Full Drop-Stitch Kayaks

Check out our range of full drop-stitch kayaks:

Comparing our Full Drop-Stitch Kayaks

 
 
Product Info
air glide advance 385 full drop stitch kayak with pump and paddle

Air Glide Advance 385 Full Drop-stitch Kayak with Pump and Paddle

Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
air glide 385 full drop stitch kayak with pump and paddle

Air Glide 385 Full Drop-stitch Kayak with Pump and Paddle

airvolution2 kayak

AirVolution2 Kayak with Pump

airvolution kayak

AirVolution Kayak with Pump

Weight 16 kg 17 kg 23.5 kg 17.7 kg
Solo or Tandem Solo Solo Tandem Solo
length 3.85m 3.85m 14’6″ (4.45m) 13′ (3.96m)
width 76cm 77cm 94cm 83.8 cm
Stability Stable Unstable Stable Stable
Sit-on-top or Sit-in Sit-on-top Sit-on-top Sit-on-top Sit-on-top
Packed Dimensions 86cm x 46cm x 28cm 96cm x 57cm x 46cm 98cm x 50cm x 28cm 86cm x 48cm x 28cm
Maximum Capacity 170 kg 190 kg 250 kg 136 kg
Recommended Max. Paddler Weight (individual) 170 190 kg 150 kg 136 kg
Recommended Max. Paddler Height 6’2″ (1.88m) 6’4″ (1.93m) Unlimited 6’4″ (1.93m)
Recommended for Coastal / Open Water No No No No
Max Whitewater Class Class 1 Class 1 Class 2 Class 2
Self-bailing No No No No
Compatible with Spray Skirt No No No No
Compatible with ePropulsion Vaquita Propeller Yes – via SUP fin box Yes – via SUP fin box Yes – via SUP fin box Yes – via SUP fin box
Maximum Trip Length Half day 1-2 Hours Half day Half day
Suitable for Taking Small Children Yes No Yes Yes
Suitable for Dogs Yes No Yes Yes
Suitable for Fishing Yes No Yes Yes
Rod Holders None None None None
Backpack straps Yes Yes Yes Yes
Can ship to new zealand No No No No
Set-up Time 7 minutes 7 minutes 7.5 minutes 5.5 minutes
Warranty Period 3 years from purchase 3 years from purchase 3 years from purchase date 3 years from purchase date
Sku AIRGLIDEADVANCE385 AIRGLIDE385 AE3030 AE3029
Price Original price was: $2,079.00.Current price is: $1,478.00. Original price was: $1,979.00.Current price is: $1,678.00. Original price was: $2,697.00.Current price is: $2,497.00. Original price was: $2,197.00.Current price is: $1,997.00.
Kayak brand Bay Sports Bay Sports Advanced Elements Advanced Elements
  Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Add to cart Add to cart Add to cart

What is Drop-stitch?

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.

drop stitch floor for advancedframe kayaks

What Does "Full" Drop-Stitch mean?

Full drop-stitch means the entire kayak is made of drop-stitch.

Drop-stitch is expensive to manufacture (to a good standard) and is high pressure and therefore takes a lot of pumping, so quite often it is used as the floor of a kayak, but not the entire kayak.

What are the Pros and Cons of Full Drop-Stitch Kayaks

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.

 

How to Choose a Full Drop-Stitch Kayak

Design

 

Canoe-Style vs Kayak-Style

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.

In my opinion, the kayak style is far superior in every way.

It paddles faster, straighter, and is less wind affected.

I find the high sides of the canoe style awkward to paddle over, and I find myself leaning.

I thought the booster seat would help, but I was so high in the kayak, the water was so far away and I felt unstable.

canoe vs kayak style
ds floor hull shape

Hull Shape

 
This is going to be difficult for you to judge based on 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.

You want a V-shaped hull when looking front-on.

You want very little rocker, if any.

You want chines that angle out.

Handy Features

 

Little things like handles make a big difference, especially on the canoe-style kayaks.

The AirGlide from Bay Sports offers a rudder, but I have found it to be more trouble than it’s worth.

Well for collecting water – you want it in front of you, not behind, so the water doesn’t have to travel through your seat to get to the well.

ds floor handle
ds floor size and weight

Size and Weight

 

Be careful with full drop-stitch kayaks – they are heavy!

There’s really no way around this because the amount of PVC required to make a robust chamber and all those tiny stitches, it all ads up.

Make sure you check the weight so you know if you’ll be able to lift it – be careful, a lot of kayak sellers give you the weight of the kayak only, not including seat, fin & foot rest.

I would also seriously consider getting solo kayaks over a tandem.

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.

Be honest – is one of you going to like paddle and go more often? If so, get 2 solos. It might cost more in the short term, but I have so many customers that have purchased a tandem and then come back for a solo, it ends up costing more in the long run.

airfusion evo kayak

Madden voyage

“We wet the new AirVolution this week while staying on Great Keppel Island. The kayak has handled the variable conditions well. It was easy for Linda to get in and out of the kayak to go snorkeling above the coral, these kayaks are very stable. The padding position is very comfortable.”

– Kent B.