Customer Reviews

Sevylor Inflatable Pointer K1 Kayak

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I purchased this as a straight recreational "fun boat"...what I received was a very stable, comfortable, and straight tracking kayak!!

Don't let the "inflatable" in the name scare you away...this is a truly awesome kayak, that I am proud to paddle!!

Folks in their "tupperware" kayaks are always asking me where I got this boat.

the only downside I have found is that when your are paddling hard, the inevitable paddle drip will eventually seep through the nylon top deck...nothing a little ScotchGuard, and the included spray skirt won't fix .

Do yourself a favor.....BUY IT!!!

Good beginner kayak..

Works well in lakes and ponds... Not meant for anyone over 5'10 or 200 lbs...

A friend and I rode down the upper Allegheny river and kept bottoming out in shallow water. This kayak is essentially a raft. The part of the raft under your butt constantly hits the bottom in shallow water and bows in the middle.

The spray skirt it useless since the nylon top is NOT WATERPROOF... This is a summer kayak only and you will get wet. I would never take this boat in cold water..

The kayak does not propel through the water as quickly as a fiberglass o r plastic one does... You have to paddle twice as hard as others who are in non inflatable boats..

Also, I had the same problem as others when trying to get a wet boat back into the bag.

This kayak is much cheaper than the plastic and fiberglass ones in the stores... You pay for what you get...

For beginners and children this is a good kayak.. For adults and those who want to stay dry keep looking...

I bought this as a gift for my friend, who was thrilled. She absolutely loves it. She was using it smoothly right away without any practice, and she covers plenty of flat distance with little effort and no control trouble.

On the other hand, when she suggested I give it a try myself, I couldn't really get in and out -- she's small, I'm big (and not limber), and this is more a smaller person's boat.

She does get kinda wet riding this. She doesn't care -- never uses the spray skirt.

I bought this IK instead of a hardshell because it is easier to transport, I don't have to buy an extra roof rack, and I can take it on a plane if I want. I wanted an Advanced Frame, but I couldn't pass this one up because of the price (almost 50% less)! It's not perfect, but I think I got a very good deal for the money. I've taken this out on the lake already, but no rivers.

Pros:
- Looks good;
- Very stable and sturdy;
- Affordable;
- Comfortable seat;
- The cargo hatch in the back is a nice feature;
- Tracking and speed are ok;
- Stays pretty dry inside;
- Easy, quick set-up and inflation (about 5-10 minutes).

Cons:
- Leg & foot room is pretty tight;
- Storage bag is a little cumbersome (but it's a big boat!)
- A hardshell or pricier IK would probably track better & be quicker;
- Fishing from this boat would probably be awkward;
- Would like more storage space;
- Foot pump is not included (contrary to what Amazon listing indicates).

All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase...I'm even planning to buy another one so I can take a friend with me!

This kayak, while not perfect, is an excellent value. It's much better constructed than the cheap inflatables you often see, and tracks well while being very maneuverable and stable. I've been out on Lake Michigan with it and it was manageable in 3' waves, though I did take on some water when they came over the bow, despite the spray skirt. As for speed, I was able to maintain 3.5 mph with little-moderate effort in a fair amount of chop and was able to get up between 4-5 mph on calm water with moderate effort (GPS measured, little wind). Primary complaints: it takes over 24 hours to dry (be sure to flip it over to allow the material between the hull and flotation tubes to dry) and lacks an included pump (Amazon's description is, as of this writing, incorrect). Overall, I would recommend this as a great alternative for someone who can't store/transport a hardshell (I walk mine 1/2 mile to the lake, pump it up and head out...it's a blast!).

Based on the reviews I read, I had high expectations. But I was thoroughly disappointed by the quality of the kayak. 3 leaks in three outings!! All without any punctures from the outside. The quality of the inner tubes is very poor. All leaks were right at the seams, and very close together. I attributed the first one to overinflation. But that was definetely not the case for the next 2. And since they're all within a few inches of each other, I have to attribute the leaks to poor quality. The kayak is also not for people with average or above average size feet. They don't fit inside.
This kayak is too unreliable to use outside of a swimming pool! Not even deserving the one star I had to give it.

I also have an Advancedframe Kayak, which is wonderful, and absolutely trouble free. That I would give 5 stars!

I got this kayak on sale at Academy for $199 and that was a super low price for this boat. I highly doubt one could find a better inflatable Kayak then this one, especially looking at the price. Like a hard shell but it is all inflatable. I have used it 8 times already... in the ocean, lakes, waterways, bayous, you name it. It tracks excellent and it will glide too especially in calmer waters. Its extremely stable, I had it in 3 foot white caps in large open water with 20-25mph head winds and had no problems at all. It cutts through the wind and waves without a lot of effort. It has a lot of storage space in the stern and on top the bow. A great quality boat that will take a lot to puncture. It is not as fast as my sisters hard shell Pelican Pursuit 100, but it is more stable and has more storage. In the end, it is fast enough and I am willing to bet it is one of the most versatile kayaks you can get for the money. I would take this boat anywhere in any kind of water, rough, calm, open, or inland whatever. It only has 3 chambers and inflates in about 4 min with a manual bellows foot pump I got for $5.00 also at Academy. It deflates in about 1 min, seriously. If you want an inflatable kayak, you can't go wrong with this one! I like to think quality is similar to the higher priced $500+ inflatable kayaks such as the Advanced Frame. A 5-star on this one so I had to let others know about it.

