4.73m length means it is a spacious tandem kayak, even if you are both very tall.
Full drop stitch – very rigid, right up to the 250kg capacity.
Tracks reasonably straight and fast thanks to hard chines on the hull and the dual fin system.
Extremely spacious cockpit (although not stable enough for dogs and kids)
Optional rudder system
High-backed seat with optional bum cushion and foot brace for comfort
Beginners – the high side walls and the ‘tippy’ feel of this kayak make it a bit more difficult to get in and out of than most of our other kayaks. If you want a full drop-stitch kayak that is stable and easy to get in and out of, consider the AirVolution2 Kayak.
Long trips – The Air Glide 473 is too big and wind-affected for anything more than a couple of hours. If you need a kayak that performs better in the wind and is easier to paddle long distances, consider the AdvancedFrame Convertible Elite kayak.
Kids and Dogs – The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is not super stable – if you are wanting a full drop-stitch kayak to take the kids or your dog, consider the AirVolution2 kayak.
At 23kg, the AirGlide 473 is quite hefty to lift. If you are small or not confident of your strength, consider one of our lighter tandem kayaks, like the StraitEdge2 Pro kayak.
Anglers – If you are going to be doing a lot of fishing, you will need a more stable kayak, like the StraitEdge2 Pro kayak.
Open Ocean – If you want to be able to put on a spray skirt to stay warm and dry, consider the AdvancedFrame Convertible Elite kayak.
Expeditions – If you are planning multi-day expedition or open water kayaking, the AdvancedFrame Convertible Elite kayak is more comfortable and less wind affected.
The tropics – Although there is a bung, it’s tricky to get all the water out – you can’t remove the floor – so might not be good in warm climates prone to mould and mildew
If you are doing whitewater above class 2, the StraitEdge2 Pro kayak can do up to class 3 rapids
9 minutes from in-the-bag to on-the-water!
Note – AirGlide 473 model shown in this video, that’s why I’ve added 2 minutes for the extra air in the AirGlide 473
Let’s be clear – the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is NOT a pool toy! It’s a puncture-resistant inflatable kayak that won’t let you down.
FAQs – Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak
Dimensions
Length: 4.73m (15’6″)
Width: 89cm
Height: 33cm
Kayak Weight: 23kg
Kayak + Pump + Paddle + Bag : 33 kg
Deflated and Packed Dimensions: 97cm x 57cm x 46cm
Paddler Suitability
Maximum Capacity: 250 kg
Recommended Max. Paddler Weight: 170 kg
Recommended Max. Paddler Height: unlimited for solo, very tall for tandem
Suitabilty
Lakes, Bays and Inland Waterways
Coastal / Open WaterReservoirs (Complies with ISO 6185-1)Rivers up to Class I Whitewater Dogs Fishing Beginners Taking small kids Self-bailing
Accessory Compatibility
RapidUp Sail Spray Skirt ePropulsion Vaquita Propeller – via SUP fin boxRailblaza Starport Rod Holder with Railblaza Starport Adhesive Mount
Materials
Hull & Floor: Drop-stitch
D-Rings: Stainless-Steel
More About This Kayak
Set-up Time: 9 minutes
Pack Away Time: 7 minutes
Warranty: 3 years
SKU: AIRGLIDE473
Premium Quality Ballistic-weave nylon carry backpack with 2 x all-terrain wheels and padded shoulder straps.
Double-Valve Bravo Hand Pump
2 x Slide-in 4.5” Fins
2 x Hi-Back kayak seats (with detachable 10 cm padded booster seat) + Large Velcro storage pouch.
2 x Premium Padded Footrests
2 x Aluminium Paddles (4-piece)
Removable plastic water deflector piece
2m buckle strap to keep kayak from unravelling for easy packing away
Quick Repair Kit (with spare PVC patches, valve repair tool and adhesive glue)
Printed A5 Setup and User Guide Booklet
Original price was: $2,179.00.$1,908.00Current price is: $1,908.00.
Stored at Sydney location, ships in 2-3 business days.
Qualifies for 90-day “Try it on the Water” Returns
3-year warranty
Free Shipping
Can NOT be shipped to New Zealand
Availability: In stock
Package Deal
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Spacious Cockpit
Crazy amount of room, but in my opinion, not stable enough for kids, dogs or fishing.
100% Drop-Stitch Construction
Very rigid, right up to the 250kg weight limit, no sagging in the middle.
Speed and tracking
Tracks reasonably straight and fast thanks to hard chines on the hull and the deep fin.
