Aquaglide inflatable kayaks are lightweight and high-performance ‘touring' inflatable kayaks. People are often surprised to hear these words said together because “inflatable kayaks” and “performance” have not really gone together in the past. But over the last five to ten years that has changed a lot. Inflatable kayaks have become more than just easy to move around and store at home, they can also be kayaks that are efficient and fun to paddle.
The bigger challenge nowadays is choosing the right inflatable kayak. That's why we are going to take a look at Aquaglide’s top three performance ‘touring' inflatable kayaks to help you choose the right one for you. The top three Aquaglide ‘touring’ kayaks include the Chelan 120, the Deschutes 110, and the Cirrus 110. But how do you know which one is right for you?
The Cirrus 110
This kayak is Aquaglide’s latest kayak, new in 2023. It is available as the Aquaglide Ultralight Cirrus 110, a K1, but also as a tandem kayak, known as the Cirrus 150. This is the ultra-lightweight inflatable kayak that is a rec-touring machine!
Aquaglide Cirrus 110 Specifications
Price: $1300 (USD)
Length: 11’
Width: 35”
Weight: 14.75 LBS (6.7 KG)
Capacity: 300 LBS (136 KG)
Key Features of the Aquaglide Cirrus 110 Kayak
This boat has side tubes and a floor made of TPU, a super strong and lightweight material. The floor is also drop stitch which gives it a lot of stiffness.
The Cirrus 110 has an inflatable seat, a footrest, and a fin, and comes with a compression storage bag and a repair kit. It also has D-rings, Molle plates, and bungees on the bow and stern for stowing gear and tying things down. This kayak comes with a two-year guarantee against manufacturing defects.
What Makes the Cirrus 110 Kayak Unique?
Hands down the biggest thing that makes this kayak stand out is that it weighs less than 15 LBS. That is the lightest inflatable kayak I have ever picked up – but it doesn’t feel like a pool toy. It feels strong and like it will withstand real use as a kayak. And this all comes from the TPU material used. This is a lightweight, durable, and sturdy material.
The Cirrus 110 is an all-purpose inflatable kayak. It has a drain plug, meaning that if you do get water inside you can drain it out while you are in the water. It also has a fair amount of rocker, meaning it can handle some small waves. It isn’t just a totally calm-weather kayak. It’s kind of a Jack of all trades boat – obviously not for white water, but definitely, it can deal with a lot of variable conditions.
Who is the Cirrus 110 Kayak For?
This kayak is for someone who wants a boat that can handle a variety of conditions and not just flat water. But more than anything it is for someone who wants an ultra-lightweight kayak and is willing to pay a premium for it.
This kayak opens up a whole new world because you can not only carry it easily to the water, but you can also go on little adventures and missions with it. For instance, you can hike with it to lakes that are otherwise hard to reach, or you can go on backpacking trips with it. This kayak really is for people who value weight over anything else, but still want a kayak that they can actually cover some ground it, and do so enjoyably.
The Chelan 120 Kayak
This is the smallest of the Chelans, which also available as 120, 140, and 155. The Aquaglide Chelan 120 is like the SUV of the Aquaglide inflatable touring kayak. It is the kayak that is designed to handle a wide variety of conditions.
Aquaglide Chelan 120 Specifications
Price: $1150 (USD)
Length: 11’ 3”
Width: 32.5”
Weight: 28 LBS (13 KG)
Capacity: 300 LBS (136 KG)
Features of the Chelan 120 Kayak
The tubes in the floor are made from Duratex PVC which is both light and super durable. The floor also is also made of drop stitch for added stiffness.
The kayak comes with a seat, a footrest, a fin, a storage bag, and a repair kit. It also comes with a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
There are lots of similarities between the Chelan 120 and the Cirrus 110. They both have rocker, and a decent curvature to the bottom of the kayak so that they can handle waves. They also have a similar width.
But the key difference here is that the Chelan 120 has some added features that the Cirrus 110, in trying to keep its weight down, does not have. For example, the Chelan has five different drain plugs, the seat is a higher performance seat, there is an accessory mount in the middle, and there are splash guards on both the bow and stern.
Who is the Chelan 120 Kayak For?
This ‘touring’ inflatable kayak is clearly for someone who wants a performance, rec-touring inflatable kayak that you can paddle on mini-missions. This boat is for people who want to be able to take it onto moving water, kayak in conditions that are windier, and just use it in a variety of conditions. This is for someone who doesn’t need to spend a premium for the extra lightweight TPU Cirrus 110 because this kayak is already incredibly light.
Something to note is that I was about as big as you would want to be for the Chelan 120 inflatable kayak. So the 140 might be a better size for someone my size, and the Chelan 120 is more appropriate for people who are less than about 6’ 2” and 200 LBS.
The Deschutes 110 Kayak
The Aquaglide Deschutes 110 model comes in bigger models including the 130 and the 145. The 110 is Aquaglide’s most budget-friendly performance touring inflatable kayak. It is also designed for calmer conditions.
Aquaglide Deschutes 110 Specifications
Price: $680 (USD)
Length: 11’
Width: 36”
Weight: 18 LBS (8 KG)
Capacity: 300 LBS (136 KG)
Features of the Deschutes 110 Kayak
Like the Chalan, the Deschutes 110 is made from Duratex PVC which is lightweight and durable. But unlike the Chalan and the Cirrus, the Deschutes has an EVA floor, not a drop stitch floor. The kayak comes with a seat, a footrest, a fin, a storage bag, and a repair kit.
The Deschutes is the most budget-friendly performance inflatable kayak that Aquaglide has. They have cut the cost in a couple of ways, including getting rid of the drop stitch floors and having a thinner seat. While this does cause it to lose some performance (because the kayak will not be as stiff), having a duratex and EVA floor, as opposed to a drop stitch floor, as well as having a thinner seat, means that your sitting position is a lot lower in this kayak. Accordingly, your centre of gravity is much lower in the Deschutes and your stability will be much better than in the other boats.
The other big difference between this and the other kayaks is the rocker profile. The Deschutes is a lot flatter meaning it will pierce through waves as opposed to going over waves. That’s why it is really designed for calm water paddling in protected waters.
Who is the Deschutes 110 For?
This is a kayak for people who want a really lightweight kayak and want to stick to kayaking in protected calm waters. And, it is much more budget-friendly than the other options!
Which Aqauglide Kayak Should You Choose?
To sum it up, the Chelan and the Cirrus are two very similar boats. The big difference between these two is that the Chelan has more features and consquently weighs more than the Cirrus is ultra-lightweight which sits at only 15 LBS.
And then you have the Deschutes 110, which is the most economical and user-friendly of the three kayaks. It will feel more stable, it has a much flatter profile, and is designed for calm water.
All three of these Aquaglide inflatable kayaks are very much performance recreational kayaks. That means you can comfortably cover a good distance in each of these kayaks and really enjoy your paddle.
I did a bunch of inflatable kayak reviews before this one, including some of these kayaks. Have a look at the full inflatable kayak category of reviews.
Kayaks: Aquaglide Ultralight Cirrus 110, Aquaglide Deschutes 110, Aquaglide Chelan 120.
