Aquaglide Navarro 110 Review

The Aquaglide Navarro 110 is a single-person inflatable boat with a 250-pound capacity. It weighs 32 pounds and is made of 600D hex ripstop polyester with a PVC tarpaulin bottom. It features an adjustable backrest and foot brace, quick-release fin, drainage hole, paddle keepers, storage access, bungee cords, and carry handles.

Performance Comparison

Handling

Riding on top of the water, the Navarro doesn't have much skin in the game (or, in this case, the water) to keep it heading straight ahead. A single fin on the bottom helps a little, but most of the work of paddling in a straight line has to be done by the paddler — made more difficult by this boat's width of 2'11", one of the widest we tested, tandems included. That width does translate into extra stability, though, making this a good choice for beginner paddlers seeking something sturdy to outlast choppy lake days. However, because it rides on top of the water, it's not a great option for windy days and is easily caught up in a stiff breeze. It's easy to turn on a dime, though, and the covered top does a solid job of keeping water out of the cockpit. A velcro adjustable foot brace helps you find your base a little more easily.

Comfort

We appreciate that the Navarro comes with a real cushion for a seat, rather than an inflatable one. With velcro on the bottom to securely attach it to your perfect spot and an adjustable backrest, this kayak is good for relaxing paddles and enjoying the view. The cockpit is roomy enough for most people, though especially tall folks may run out of legroom or have to ditch the foot brace to make it work. You could feasibly bring a medium-sized dog with you or perhaps a small child in your lap. Extra storage space can be found under the front cover and by unzipping the back hatch, allowing easy access to the area behind the seat. With a limited 250 pound capacity, this isn't meant for hauling a ton of gear, but it's got plenty of space to bring what you need for a nice day out.

Ease of Set Up

Like many others we tested, the Navarro employs the simple left side, right side, floor inflation method. The Boston valves on the sides of the boat are the same ones found in most inflatable kayaks — they aren't our favorite, but they are effective. They use a two cap strategy; the first cap opens to a one-way valve for inflating the boat. The second cap removes the whole valve, leaving a big hole for quick air drainage. These double valve leashes often get in the way of replacing the valve when you want to fill up your boat again, and the gaping hole allows sand to get inside your kayak's hull. The floor has a different valve, which we like much more. It's a quick-release version that has no leashes and doesn't come out. Instead, it twists open or shut for inflation or deflation. We prefer this valve to the clumsy Boston valve but would most like for all three valves just to be the same. As it is, they require different pump attachments, one of which we lost in the sand and had to repurchase. That said, the tear-down process is very easy on the Navarro. A floor drain can be opened, and the floor itself comes out easily to let the wind dry it quicker (or you can bring a towel). Packing it up and rolling it to fit into its bag is no problem.

Portability

Weighing 32 pounds, this is one of the heavier single-person kayaks we tested. The carry bag has duffel-style handles that are long enough to loop over one shoulder on your way to the beach, but they lack any additional padding to make them more pleasant on bare skin. Aside from the high weight, the only minor struggle we had with this bag is that it opens on the end via a drawstring. The toggle holding the drawstring is fairly weak and readily lets the string slide through it when you pick up the bag, causing it to slide open. To prevent this from happening, we tied a simple overhand knot into the string right next to the toggle. Not a big deal, but a slightly annoying extra step nonetheless.

Durability

This boat is built of tough, durable materials. The bottom is waterproof PVC-like material that's thick and strong, and the top fabric portion is 600D hex ripstop polyester. It comes with a mini repair kit that we never had a reason to use. Though we never had an issue with the boat popping — or even the worry that it might do so — the Navarro is another one of so many boats that would be unusable if popped, leaving you stranded in the water in a half-inflated boat. If the left side gets a hole, the right side might not be enough to get you back to shore. In contrast, other boats use a very smart strategy, filling an inner chamber and an outer chamber, both of which encircle the entire boat. That way, if the outer chamber pops, the inner one still gives the boat enough structure to paddle you to safety. The Navarro doesn't not employ this design feature.

Value

As the market for inflatable and packable kayaks continues to grow, it's possible to get very impressive boats for increasingly reasonable prices. The cost of the Navarro hasn't quite kept up with this rate of change, making this boat cost more than models that outperform it in every metric. Perhaps if you find it on sale it would be a good purchase, as we do enjoy the laidback experience of paddling this sturdy boat.

Conclusion

The Aquaglide Navarro 110 is a wide, stable boat that glides along the top of the water. It doesn't have the most finesse when it comes to handling, but it is comfortable and pleasant to use, particularly for new paddlers. It's also a bit pricey, but there's still a lot to love about this casual, comfortable kayak.