Best Kayak from Walmart? Decathlon Itiwit Inflatable Kayak Review 

Take your FREE online ACA Paddlesports safety course here: americancanoe.org/paddlesports-online-course/

There are a number of things you need to know about these boats before you get one. I've owned an inflatable for many years (not this one) and I love it. Bit disappointed they weren't covered here though. Inflation: if you over inflate the tubes they will probably rupture along the seams. You need to buy a pressure gauge, so add that to your price. Also, if you inflate the boat on a hot day, but the water temp is significantly lower than air temp, this will cause the pressure to drop. Sometimes significantly and can create a bend in the boat. You should consider taking your pump with you so you can top it up, on the water if you need to. Just know you will need to deflate a little before you pull the boat from the water. Seating & boat width: since you sit low in the boat and the chambers are very wide, you might need a longer paddle than normal otherwise you'll be leaning over the side on every stroke. That can cause additional discomfort and fatigue. Also, decathlon can have a limited selection of paddles so make sure you shop around. Paddling: You can see while hes paddling that the nose of the boat is veering side to side. This happens because theres no real running line under the boat. This weaving back and forth significantly reduces your stroke efficiency meaning you have to work harder to keep the boat straight. The boat comes with little fins, usually front and back. You need to keep them in the water. As this is a 2/3 person boat, you should sit in the back over the rear fins, and either a 2nd person or something reasonably heavy like a dog or camping backpack should sit in the front to weigh the nose down and keep the front fin in the water. This helps but it's still not perfect. This boat has a large surface area, if its windy, know that you are getting blown about. If your trying to paddle upstream, this boat isn't very slim, it pushes a lot of water, upstream paddling is tough. He mentions class 1 and maneuverability, yes it turns well while on the spot. That doesn't transition well on the move. If you're on moving water consider this a bus or truck. You need to plan ahead and paddle hard. These boats easily slide sideways on the water. Materials: the inflation tubes are covered in high density cordura. It makes the boat more durable but it also traps water. If you dont ensure the inner tubes are also dry before packing it,they will become slimy, mouldy, smelly and eventually deteriorate. Do not, under any circumstances, go fishing in this boat. You might think you'll never hook the boat, I assure you, you will. Repairing punctures on these boats is not fun. I've heard of people throwing it in the bin rather than keep trying to repair it. Most inflatables have spare available. I've had my inflatable kayak for 5 years, I love it. I recommend it for flat calm water only. Paddle for an hour, beach up, have a snack, paddle some more, beach up, paddle, beach. If you try and paddle for 4 hours straight you'll probably become exhausted and frustrated. Not a fun day out. This is great to take your kid out and bob about on the water for a bit. It's not a touring kayak. If on your 1st trip out, you cover more than a quarter mile, you've done well. Even after 5 years the furthest I've gone is 1.5 miles, and I would recommend half that as an upper limit. Definitely get one, use it in the right conditions for the right reasons and you'll have a blast. I wouldn't be without mine.

We just got this kayak this summer. We are the type of people this kayak is made for, and it performs great for what we want to do - just get out on the calm scenic water and take it easy. We towel dry the exterior when we finish paddling, we deflate it and gently fold it, drive it back home, then open it again in a spare bedroom to completely dry. We remove the floor section and hang it over a door for a day or two which collects the water in the ends and we can blot it dry with a towel. We do need to towel dry the inside of the boat after removing the floor. We also carefully unzip the sides and towel dry inside because there is always a slight amount of water that gets in there. If you don't mind the process of taking care of the kayak this way, spending some time with it to make sure it is completely dry, you will enjoy this kayak. I cannot wait to take it out again now that the weather is getting very nice here in Virginia. For so little money it has opened up a new world to us.

The Itiwit x500 is a sit inside inflatable kayak from decathlon, would love to see a review on one of those!

Another honest review Ken, thanks. I actually bought one of these, from my local Decathlon store, to take my kids out. Wasn’t sure of it at first due to my own reservations on inflatable kayaks but have been more than impressed. Yes it’s slow compared to my Venture Kayaks Islay but totally safe for them to have fun on our (very cold) Scottish Lochs. 👍

At 4:05 I thought that was the sound of the kayak deflating for a second. LOL

When I bought my kayak and gear the guy at the shop talked me into not going for the cheapest paddle but spending a bit more to get something much better. Totally worth it. I am so glad I listened.

