My Review of Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible Inflatable Kayak

REI

With a rigid bow and stern plus a multi-chamber inflatable body, this convertible kayak offers performance and portability for one or two paddlers.

Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible Inflatable Kayak

Well designed and a good traveler

Docfeetz Chicago, IL 8/23/2009

 

5 5

Gift: No

Pros: Compact, Comfortable, Easy to Paddle, Good Maneuverability, Easy To Lift, Stable

Cons: A bit hard to clean, Takes time to set up

Best Uses: Kayak Camping, Rivers, Day Trips, Flat Waters

Describe Yourself: Recreational

If you don't have a place to store a rigid kayak and don't like the idea of driving with one on the top of your car, this is perfect. It only takes 5 minutes to set up and take down once you do it a few times. Goes in a trunk or the back of our Escape handily. A bit heavy for one person to carry very far in the bag, but do-able if you can park near the water. I can attest that you can feel rocks when your rear end encounters them, but the hull seems very durable - the only marks left are light scratches on the molded-in keel. My son and I paddled for four hours and it behaved well in Lake Michigan chop and backwaters alike. The only water inside was from the paddles. I'd advise you to get the backbone, which makes it flex less in choppy waves and keeps you sitting higher when paddling solo. We fold it up after an outing and take it home or back to the cottage minus the bag, then hose it off and wipe it down before letting it dry in the sun. A micfofiber cloth works well for drying it and getting the dirt off surfaces. I worried that the bare vinyl floor might be vulnerable to wear and tear from shoes, sand, and mud, but it's very tough stuff. The outer hull surface is extremely tough. This boat looks nice, paddles easily, and overall is loads of fun. I might not tackle rapids in it, or take it on the ocean, but then again I wouldn't be likely to do that in any kayak myself. It seems to hold its own next to any comparable plastic kayak on lakes (including Lake Michigan in a stiff breeze) and in moderate river currents.

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When dogs run free (and leave their marks)

Chrissy and I didn't realize how much our dogs needed a vacation, the same as we did, until we brought them back home and they were back to just having our yard to poop in. When we were in Ellison Bay with ten acres for them to roam around in, they were visibly happy and energized. They loved to go exploring, and made sure to mark off the perimeter in their usual ways. They'd extend the boundaries when we went with them, but they were great about staying close to us and returning when we called them. They were tired at night and happy during the day. I was reminded of the "Dog Whisperer's" writings about dogs needing a working day to feel good, and that exploring and guarding is their job. (Although we did keep them under closer supervision after I saw a coyote cross a quarter mile down the road).

They seemed subdued when we got home, and now they just go out and do their business without much enthusiasm, or else get frustrated trying to get through the fence to the beagle next door. Oh well, back to the old suburban grind.

But when I was on the train today, enduring the usual five-minute pointless delay west of Halsted, I witnessed an even worse example of urban constraint when I watched a resident of one of those warehouses-turned-condos take her dog out into the postage stamp-sized "dog yard" behind the building. She stood with her coffee while the tiny dog did its business, looking somewhat abashed and self-conscious, waiting for the owner to use one of the obligatory plastic bags from the holder on the fence to promptly undo the dog's minor territorial accomplishment. It's a yuppie's life.