Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayaks - Pros and Cons

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Advanced Elements is a very well known manufacturer of inflatable kayaks. They have a lineup of 8 different inflatable kayaks as well as one inflatable canoe. Their products are known to be very good quality but not to be the top performers. Basically when looking at different inflatable kayaks they are middle of the road. They are definitely not at the bottom of the list nor are they at the top. Consequently they tend to be very affordable and hugely popular for recreational use.
Pro Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayaks

Great design attractive looking boats, much like hard-shelled kayaks
Stable all of the AE inflatable kayaks are very stable and easily used by any person of any age
Decent tracking though improvements could be made here, overall the tracking is good and perfectly fine for recreational use
Most are good to travel with. Inflatable kayaks tend to be fairly light weight and are easily transported by car or by airplane. All of the AE kayaks are great for traveling except for maybe the Advanced Frame Convertible which can get a little heavy though I know many who take it with them everywhere with no problem.
They offer kayaks for all different types of water. Advanced Elements has inflatable kayaks for flatwater as well as for whitewater. There will be an option for all types of paddlers.
Affordable. As I said before AE kayaks are middle of the road and therefore have a middle of the road price tag. Consequently they are very affordable and highly popular.
Easy set-up and very user friendly.
Fair amount of storage room how much depends on the model

Against Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayaks

Not very fast. Though they are great kayaks and will handle well in all different types of water, they will definitely not be the fasted kayaks in the water.
Only 1 year warranty. Thats not bad, but many other manufacturers do offer longer warranties.
If you are an avid kayaker you may grow out of your Advanced Elements kayak meaning you may get tired of it and want a more advanced boat.
I would love to see higher backed seats for the AE kayaks. Though the seats are fairly standard kayak seats and will be comfortable enough for recreational use, I find that after awhile my back will start to get sore. Of course it is always possible to upgrade into higher back deluxe seats down the road. For me comfort is key so I always want the most comfortable option.
For traveling it is very possible to get lighter inflatable kayaks. Though the AE kayaks will work fine for traveling, I do find that some of them get a little heavy. No problem for just throwing in the trunk of a car, but for longer excursions possibly on an airplane, it is nice to have a super light weight kayak.

Final Thoughts on the Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayaks

I like the AE kayaks a lot. I would absolutely recommend them. However I would only recommend them for recreational kayakers who arent looking for high performance. If speed, agility and excellent tracking are key factors for you then you will want to look at a higher quality inflatable kayak manufacturer. However for the average kayaker looking for an easy to use, highly portable and affordable inflatable kayak, Advanced Elements will not disappoint. Their kayaks will also likely last for years and years with absolutely no problems.

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