Intex Challenger K2 Kayak Review

If you are an adventure water sports lover, you would obviously love kayaking. I am an ardent water sports lover, and I wanted to get my own kayak so that my partner and I could have some fun in the water. After considering many options and analyzing the features of different materials and sizes of kayaks, I found that the Intex Challenger K2 2-seater blow up Kayak was a great choice for the budget that I had in mind. Here, I am going to give you a brief idea about the product, its features, pros, cons, and some technical specifications, so that you can go through the same and take a call if it would suit you as well.

Features of the product

The first thing that struck me about the Intex Challenger K2 tandem Kayak from Intex Recreation is the bright black, green and blue colors that it came in. Apart from the attractive exteriors, the product also had some amazing interiors that provided us great comfort. Here is a list of the great features of this kayak.

• Puncture-resistant and UV-damage resistant heavy duty vinyl
• Extremely spacious and padded cockpit
• Great visibility on the water, thanks to the vibrant colors and eye-catching graphic images
• Two comfortable seats with backrests that can be adjusted or removed as per the users’ convenience (personally, it helped me a lot because sometimes, I really love to go kayaking all by myself)
• Two separate air chambers and inflatable I-beam floors to provide rigidity and durability
• Two aluminum paddles that are 86 inches long, Boston air valves and highly effective air pump that helps in quick inflation and deflation of the kayak
• Comes with a maximum weight limit of 400 pounds
• Comes with a handy repair kit and a cargo net that you can use to store essential supplies

Intex Recreation has been doing wonderful business in the last four decades in manufacturing high-quality water sports equipment, toys and beds that can be inflated and other creative recreation items. So, we (I and my partner) decided to choose the Challenger K2 Kayak made by them. I must say that I wasn’t disappointed at all. I feel that I have got full value for my money.

This is priced at under $90, which, I would say, is reasonable and affordable for the features that it has. It is one of the effectively-priced kayaks on the market today in this permissible weight category (400 pounds). I love the fact that I can use it as a single-user, whenever I want to go on long kayaking sessions by myself.

Specification

Dimensions
Overall Length	11ft 6in (3.51m)
Overall Width	2ft 6in (76cm)
Capacity
Passengers	2
Max Weight	400 lb (180 kg)
Compliance	Certified by the National Marine Manufacturers Association using ABYC standards.

What I loved (Pros)

I did mention in the previous paragraphs about the wonderful features of the Challenger K2 Kayak from Intex Recreation. I would like to stress upon these again and let you know some of the best things that I loved about this product:

2. Flexibility – I am quite impressed by the fact that I can use this as a single-user or double-user system as and when I want. When I use it in the single-user mode, I can remove the extra seat, and I get a load of space to stretch my legs and store my essentials.
3. Long-lasting – When you invest your hard-earned money in some product, you would always wonder if your investment would provide your returns. I had the same thought in my mind when I was about to invest around $100 in this kayak from Intex Recreation. However, I am thoroughly happy with my purchase decision because this kayak came with some excellent and durable features like:

• Puncture –resistant and UV-damage resistant, rugged vinyl
• Removable/adjustable seats with backrests
• I-beam floors that could be inflated with ease, thanks to the Boston Valves

3. Excellent control – One of the best things that I loved about this kayak is that it provides excellent control to the user. As long as you know to paddle the kayak well, you will enjoy taking a ride in it. This kayak doesn’t skid or drift off, giving you great control over your vehicle.
4. Portability – I could collapse this in the trunk of my car or my closet as well; therefore, it is one of the best portable kayaks available in the market today. The best part of this kayak is that I could assemble and dismantle it within twenty minutes and no need for a kayak roof rack.
5. Safety – It is one of the best kayaks that is safe for beginners who are trying to learn to paddle.

What could have better (cons)?

Every coin has two sides to it. Similarly, every product has two sides to it – pros and cons. All this while, I have been talking about what a great kayak Intex Recreation has manufactured and what some of its exciting and remarkable features are. Now, is the time to discuss some of the features that I feel, Intex could have done better at.

1. Different than the K1 – As someone who has used the Challenger K1 model from the same company, I feel that this K2 model is not as long as its predecessor. At times, I felt that we both had to sit in a slightly uncomfortable way to paddle, especially when we had too many items to be kept in the storage area. I feel that the seats could have been more apart from each other so that both the paddlers could paddle freely.
2. Design/manufacturing issues – Let me assure right away; this doesn’t happen with all but only some users. My neighbor bought this kayak on my recommendation. Unfortunately, the kayak paddles on her K2 model broke off within half an hour of usage. I feel guilty now though it wasn’t my mistake. My K2 worked and still works perfectly well even after a year of usage! Some of my friends have also spoken about a low-quality plastic air pump, ruptured seams, broken buckles and poor seat straps in their Challenger K2 Kayaks. (All of these issues have been fixed with the newer version!)
3. Customer care not helpful – I didn’t face this problem because, as I told earlier, mine is still working fine. However, my neighbor (yes, the same person to whom I recommended this kayak!) had called up the customer care to complain about the broken paddle. However, she was disgusted because she couldn’t connect with anyone for about half an hour and she wasn’t given any alternative solution as well.

Is it worth your money?

I am sure that this is the only question that you would be interested in, in this entire article. Yes, I have discussed a few cons. However, I have also mentioned that this happens only with a few people, for reasons best known to the online or retail sellers. More than 80% of the people who have invested in this kayak is happily paddling their way through the smooth and rough waters today, many years after making their purchase.

Therefore, I would confidently say that this product is a great option for people who are looking for enjoying a thrilling kayaking session at an affordable budget.

Final thoughts

If you have been using the Challenger K1 model Kayak from Intex Recreation, you might face slight problems with the K2 model. This apart, I would still like to recommend this for experienced and first-time paddlers. It comes with a lot of safety features that are aimed at durability and stability, so paddlers can enjoy knowing fully that they are fully protected.

One of the major points that work in favor of the Intex Challenger K2 Kayak is its price. Priced at just about $90, it comes with brilliant features like heavy duty vinyl that is damage-resistant and puncture-resistant. It is quite an exciting deal to get these stylish features at such a reasonable cost. Hence, I would say that this is an offer that you shouldn’t miss if you are an adventure water sports lover.

Collapse your kayak and put it in the trunk of your car when you set out for your kayaking. Drive to the lake or beach in your city, assemble your kayak and inflate it to start paddling right away. It is as simple as that! This is one of the most portable kayaks on the market today; therefore, you will never find any problems when you want to store it. I neatly fold it and keep it in my closet whenever I am not using it!

I have been using this kayak for over a year now, and I haven’t faced any problem so far. My friends love the vibrant hues and the graphic images on this kayak, which make it so visible and eye-catching. Therefore, I would strongly recommend this model to you as well. Owning a user-friendly and safe kayak like this can help you unleash your kayaking skills and make you an expert in this activity.