Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Expedition Elite Inflatable Kayak
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The AdvancedFrame Expedition Elite is a hybrid of a folding frame kayak and an inflatable kayak. It slices gracefully through water, rivaling the tracking of a hard-shell day-touring kayak.
Shop similar products- Aluminum rib-frame technology in the bow and stern provide excellent paddling performance
- High-pressure drop-stitch floor construction provides unparalleled rigidity in an inflatable craft
- Rear storage access hatch with roll-top closure
- Aluminum front deck riser for enhanced watershed
- 13 ft. length enhances tracking performance and hull speed
- Added length provides plenty of storage room for extended, multiday trips
- Provides great leg room for taller paddlers over 6 ft. 2 in.
- Adjustable footbraces included
- Inflatable coaming takes a standard spray skirt
- Bungee deck lacing and multiple D-rings for gear tie-down
- Drop-stitch floor creates hull chine for enhanced tracking performance
- Neoprene paddle guards protect knuckles
- Comes with a repair kit and a heavy-duty duffel bag
- Proprietary, easy-to-use Spring valve and Twistlok valves are compatible with most pumps and speed setup time; pump not included
- Molded, low-profile rubber handles for easy transport to and from the water
- Durable triple-layer polyester material with double PVC coating offers superb puncture resistance; welded seams ensure long life
Imported.
View all Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayaks| Best Use | Flatwater Kayaking |
|---|---|
| Material(s) | Polyester/PVC tarpaulin/aluminum/drop-stitch PVC |
| Length | 13 feet |
| Width | 32 inches |
| Depth | Unavailable |
| Weight | 42 pounds |
| Cockpit Size | 30 x 17.5 inches |
| Seat Type | Padded / Foam |
| Number of Paddlers | 1-person |
| Paddle Included | No |
| Weight Capacity (lbs) | 450 pounds |
| Tracking System | Tracking Fin |
| Packed Dimensions | 31 x 16 x 10 inches |
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Most Helpful Critical Review
High quality
I've had this for 3 years now. It feels as fast as a hard shell, but I ove the way it easily packs and can go into my car without the need for a rack. I've used i tmany times and it still is holding up. Nothing broken. I bought the larger two person advanced frame as well. they are both great. When inflating, you just need to partially inflate, then adjust to make sure it doesn't inflate a bit lopsided, then fully inflate.
Reasonably Happy
The Expedition Elite kayak by Advanced Elements is very usable. Out of the box it took one hour to put in the water. The second time about 20 minutes and after 4 goes about 15 minutes. Handles well in the water, very pleased, as a kayak novice moving from many years in canoes, at the stability. Not quick, but it is not a hard shell so I was not expecting great speed. Some of the instructions leave a little to the imagination. If you are not of a practical nature you might, at first, struggle a little. Good seat and the inflatable thwart is a nice touch. I am 6`1" with long legs and entry and exit are very acceptable. The high vis colour scheme is good. I have some minor issues. 2 more `D` rings closer to the cockpit front would be good. The safety strings on the valves are way too short. The AE pump is probably an essential item: I purchased mine with the kayak and it is brilliant but the connectors need some improving. Packing the craft back into its backpack is entertaining and the pack straps need some work. They would be better, for me, if they were not detachable. I have two significant complaints. I have big feet and the toe space is cramped. The kayak was purchased with the intention of doing some longer river trips, 7+ days. The storage space is woefully limited. That means a significant amount of deck storage will be required and I wonder about the stability. If the boat was a foot longer and just a couple of inches broader things might be much better. Good value, seems very robust. Provides entertainment for onlookers when unpacking and packing. 4 out of 5
Great Kayak
I’m fairly new to kayaking, so I don’t have much reference. But I did a lot of research before I bought this one and I’m really happy with my decision. It’s super easy to setup, cuts through the water nicely, and felt extremely stable. My first trip was 5 miles down a river into Lake Michigan and it was a breeze. I can’t vouch for how it holds up if you run into rocks, but it seems to be made well so I wasn’t concerned to go out solo. The stability was what I was most impressed with. I haven’t tried it in rough rapids, but the 2-3 foot waves in Lake Michigan didn’t cause any concern. It’s not meant for white water, and I’m not sure I’d want to go miles off shore. But it’s built well and I’d feel safe just about anywhere else. If you’re looking for a great kayak for lakes/rivers that can fit in your trunk I would highly recommend this one.