I have had mine for less than a year and one of the bladders is shot. For no reason the seams blow out faster than I can fix them. Replacements can't be found anywhere and the customer service is nonexistent. $300 down the drain. I really really don't want to be in the middle of a lake and hear that pop-whoooooooooosooosh sound again.

My first impressions of the Pointer K1 were pretty good. The bottom two thirds of the kayak is rubberized and appeared quite tough, while the ABS plastic inserts in both the front and back of the boat really helped define the shape of the hull. Once inflated along with the piece of deck ABS to assist with shedding of water, the flat pile of fabric I had laid out on my lawn finally started to take on the shape of an actual kayak. While the fabric material used for the Colorado is extremely stout, the fabric on the Pointer is just a mid-weight nylon fabric much like that found in backpacks, however for the most part, it is only really exposed on the inside and the deck areas, so it presumably doesn't need to be exceptionally tough, though it will let water through the deck with prolonged exposure unless you coat it with a water resistant spray.

Attaching the strap on the back of the seat to the rear deck helps pull it up and hold its shape, and the portal cover cinches down surprisingly tight with its simple shock corded system. At the fore and aft of the kayak are very sturdy carrying handles should you want to carry it with two people, though honestly it is small and light enough that it is very easy to just sling the cockpit over your shoulder and walk off with it. The bungee cord attached to the deck is functional, and with the ABS plastic insert below deck, I found I was able to carry a few things up there without it sagging, though I wouldn't put anything truly heavy there.

On the sides of the boat are simple shock cords with hooks that allow you to attach your paddle to the side when stopped or when you decide to drift and the "keep it simple stupid" method works very well here. Another little perk is the mesh bag that attaches just inside the deck in between your legs, providing secure storage for sunglasses, keys/wallet or a water bottle. The attaching cord is long enough that you can move it to the side, or swing it onto the top deck and under the bungee cords there to keep it out of the way. As an added bonus, the kayak's adjustable seat is actually surprisingly comfortable, offering very solid lower back support. The structure of the boat itself of course depends on inflation, and when properly inflated using either a pump with a gauge or the Coleman gauge sold separately, the kayak is actually surprisingly rigid in shape, but soft and comfortable to ride in. As an added bonus, if it didn't already come with enough clever features it comes with an included spray skit for white water, and considering that this boat can be had for just over $200 it is honestly astounding that you can get so much for so little.

When properly inflated to 1.5psi as per the instruction manual, the kayak does in fact track quite well, and to be perfectly honest, I was quite surprised at this. In nearly all of the negative themed reviews people complained of tracking, speed compared to a fiberglass boat and finally a few with popped bladders. Comparing a $230 inflatable to even the cheapest hardshell with regards to speed is just nonsense, and as for tracking and bladder issues, I cannot say for certain but they are both directly related to improper inflation and on that note, with inflatables no electric air mattress pump will give you the proper pressure; it can take you 90% of the way, but you'll need to finish if off with a hand pump that ideally has a pressure gauge built in, or stop and check every so often to ensure you don't over-inflate the tubes.

If I have one complaint, that would be the size inside the boat. I am 5'10" with size 11 1/2 feet and I do find that I have to go barefoot, which is acceptable, however I still must wedge my feet into the front just a tad, or angle them straight up. I would personally only recommend this kayak to people shorter than 5'10" and most likely this will become my wife's (who is 5'4") as it would be an absolutely perfect fit. While I've only had it out for a few hours at a time, it did start to get slightly uncomfortable in the foot area towards the end, so I'm not sure how well it would work on a longer "expedition" style trip along the coast, or across larger bodies of water. That said, this boat is actually remarkably versatile, briefly setting the size issue aside you can use this for calm rivers and lakes, you can take it into mild ocean waters and due to its size, maneuverability, and stability, with the included spray skirt, it would pull duty as a whitewater kayak with ease.

So where do I put this kayak? I give it a very solid 4, and if I could do half or quarter stars, I'd likely put it at 4 and a quarter. With stronger waterproof deck material and a little more leg room, this could be a solid contender for a 5 in my book as a light to medium duty recreational kayak, which is exactly what it was intended for. Performance on the water is great, it packs light and small, and the whole boat costs as much as some expensive kayak paddles. Keeping in mind that the only other kayak in this price range is twice as much and does not include a spray skirt, this is simply a fantastic deal on a fun boat.

very recommendable. good quality. easy to handle. white water kayaking possible. fold it, take it on a plane and enjoy wherever you want.
if you are tall, your legs may have not enough room. if water is inside, its difficult to dry out the kayak completely.
people ask and compliment this kayak all the time.
i also own the K2 two seater. which is great for recreational use. lots of room for two people. very easy to handle and a comfortable ride.
i say: the best of two worlds. a real kayak and "foldinflate".