So, I bought this feeling a little uncertain about it due to the lack of reviews, especially compared to the cheaper Intex Explorer (which is well reviewed and well known). After using it today (as well as seeing ColoradoWoodsman's excellent comparison), I know I made the right purchase. First off, aside from life vest, the package includes EVERYTHING you need to enjoy your day on the water. This is an excellent starting kit for someone looking to get into the hobby, and will easily allow owners to upgrade as they go (more on that in a bit). Out of the box, setup took me about 15 minutes all told (reading the book, inflation and check out). Everything was solid, and no problems. Deflation took only a few minutes, and everything (aside from the paddles) fits into the provided bag. It is portable, but I wouldn't want to hike for any length of time with the kit by myself (and being a single father...). Taking it to the ocean today (specifically a mangrove protected area, so not open waves), the boat performed amazingly. For those curious, I had: Myself @ 230lb My daughter @ 50lb 2 Camelback bags @ 4l capacity Due to the shallow water I used the short skeg. The boat was very stable, and felt as solid (if not more) as a plastic hulled boat. The body was very rigid (inflated to spec and verified with the included gauge), and showed no flex even when being rocked by good wake. The boat also tracked very well, but turned very quick when needed (I suspect the short skeg helped that). With a strong paddle, I could basically turn in place, and never ran into something uncontrollably. I also didn't feel like I had to put a ton of extra energy into paddling; the boat didn't putter to a stop if I took a break, though I am sure it didn't cruise as long as a solid hull might have. That said, I wasn't feeling like I was fighting the vessel, and it made the experience great. As noted, my daughter and I brought ourselves and some backpacks, and we still had room for more cargo. There is a solid area behind the rear seat, as well as in the front, and y pi u can easily fit a dry bag in both areas. I ran with my backpack between my legs, and still had plenty of room. The foot rests were also very useful, and provided genuine support for strong paddling. The inflatable seat look a little cheaper compared to expensive models, but they did the job just fine, and had no problem paddling for around 3 hours without discomfort. So, with all the raving, nothing is ever perfect, so I will point out some honest critiques for buyers to consider: -I expect the included carry bag to last about 3 more trips. It is easily the weakest part of the package, and should be changed first. It holds EVERYTHING, but just doesn't feel sturdy. - The paddles are usable, and while I don't expect them to snap on me, there is no way to adjust for different size arms. I am 5'6", and had no problem getting good strokes, but bigger/smaller users may want to make sure they are a good length for them. - Seats also tend to be a personal choice, so i will note that the seats are not a proprietary system, and you can easily upgrade them if you need. They follow the common yak system of the back supported by forward hooks, and i see no reason you couldn't upgrade the seats. Again, i was happy with them, but they are inflatable to only one size, so different users may want to consider something down the line. - The bow and stern could really use some sort of webbing or extra tie down for gear. There a metal d rings all around that can be used for anchors or ties, but nothing on top to hold anything (like an anchor you might attach to the d rings). This leaves only the foot space and aft space as the only secure storage; I am sure you can add something, but it's not there out of the box. At the end of the day, it only took about 20 minutes to tear down, and that included a fresh water rinse. It's easy to pack down, and has no problem going back in the bag (just make sure you deflate it as much as possible to get the space). I know my daughter and I will have many more adventures thanks to this boat, and I really think it is an amazing value at its price. I compared it to a sea eagle 380x I was able to examine, and aside from weight rating, I didn't feel like I was making a sacrifice in quality for what I wanted (sure, I won't take class 4 Rapids like the eagle, but.... that's not a problem for me.. heh). This boat swings above its weight, and I think, if given a chance, will really get a good following like it's cheaper cousins. If this is in your price range, spring for the extra.. it's worth it!

It's a good mattress