----I purchased the Intek Challenger K1 to try kayaking and see if I enjoyed it enough to warrant spending $500-$600 on a solid-shell vessel. I spent the first few weeks paddling around a small lake behind my home and had no complaints. The Challenger is easy to inflate, easy to deflate, and fitting it back inside the carrying bag was easy as well. I would recommend purchasing a higher quality paddle because the one that comes with the Challenger is a bit short and not very durable. After approximately three weeks of use my paddle cracked, but since the packaged deal was so cheap I didn’t mind purchasing a new one.
----After about two months of paddling around in small bodies of water, some friends of mine and I decided to go on an 11 mile trip down a popular local creek that we heard was ideal for inner-tubing and kayaking. In hindsight, that decision turned out to be one of the worst we had ever made. Our trip took place in early May, 2011, and just two weeks prior much of our area was devastated by tornados. The creek was low, so we all drug out kayaks through ankle-deep water for the first half-mile. Once the water deepened a little bit we were kayaking like some pros, but at around the three mile mark we encountered some trees that had fallen across the creek. I was particularly nervous since my kayak was the only inflatable of the bunch, but I threw it on top of the pile of trees, climbed up beside it, threw it down into the water, and began cruising again. Less than 5 minutes after our first climb over trees, we encountered several more fallen trees. Again, I threw my Challenger on top of the pile of trees, climbed up beside it, threw it down into the water, climbed in, and paddled on. We all kept telling ourselves that we had to have gone through the worst of it, but the fallen trees we kept coming up on proved us wrong. The estimated three-hour casual kayaking trip we planned turned into 8 hours of tossing or pulling kayaks on top of tree piles (most of which were 10-12 feet high), dragging kayaks through shallow water, and navigating around all of the household items (lawn mowers, refrigerators, etc.) the tornados had dropped in the creek. About four hours into the trip I was hoping that my Challenger would get a hole in it so that I would have had a good excuse to scale the wall of the creek, walk to the nearest road, and call someone to come pick me up. Unfortunately, none of the abuse my Challenger received that day fazed it….not one single hole!
----After the “trauma” of that trip I decided kayaking was not for me and I draped my Challenger over a fence in my yard to dry. The kayak remained on top of that fence in blistering heat, rain, and cold for the next 9 months. In early 2012, I finally removed the Challenger from my fence, folded it up, put it in its bag, and stuck it in my shed. Recently I decided to give kayaking another try so I broke out the old Challenger and pumped it up to see if its time on the fence had damaged it. The Challenger pumped up as easy as the day I bought it, and it did not have a single leak.
----Overall, I would say that the Intek Challenger K1 Kayak is a great product and ideal for beginners or those who have to walk long distances to get to where they are going to be paddling. The kayak, paddle, and pump are relatively lightweight and easy to carry in the included case. As I said before, I would recommend purchasing a separate paddle since the one that comes in the kit is not the best quality. The Challenger does not glide through the water like most high-dollar solid-shell kayaks, but it easy to paddle and steer. If you are like I once was and want to try kayaking without investing a lot of money, the Intel Challenger K1 is what you need.
| Brand | Intex |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 26 Pounds |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Green/Blue |
| Style | 1-Person |
| Seating Capacity | 1 |
| Weight Limit | 220 Pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 1"L x 1"W x 1"H |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 10078257683052, 00078257314911 |
| Model Name | Intex - Challenger K1 Kayak |
| Manufacturer | Intex |
| UPC | 078257314911 078257314690 700253912531 078257596232 |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 23.23 x 16.2 x 8.7 inches |
| Package Weight | 12 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 1 x 1 x 1 inches |
| Brand Name | Intex |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Warranty Description | 90-Day Limited Manufacturer |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Part Number | 68305EP |
| Model Year | 2013 |
| Included Components | skeg |
| Size | K1: 1-Person |
| Sport Type | Kayaking |
