I bought the intex Explorer and the intex Excursion Pro at the same time. In my opinion the Excursion Pro is worth the extra $135. The material the Excursion is made of a much heavier ruberized textile not just plastic like the Explorer. Both paddle well and I'm confident that either kayak will serve you just fine for occasional recreation. For long term durability and impression of fit and finish the Excursion is just much nicer.
I haven't owned a kayak before but I've paddled a few around and I've paddled hundreds of miles in a canoe. Both kayaks track well and respond quickly to your paddling.
One thing worth noting if you're planning on using the Excursion Pro for fishing. The rod holders point inward. Meaning if you put a rod in both rod holders they will literally cross. This makes the rod holders basically unusable for fishing or even transport. I added a couple Scotty rod holders to solve this problem. With a couple rail adapters they work great with the included accesory rail. I'm also not a fan of the paddle although that might just be because of my extensive canoe experience. So, I will probably just switch to a canoe paddle or maybe try a longer kayak paddle. Everything else is better than expected. The seatinging in both kayaks is pretty modular to set it up for one or two people. The seats are relatively comfortable considering that they're inflatable. The foot rests work well. The pump nozzle and the pressure guage both lock into the valves and work great (a feature lacking on the explorer). The extra seat pad included with the Excursion pro is a must have in my opinion and I'll be ordering one for the Explorer as well if intex will sell me one.
All in all I'm very pleased with both. If you can afford it buy the Excursion Pro over the Explorer. The excursion just feels and looks like a much higher end kayak than the explorer. But if your budget is tight enough both kayaks paddle and handle well and either will put a smile on your face out on the water.
Update 5/9/19
I added a Garmin Striker 4 fish finder mounted on a plano 1364 tackle box. The battery fits in the top of the tackle box with plenty of room to spare. I fixed the transducer to the skeg using a piece of aluminum stock and a few nuts/bolts. This thing is now a fishing machine.
Also, buy an anchor or you're gonna wish you had one pretty quickly.
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From the manufacturer
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| Excursion Pro K2 | Explorer K2 | Challenger K2 | Challenger K1 | Dakota K2 | |
| Inflated Size | 12'7" X 3'1" X 1'6" | 10'3" X 3' X 1'8" | 11'6" X 2'6" X 1'3" | 9' X 2'6" X 1'1" | 10'3" X 3' X 1'8" |
| Kayak Weight | 39.01 lb | 30.60 lb | 33.53 lb | 23.9 lb | 30.60 lb |
| Persons Capacity | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Weight Capacity | 400 lb (180 kg) | 400 lb (180 kg) | 400 lb (180 kg) | 220 lb (100 kg) | 400 lb (180 kg) |
| 3-Ply Laminate Construction with Polyester Core | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
| Air Chambers | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Integrated Fishing Rod Holders | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Skegs Included | Standard directional & shallow water directional | Standard directional | Standard directional | Standard directional | Standard directional & shallow water directiona |
| Inflatable Booster Pad for Elevated Seating | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
Customer Questions & Answers
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2019
I haven't owned a kayak before but I've paddled a few around and I've paddled hundreds of miles in a canoe. Both kayaks track well and respond quickly to your paddling.
One thing worth noting if you're planning on using the Excursion Pro for fishing. The rod holders point inward. Meaning if you put a rod in both rod holders they will literally cross. This makes the rod holders basically unusable for fishing or even transport. I added a couple Scotty rod holders to solve this problem. With a couple rail adapters they work great with the included accesory rail. I'm also not a fan of the paddle although that might just be because of my extensive canoe experience. So, I will probably just switch to a canoe paddle or maybe try a longer kayak paddle. Everything else is better than expected. The seatinging in both kayaks is pretty modular to set it up for one or two people. The seats are relatively comfortable considering that they're inflatable. The foot rests work well. The pump nozzle and the pressure guage both lock into the valves and work great (a feature lacking on the explorer). The extra seat pad included with the Excursion pro is a must have in my opinion and I'll be ordering one for the Explorer as well if intex will sell me one.
All in all I'm very pleased with both. If you can afford it buy the Excursion Pro over the Explorer. The excursion just feels and looks like a much higher end kayak than the explorer. But if your budget is tight enough both kayaks paddle and handle well and either will put a smile on your face out on the water.
Update 5/9/19
I added a Garmin Striker 4 fish finder mounted on a plano 1364 tackle box. The battery fits in the top of the tackle box with plenty of room to spare. I fixed the transducer to the skeg using a piece of aluminum stock and a few nuts/bolts. This thing is now a fishing machine.
Also, buy an anchor or you're gonna wish you had one pretty quickly.
