I had the opportunity to take the Intex Excursion Pro inflatable kayak on a seaworthiness test. We live in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, so there are many opportunities for kayaking adventures.
Since we live in a very small apartment, a hard-shelled kayak would have been out of the question. We took a look at various inflatable kayaks and after some research settled on the Intex Excursion Pro.
The Excursion Pro is not a top of the line kayak. It is neither the fastest or the toughest on the market. We did feel though that it combines some of the best features of both worlds at an affordable price even in Canada.
This kayak is manufactured using PVC. PVC otherwise known as vinyl is a common material used in making many inflatable kayaks. It has the advantage of being easily workable, it glues and seams well, is durable, and can handle UV exposure. It is also relatively inexpensive.
The part that sets this kayak apart from the other entry-level kayaks is its durability. The cheap kayaks are also made of PVC, but just a single layer making them very puncture prone.
This Kayak is made using 3 layers. Two outer layers of PVC with an inner layer of polyester fabric. This gives the kayak ripstop properties as well as preventing the stretching of the PVC making a more rigid kayak when fully inflated.
The layout of the kayak is practical. It is 12 feet long and 3 feet 1 inch wide. This kayak can handle 2 medium-sized people comfortably if the seats are positioned correctly.
We were able to take the kayak on a 3-day kayak trip by strapping our backpacks on top of the front and back decks. We found that once we sat into the kayak it felt very stable with the weight evenly distributed. Having the backpacks on top of the decks allowed for ample foot room. We did not use the kayak footrests finding that they were more of a liability than an asset.
Our first few times trying the kayak out we took it to lakes. It performed very well even in slightly windy conditions. I decided to try the kayak out in the ocean.
On the day I took the kayak out in the ocean I converted the kayak into single-mode. You can easily un velcro the seat from the back and move it to the middle of the kayak.
I took the kayak out on a fairly calm day. I first launched the kayak in a sheltered bay. I began to paddle out towards the mouth of the bay. The paddling was easy and comfortable. I could see right down to the bottom with my polarized sunglasses. The conditions were foggy with a slight breeze. There were hardly any waves.
I used the booster seat that came with the kayak. I found using the booster seat makes the kayak easier to paddle with less water getting into the kayak. The kayak paddles feel short without the booster, with it they feel about the right length.
As I moved out of the shelter of the bay I began to feel and notice the swell of the open ocean. The area I was paddling in was slightly sheltered by a few islands, so I wasn’t completely unprotected.
The kayak felt stable in the swell and I was able to easily control it. Using the large skeg that comes with the kit makes the kayak track a very straight line. I think with 2 people and gear the kayak would feel even more stable than in an empty kayak with only 1 person.
The area that I kayaked in was about 40 minutes outside of Halifax. It was very close to Crystal Crescent beach. There were a few homes along the way, but once I moved out of the harbor there was no human activity. This is the great thing about living in Halifax Nova Scotia. Halifax itself has all the amenities of a large city but a very small population of around 400,000 – 500,000 people.
The ocean is all around us here and having an inflatable kayak gives me the opportunity to get out and enjoy what we have. There are limitless paddling opportunities with a coastline that nearly encircles Nova Scotia making it almost an island if it wasn’t for a small piece of land connecting us to the mainland.
So can you bring an inflatable kayak in the ocean? My conclusion is that yes this kayak can be most certainly used in the ocean. It is durable, stable and handles well even in windy conditions. This conclusion is of course relative and there are many conditions that I would advise not taking this kayak out in. However, if using common sense and not taking unnecessary risks this kayak works great in the salt.