Over here in the UK, we find that the Itiwit 3 is excellent for canoe camping, especially as a single paddler. 😁

I picked up the 2 man Itiwit last year. I didn't want to spend thousands before I found out if liked kayaking and it's made pretty well for the $. I'm a pretty big guy (240 lbs) and this is truly a stable boat. Performance aside, it's worked out great. The best thing is, it got me on the water and now looking for a more advanced fishing kayak. When I' get the new kayak, I'll pass this on to someone else who may want to try kayaking. This kayak is a great place to start.

Just like to thank you for the reviews you do. I've watched several and find them very interesting. I have a couple of kayaks and a couple canoes. (all hard shell) I still find these interesting. Thank you. You do a great job.

Did the ACA course. Been paddling for years but there were some great reminders in there that I should consider as part of my normal practice.

I also had this problem with this kayak in Croatia, that I was doused with water, otherwise I have nothing to complain about. I want to buy it in the spring and I will use it to fish in our waters in Slovakia. It is a very adventurous way to combine fishing and sport. And this kayak is very stable and wide, I was surprised by its stability on big waves. So you will definitely not regret buying this type of kayak. It can be used both as a family for 3 people and as for one fisherman.

Great 👍 review, I must say I bought a lifetime Tamarack for $275.00 at Ocean State Job Lot, and really impressed with it, all the very best sir, thank you for what you do.

If you liked this one you definitely have to try the Itiwit x100. It's more or less the same design, but much higher pressure and dries up quicker. It essentially fixes the few shortcomings of the kayak in this video.

The 2-Person version of this was my gateway kayak! It totally hooked me into this sport during the pandemic. It's kinda bummer that you didn't get to test their original paddle; Itiwit does carry their entry level paddles under $50, and it seems a lot better than the one you got for this video. As you mentioned, the only thing about this inflatable kayak is that it takes some time and effort to dry throughly. Water could go between the layers of fabric, so you might need to take home and hang it somewhere. If that's the case, you probably wish to have a backyard or big space to do so which kinda contradicts the point of owning an inflatable kayak... Still great kayak for the price!

I've been thinking of getting a Decathlon Itiwit x500 single person kayak. Would love to see a test of that if you can get hold of one. If you do, make sure it 's a V2 version (check label at bottom of shoulder strap on backpack).

I like that you review kayaks of all shapes, sizes and cost Ken. This one's certainly not for me (I crave more rigidity and performance) but like you rightly say, it has its place in the market. Experienced paddlers should never 'rubbish' entry level boats. If these things encourage new people to get out on the water, then so much the better. More people paddling = more revenue for the industry = increased development = better equipment, lower costs and, as if that isn't enough, greater facilities for paddlers at every level. Everyone's a winner. Keep up the excellent work.

I didn’t know you were here in Ontario! That’s really cool - I started kayaking when I was living in Alabama and have continued after moving to the Great White North. I’ve noticed a big difference in the types of rivers between the two places as well as the types of kayakers. Thanks for doing great reviews of all things kayaking!

14:53: "Who is that kayak for?" Asking the right questions is essential; and not many manage to do that. Speed is not everything - and, for a lot of people, it means nothing. In other words, this kayak is for people who want to simply enjoy being out on the water (as it is portable, stable, reliable, and, depending on paddling style, dry). P.S. You can treat the cordura with Decathlon's own waterproofing spray (item no. 8780411).

Hi. I have 2 off this itiwit 100 for my family and we love it . After few uses I know they are not perfect ,found few tings annoying but if you are on budget and need 2 boats for your family they are very good choice if you have space to dry them properly. Itiwit orange paddle don't have that groove and have quick release clamp so better choice.

Anyone thinking about getting this kayak, consider getting the better version of this boat called the X100. It's got a dropstitch floor (5 PSI), the sides are the same but inflate to 3 PSI, it's noticeably stiffer, doesn't have the second fabric layer that takes ages to dry (it's all PVC), same comfortable seats. It also comes with a better bag (wider shoulder straps). It's a bit more expensive but the tiny quality-of-life improvements do add up. I have both the X100 and X500 and they're both just sweet for their respective prices. Go Decathlon.