Verified Purchase
Excursion pro and Explorer
By ColoradoWoodsman on April 4, 2019
I bought the intex Explorer and the intex Excursion Pro at the same time. In my opinion the Excursion Pro is worth the extra $135. The material the Excursion is made of a much heavier ruberized textile not just plastic like the Explorer. Both paddle well and I'm confident that either kayak will serve you just fine for occasional recreation. For long term durability and impression of fit and finish the Excursion is just much nicer.By ColoradoWoodsman on April 4, 2019
I haven't owned a kayak before but I've paddled a few around and I've paddled hundreds of miles in a canoe. Both kayaks track well and respond quickly to your paddling.
One thing worth noting if you're planning on using the Excursion Pro for fishing. The rod holders point inward. Meaning if you put a rod in both rod holders they will literally cross. This makes the rod holders basically unusable for fishing or even transport. I added a couple Scotty rod holders to solve this problem. With a couple rail adapters they work great with the included accesory rail. I'm also not a fan of the paddle although that might just be because of my extensive canoe experience. So, I will probably just switch to a canoe paddle or maybe try a longer kayak paddle. Everything else is better than expected. The seatinging in both kayaks is pretty modular to set it up for one or two people. The seats are relatively comfortable considering that they're inflatable. The foot rests work well. The pump nozzle and the pressure guage both lock into the valves and work great (a feature lacking on the explorer). The extra seat pad included with the Excursion pro is a must have in my opinion and I'll be ordering one for the Explorer as well if intex will sell me one.
All in all I'm very pleased with both. If you can afford it buy the Excursion Pro over the Explorer. The excursion just feels and looks like a much higher end kayak than the explorer. But if your budget is tight enough both kayaks paddle and handle well and either will put a smile on your face out on the water.
Update 5/9/19
I added a Garmin Striker 4 fish finder mounted on a plano 1364 tackle box. The battery fits in the top of the tackle box with plenty of room to spare. I fixed the transducer to the skeg using a piece of aluminum stock and a few nuts/bolts. This thing is now a fishing machine.
Also, buy an anchor or you're gonna wish you had one pretty quickly.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2019
First off, aside from life vest, the package includes EVERYTHING you need to enjoy your day on the water. This is an excellent starting kit for someone looking to get into the hobby, and will easily allow owners to upgrade as they go (more on that in a bit).
Out of the box, setup took me about 15 minutes all told (reading the book, inflation and check out). Everything was solid, and no problems. Deflation took only a few minutes, and everything (aside from the paddles) fits into the provided bag. It is portable, but I wouldn't want to hike for any length of time with the kit by myself (and being a single father...).
Taking it to the ocean today (specifically a mangrove protected area, so not open waves), the boat performed amazingly. For those curious, I had:
Myself @ 230lb
My daughter @ 50lb
2 Camelback bags @ 4l capacity
Due to the shallow water I used the short skeg. The boat was very stable, and felt as solid (if not more) as a plastic hulled boat. The body was very rigid (inflated to spec and verified with the included gauge), and showed no flex even when being rocked by good wake. The boat also tracked very well, but turned very quick when needed (I suspect the short skeg helped that). With a strong paddle, I could basically turn in place, and never ran into something uncontrollably. I also didn't feel like I had to put a ton of extra energy into paddling; the boat didn't putter to a stop if I took a break, though I am sure it didn't cruise as long as a solid hull might have. That said, I wasn't feeling like I was fighting the vessel, and it made the experience great.
As noted, my daughter and I brought ourselves and some backpacks, and we still had room for more cargo. There is a solid area behind the rear seat, as well as in the front, and y pi u can easily fit a dry bag in both areas. I ran with my backpack between my legs, and still had plenty of room. The foot rests were also very useful, and provided genuine support for strong paddling. The inflatable seat look a little cheaper compared to expensive models, but they did the job just fine, and had no problem paddling for around 3 hours without discomfort.
So, with all the raving, nothing is ever perfect, so I will point out some honest critiques for buyers to consider:
-I expect the included carry bag to last about 3 more trips. It is easily the weakest part of the package, and should be changed first. It holds EVERYTHING, but just doesn't feel sturdy.
- The paddles are usable, and while I don't expect them to snap on me, there is no way to adjust for different size arms. I am 5'6", and had no problem getting good strokes, but bigger/smaller users may want to make sure they are a good length for them.
- Seats also tend to be a personal choice, so i will note that the seats are not a proprietary system, and you can easily upgrade them if you need. They follow the common yak system of the back supported by forward hooks, and i see no reason you couldn't upgrade the seats. Again, i was happy with them, but they are inflatable to only one size, so different users may want to consider something down the line.
- The bow and stern could really use some sort of webbing or extra tie down for gear. There a metal d rings all around that can be used for anchors or ties, but nothing on top to hold anything (like an anchor you might attach to the d rings). This leaves only the foot space and aft space as the only secure storage; I am sure you can add something, but it's not there out of the box.
