Best 5 Intex Inflatable Kayak & Raft To Buy In 2022 Reviews

Looking to purchase some affordable yet quality inflatable boats?

Look no further than Intex inflatable boats and kayaks, some of the best purchased and best-reviewed inflatables on the market. In this review, I will be looking at five different Intex inflatable rafts and Intex kayaks, giving you all the necessary information for you to make a valid decision which one is the right choice for you.

What You Should Know About Intex

Brief Overview Of Intex

Intex Recreation Corp., once known as The Wet Set, has a 40-year history of making quality recreational products through its worldwide chain of companies. The company has an environmental focus, working to decrease the amounts of fossil fuel used in manufacturing. Today, you can find Intex products in more than a hundred countries all over the world.

Products That Intex Offers

Intex distributes a wide range of products, most of which include water sports and other recreational activities to do with water. These are spas, floats & toys, above ground pools and sporting goods such as the Intex inflatable boats that we will be talking about soon. Other products include airbeds, air furniture, and both electric and manual pumps. Intex also offers a variety of replacement parts for all of these categories of products.

About Intex Inflatable Boats

Intex inflatable boats are divided into two categories: Intex Sport Series Boats and Intex Professional Series Boats. In the Sport Series Boats, some of the models are the Intex Explorer k2 kayak and the Intex Seahawk 2 and Intex Challenger k1, while the Professional Series offers boats like the Intex Mariner 4. Their Play Series offers boats like the Intex Explorer 200 &Intex Explorer 300 that are designed for above ground pool use. Intex also sells parts & accessories for their Intex inflatable rafts, such as oars and Intex trolling motors.

The Price Range of Intex Inflatable Rafts

Intex Inflatable boats and kayaks are some of the cheapest products available on the market. The Sport Series boasts incredibly affordable rafts, while the Professional Series is somewhat more expensive, but still fits in the low price ranges of the market.

Where To Purchase Intex Inflatable Kayaks & Boats

Intex inflatable rafts are available through their website, or on Amazon.com, that frequently slashes the already low prices of Intex kayaks so you can purchase them at truly bargain deals. You can read about first-hand experiences from the numerous customer reviews directly under the product descriptions.

Best 5 Intex Inflatable Boats Reviews

Explorer K2 Kayak

Intex 2 Person Kayak

This fun and sporty kayak is a great choice for leisure kayaking for two adults. With its bright yellow design and flashy graphics, the k2 kayak is very visible in the water. Recommended for calm rivers and lakes, the Intex Explorer kayak is highly portable and easy to assemble and disassemble and will follow you wherever you want to go.

Construction And Flooring

The Intex Explorer k2 kayak is made from puncture-resistant rugged PVC material. It features an inflatable I-beam floor that provides rigidity and stability to this Intex inflatable raft. The standard three separate air chambers ensure your safety, while quick inflate/deflate Boston valves guarantee easy setup. The Intex Explorer is NMMA Certified.

Comfortable & Spacious

This 10’ 3’’ long inflatable boat provides a maximum load capacity of 400 lbs. The cockpit is designed with comfort and space in mind, and the Intex Explorer comes with two adjustable inflatable seats with a backrest.

Easy To Maneuver

A removable back skeg on this Intex 2 person kayak provides for directional stability, whether you’re kayaking through shallow or deep waters. Its streamlined design and upturned hull allow for easier and more efficient paddling, and also keeps the water from splashing inside of the raft. Customers have noted that the self-bailing system and slightly raised seats also help with water control.

Other Convenient Features & Accessories

The Intex Explorer k2 kayak features a grab line and grab handle at each end for your convenience. It also comes with useful and necessary accessories, such as a repair patch kit for small damages, 2 86 inch paddles and a carry bag for transportability. A customer has reported in a review that the Explorer k2 kayak does not come with a hi-output pump anymore.

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Intex Explorer 200

Play Series Raft FromIntex

The Intex Explorer 200 is a leisure inflatable product intended to be used for above ground pools. With its 3’’ height and 4’’ width and modest capacity of 210lb, this small yet incredibly affordable raft is intended for one adult or two children – it is suitable to be used above the age of 6.

Can Be Used Above Its Purposes

Despite all of this, many customers have reported using this Intex inflatable boats way above its original means, and it performs quite admirably for its price and intended use. Some have taken it to lakes or seas or even extended rafting trips on rivers, and all have rated it extremely well on Amazon.com, where all of the most rated reviews are immensely positive. The less positive reviews have remarked on its lack of longevity, size or lack of quality compared to some other inflatable kayaks on the market.

Some Construction Details

There is not much to be said about the construction of the Explorer 200 raft since it is not a high-sophisticated inflatable. It is made out of plastic, provides a comfortable and rigid inflatable floor and features welded oar locks for convenient storage of oars.

Accessories Included

The Intex Explorer 300 comes with one pair of 48in French oars with an oar retainer ring – this is not a professional set of oars by any means, but it will do its job well enough. It also features a “double-action” air pump that makes the assembly of this Intex inflatable raft a simple affair. A repair patch is included.

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Intex Excursion 5 Inflatable Boat

Great Inflatable Boat For Group Outings

The Intex Excursion 5 features a great review rating of 4.1 stars gathered from 900 reviews – this speaks volumes to the quality of this large, multi-person boat. With a capacity of 1100 lbs and dimensions of 10ft 4in X 5ft 5in X 1ft 5in, this Intex inflatable raft will accommodate up to five people.