I think as a intro level budget inflatable the sea eagle 330 is a far better option. A one seater with paddle 249, includes pump. 2 seater with 2 paddles 299. We saw a couple on one a mile from the dock at pee wee falls in Washington. Not a fast rig by any means but appeared well made. I believe sea Eagle even gives you 60 or 90 days to try it out.

I bought my daughter an adjustable kayak paddle with a carbon shaft for €90 from Decathlon . It's stiff and lightweight, she is very pleased with it.

Itiwit is a house brand for the Decathlon chain of sporting goods stores, common in Europe and Asia. I've never seen a Decathlon store in the USA. I shopped them in Thailand and China all the time. They don't carry brands like Shimano, Daiwa, Wilson, etc. Everything they sell is their own house brand. The Itiwit (and all Decathlon brand) items that I have purchased in Thailand and China have all been great, and I'm pleased that they're now available in the USA via online sales.

Good video lots of info this could be the kayak to keep in my rv to have when we camp where there is a lake or pond.

Thanks for the review. I've got the one person version of this boat. Great value for recreational kayaking, like you said. If there's a downside it is the drying time, because the fabric does get soaked and dries very slowly. You'll have to take it apart to drie it thoroughly, which takes time and space.

Thankyou for a really useful and informative review.I have bought one of these and love it.

There's a 2 person inflatable kayak with a drop stitched floor on Amazon by serenelife for $300 right now with foot rests, pump with barometer, oars, and backpack. I bought it for my first kayak and as a 300lbs dude it works great with me and my 9yo son. The front skeg was slightly angled, but it works great with just the back one. There's basically zero information about it on the Internet but I really impressed with the quality fit the price. It's not as nice as my friend's $1000 Sea Eagle, but I couldn't drop that kind of cash on testing a hobby. I looked into the itiwit, but with it being 1.5psi I thought I'd fold it in half. LOL. As far as waterproofing that material, you don't want to do that because water will get inside around the tube and you'll never get it dry.

Great idea but whether it be an inflatable camping mattress or canoe/kayak the dammed things always end up leaking air. I’m a big fan of Decathlon products (got an amazing guarantee) so maybe theirs will prove to be better but my previous one from Sevylor was a disaster. It leaked air from day one but I could never find where from. Tried every method under the sun to check for leaks and also replaced the valves but to no avail. Anyway, the one on review looks great so fingers crossed.🙂

Shoulda left the sticker on the paddle; white label on a black paddle helps find the paddle when it gets away from you. (Or if you remove the label; add hi-viz tape.)

I've owned this kayak and it could definitely be inflated to more than 1.5 psi. I filled untill it hardened and had great fun with it. I used it in the sea. Great value for money.

I've seen these in Walmart and wondered about them. I think the real question is, how do they compare to America's most popular inflatable kayaks? The Sea Eagle SE370 & SE330. The Walmart one is comparably priced (not cheaper). What are you thoughts on comparing them? The SE370 & SE330 have become the best selling inflatables in America, and without the huge distribution of Walmart. They've been around over 50 years, and have a good reputation. I own 3 SE330's and all of mine are over 10 years ago and still work in good condition, except one I bought used that was not dried or cleaned and salt water stained due to operator error, but I got it cheap. The others are still clean and work fine a decade later. Tons of online info on the Sea Eagles and dozens of user reviews on RU-vid and all over the Internet. The cheap Sea Eagles include a pair quality paddles with them. Not ones that will flex or cost era. The Sea Eagles do not absorb water like this Walmart one as you mentioned. I did notice the Walmart one includes longer skegs. The Sea Eagles include a 3 year warranty from a reputable company. What are you thoughts Ken as for a comparison? I also own several higher quality Sea Eagles too.

Hi there, great videos. Did you find out about waterproofing the skin?

Looking at this as now on sale for £150!! Did you find out about waterproofing the material? There are things like grangers that add waterproofing & UV protection so interesting to find out

Hi Ken, would you be able to review the upgrade to this one that has the drop stitch floor and a higher pressure on the side pontoons? FYI, your reviews and paddle tales episodes rock!

Adding a fabric to a boat is dumb but yeah, you can spray the same stuff you use to waterproof a tent on that fabric as well.

