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Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Inflatable Kayak | 
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| Brand: ADVANCED ELEMENTS
Category: Sports
List Price: $449.99
Buy New: $399.95
You Save: $50.04 (11%)
Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 20946
Color: Red/Gray
Shipping Weight (lbs): 43
Dimensions (in): 30.5 x 18 x 10.8
Model: AE1012-R
UPC: 832994000304
EAN: 0832994000304
Release Date: October 5, 2006
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Built-in aluminum ribs define the bow and stern and improves tracking | | • | Three layers of material for extreme puncture resistance | | • | Preassembled at the factory; simply unfold, inflate, and attach the seat | | • | High support, adjustable padded seat provides comfort for hours of paddling | | • | Looks and paddles similar to a rigid hard-shell kayak with the portability of an inflatable |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame is a hybrid of a folding frame kayak and an inflatable kayak. Its bow slices through water like a knife and rivals the trackability of hard-shell kayaks. The stern acts as a skeg, increasing the tracking performance. It uses extremely durable materials and high-end components. There is plenty of on-board storage room for extended trips and it sets up in just a few minutes.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Amateur Kayaker December 7, 2008
My wife and I spent hours combing the internet for the perfect inflatable kayak for the lake. We went with this one and love it. No complaints, except sometimes you have to fiddle with the fin a little before you go and you have to really work to get the seat the way you like it. But once you are in and going this thing is wonderful. It glides through the water beautifully. Plenty of storage space and my over 6ft brother in law fit in it just fine. It's a good one.
 Fair to Middlin' September 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Bought 8/08: used several times on slow rivers and freshwater lakes. High quality materials and well made. Already has a puncture in the floor and in one of the cowling bladders. Am reasonably careful in cleaning and drying. Each time it has to be completely taken apart or it simply will not dry. It keeps up with hard shell yaks the same size, and tracks about as well, using the backbone, which is painful to sit on. I am 5"11", 235lbs and max it out: cramped and hot. The skeg means it can't be used in as shallow of water as a hard shell. Frankly it is a pain in the butt. If you have the space buy a small hardshell. I also have a Loon 120 - 5 star.
If you are a novice, this kayak makes it a breeze and enjoyable September 1, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I wanted to take advantage of the lakes and waterways in Northern Cal and thought a kayak would be great except for the roof rack to transport it and lifting the kayak --- a lot of $$$ besides the kayak --- as I was trying a new sport.
Well, I purchased this from a local independent sporting goods store --- and am more than excited from my first time kayaking on a lake (easy except for the dog who got out and was standing on the back of the kayak) even though I initially was paddling it backwards (got the front and back mixed up) and read no instructions to inflate it.
Takes minutes to inflate with a foot pump. Easy to steer and maneuver. Comfortable cockpit as long as you are not over 5'8" or so (I am 5'3" and have about 4 to 5 inches left in the cockpit). Not a lot of storage, try the back compartment or lashing it in a dry bag on the front end. Easy to deflate and fold up for storage back into the bag (not essential).
Fits easily into a small trunk. We have two of these and they fit in the small Infiniti G35 trunk.
Love it, it's fun and easy for a city girl like me. In minutes, I am in the water and paddling...
Info not correct June 23, 2008
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
After much research I picked two of these up from another dealer.
I thought getting a kayak with a 300lb max load would be big enough. Turns out when you get them it's 235 per person + gear. 65 lbs of discrepency is enough that should be disclosed. Not everyone who paddles is a sleek 150 lb athlete. I don't mind paying extra for a bigger kayak for me, but when EVERYTHING online says 300lbs, I expect to have more than enough of a buffer for me. Had I known this, I would have gotten the next one up. It bends just a bit too much in the middle to make me feel comfortable in it right now for more than an hour and I am just below the per-person weight limit.
It's a tight fit in height, too. I'm only 5'6" but my legs *just* fit in this thing. A few inches taller and it would be unbearable.