Key Construction Features

The Intex Excursion features tough vinyl construction with a comfortable yet stable I-beam floor, just like the Explorer k2 kayak. Three air chambers along with an extra, auxiliary chamber in the hull provide safety and maximum buoyancy. Boston valves allow for quick inflation/deflation.

Gear & Handling Options

The Excursion 5 inflatable boat comes with a gear pouch on the side for extra storage, and also includes an accessory carry bag for ease-of-transport. An all-around grab line helps with stability and carrying. The oarlocks are welded and come with plastic grommets that prevent the oars from falling out.

Can Be Fitted With A Motor

With larger and bulkier inflatable boats, speed can sometimes pose a problem, especially with inexperienced paddlers. This is why the Intex Excursion 5 is compatible and comes with a transom mount trolling motor for those who want to speed up their experience – this Intex inflatable raft will support motors up to 1.5 HP.

Customer Remarks & Complaints

While customer reviews on the Intex Excursion 5 inflatable boat generally report satisfaction with the model, some have warned that this boat is best suited for 2 adults and 2 children, rather than the advertised capacity of 5 adults. Some have recommended making the boat sturdier with home-made plywood floorboards, thus transforming it to take on the same challenges a more expensive inflatable boat could take.

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Intex Mariner 4

A Professional Series Boat FromIntex

The Intex Mariner belongs to Intex’ Professional Series, meaning that this Intex inflatable boat is slightly more expensive than those we have looked at so far. Still, the Intex Mariner 4 is a very affordable model that will provide you with the necessary stability and sturdiness to accommodate four adults with a max capacity of 1100 lbs.

A Versatile Model

The Intex Mariner 4 is compatible with motors up to 3 kW and comes with motor mount fittings and a battery pouch. Fishing enthusiasts will also find their needs met as the Intex Mariner features two built-in fishing rod holders and a gear pouch to store your catches in.

Made Out Of Very Tough Material

The Intex Mariner does not come more expensive for no reason: the material used in the construction of this inflatable is very tough, 3-ply vinyl which features extra high resistance to punctures and environmental damage, such as saltwater and UV rays.

Extra Reinforcement Features

The Intex Mariner 4 features a heavy-duty plastic floor that ensures more rigidity compared to inflatable flooring. This not also makes it unique to other Intex inflatable boats, but also makes it more suited to fishing, as it allows you to stand up. It also features a keel rock guard for additional damage resistance.

Easy To Transport

The Intex Mariner 4 comes with an all-around grab line that makes transportation and carrying a breeze. It also features two sturdy handles at each end of the inflatable. This Intex inflatable raft comes with three comfortable thwart seats that can be removed for extra storage and easier packing.

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Intex Seahawk 2

Two Person Sea Eagle Inflatable Raft

At its fully inflated dimensions of 93” x 45” X 16” and weight limit of 440lbs, this Seahawk raft provides accommodation for two but proves to be a tight fit if you want to pack a cooler or tackle box to go along. Some reviewers recommend the Intex Seahawk for solo trips, for which it will provide a spacious and easy to maneuver experience due to its small dimensions and weight.

Good Option For Fishing Trips

Like the Intex Mariner 4, the Seahawk inflatable boat comes with additional accessories to please any fishing fan: two fishing rod holders on each side of the boat allow you to cast your line hands-free and maximize your fishing efforts. You can also modify it with a quiet trolling motor to reach all of the lake hot spots.

Has Good Durability For Price

Like every model on this list, Sea Eagle again provides construction with great quality to price ratio. Made from environmentally resistant 20-gauge PVC material, this boat is a great choice for lakes and calm water surfaces but is not truly made to perform in quick, white water rivers.

More Sea Eagle Trademark Features

The Intex Seahawk comes with many similar features to other Sea Eagle kayaks: this is, for example, the all-around grab line, welded oarlocks, grab handles, fast-inflate and deflate Boston valves and three plus one auxiliary air chambers. All of these features are part of what makes Sea Eagle inflatable rafts a good purchase.

Oars Included

The Seahawk raft comes with two 48 inch French oars; you will remember these from the Intex Explorer 200. While most things about this Seahawk inflatable boat are positive, the subpar quality of the included oars has been noted by other reviewers – of course, this also adds to the affordability of the product itself, so it is a double-edged sword.

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Other Excellent Intex Inflatable Rafts

Honorable mentions to go the Intex Explorer 300, larger version of the Explorer 200, the Intex Challenger k1 and Intex Challenger k2 kayak, models similar to the Intex Explorer k2 kayak, and the Intex Seahawk 4, a larger model of the Intex Seahawk 2. All of these models are available for reviewing and purchase on Amazon.com.

Conclusion: Which Intex Inflatable Boat To Buy?

Though we have seen five quality, affordable boats, out of all of these models I would recommend the Intex Explorer 200 for those looking for an outstanding quality to value price and its versatility and usefulness despite its relative simplicity. For those looking for more high-end Intex inflatable rafts, the Intex Mariner 4 is a great choice due to its sturdiness and versatility.

Read this article on the best inflatable boats to find out more about inflatables on the market. Interested in paddling with a friend or family? Then check out this review of 2 person inflatable boats. If that isn’t quite enough capacity for you, you will enjoy reading this article on giant inflatable rafts.