Cheap Riot Mako Pedal Kayaks | WATCH BEFORE YOU BUY! 

Thanks bud! ❤️

Great Job Filming. You Still Aren’t Getting A Raise. 😆

Big benefit I didn’t mention with Riot is many of their dealers have free shipping. Other brands might cost as much as $250 for shipping if buying online. I have tested and like several brands of pedal kayaks. It depends on what your budget is and what you want to do with the kayak. Also is important to know total weight you plan to put on the kayak (paddler & gear).

*Great news* I read your message and so I got my hands on a Versa too! Ask me questions and I will try to address them in the Versa video. Thanks for watching my videos and supporting the channel. 😊👊

Probably wouldn’t do fast moving rivers due to chance of hitting obstructions with pedal drive. The pedal drive is solid, but doesn’t remove from the kayak quickly like you would need for river/fast current environment. I did some 1ft-2ft chop and it did fine. Haven’t gone out in anything larger. Definitely hard to fit in bag unless you use pump to deflate fully. Easier to fit in bag though than Hobie iTrek9….that is terrible to fit into a bag. I asked Riot to make bag slightly bigger. Honestly I have a few inflatables and I don’t use bags. I just run cam strap around them and rolled up. However, I know other customers might want bag. Basically use pump to suck out air and it fits into bag. If you don’t it won’t fit into the current bag. Therefore I hope they take my advice and increase size of bag or ditch zippers and go to adjustable strap based flap style bag like Saturn inflatable boats use.

@@KayakDIY my Saturn inflatable has a zipper bag. It is plenty big enough to get the boat back in with pumps. I could probably get PFDs and paddles in if i tried. But I use a net bag for those, so they will dry easier

I sourced from epidemic sound. Not sure at moment.

run that sucker at the 15psi so that if it does falil, it fails now under warranty and your covered... but you risk the ever risky warranty claims department. can't prove you didn't over inflate, yada yada. but you sound smart with your observation of whatever the heck a drop stitch is. so run it at whatever doesn't sacrifice too much rigidity to give you some peace of mind....

Everyone mentions razor sharp barnacles and oysters. I live on saltwater and I would be confident enough to tie it up next to my razor sharp oyster & barnacle covered dock and seawall for weeks. I’m serious. I own tons of drop stiched inflatable products including a Inflatable Dock, rib boat, iSUPs and this Riot Mako air kayak. Never had oysters or barnacles slice into one. I’m not careful at all. My inflatable dock is built with same material and I left it next to seawall for weeks in the water. Just don’t buy the cheap $100-250 inflatable kayaks…those are not made like Riot Mako Air. The cheap department store inflatable kayaks are made like air mattress and they pop easily. Dropstiched PVC kayaks and iSUPs are way more durable. Just don’t store them outside in intense heat and you will likely get many years of service. I have left them inflated for 6-8months in backyard and road over them with a truck for durability testing.

I have fished bays with it. So yes. I’m 6ft 2in and 200Lbs

As fast as you can loosen the 4 T-bolts. Not crazy slow, but not fast either.

@@KayakDIY Hobie spoiled me

I seriously don’t think a hook will do it. This material is pretty ridiculously tough. I run them over with trucks and bounce against razor sharp oysters. Same material as my inflatable dock and iSUPs which also have never popped.

Not likely if you are on water. I left an inflatable paddleboard inflated in my florida backyard for 4+ months and then I ran it over with a truck. Don’t recommend abusing them this much, but they are very durable. I recommend storing inside or in shade area when not in use and ideally let some air out. That is how I store my large Scout 430 inflatable boat. I just let a small amount of air out before storing.

Link in my video description has 40% off the Mako Air!!! Just need to use their promo code.

@@KayakDIY where is that code? I can’t find it. Thank you.

@@KayakDIYwish I’d have found you earlier…the 40% off link is sold out of them. 😢

Nothing broke on the Riot kayaks I have owned. Did something break on yours? I like how lightweight they are for easy transport. I was impressed that after flipping the Riot kayak multiple times I got no water in the hull. If I did that on a Hobie Pro Angler 14 it would have gallons of water inside the hull! I would sooner trust this Riot kayak out in the Florida gulf than Hobie Pro Angler 14 for that reason alone. We took a Hobie PA14 out into the gulf on choppy day and didn’t get 400ft before returning to beach and having to get 2 guys drag it on shore to remove water. Old Town makes great quality well sealed kayaks but they are expensive. Hobie makes “good quality” but hatch design flaws result in water getting into the hull.

