Kayaking is a new found love of mine. It is so relaxing but also a great workout. Last summer I was dealing with bad IT band issues and was unable to hike. I had to find some way to satisfy my outdoor adventure needs without adding further strain to my knee. This is when my love for kayaking developed. I was out renting kayaks multiple times and at various locations all summer. However, there are a ton of places that do not rent kayaks; so I had been wanting to get my own kayak. The problem I had was that I had no where to store a standard kayak. Plus the thought of trying to figure out how to mount one on my car roof frightened me a bit.
I had been eye-balling the Intex Challenger K1 Kayak on Amazon last year but was weary of buying it because of how cheap it was. As soon as spring rolled around this year I thought I may as well look into this blow-up kayak a bit more. I messaged a few people on Instagram who had the same kayak and they all had nothing but good reviews. So I thought, what the heck, for less than $100 it’s worth a try.
Intex Challenger K1 Kayak Review
To my surprise this kayak was amazing! I took it out to Buntzen Lake in Port Moody for a test run shortly after I got it in the mail. I couldn’t believe how fast it was to pump up. People were not lying when they told me it would only take 10 minutes. It also deflates fast and is easy to get back into the bag it comes in. The bag is compact and easy to store in the trunk of my car. I’m ready to kayak wherever I go!
What Comes In the Kayaking Bag:
The kayak comes with an inflatable seat, a pump, the paddle, a fin and a little blow up floaty. The seat clips in and also sticks to the inside of the kayak with 2 attaching velcro strips. For some reason my kayak came without a second velcro strip inside the kayak so I am unable to attach it by the velcro. I consulted with others and found out that it is manufacturer error that is not normal on the rest of these kayaks. So I just place a towel underneath so it doesn’t slide around or have velcro rubbing on it. It still clips in and has not caused me any issues so I haven’t bothered to send it back for that reason.
With the seat, I found that having it fully blown up made me feel a bit too squished. So I found blowing up the bottom part only half way is much more comfortable for me. I am 5’3″ and 145 pounds. The kayak is meant to hold 220 pounds but I have wondered how comfortable it is for someone bigger than me. I find it is perfect for me but feel that someone really tall might feel squished. A taller and heavier person may find it more comfortable to have the 2-person kayak and leave one of the seats out as it is longer and holds more weight.
2 Person Kayaking Models:
Intex has 2 versions of the 2 person kayak. I have seen them on the water and have also heard good reviews. These ones hold up to 400 pounds of weight. And like I said, because the seats come out I believe a taller person may be more comfortable getting the 2 person kayak and leaving one of the seats out when they want to kayak alone.
*Click on any of the stock kayak photos or links to view more information on sizing dimensions and prices on Amazon. 
Safety
Make sure you use the fin on the kayak otherwise you probably won’t go too far. I am uncertain if I would take this kayak in the ocean or anywhere with a bit more waves. I worry about it popping although the material is quite sturdy and has you sitting higher than some regular kayaks. I would just go based on your own comfort level and ability. The kayak does have 2 air chambers which is nice. This makes me feel more confident that if one area of the kayak did pop than part of it would still be floating.
Either way, no matter where you go, you should be prepared for A) flipping the kayak or B) the chance of popping it. It is a good idea to be aware and practice how you will get back in the kayak if you flip it, especially if you plan to take the kayak far from the shore.
Life Jacket
Make sure to get yourself a life jacket if you do not have one. Many provincial parks will come around and make sure that you have one. At Buntzen Lake in Port Moody they will come and ask you if you at least have a life jacket with you. Amazon has some good deals as well if you do not already own a life jacket. They will range in price depending on desired comfort. For example the blue one is a standard life jacket but may feel bulky after a while. Whereas the red one is more designed for water sports so you feel less restricted.
**For more safety tips about kayaking watch this short video: “Top 5 Kayak Safety Rules for Beginners”**
Other Considerations
The oar that comes with the kayak is not adjustable. So you may end up considering getting a different oar eventually if it is not within your comfort level. It works well for me but in some of the reviews people have complained about this factor.
Some other accessories to consider adding would be a dry bag and a waterproof cell phone case. I have also thought about the kayak hand pumps in case you do flip the kayak. However, I do believe that because of how light it is that it would be fairly easy to flip it over without putting a bunch of water in it. So that would be something to test out to decide.
A final thing to consider is possibly getting a big enough backpack that would fit all of your kayaking materials so you can hike to some of our beautiful glacier fed lakes and kayak there. However, all of the materials weigh around 25 pounds. So that weight plus any other weight you may need to carry on the hike could end up being a bit much unless you are used to carrying a lot of weight when you hike.
Final Thoughts
The Intex Challenger K1 Kayak is definitely worth the price. It is an affordable and convenient way to go kayaking. Perhaps you may still want to rent or own a standard kayak for kayaking in the ocean or anywhere where the water is more choppy. Also remember that for a taller and heavier person, the 2 person version with one seat taken out may be more comfortable.
I am excited for more adventuring in my Intex Challenger K1 Kayak! Let me know in the comments section if you have tried this kayak or another blow up kayak! I would be curious to know where you have gone with it and any further recommendations. Have fun out there and be safe!
Paddling at Buntzen Lake.
Hey Steph, I came across your article while searching for quantity of velcro straps on the intex k1 challenger. I, too, received a kayak with 1 velcro strip instead of 2. Were you able to resolve this issue as I’m wondering whether or not i should return the kayak.
Thanks in advance!
Hey, oh I thought I was the only one! My friend got one recently and hers had all velcro strips. I just decided to keep a towel underneath the seat so the velcro doesn’t rub on the material and that works fine. It’s up to you though. It should have the proper velcro strips and Amazon is really good about their return policy. I just didn’t want to wait for a new one and it really hasn’t caused me any issues since the seat also clips in.
Excellent review, thank you!
you’re welcome! Thanks for checking it out!
Great review,looking forward to testing mine out on Monday with my son 👍🏼
Thank you! I’m sure you guys will have a great time! 🙂