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We've found the best inflatable kayaks, priced between £130 to more than £400, from leading brands including Aquaplanet, Intex and ITIWIT.
We tested single, double and three person inflatable kayaks to see how well they perform on the water, how easy they are to transport, and what they're like to set up and then pack up at the end of a long day.
The worst inflatable kayaks don't have enough space for occupants, are a nightmare to handle on the water and even worse to pack up and transport.
But the best are fantastic fun on the water, are comfortable to sit in, and are comparatively easy to set up and pack up again on land. Our watersports experts and novice kayaks found three that they agreed were the best inflatable kayaks. Read on to discover which we recommend as our Best Buys.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the inflatable kayak test results below.
Inflatable kayak | Stability | Glide | Manoeuvrability | Portability | Where to buy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | ||
Good | Good | Excellent | Poor | ||
Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | ||
Good | Good | Good | Good | ||
Good | Average | Average | Good | ||
Excellent | Poor | Average | Poor | ||
Good | Average | Average | Poor |
Date tested: February 2023. Page last checked: 23 February 2024. We're not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
All the inflatable kayaks we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best inflatable kayaks from our tests.
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Available from Aqua Marina UK (£216)
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Need to know: One person kayak. 312cm long and 80cm wide when inflated. Reinforced PVC material. Carry bag, paddle, foot pump, double fins and puncture repair kit included.
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Need to know: Two person kayak. 412cm long and 80cm wide when inflated. Reinforced PVC material. Carry bag, two paddles, a foot pump, puncture repair and two fins included.
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Need to know: Two person kayak. 320cm long and 90cm wide when inflated. Premium polyester fabric. Carry bag, two paddles, a foot pump and two fins included.
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Need to know: Two person kayak. 84cm long and 97cm wide when inflated. Polyester fabric. Carry bag, paddle, hand pump, one fin included.
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Need to know: Two person kayak. 280cm long and 88cm wide when inflated. Nylon fabric material. One paddle, hand pump and stability fins included (does not come with a carry bag).
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Need to know: Two person kayak. 351cm long and 76cm wide when inflated. Vinyl fabric. Two paddles, one hand pump and stability fins included (does not come with a carry bag).
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Need to know: Two or three person kayak. 382cm long and 108cm wide when inflated. 100% polyester fabric. It has a carry bag, but it does not come with a pump or paddle - you need to buy these separately.
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Need to know: One or two person kayak. 365cm long and 103cm wide when inflated Polyester mix fabric, quick drying tarpaulin. It has a carry bag, but it does not come with paddles or a pump - you need to buy these separately.
Available from Wow Camping (£314.95), and Cotswold Outdoor (£399.20)
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Need to know: Two person kayak. 327cm long and 93cm wide when inflated. Polyester fabric. Pressure gauge, two paddles, foot pump and puncture repair kit included. Carry bag is a holdall style rather than a backpack.
To find the best inflatable kayaks, we recruit novice paddlers and qualified experts to help us rate each inflatable kayak on a calm lake in Surrey.
We'd like to thank Skip Innes, owner and head coach, and Grant Bristow, Open Water Lifeguard, at The SHAC at Buckland Park in Surrey, who helped facilitate our most recent inflatable kayak test, and kept our testers safe on the water.
We regularly revisit the inflatable kayaks on sale to see if there are any more popular versions that need testing and when we find them we do.
Find out more about how Which? is not influenced by product manufacturers or retailers and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.
We rate each inflatable kayak for:
See our reviews of the best paddleboards
Yes, you need a licence, or the necessary permissions from the local authority to put your kayak in the water on almost any of the UK's inland waterways. A British Canoeing on the Water membership (£47 for an adult) gives you a licence that opens up 4,500km of rivers, canals and waterways in England and Wales for you to enjoy.
Alternatively, you can kayak at a variety of private lakes and waterways around the country, as long as you have sought the correct permissions and licences. On most inland waterways you can attain a licence for different time periods, often from as little as a day, which may be a cheaper option than an annual membership, depending how often you intend to use your kayak.