@@KayakDIY I agree. Trust my Riot kayaks way more than the Hobie kayaks in rough water. The Hobie hatches are absolutely terrible and even leak with rain water! My Riot kayaks are typically quite dry even after rough water runs. Costs about half or less of Hobies too. I agree that Riot rudder is the weak point but totally usable….Riot is still way more maneuverable than Hobie since you have instant reverse. Riot pedal drive has been more reliable and durable too. I’ve had lots of Hobie pedal drives break while on the water and it sucks paddling. Riot for the win! Hope you can pay Brandon your cameraman. Haha

First I developed a hole in the hull, just behind the seat. I was told this was common and they reinforce that small area now. They honoured the warranty on the kayak minus drive and seat. After 11 months waiting I recieved my new Kayak, after one month of use the rudder line snapped inside the rudder control. Fortunstely during the 11 month wait I was fed up and bought the salty. It is heavier but wsy easier to set up, and the build quality is excellent. Zero play and wabble with the drive, seat installs in seconds, not the little threads holding the riot seat. Also the drive pops up with ease. The riot drive is difficult to align and lift in murky water. The riot has great lines, looks amazing, but as far as my experience it was junk. Used it on salt and fresh water and began to feel uneasy in terms of safety.

I would feel safer offshore in a Old Town Salty than Riot Mako 12. However, I would feel way safer offshore in a Riot Mako 12 than most Hobie kayaks due to their front hatches leaking terribly. Riot Mako 12 I liked. The Riot Mako 10 didn’t fit me well and wasn’t a balanced hull. The 10.5 I enjoy. That might be why they put the scupper reinforcements on the 10.5 near the seat. I do know they listen to customer feedback a lot. I made suggestions 2yrs ago and they incorporated them into their new models. Glad you found the kayak that fit your needs. Interestingly the Salty has similar bow rocker like the Mako 12….something I like. I used to own the O.K Malibu PDL. In fact I just put offer in on two of those for our rental fleet.

I already have been reviewing the inflatable Saturn pedal kayaks. Rudder that is included with the Saturn pedal kayaks seems to be slightly undersize. Im communicating with the company and doing further testing. I will give a full review when I have finished tests and filming. Stay tuned to channel. 😊

I’ve been looking for a real review of this

@@KayakDIY havent gotten to use the rudder yet... keeping the pedal system down while peddaling seems to be an issue, maybe strapping it down with a bingee cord would fix it but kindof annoying

is a pencil affordable for a single income family of 20? no. cheap is subjective

Why tf would you have six kids in a single income?

@@soup1743 that’s very true - but there are very few families of 20 in the English speaking Western world who can’t afford pencils. And in America every one of those 20 individuals would get a box of pencils for free from a charity organization PLUS the government would issue 2 boxes to go with their other free stuff including a free cell phone. That aside - a kayak over $1500 is NOT cheap, nor easily afforded for the majority of folks watching your channel. They do the DIY thing because it’s the cheapest, most affordable solution since they are more frugal with the few spare dollars they have, than to simply buy the very expensive gear outright. A DIY milk crate is the best solution when you can’t afford $150 yak-box. I buy $15 polarized sunglasses from Walmart - I’m wagering that’s the norm for us DIY-ers, WE don’t buy $100+ polarized lenses that keep falling to the bottom of the river/ pond because we refuse/ or can’t afford to blow our hard earned cash on them. If I did, they’d be amongst my prized fishing possessions and IF I lost them (my gosh!!) - it would be next year before I could, in good conscience, even think about replacing them with another costly pair. But as you noted - my “affordable” based on my meager income (which I suppose, still might be quite lavish to some) is relative compared to others who can afford much more with the many more dollars they earn. To me DIY isn’t a hobby - it’s a necessity (& sometimes a side job).

@@mrsir2378 I had four (4) kids & two (2) adults supported by my meager E-5 military income & then I left the military for my career in law enforcement & ministry. I could, & did, without welfare, & instead with frugal living, afford my family. They’re all grown now with tremendous work ethics, good stewardship, careers & children of their own. DIY is still a mandatory part of our lives.

@@romansthirteen-four8626 I diy all the time, but 1000 is not allot of money. Just think of all the time you went without something when you didn't have to if you just had two less children. 1,000 for a pap kayak is cheap\inexpensive to people who manage their money wisely.

Do you have one? Explain. Riot now owns Vibe kayaks and the Riot pedal drive is now in Vibe kayaks.

@@KayakDIY we had a very bad experience with our riot. Not only because of the pedals. The quality is not good. Very unsatisfied. Too long to explain.