Got this yesterday, gotta try it out asap

I can't see if this kayak has the zippers to access the tubes for replacement. I'm thinking is must, but please confirm. If not replaceable, avoid this like the plague since no way to patch. Note that Itiwit has no US presence so if one needs a warranty replacement, you are stuck. They sell on Amazon, WalMart, and Target online, but it's a 90 day warranty and good luck trying to do a return with any of these vendors. Decathalon (mfg) no longer has any stores in the US for exchange or if one needs a tube, skeg. I believe the Intex Excursion Pro to be a substantially better kayak with no fabric to dry, not as wide (easier to paddle), and using spring valves vs the cheapo Boston valves of the Itiwit. Intex has parts in stock and will replace the kayak if defective.

Decathlon makes a 220-240 mm adjustable nylon/aluminum paddle that’s $50 and is much nicer. The blade doesn’t flex much, has nice grip tape, and doesn’t have those dumb cutouts.

hola tengo el mismo kayak lo adquiri en Declathon ya casi un año lo que puedo decir es que es un exelente kayak lo uso en rios para pesca , como malo puedo decir que la garantia no pasa de ser una humorada, las bases de las quillas se despegan y caen afortunadamente las conper en una pagina de ventas y las pege con pegamento para pvc, al fondo o piso inflable trae funda pero deveria tener un cierre paea que no le entre arena o material ya que es muy frajil a pinchones, pero los flotadores laterales traen funda con sierre lo que los deja mun protejido, el decempeño del bote es exelente muy estable y resistente , el tema de las palas es un gran punto a considerar.

My takeaway is with burning up and buying this kayak instead of the intek at half the price. Thank you

Great video, I think the first version of the X500 was a bit instable, but has improved much since a new bottom design.

With this size of boat u can do multiday trips sinse there Is lots of place for the gear. The speed is not the most important thing for everyone. If u have whole day time to paddle, maybe whole weekend or a week u can cover enough distances even if you paddle slowly. I mean, most people dont want to do racing, competition or doing extream sport when they go for hiking or leisure paddling trip anyhow...and budged boats or kayaks should not be even compared with professional ones. Everyone knows they dont compare for hard or more expensive inflatable kayaks but they still works and fullfills the purpose for people who wants to go to do paddling/nature trips.

Someone made video going to white waters on river with this boat and the boat hit the rocks all the time. It caused no damage anyhow to the boat...

who specific kayak is for? such a good question

What electric pump would you recommend for an inflatable kayak like this, I saw one in this video but didn't see one in your links, much thanks!

Seat back height at 12" is a weak point. I'm 6'-2" and it gives zero back support. Looking for an upgrade.

where should I sit on an inflatable tandem when solo? up front like the guy in the vid? or middle?? online it seems to say the back....

In Europe the same one is 350 euro in Decathlon.

Hello Ken, compliments for yuor videos they are always super.... I would like you test a gumotex seawave because before buying I would like to ear your opinion. Another question why you never tested a grabner or gumotex boat? Thank you a lot in advance, bye bye Fabio

Ken, Since I'm 6'4", 255 lbs and generally paddle on resorvoirs, will this kayack be big enough for me? Will it be all the kayak I need on a resovoir or lake?

Please do the x500 its a dropstitch kayak

Hey, really liked your video, do you maybe have a review of intex excursion pro tandem?

As someone looking to get into paddling, I appreciate your reviews on budget equipment. Have you considered reviewing the Sevylor Quikpak k5? It retails between $200 and $250 and I think it would be really interesting to see how it compares to the Intex Challenger.

Is the sprint kayaking video comming any tume soon?

The Itiwit X500 is the one person high pressure version. Far better than this rubber boat. And more comparable to a solid kayak. I think it's the product to choose if you are a beginner and don"t want to invest to much money nor have the room to store a rigid kayak.

We bought the 2 seater and 3 seater a month ago. We've taken them out once. Both preformed amazing! I've thought about spraying them with camp dry. I've used it on tents, shoes and backpacks. I've wondered how it would work on this

Probably not worth it with these paddles, but a couple of coats of good automotive or better, marine wax, applied to the paddles and they will shed water big time. I keep my paddles well waxed and that and the drip rings usually always do the job.

