Sea Eagle 393rl Inflatable Kayaks and Canoe Reviews

It was a tough decision between this and a hardshell. I have a convertible, and portability was an issue. However lving on the water, It was not a necessity. I am so glad I did not purchase an Oru, which I was comparing for portability. This is so much easier to get in and out of, and drain. And it floats without additional apparatus that is required for an Oru. I give it four stars instead of five for the single reason that this is not a good kayak for the shallows anywhere there are oyster beds. They will tear up your bottom and obviously cause major air leaks. If you know your waterways, or are using it in blue water for lakes, this is a fantastic choice.

I have had great fun with it and don't regret my purchase in the least. It takes a bit of getting used to the balance in choppy sea, but it is fast and rigid and tough. I do have recommendations: The air valve covers/caps are attached by thin elastic 'string' which soon wears out and then the caps become detached with no way to attach another 'string'. I have lost one cover because of that. I would like to order another one, please, but mostly I would like to find a way to keep them attached. It is not easy to get water out of the kayak as it gets caught between the 'bladders' and it is thus hard to dry and pack. The foot rest is not very effective and does not cater for people of different lengths. I know one can tighten and loosen the strap, but, even at its tightest, I do not get good foot support. Thank you.

My wife and I bought two 393RL's in Mar '15 and have used them, on average, about 4 days/ month. We usually paddle with another couple who own hardshell sit-on-tops of similar length. Although theirs are made from ABS/acrylic sheet rather than the heavier, more common polyethylene, our 393RL's weigh at least 10 pounds less. Together, we can carry both 393RL's at the same time with all gear inside. They are easily as fast and track as straight as our friends' hardshells, even without their removable skegs. We have paddled them in four different bays, a slough, a sound, and the ocean, and never capsized. Our 393's fly with us on vacations: everything for each kayak, including hull, seats, footrest, pump, shoes, clothes, etc. fits in one XL REI duffle bag and weighs less than 50 lbs, so they check in as ordinary bags and all our luggage will fit within a compact SUV or station wagon. For better comfort, we have replaced the tubular footrests with wooden footboards and upgraded to lighter paddles.

I'm not a big fan of writing reviews. But for the Sea Eagle I make an exception.

The 393 RazorLite is our second boat. The first one - FastTrack - we use, seems to me, longer than three years. So we have some experience.

I like: the quality of material and build quality, design and engineering. I like how customer service department works. I do not like the fact that this boat is very light and fast. But my wife does not agree with this at all !! She fell in show full review ▼ love with this boat.