Optional Rudder
There is a mount on the stern for the rudder kit, sold by Bay Sports. I’m not a huge fan of the rudder – it’s tricky to get it balanced with the right tension on each side.
If you are thinking about doing a lot of sea kayaking or kayaking in windy conditions, I would consider looking at a less wind-affected kayak, rather than trying to use the rudder kit with the AirGlide kayak.
High-Backed Seat with Booster
The included seat has a high back for relaxing. It comes with a detachable 10 cm padded booster seat if you feel like you want a higher centre of gravity. There is a large storage pouch on the back of the seat.
Foot Brace
The lightweight foot block can be attached to support your lower back when you are paddling.
Oversized Backpack
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak comes with a HUGE bag. You can fit the kayak, pump and paddle easily in this backpack.
Although the bag has wheels, the wheels are on the same side as the straps, so the straps get caught as you are rolling. Bit of a design flaw, but manageable if you can clip the straps up high.
Set up
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak inflatable kayak is simple to set up.
I recommend purchasing an electric pump – the Hand Pump that is included is good quality but has a very small barrel and therefore takes a while to inflate.
Plus, all full drop-stitch kayaks are high pressure and hard work to inflate – you definitely want an electric pump.
Durable and Reliable
The D-rings are made from stainless steel.
Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak FAQs
Performance
It’s reasonably fast when there’s no wind.
The high-pressure drop-stitch construction gives you excellent rigidity, so you glide through the water gracefully.
The Kayak tracks reasonably straight thanks to a unique hull design and included slide in fins.
The high-pressure drop-stitch construction plays a big part in this. The enhanced rigidity helps the kayak glide through the water smoothly.
Yes, the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak gets blown around quite a bit in the wind, because it has high sides and is very buoyant.
Comfort
The seat (included) has supportive straps.
It includes a 10 cm padded booster seat to get you high enough to reach over the side chambers when you are paddling.
The optional foot brace (included) adds to your comfort by supporting your lower back as you paddle.
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak has a high-backed seat with adjustable straps.
The 10 cm padded booster seat (included) is to get you high enough to paddle over the side chambers.
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak comes with a removable foot brace for lower back support as you are paddling.
What is the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak good for?
In my opinion, the Air Glide kayak is not stable enough for a dog, but it’s ultimately going to depend on you and the dog. There is plenty of cockpit space and the drop-stitch is very tough, so you could give it a go.
No. In my opinion, it’s just not stable enough for fishing.
No.
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is not stable enough for taking small kids in my opinion.
There is plenty of space if you wanted to risk it, though.
It would be possible, the only concern I would have is the stability when stepping into and out of the kayak – it can be a bit tippy.
It’s got the high-pressure drop-stitch floor which gives you something firm to step onto an out of.
The open sit-on-top style also makes it easy to step in and out of.
There is quite a bit capacity (250kg) and space for gear if you are using it to transport your stuff to and from shore.
**Caution – do not leave the kayak inflated on the deck of the boat. The heat will cause the 1pressure to rise and you could damage the kayak.
NOTE – The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is NOT recommended for open ocean because it is quite wind affected.
Up to a few hours.
With it’s high sides, the AirGlide is a bit too awkward to paddle for more than a couple of hours.
It’s also quite wind-affected and therefore not suitable for multi-day expeditions where you can’t necessarily choose the conditions.
If you are planning long distance paddling, check out our AdvancedFrame Convertible Elite, which is designed for exactly that.
Not in my opinion.
The AirGlide kayak is simply too wind-affected to be used in open water.
No, definitely not.
Who is the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak good for?
Maybe… it’s not as stable as I would like for a beginners kayak and the high sides make the paddling action a little awkward, but it’s still possible.
It’s not my first choice for seniors, no.
In my experience, seniors are looking for a lightweight kayak, and at 23kg, the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is getting a little heavy.
It’s also full drop-stitch, which is hard work pumping up, so I wouldn’t consider it for a senior unless they were also investing in an electric pump.
Additionally, the AirGlide kayak is a little tippy on the water and I find it a bit challenging to get in and out of with the high side walls.
As long as they were paddling with an adult it would be possible.
No, it’s a little trickier than most of our kayaks to get in and out of.
The Air Glide is a bit tippy on the water and the side walls are quite high, so it can be a little challenging to enter and exit the kayak.
It’s quite large, so you should be fine, but we have not yet tested it with two tall people.
The maximum capacity is 250kgs according to the manufacturer.