At the end of the day, it only took about 20 minutes to tear down, and that included a fresh water rinse. It's easy to pack down, and has no problem going back in the bag (just make sure you deflate it as much as possible to get the space). I know my daughter and I will have many more adventures thanks to this boat, and I really think it is an amazing value at its price. I compared it to a sea eagle 380x I was able to examine, and aside from weight rating, I didn't feel like I was making a sacrifice in quality for what I wanted (sure, I won't take class 4 Rapids like the eagle, but.... that's not a problem for me.. heh). This boat swings above its weight, and I think, if given a chance, will really get a good following like it's cheaper cousins. If this is in your price range, spring for the extra.. it's worth it!
Verified Purchase
A real value and diamond in the rough!
By Daniel B. on April 7, 2019
So, I bought this feeling a little uncertain about it due to the lack of reviews, especially compared to the cheaper Intex Explorer (which is well reviewed and well known). After using it today (as well as seeing ColoradoWoodsman's excellent comparison), I know I made the right purchase.By Daniel B. on April 7, 2019
First off, aside from life vest, the package includes EVERYTHING you need to enjoy your day on the water. This is an excellent starting kit for someone looking to get into the hobby, and will easily allow owners to upgrade as they go (more on that in a bit).
Out of the box, setup took me about 15 minutes all told (reading the book, inflation and check out). Everything was solid, and no problems. Deflation took only a few minutes, and everything (aside from the paddles) fits into the provided bag. It is portable, but I wouldn't want to hike for any length of time with the kit by myself (and being a single father...).
Taking it to the ocean today (specifically a mangrove protected area, so not open waves), the boat performed amazingly. For those curious, I had:
Myself @ 230lb
My daughter @ 50lb
2 Camelback bags @ 4l capacity
Due to the shallow water I used the short skeg. The boat was very stable, and felt as solid (if not more) as a plastic hulled boat. The body was very rigid (inflated to spec and verified with the included gauge), and showed no flex even when being rocked by good wake. The boat also tracked very well, but turned very quick when needed (I suspect the short skeg helped that). With a strong paddle, I could basically turn in place, and never ran into something uncontrollably. I also didn't feel like I had to put a ton of extra energy into paddling; the boat didn't putter to a stop if I took a break, though I am sure it didn't cruise as long as a solid hull might have. That said, I wasn't feeling like I was fighting the vessel, and it made the experience great.
As noted, my daughter and I brought ourselves and some backpacks, and we still had room for more cargo. There is a solid area behind the rear seat, as well as in the front, and y pi u can easily fit a dry bag in both areas. I ran with my backpack between my legs, and still had plenty of room. The foot rests were also very useful, and provided genuine support for strong paddling. The inflatable seat look a little cheaper compared to expensive models, but they did the job just fine, and had no problem paddling for around 3 hours without discomfort.
So, with all the raving, nothing is ever perfect, so I will point out some honest critiques for buyers to consider:
-I expect the included carry bag to last about 3 more trips. It is easily the weakest part of the package, and should be changed first. It holds EVERYTHING, but just doesn't feel sturdy.
- The paddles are usable, and while I don't expect them to snap on me, there is no way to adjust for different size arms. I am 5'6", and had no problem getting good strokes, but bigger/smaller users may want to make sure they are a good length for them.
- Seats also tend to be a personal choice, so i will note that the seats are not a proprietary system, and you can easily upgrade them if you need. They follow the common yak system of the back supported by forward hooks, and i see no reason you couldn't upgrade the seats. Again, i was happy with them, but they are inflatable to only one size, so different users may want to consider something down the line.
- The bow and stern could really use some sort of webbing or extra tie down for gear. There a metal d rings all around that can be used for anchors or ties, but nothing on top to hold anything (like an anchor you might attach to the d rings). This leaves only the foot space and aft space as the only secure storage; I am sure you can add something, but it's not there out of the box.
At the end of the day, it only took about 20 minutes to tear down, and that included a fresh water rinse. It's easy to pack down, and has no problem going back in the bag (just make sure you deflate it as much as possible to get the space). I know my daughter and I will have many more adventures thanks to this boat, and I really think it is an amazing value at its price. I compared it to a sea eagle 380x I was able to examine, and aside from weight rating, I didn't feel like I was making a sacrifice in quality for what I wanted (sure, I won't take class 4 Rapids like the eagle, but.... that's not a problem for me.. heh). This boat swings above its weight, and I think, if given a chance, will really get a good following like it's cheaper cousins. If this is in your price range, spring for the extra.. it's worth it!
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
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Reviewed in Canada on July 1, 2020
Mise à jour après une trentaine d’utilisation et plusieurs modifications et bien toujours un super kayak très stable comme vous pouvez voir sur la photo ajout d’un moteur électrique avec batterie de 50 lbs pis toujours super stable vraiment un super achat.Reviewed in Canada on July 1, 2020
Très bon kayak reste à voir à long terme pour la durabilité et j’ai même fait des modifications avec du pvc pour mettre de l’équipement de pêche complet !
Images in this review
