Sea Eagle 380 Inflatable Kayak - Review

The Sea Eagle 380x Inflatable Kayak

I have a confession. This is my favorite boat. I use it for fishing. I use it for overnight float trips. I use it for day trips on local rivers. In short, I find myself using this inflatable kayak for just about any sort of water activity.

In short, I'm a happy owner of the Sea Eagle 380x inflatable kayak, which I've had for years. And the redesign of the boat (in 2012), happily, keeps the best parts of the older kayak while making the boat significantly lighter and allowing the boat to drain better.

Check Prices and Packages Available for the Sea Eagle 380x Kayak at SeaEagle.Com

Sea Eagle 380x Inflatable Kayak Illustrated

Benefits of the Sea Eagle 380x Inflatable Kayak

Whitewater - The Sea Eagle 380x kayak is a high-pressure inflatable kayak, which allows it to thread its way through large waves without bending. Newly redesigned self-bailing drain valves prevents the kayak from filling up with water in the event you hit a big wave wrong.

For solo paddlers, the size of the 380x is just perfect. Provided the boat isn't heavily weighed down, solo paddlers will have few problems maneuvering the boat through waves and around rocks.

Do note, however, that for whitewater use - the lighter the boat is, the better. Thus, if you plan on taking the kayak through big waves or heavy whitewater, do not overload the boat with heavy bags or other gear.

Durability - The Sea Eagle 380 Inflatable Kayak is built out of 1000 denier hull material, which is essentially the same material used in guide-quality rafts that are used for commerical float trips. This tough material allows this inflatable kayak to withstand nasty encounters with rocks, downed trees and gravel bars without puncturing or tearing.

Capacity - The Sea Eagle 380 Inflatable Kayak has an excellent capacity rating of 750 pounds. This capaicty rating makes it perfect for two paddlers plus gear who are on extended float trips. And for solo paddlers, the large capacity of this kayak allows you to literally take everything but the kitchen sink on multi-week trips AND still have room to stretch out in the kayak. Just remember, if you'll be going through whitewater or big waves - do not overload the boat!

Portability - The updated Sea Eagle 380 weighs 38 pounds and packs down into its own moderate sized carry bag. The bag fits into any trunk quite simply and is also easy to carry due to a shoulder strap. Once pumped up, the light weight of the kayak also allows it to be easily carried around low-water areas, mandatory portages, or even through the woods to reach seldom floated rivers or lakes.

Ease of Set-up - The Sea Eagle 380 sets up very easily. If you are using the bellows pump (the manual pump), give yourself about 15- 20 minutes to fully set up the boat. Using an electric pump will shave about 5 minutes off set up time, too.

See How to Setup the 380x Explorer Kayak

Expandability - The Sea Eagle 380 has many options that can be added onto it, expanding its usefulness. Bow and Stern bags (highly recommended) can be added onto the front/rear of the kayak, expanding the ability of the inflatable kayak to haul goods. Additionally, a deluxe fly fishing seat can be added on, making casting easier from the boat. A newly redesigned sail can even be added to the boat, making it a fun way to cruise around lakes.

One expansion that people should consider for the boat is buying a few more D rings and the glue to attach them to the boat. These D rings allow you to easily attach your gear to the boat in convenient places. While the 380x comes with 6 pre-installed D rings, I've found that you can never have enough of these handy rings on the boat.

Warranty - All Sea Eagle products have a 3 year warranty against manufacturing defects and also come with a 30 day "on-the-water" try-out period. If you don't like the boat during this try-out period, just send it back - no questions asked.

Summary

The Sea Eagle 380 Explorer Inflatable Kayak is, in my own opinion the best inflatable kayak on the market for the price you pay- and is happily priced significantly less than other quality inflatable kayaks you'll find by a significant margin.

The Sea Eagle 380x Inflatable Kayaks versatility, durability and portability make it ideal for anyone who can only afford one boat and want to be able to fish in it, run whitewater rapids, aimlessly float rivers or paddle around on lakes - while still being able to pack the boat into the trunk of your car. This inflatable kayak is the perfect all-around boat.

Highly recommended.

Check Prices and Packages Available for the Sea Eagle 380x Kayak at SeaEagle.Com

Web Resources

Sea Eagle Home Page

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