It's very well put together I just wish all of the online information had been a bit more truthful. No one near me carried it so I couldn't check it out first before I bought it.
Great Recreational Kayak June 22, 2008
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
For those that don't have the space or the budget for a nice fiberglass kayak, the Advanced Elements is the next best thing. I purchased this early this year for my wife (having purchased the Expidition model for myself) and I have had the opportunity to use it a few times this season. I continue to think it's one of the best purchases I've ever made. It's easy to store, easy to set up, handles well, performs well, and is very comfortable. All around a great recreational kayak.
Setup is pretty simple once you get the hang of it. This model has 7 chambers to fill, which sounds like a lot but it's really not. There are two main chambers which get filled up first, and then the floor and the deck lift chambers, and finally the combing for the skirt. The two first chambers take the longest - maybe 10 minutes total using the bi-directional hand pump. The rest can be filled in under 5 minutes, making the total time for inflation about 15 minutes.
Construction of the AF Expedition is excellent. All materials are sturdy, and the coating on the bottom (the gray part) seems to be tough enough for years of use. The top part of the construction (the red part) is a thick nylon that is not waterproof but which provides some protection from the elements. I would recommend using a waterproofing spray on the top part to ensure that there is minimal water absorption, since this makes drying it out before storage a lot easier. The material on this model is particularly nice - it has a sort of sheen and a subtle pattern to it that is very cool. Wish I had it on my Expidition, actually, but I think that might be a difference between last year's model and this.
Once inflated the AF is very sturdy and firm. It does not flex at all, and feels much like a hardshell kayak. In the water it is very stable, a product no doubt of its relatively wide stance (32 inches). The byproduct of that wide stance is that in the water it is a bit slower than a top-notch hardshell kayak (that generally run about 26 inches wide). It tracks well and is actually pretty fast -- my wife hasn't had any trouble keeping up with other recreational kayaks. Because the shape is rigid (reinforced with the aluminum bits in the front and back) it cuts through the water easily.
Paddling is comfortable so long as you use the right length of paddle; we use a 220cm and it seems to be the perfect size. I tried using a shorter paddle at one point and fount that it was not as comfortable and often found myself brushing the sides of the kayak with my knuckles. But with a longer paddle that's not a problem and paddling is a breeze.
The interior of the kayak is largely taken up by the inflatable chambers. There's a little room behind the cockpit to store things, but really not more than what you might take on a day trip. People looking for more storage should get a deck bag.
Deflating and storing is very easy to - the whole thing breaks down in about 10 minutes and is back in the case and ready for transport. This model stores in a bag about the size of a medium sized suitcase, and weighs about 30 pounds, which makes it quite easy to carry. The fact that it stores so easily is obviously the best "feature" of this inflatable kayak - it can be easily transported in the trunk of a car or even on a plane, and can be stored in a closet of an apartment. Being able to transport it for weekend trips without worrying about lashing it to the top of the car or having to go get it out of a slip somewhere just makes kayaking that much easier to do on a whim.
As for whether or not to buy this one or the larger AdvancedFrame Expedition model, I own both so I have some insight. I bought the smaller one for my wife after I had tested the Expedition model. The smaller one is even easier to inflate (since it has fewer chambers) and is lighter and smaller to store. But the trade-off is a smaller cockpit with less storage space. For me, at 6' 175lbs, the Expedition model seems just right or a little large. For my wife, the smaller one is a perfect fit. I think a person of my size might feel somewhat cramped in the 10' model, as she described it as comfortably snug. So if you're under 5'10" the smaller 10' model might be just fine, but larger folks should consider the Expedition.
Overall this kayak is a great purchase for someone looking for a first kayak to take on casual trips, or for a second kayak for those who might want to travel where they can't take their hardshell. Performance is on par with other hardshell recreational kayaks, but without the hassle of storage or transport. Highly recommended.
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