Intex Explorer K2 Kayak
Rating
Performance: 4
Size/Weight: 7
Durability: 1
Setup: 7
Value: 5
OVERALL: 4.8
Gets you on the water, but don’t expect miracles
The Intex Explorer K2 is one of the most popular inflatable kayaks in the world, and for one simple reason, it is dirt cheap and comes with absolutely everything you need to start paddling. It is aimed squarely at beginners, families and casual users who want an easy way to float around lakes, beaches and calm rivers without spending much money. It is not a serious kayak by any stretch, but for the price, it offers a surprisingly fun entry point into kayaking.
Comparison
Rank: #9
Open Size: Mid-length, wide
Packed Size: Small, light
Weight: Light
Capacity: Moderate
Best For: Beginners and casual family use on calm water
Pros: Cheap, stable, complete package
Cons: Poor tracking, flimsy build, low performance
Verdict: Great as a first taste of kayaking, but not something you will keep long-term.
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Intex Explorer K2 Kayak compares to others in our list of the Top Ten 2 Person Inflatable Kayaks or see how we choose the best inflatable kayak.
Specs:
Open Size: 312 x 191cm
Packed Size: 59 x 34x 41cm
Weight: 14kg
Capacity: 180kg
Approx Price: $259.00
First Impressions
The Explorer K2 feels light, soft and very basic. The material is thin and squishy, very similar to what you would expect from an inflatable pool toy, which is both a positive and a negative. On one hand, it makes the kayak feel friendly and unintimidating, especially for beginners. On the other hand, it does not exactly inspire confidence if you are used to sturdier inflatables or hard-shell kayaks.
Visually it looks bright and fun, with a wide open cockpit and chunky side tubes that make it look stable and easy to use. The fact that it comes with paddles, seats, a pump, a bag and a repair kit straight out of the box is honestly one of its biggest selling points. You can literally buy this and be paddling the same afternoon without needing to shop for anything else.
Setup/Packdown
Setup is fairly straightforward but not particularly refined. There are multiple air chambers and three different valve types, which means you spend a bit of time swapping pump attachments and figuring out what goes where. The included hand pump works, but it is small and uncomfortable to use, so it takes longer than it should and feels a bit like a workout. Inflating the main chambers is easy enough, but the floor valve is awkward to reach because the side tubes inflate over the top of it, so you need to remember to do that part first. The removable skeg is also surprisingly annoying to line up properly, which is frustrating because you actually need it to help with tracking.
Pack down is also a bit fiddly because several valves need to be held open while you roll the kayak up, which feels like you need an extra pair of hands. Thankfully, the carry bag is oversized, so even if your rolling technique is terrible, it still all fits without much stress.
Paddling Experience
Stability is easily the Explorer’s strongest feature. You can shift your weight, wobble around and generally feel quite safe, which makes it great for beginners, kids or anyone who just wants to float around without thinking too hard.
Comfort is a bit meh. The kayak is very soft and moulds to your body, which feels nice at first, but the seats offer very little real support and tend to sag, especially for heavier paddlers. When two adults are onboard, the kayak sits very low in the water and feels like it is dragging, which means you get splashed a lot and feel wetter than you should.
Performance-wise, this is where the K2 really shows its limits. The flat bottom means tracking is poor, even with the skeg attached, and the kayak constantly wanders side to side. You lose a lot of energy just trying to go straight and if you are paddling with someone else, you will probably clash paddles more than once. It turns easily and is very manoeuvrable, but covering any real distance feels slow and inefficient. It is much better suited to relaxed drifting and short paddles than anything resembling a proper kayaking trip.
Final Verdict
The Intex Explorer K2 is exactly what it looks like: a cheap, cheerful, all-in-one kayak that focuses on accessibility over performance. It is not well built, it does not paddle well, and it feels more like a floating lounge than a serious watercraft. But it is also extremely affordable, stable, easy to store and genuinely fun in the right conditions. If your goal is to spend as little money as possible and just get out on calm water with family or friends, it does the job. If you are even remotely serious about kayaking, you will probably outgrow it very quickly and start wishing you had spent a bit more.
Want to see how the Intex Explorer K2 Kayak compares to other kayaks we tested? Head over to our list of the Best Two-Person Inflatable Kayaks.
Water & Outdoors reviews are written by our staff writers, who combined have over fifty years of experience on the water and outdoors. We may earn commissions if you choose to buy through a link you’ve clicked on our website, however this does not influence our reviews. For more information, please see our Editorial Policies.