Our Take on the Sea Eagle 420x Explorer Inflatable Kayak

 

Curtis and myself have been absolutely thrilled since we took over the business. All we want to do is get out on the water, bask in the beautiful Arizona sun, and just live life. Much like all our customers, we did a ton of research to decide which kayaks would be best suited for our family. We’ve got two beautiful daughters, and of course we’ve got family in the area who might be more excited about our new venture than we are! We knew we needed an inflatable kayak that was not only tough, but could hold more than a single person if we were going to take the whole family out. Furthermore, we intended to primarily kayak open water, but we’d want something that could take Class 1 or Class 2 rapids pretty easily if we decided to head to San Diego or Mexico.

We played around with the 385ft FastTrack and that was my absolute favorite. But as soon as Curtis saw the 420x Explorer, he was in love. It felt incredibly high in quality, and there was an insane amount of space. If you’re thinking about whether or not the 420x Explorer is right for you, here’s a few things that we discovered after we bought it:

Pros About the 420x Explorer

• Space! Holy amounts of space! In the photo, you can see Curtis, my dad, our 7 year old, Aaliyah, and Bernese Mountain Dog, Bella, fit comfortably in it. There was even enough room to sit a small cooler in there.
• Easy to Paddle With more than a single person paddling, it was quite easy to maneuver around on the water, despite the carrying load and winds on the lake. We weren’t completely sure whether or not the winds would sweep the stern or bow of the kayak, forcing them to paddle harder to keep the kayak straight. It cut right through the winds beautifully.
• Stable As Could Be With a wiggly child and plenty of geese to distract Bella, we thought for sure the kayak might feel a bit tippy on the water. It was perfectly balanced. We were able to get in and out of the kayak with ease, and place our 90lb Bella into the kayak without any tipping. The floorboard was inflated to 14psi with our BTP Two Stage Electric Pump, so the floor was almost rigid. Other kayakers weren’t convinced it was an inflatable until we showed them the valves. It was awesome.
• Tough This boat is from the Explorer collection, meaning that it’s built tough for up to Class 4 rapids and rougher waters. We hit our boat several times on rocks (thanks to the dangerously low water levels at Watson Lake) and despite doggy claws, it didn’t even scratch.
• Packable & Portable I could easily carry this kayak on my own, both inflated and deflated. It weighs about 44lbs, and when it’s packed in the bag, it’s easy to carry.
• Self-Bailing Drain Valves There are 16 self-bailing drain valves that you can open to quickly get rid of water in the kayak when you’re paddling white water rapids. Cool, right?

Cons About the 420x Explorer

• This Kayak Was Made for 2+ It’s important to know that given the length of this boat, it would be extremely difficult to paddle solo. The former owner of Inflatable Boats 4 Less, Tim, tried it, and said he was very sore the next day!
• Slower Tread Yes, the Explorer was built for up to Class 4 rapids, and built with plenty of space so you can share your adventures. With this being said, it’s not as fast as the 385ft FastTrack, with its flatter bottom, but it treads smoothly with or without the removable skeg.

Is the 420x Explorer Inflatable Kayak for You?

If you match any of the following criteria, the 420x Explorer might be a good way for you to go:

• Won’t be paddling solo
• If you’re looking for something that is versatile and performs well in both flat water and rapids
• If you’re going on long trips, camping excursions, or just need more storage space

Here’s a picture of Curtis getting ready to give these kayakers a tow!

We hope this helps you if you’re weighing your options on which inflatable kayak is best for you! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us via email, or give us a call!