Decathlon Itiwit Touring Kayak

Summary

Price At Time Of Writing | £219.99

Our Overall Rating | 67 out of 100

Pros - Stable, comfortable

Cons - Wider, so harder to paddle, slow drying, poor tracking

Overall - Beginner friendly and comfortable, just hard to dry

Technical Specifications

Open Size - 300x95cm

Weight - 11kg

Load Capacity - 100kg

Packed Size - 62x44x27cm

Our Analysis & Ratings

This kayak really does have positives and you definitely shouldn't rule it out, but here's the thing: it is noticeably bulky, and that does affect its performance. It took some wrestling to get it to move in a straight line and was hard to handle, probably because of the heavy material it is built with, but that also makes it durable. To us it feels a bit more like paddling a dinghy, and if you can afford it, we suggest spending a bit more to get something that's more pleasant to paddle.

Performance (speed, tracking, manoeuvrability, stability, load handling): 3/10

Manoeuvrability: The bulkiness of this kayak can be a nuisance, with the big side tubes taking up a lot of space and making it hard to position the paddles.

Tracking: The size could be the reason it is hard to maintain a continuous straight movement, taking some wrestling to get it moving properly.

Construction (materials, seams, valve quality, durability and fittings): 2/10

Built with strong polyvinyl and polyester covering, it's a sturdy design and shouldn't easily puncture. However, we are not huge fans of the massive side tubes and consider it a drawback in the design.

The drop-stitch floor added in the newer models is certainly a step in the right direction.

Setup/Pack Down (inflation time, valves, folding and drying): 4/10

There are no problems with setup, because it has only four matching inflation points that aren't hard to pump.

What we find a bit time-consuming is the drying process. The cover can soak up water and it takes a while to dry up completely, which is a must, as it is for most inflatables, to avoid mould growth.

Portability (weight, packed size, ease of carrying): 4/10

It is the lightest in terms of weight. The 11kg kayak is indeed easy to carry, but we think a little more weight wouldn't hurt if better quality materials were used.

Even though it's extremely portable, we've marked it down in this area because the sacrifice in material quality is a major minus for us.

Comfort (seat support, legroom, fatigue over distance): 4/10

Given the massive side tubes, there's not a lot of room in the cockpit for the paddler. It's not terribly uncomfortable, but we did find it annoying.

Value for money:

Even at a reasonable price point, the trade-offs here are significant. The bulky design and slow, hard-to-track paddling experience make it hard to recommend over spending a little more for something more pleasant to paddle.

Best for:

• Very casual, undemanding recreational use

• Budget-conscious buyers preferring puncture resistance over performance

• Paddlers who don't mind a slower, bulkier feel on the water

Overall:

Feels more like a dinghy than a kayak, we didn't love the experience of paddling in it.