Don't miss this 50% off early Black Friday deal on a Aqua Marina inflatable drop-stitch kayak, recommended by the skipper of a kayak-excursion support vessel.
Drop-stitch kayaks are a middle ground between the performance of a rigid hull and the comfort and convenience of basic, stowable inflatable kayak. And this option fro mDecathlon is already significantly reduced in their early Black Friday sales,
Unlike in a basic inflatable, the air chambers in a drop-stitch kayak have threads throughout to ensure the foldable panels don’t over-expand and threaten the vessel’s structural integrity. These high-pressure panels offer more structure, and high buoyancy.
There are entire facebook groups singing the praises of the drop-stitch kayak and compare notes on prices, perks, and troubleshooting.
I combed through them for long enough to know that a whopping £500 (that’s an impressive 50%) mark-down from Decathlon is a stellar deal you won’t want to miss.
Whether you’re already a fan or just kayak-curious, this is your chance to sink your teeth in.
Best early Black Friday deal: £500 pounds off a top-notch, drop-stitch inflatable kayak
Was £999, Now £499 – – Tomahawk Air Kayak High Pressure Drop-Stitch Speed Kayak from Aqua Marina – Decathlon
50% off this top of the line kayak from Aqua Marina is pretty insane. It drops the price from ‘maybe someday’ to ‘I could give this a try today.’ You get a higher end product with a starter-kit budget. Best of all, the Tomahawk is easy to inflate, and comes with everything you need: the kayak, 2 seats, 2 fins, an airpump, and an added rucksack. If I were to pick up a kayak to take cruising right now, I’d pounce on this deal in a heartbeat.
Should I buy a drop stitch kayak?
After spending a season as the skipper of a support vessel for kayak cruises in the Mediterranean, I’ve got a pretty long list of why you should want a drop-stitch kayak.
Every night around a overflowing pot of pasta, I would listen to the clients rave about what they had seen from inside these simple craft; caves, impressive overhangs, fish and flora and perfect beaches. It sounded magical, but I had to stay with the boat.
Finally, one night in Saint-Florent, Corsica, I got my chance to join them.
We anchored in a bay near the Fiume Santu, and took the kayaks from onboard to the mouth of the river after dinner.
Heading inland, we paddled over the stars and a mirror of black water in total calm broken only by bird calls and the wind rustling through the reeds. Occasionally, a jumping mullet would startle us into laughter. It was still, quiet, surreal.
After months of watching the coastline from afar, I had all but forgotten the smell of green, of cold sand and fresh water. Now I could feel myself disappearing into the landscape, noticing things I never had before. On the kayak I felt invisible, and so low on the water that I might as well have been a part of it. Not even the frogs hiding in the riverbanks seemed to mind our passage.
The kayak offered what I was missing from life on the water: a seamless connection between boat, water, land, and shore.
Why you should keep a kayak on board
Photo: Viveka Herzum.
Whether it’s to get ashore or just to explore, kayaks have clear perks.
They don’t require noisy, smelly outboard engines, extra fuel, or stress around damaging the tender’s propeller or scraping its bottom. They streamline the physical effort and comical clunkiness of rowing a rubber dinghy.
With minimal effort (and lower risk of freezing, getting wet, or falling in… I’m looking at you, paddle-boards!), kayaks allow you to enjoy the open water, approach land, and explore the intricacies of the coastline. They won’t harm the landscape, leech fuel, or disturb wildlife.
No noise, no pollution, fewer seasonal limitations– it’s all just as good as it sounds. The only trade-off is the extra space onboard.
But with an inflatable drop-stitch kayak option, even that finds an easy solution.
Other drop-stitch kayak deals from Decathlon
Optimal Single Inflatable Dropstitch Kayak – Sandbanks Style / Decathlon – Was £699, Now £449
£250 pounds off is still an impressive drop for a comparable one-seater option. The Optimal is a cross-over model, designed to give you the convenience of an inflatable kayak without compromising on performance. It’s a versatile option with plenty of room, good stability, and useful straps to help take dry bags and other gear along on your adventure. For solo would-be paddlers, this is a steal (and it comes with a 5 year warranty!).
Stealth Single Kayak – Vast / Decathlon – Was £699.99, Now £529.95
The Stealth is another great single seat option, and it’s currently £170 off. It’s ultra sturdy, quick to assemble, and folds right back into its rucksack for easy storage. Another great way to get started, for less.
Explorer Double Inflatable Dropstitch Kayak – Sandbanks Style / Decathlon – Was £765, Now £565
£200 pounds off is still a great discount on this alternative to the Tomahawk. This model is slightly less streamlined, as it’s designed more for flat, calm water like lakes and rivers, and has a wider bottom for stability. It’s a comfortable, more affordable alternative to a hardshell model, and endlessly more convenient for life on board.