Dropstitch technology has changed the game in the inflatable space providing watercraft that are incredibly rigid and more like traditional hardshells like ever before.
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Full drop-stitch means the entire kayak is made of drop-stitch technology and are incredibly rigid!
Drop-stitch is a chamber that is stitched top-to-bottom with thousands of fine threads of a consistent thickness, usually 10cm or 15cm.
These threads are very strong, and it means the chamber can be inflated to high pressure, without losing it’s shape.
It’s what inflatable stand-up paddle boards are made of – the rigidity is remarkable.
The rigidity of full drop-stitch kayaks is exceptional, no matter what your weight. Rigidity translates into excellent speed and helps with tracking.
One downside of drop-stitch is the wind affect. Drop stitch is high pressure and therefore very buoyant. This bouyancy means a LOT of the kayak is above the water line, acting like a kite, catching the wind.
Another downside is the pumping. I would not buy a full drop-stitch kayak without buying an electric pump, otherwise you will be exhausted from pumping before you go kayaking.
And lastly, drop-stitch is more expensive to manufacture than regular inflation chambers, although this cost has come down significantly in recent years.
The rigidity of full drop-stitch kayaks is exceptional, no matter what your weight. Rigidity translates into excellent speed and helps with tracking.
One downside of drop-stitch is the wind affect. Drop stitch is high pressure and therefore very buoyant. This bouyancy means a LOT of the kayak is above the water line, acting like a kite, catching the wind.
Another downside is the pumping. I would not buy a full drop-stitch kayak without buying an electric pump, otherwise you will be exhausted from pumping before you go kayaking.
And lastly, drop-stitch is more expensive to manufacture than regular inflation chambers, although this cost has come down significantly in recent years.
We get this question a lot. Essentially there are two basic designs of full drop-stitch kayaks – the canoe style with vertical side walls, and the kayak style, with a floor chamber and a deck chamber.
We test every kayak we sell and in our opinion, the kayak style is far superior in every way. It paddles faster, straighter, and is less wind affected. The high sides found in the canoe style make it awkward to paddle over, and you will need to lean more when paddling to meet the water. Some kayaks have a booster seat supplied to combat this but it will sit you higher in the kayaks can feel a bit unstable.
Hull shape is hard to demonstrate via pictures, but there are subtle differences across brands with kayaks that look the same.
For example, the AirGlide Advance looks the same as the AirVolution, it wasn’t until we took them out side by side that we noticed the differences.
In this photo you can see the V-shaped hull in the Airvolution which is subtle but does assist with performance. If you are having trouble choosing, please reach out to the team.
Hull shape is hard to demonstrate via pictures, but there are subtle differences across brands with kayaks that look the same.
For example, the AirGlide Advance looks the same as the AirVolution, it wasn’t until we took them out side by side that we noticed the differences.
In this photo you can see the V-shaped hull in the Airvolution which is subtle but does assist with performance. If you are having trouble choosing, please reach out to the team.
Be careful with full drop-stitch kayaks – they tend to be heavy! There’s really no way around this because the amount of PVC and other material required to make a robust chamber, it all ads up.
Make sure you check the weight so you know if you’ll be able to lift it. A lot of kayak sellers online give you the weight of the kayak only, not including seat, fin & foot rest.
If you are planning on a tandem it's also really worth asking whether 2 solo kayaks would be a better fit for you. Tandems are great if you are always going tandem, or if you are paddling with small kids.
A lot of the tandem kayaks are marketed as also suitable for going solo, but it’s quite hard work carrying and setting up a heavy tandem kayak.
It might cost more in the short term to get 2 solos, but we have so many customers who have purchased a tandem and then come back for a solo, it ends up costing more in the long run.
Little things like handles make a big difference, especially on the canoe-style kayaks. The AirGlide from Bay Sports has great handles . It also has the option to add a rudder though this can add quite a bit of setup time, call to chat through to make sure the rudder is right for you.
Some of the kayak style in the range have a well for collecting any water that comes in. You'll want the well in front of you, not behind, so the water doesn’t have to travel through your seat to get to the well.
Little things like handles make a big difference, especially on the canoe-style kayaks. The AirGlide from Bay Sports has great handles . It also has the option to add a rudder though this can add quite a bit of setup time, call to chat through to make sure the rudder is right for you.
Some of the kayak style in the range have a well for collecting any water that comes in. You'll want the well in front of you, not behind, so the water doesn’t have to travel through your seat to get to the well.