About the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak
The Air Glide 473 kayak is 100% high-quality drop-stitch which is extremely tough:
In the extremely rare case that you damage the hull, the kayak comes with a repair kit, so you can put on a patch.
It’s really a canoe if you look at the shape!
I don’t know whether you would class it as sit-in or sit-on-top.
I would say sit-on-top even thought it is NOT self-bailing, because the area you are sitting is completely open and water can splash in.
Yes and yes!
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is a convertible kayaks – it’s designed to be paddled both tandem and solo.
It is, however, very long and heavy and would be hard work for one person.
Deflated and packed dimensions are:
97cm x 57cm x 46cm
The weight of the kayak is 23kg.
The weight of the kayak plus bag plus pump plus paddles is around 27kg.
At 23kg, the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is lightweight compared to a hard-shell kayak, but not our lightest tandem kayak.
If you are not feeling strong, it might be better to look for one of our lightweight kayaks.
The canoe-shaped hull and the high walls makes it feel a bit tippy, especially when getting in and out.
There is an optional rudder for the AirGlide kayaks, sold by Bay Sports.
I don’t sell it because I found it to be too difficult to get the tension balanced for it to work effectively.
I would suggest that if you’re going to be paddling in wind, you choose a less wind-affected kayak.
Yes, the ePropulsion Vaquita can be used with the SUP fin-box connection.
- Full drop stitch – extremely rigid
- 2 side carrying handles, allows kayak to be used and transported easily by one person.
- Adjustable 4-point high-back seats with optional booster cushion.
- Smart drainage system allows water to be drained via rear drain plug.
- Detachable fins keep kayak on a straight track while paddling.
- Optional rudder system.
- Multiple D-rings.
- Replaceable high-pressure valves are reliable and airtight.
The Air Glide 473 Kayak is 100% high quality drop-stitch.
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak is manufactured by Bay Sports in China.
Learn more about Bay Sports.
How to use the Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak
You can review the instruction manual here:
Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak Instruction Manual
But my strong recommendation is that you take a look at the setup video:
It should take you around 9 minutes, once you have got the hang of it.
It’s about 9 minutes, once you have got the hang of it.
You just take off the valve covers and set the valves to deflate. Then just walk away for a few minutes and it’s done.
You can use the deflate function of the pump to help suck all the air out.
The pack away takes about 7 minutes.
Pull out the seats, the fins, and the foot braces.
Use a towel to wipe down the kayak.
Put the valves into the deflate position to allow the air out.
Fold the kayak up and put everything in the bag.
What to buy
• 1 x Premium Quality Ballistic-weave nylon carry backpack with 2 x all-terrain wheels and padded shoulder straps.
• Double-Valve Bravo Hand Pump
• 2 x Slide-in 4.5 inch fins
• 2 x Hi-Back kayak seats (with detachable 10 cm padded booster seat) + Large Velcro storage pouch.
• 2 x Premium Foam Footrests
• 2 x Aluminium Paddles (4-piece)
• 1 x Removable plastic water deflector piece
• 1 x 2m buckle strap to keep kayak from unravelling for easy packing away
• 1 x Quick Repair Kit (with spare PVC patches, valve repair tool and adhesive glue)
• Printed A5 Setup and User Guide Booklet
You need to purchase a life jacket at a minimum.
You can also purchase a paddle leash so you don’t lose your paddle!
We also recommend a dry bag for keeping your gear dry.
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak comes with an Aluminium Paddle. This is a 4-part paddle, but it’s a bit short, a bit heavy and a bit rattly.
If you want a better paddle, check out our range of featherable, collapsible kayak paddles.
The Air Glide 473 Full Drop-stitch Kayak comes with the Double-Valve Bravo Hand Pump.
If you want to speed up the process (the nano barrel pump is small and therefore slow), I recommend the Flextail Max Pump 2 Pro
General Information
Bay Sports come with a 3-year warranty on all kayaks. You can find details of this warranty here.
But if you have any issues after that period, still get in touch as we carry some spare parts and may be able to help out.
Our 90-day “Try it on the Water” Guarantee means that if the kayak is not what you expected, you have 90 days after delivery to return the kayak for a FULL refund.
Shipping is free for orders over $169 and $9 flat rate for orders under $169.
If the product is in stock, it will ship from our Sydney warehouse within 2-3 business days of ordering.
If you have a deadline, please get in touch and we’ll check if it’s going to make it in time.
For more shipping questions, check out https://ozinflatablekayaks.com.au/shipping/
For Advanced Elements kayaks, check out our list of retailers.
