As we began down the wild and scenic Rogue River in Southern Oregon, I used to be keenly conscious of how goofy I appeared floating subsequent to totally loaded oar rigs. I used to be paddling a cranberry pink, 7-foot-long inflatable kayak filled with 4 days’ value of drugs. My knees flexed in opposition to my thigh straps, and my tiara, which I had taped to my helmet, glittered within the mid-morning mild.
It was time to see what the AIRE Spud may do.
The Spud is a quite plump boat initially made by AIRE to operate as a kids’s inflatable kayak. The Spud might be rolled, looped, and despatched down some gnarly strains if the paddler is sport sufficient. At solely 21 kilos and practically half the worth of the grownup Tomcat Solo, the Spud is a well-liked selection for adults who desire a playful and moveable craft.
Briefly: For folk on the lookout for an inflatable boat that can stow away simply for van life or journey, or of us on the lookout for a playful addition to their quiver, the Spud is a superb addition to the fleet. Observe that this boat isn’t for everybody. It’s small — constructed for smaller hips and smaller paddlers. But when it suits, the Spud is an epic journey boat constructed to final.
The playful Spud isn’t the one succesful inflatable kayak on the market. To see extra IKs and the way the Spud stacks up in opposition to them, take a look at GearJunkie’s Greatest Inflatable Kayaks Purchaser’s Information.
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Size
7’2″ -
Width
35.5” -
Weight
21.5 lbs. -
Building
1,000-denier vinyl -
Weight capability
220 lbs. -
Storage
N/A
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At beneath $600, this craft could be very inexpensive for the standard -
Packable and light-weight for the worth tag -
Straightforward to configure the seat to supply flip handles -
Pumps up in beneath 10 minutes with the KPump Mini
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Squirrelly in robust currents -
Not suited to these a lot taller than 5’10” and 5’6” when the boat is loaded with gear
AIRE Tributary Spud Inflatable Kayak Evaluate
On-the-Water Testing
At 5’6” I match contained in the Spud comfortably in a paddling place (legs bent), with the seat within the center and dry baggage tethered down behind the boat. Earlier than the Rogue, I paddled class I-III whitewater on the McKenzie and Willamette rivers with and with out thigh straps and with the seat towards the middle and again of the boat. My 200cm Werner and Aqua Certain paddles maneuvered the Spud simply.
Paddling from the Alameda put-in to Foster Bar on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River (over 40 miles over 4 days) was the crux of my testing of this inflatable kayak. I knew the boat may deal with whitewater, however I used to be uncertain of how properly it might maneuver weighed down with 3 nights’ value of drugs and snacks.
At House within the Splashy Stuff
The Spud is remarkably secure for its diminutive dimension. The boat is so small that it rides out and in of the troughs of waves nearly utterly earlier than breaking by way of the crest — like a rubber duck. Even in what appeared like boat-swallowing waves (for a Spud, no less than), I might emerge unscathed (however very soggy).
I ran the Spud by way of two class IV rapids in Mule Creek Canyon named Espresso Pot and Blossom Bar. Espresso Pot is an evil-looking boil with a decent right-side entrance identified for sucking tubes. Blossom Bar is understood for its consequential proper flip to keep away from a toothy wall of rocks with sieves and strainers known as the Picket Fence. In each situations, the Spud was a rockstar.
I used to be shocked that I didn’t spin in Espresso Pot, given its robust, swirling present (I had spun solely moments earlier), however I used to be nonetheless in a position to punch by way of. In Blossom Bar, the Spud was simply paddled alongside the specified line and stayed upright when, later within the fast, I bounced off a big boulder in the midst of the run known as “Volkswagen Rock.” This kayak, once more, is remarkably secure and might muscle by way of most issues with robust paddle strokes.
Flatwater, River, and Tenting Chops
Due to its giant, cumbersome tubes and potato-like form, the Spud tracks simply okay in flat water. You gained’t win any races in opposition to extra dynamic boats, nevertheless it’s not horrible.
In robust eddies or currents, the Spud likes to spin however is simple to appropriate and get again on the right track (or paddle backward in a pinch). The boat also can maintain a pleasant angle if you must ferry throughout a river.
What I loved most about this inflatable kayak was the problem of packing a lot into such a small boat. On the final 2 nights of the journey, I additionally slept inside my boat — the coziest I’ve slept outdoors in a very long time.
The ties and deal with behind the boat make it handy to lash gear down, however word that taller paddlers won’t be able to suit gear if they’ve to maneuver the seat to the very again of the boat. For bigger paddlers, take a look at the AIRE Tater (the grownup model of the Spud).
What I Packed within the Spud
I used to be in a position to flip the boat again over simply to self-rescue, however the additional weight took some getting used to. For a 2-day self-supported IK journey, the Spud may accommodate a minimalist setup. For a raft-supported journey (like this one), 4 days felt simply nice.
Comparability: AIRE ‘Spud’ or Full-Grown ‘Tater’
The Spud was so well-liked with grownup paddlers that AIRE launched its grownup counterpart — the Tater. At 8’4″, the Tater is an extended and wider craft. So far as options go, the boat is nearly the identical aside from its 275-pound load capability. I used to be in a position to take a look at the Tater alongside the Spud.
For smaller paddlers who desire a boat that feels playful — persist with the Spud. The Spud and Tater are each enjoyable boats formed to maximise play whereas staying secure, however the Tater just isn’t as playful while you’re a small paddler and might really feel cumbersome. I noticed patrons journey and paddle the Spud who had been taller than me (about 5’10”), and so they may sit with their legs bent and the seat pushed again.
Since this can be uncomfortable for some bigger paddlers or paddlers with a small canine, the Tater may very well be an excellent selection if you happen to nonetheless want the rounded form of the Spud. Upgrading to a paddle bigger than 200cm will make paddling the Tater a bit extra snug if you happen to select this route.
Alternatively, if you happen to don’t thoughts an extended, heavier boat — like if you’re sizing as much as carry extra gear — improve to the Tomcat Solo, which can give grownup riders and kit some respiratory room. The Tater is the higher possibility if you need an IK that paddles extra historically with an extended profile.
AIRE Tributary Spud Inflatable Kayak: Conclusion
The AIRE Spud is a enjoyable boat at a very nice price ticket. At 22 kilos and with some knowledgeable folding abilities, the boat packs down sufficiently small to stay in a bigger backpack and lug upstream, or packed in a duffel for worldwide journeys. Including thigh straps actually elevated this little boat’s maneuverability and functionality, and I plan to take it on lots extra class III+ and IV whitewater.
No, it gained’t be the perfect flatwater raft or inflatable touring vessel (look to one thing just like the Superior Parts AdvancedFrame Kayak for that). However it’s additionally not designed for it. With a rotund and forgiving profile, ample rocker, and sufficient cushion to brace in opposition to, there’s little holding you again from actually mashing on the Spud. Even nonetheless, for many paddlers, there might be ample area behind the boat for storage of camp gear.
A kids’s inflatable kayak? Hardly. The AIRE Spud has some severe chops within the tough stuff and has earned a fame for a very good motive.
