfortable for two adults, but also very manageable for one. Easy to paddle and tracks well. Everything repacks quickly and easily into the bag. Bag also has room for our lifejackets & frisbee, so we can carry everything down to the water in one trip. It's so much easier than loading a hard kayak on top of the car, just toss it in the back and we're ready to go. We only paddled lakes and ponds this summer. Will have to find some rivers next summer. Most importantly we got on the water way more often than with hard kayaks.

As other reviews have mentioned, this kayak has plenty of room,and is quite stable. Our first voyage was a 5 mile stretch of the Tualatin River that was quite lazy and slow, but there were numerous submerged tree branches to navigate around. Inevitably we ran over quiet a few that we weren’t able to navigate around. I was concerned because some of them had pointy nubs and the idea of puncturing the boat floor crossed my mind more than once. However the hide is pretty tough...no leaks.One issue I have/had was that the floor bladder was misshapen or more accurately described as asymmetrical which caused the boat to have a tendency to drift left. I contacted the seller about this and they immediately sent a new bladder, no questions asked. I don’t know if the floor bladder issue has occurred with other boats as well but the great customer support was appreciated!

I was unsure how an inflatable kayak would handle for hours on the river. I've taken out my Driftsun numerous times, in both calm and choppy conditions. It's sturdy construction handles really well. It's easy to inflate (6-8 minutes) and light enough to carry on my own to the launch dock. There's plenty of room to stretch out my legs and to store the hand-pump and my 30L dry bag. The hold straps at the front and secures my camping gear easily.

This is my first kayak and it's a lot of fun taking it out in the local lake or in the ocean when I go on vacation. It takes about 10 minutes to inflate with the included hand pump and then a couple more minutes to put the seat in. It's spacious especially if you configure it with one seat. I'm 6' 2" (188cm) tall and there is plenty of room for myself and supplies. I haven't tried the dual seat configuration yet since summer ended but I will try it out with a friend next year. The bag it includes is useful for keeping all parts together when traveling or storing everything. Overall I'm very happy with the kayak

The build quality of this thing is incredible. The flotation bladders are fully enclosed in zip chambers. The seats are very comfortable. It packs up in an easy to handle bag with pack strap. It’s very easy to inflate.

Highly impressed with this kayak! I was skeptical buying due to the few reviews, but after doing months of researchi decided to pull the trigger. I couldn't be happier! Set up is straight forward and takes minutes. Our first voyage was a 10-12 mile journey in Lake Tahoe on a windy day full of boats. The lake was choppy but the Almanor handled well. Overall the kayak is roomy and comfortable. Definitely a worth while investment!

We bought 2 kayaks and returned 1. My husband likes his. I'm wide in the hips and didn't like that the handles and strap connections are located on the inside thereby pressing into my hips. My substitute kayak the Rover 120 has the handles on top thereby resolving my issue. Everybody happy now. Seller was response was excellent.