Inflatable Kayak Blog

The best part about the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show ‘Open Air Demo’ is the opportunity to paddle boats that you’ve never paddled before. The Puffin 12 (aka Puffin Kayak) fits in that category. It’s the most versatile folding kayak in the PakBoat line and so lightweight, at only 23 pounds. At 12 foot in length, it’s very maneuverable and yet it can generate good speed. I especially noticed the speed I was able to generate, and I’m not considered an expert paddler, more of an average recreationist. There were many, many hard shell kayaks at the ‘open air demo’, but the PakBoats looked and paddled right with them. While paddling the Puffin 12, I had a young lady, who was paddling a hard shell, ask me about the boat and comment on how nice it looked in the water.

The boat I paddled was a 2009 prototype that had a new side color, gray. Currently PakBoats offer three side colors; red, green and blue with one deck color; yellow. The 2009 models will offer two side colors; gray and black, and two deck colors; mango (as seen in the picture) and red. I think the color combinations will make the PakBoats even better looking than they already are. The 2009 frame designs are not very different, with only a few improvements and manufacturing adjustments to allow for easier part replacement. Of course, the 14 foot Puffin Swift is clearance priced and will no longer be available. They will continue to be backed up by PakBoats excellent service, though. The new XT touring kayaks will essentially replace the Swift. We paddled a two person XT and a new Puffin 10 (aka Puffin Sport) and I’ll tell you more about those in a later blog.

Over the next few days and into next week, we’ll post several blogs that will have specific information about more of the individual products we’ve tested and seen here at the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Show.