Good, not great
Bought a pair of these for my wife and myself. We have a couple of hard shell Perception, but wanted to add a portable/ packable option for our excursions. My real rating 3.75. Pros: This is a fairly well designed boat. Very stable due to the broad mostly flat hull and the general width of the boat. Materials are well chosen balancing weight/ durability. It tracks and water friction- speed/ efficiency 90 - 95% as well as our hard shell boats. Good touch with the relatively small keel fin. Storage decent, not waterproof\, but resistant and use of a good dry bag solves that. Cons: a couple of notes... The chamber valves are secured to the fabric shell with a large plastic threaded nut. On one of the boats the chamber 1 nut was loose in the box. Not a huge effort fix, but a little quality control would be appreciated. Design... the floor chamber inflation value could easily be moved 5-6" forward for ease of access without any impact to user's comfort. This is a portable boat to be inflated- deflated with frequency. The kayak has bilateral velcro tabs for securing a paddle. This should be moved back at least 6", the rear tab is exactly where my elbows swing on every paddle draw. First use, both insides of my elbows are raw. I'm 6' with long legs, so my seat is at the rear-most position at the rim of the cockpit. My wife is 5', 5" and has no problem in this regard. A similar comment concerns the neoprene forearm protector on each side of the cockpit... it needs to extend 10" further back to effectively do its job. A note on the carry bag. It's has a useful pack strap feature. Good idea. Now as with most items once home from the store and unpacked, they never fold as perfectly, nor as neatly and tidy as factory issue. As with a vacation time suitcase, kneeling to compress is helpful. If the carry bag was designed for horizontal, rather than vertical loading with a 'U' shaped zipper, packing would be 100x easier. The main selling point of this boat is portability. It is certainly functional in that regard, but a few tweaks and a bit more quality control would make it worthy of an additional review star.
Great Kayak on its Maiden Voyage
I rated this kayak a 5 based on the following: I am 5' 9", 190 lbs and an experienced kayaker (ridged hulled). This is my first inflatable kayak. I have inflated/deflated twice and taken it on 1 one open water paddle. Therefore, a lot is missing from this review...after this summer and at least 2 months of constant use I'll update. I'm not going to whine about little things. This kayak was easy to inflate and deflate and stow in the bag/backpack that is provided. The bag is also big enough to carry a pump which is sold separately. It would be nice if the bag had a way to attach paddles to the outside for hiking. The only addition here would be to annotate the correct psi for each port as each is different. However, once you do it a couple times you easily remember. This kayak tracked well in the Chesapeake Bay with a 1' chop and 5 kt cross wind. Of course, being only 13' and not a ridged hulled kayak it didn't track as easy as my other kayaks, but I was impressed and this kayak is rted as a flat water kayak. No water came into the cockpit other than when I got into the kayak. You may want to bring along a sponge, especially before deflating. The floorboard remained ridged and didn't appear to buckle as I had read on other reviews of other inflatable kayaks. Good stability and plenty of storage on the aft which is accessible from the top of the kayak or aft of the removable and inflatable seat.
Nice kayak.
This was a great purchase. Well-made and readily portable. Opens up whole new vistas. Highly recommended for those interested in a nice activity.
Nothing but trouble.
DO NOT BUY THIS BOAT. I purchased two two years ago; the first one's main bladder failed irrepably a week after the warranty expired. Advanced Elements responded by sending us glue that didn't fix the issue, and it took the intervention of a representative from the Pack&Paddle where we bought it for them to do right by the customer and send us a replacement air bladder. The build quality is generally poor, and the attachment points for the air bladders to the interior of the hull have all but ripped out. These boats are nothing but trouble, and not nearly worth the money or hassle.
Hard to dry
Love the ride, took it to Lake Michigan, tracks and rides the waves. It is very difficult to dry the inside of the back. The valve on the top makes it impossible to pull the tubes out of the boat. Brought it home and used a fan to dry the inside. Used on Torch Lake, opened it and it smells already like life jackets when you rent them. I will be returning.
If you absolutely must have a folding kayak??
I thought it would be easier to travel with this boat compared to my rigid kayaks. However, when deflated they are still close to 45 pounds and a bit bulky. Translation not all that easy to handle. Then the big disappointment was the handling out on the water. Not terrible but certainly not a strong tracker. I did not even try to get it up on the edge. A very big disappointment especially at this price.