It is good for fishing?

I got this direct from Decathalon during COVID. Plus--got me interested in the sport and on the water....con---most everything else. Biggest two problems are: (1) that you have to leave this outside to dry and it takes forever to do so; and (2) the floor is super flexy. Other things to consider....This doesn't track well at all. I even purchased a larger itiwit paddle board center fin--didn't help. On windy days, you will get blown all over the water. High side chambers means it is difficult to entry/exit. Oh, and the seats are uber uncomfortable. Finally, the zipper on the bag broke and after numerous emails to Decathalon, they were unable to send or even sell me a replacement bag.

I have been using the sea eagle SE-370 and the maximum psi rating is only 1.1 for that so this one is way harder. I wonder if this is better than the SE-330 or 370.

Gotta love wanting to watch a video on a specific product and have to deal with 10 minutes of other crap before the review that people want

Any thoughts on itiwit 100 vs itiwit x100? I myself wanted to opt for x100, estimating it's performance is wort the price difference, but sellers told me that many of those were returned under warranty, so now I'm a bit stuck with decision... Help, please? :)

Can somebody please help me between this kayak for beginners and the Intex Pro kayak the other orange one that's about $209 for beginners what would you recommend and also because we live by the ocean I know this one has material so it would take longer to dry also which of the two would be better to use in the ocean because of the salt water? Please let us know as soon as possible as we are looking to purchase immediately thank you... Mermaid from California 🧜

I don't know why you ripped so much on the "low" pressure. Compared to kayaks of it's price range it has the highest pressure. Intex excursion, sea eagle 370 and several Sevylor models in that range have lower pressure in at least one of the chambers.

Whats the risk of sharp twigs puncturing these kayaks?

Do you know if the itiwit x500 is (has ever been, will be) available in Canada? Can't seem to find it anywhere without huge import fees.

The term “gateway kayak” you used. Certainly a corollary to an addicting gateway drug? 😂

Have you reviewed the x100

Awesome video, could you make a video of the sea eagle se370 kayak in the future?

Top.

I had to stop at the crotch strap talk. LOL... I'm sure there is a market for this product.

5:45 Please do NOT buy cheap throw away stuff that litters and pollutes the environment just because we could pay a few dollars less! Buy stuff that lasts as long as possible. That is the only way to protect the nature that we love to spent our time in.

My first time Kayaking and this Kayak held strong. ru-vid.comUgkx4k5UrhC3v_Y4hIEaXLGvHcN5a5aBmZNB The water got pretty rough as a speed boat zipped by me, and the Kayak withstood it (I expected to be capsized). The Ores are very easy to put together, the pump worked beautifully. the seats are a bit hard to sit in after a while (I recommend sitting on the floor). after reading the reviews I was very scared it'd get a hole in it, the material is very strong and durable. The Air valve may need a small Phillips head screwdriver to adjust, other than that, it's well worth the money!(update)I've gone Kayaking in 3 Lakes and 2 rivers totaling about 40 miles. the kayak had two holes and they patched easily and no other problems can't wait for kayaking season this year!

You need to fall with a longer range, otherwise you will be covered in water :D

You dont buy this kayak full stop. Decathlons own reviews report welds going within weeks. Here is a sample of one review. "Very pleased at first had lots of fun but the seats broke at the welds, couldn’t fix and had to fight to get replacements which also broke the same way. Then the main chamber burst on the welds again. Despite little use decathlon wouldn’t replace. Not very happy. Usually I’m very impressed with their kit but this has an inherent fault that decathlon should own and sort. The bot is now 2 years old has had little use and been cared for but will now end up in the bin." I know people who brought this kayak and return it for similar reasons. One person told me he took it back and cued behind 3 people also returning the same kayak. All Itiwit kayaks have a really bad reputation and arent worth the trouble. And if you think I'm joking read the 1 star reviews on Decathlons site.

"in my mind" lol uh okay guy

Wow so much talk about every thing but the kayak... why dont you review your'e entire house on this boat video... 10 minutes into the video "lets talk about the boat" 🤦🤦

Hipolito Views

this padel is so bad

Very long winded report. Needs to be much much shorter and more succinct.

10:55 when he actually talks about the kayak ...