Razor Kayaks Edge Pro Kayak
Summary
Price At Time Of Writing | £970.00
Our Overall Rating | 97 out of 100
Pros - Excellent paddling efficiency, tracking, and rigidity, comfortable, high-quality
Cons - On the expensive side, heavier
Overall - The undisputed leader of inflatable kayaks
Technical Specifications
Open Size - 398x83cm
Weight - 15.8kg
Load Capacity - 170kg
Packed Size - 84x50x33cm
Our Analysis & Ratings
The Edge Pro 1 is our top pick of the inflatable kayaks we've tested, for a number of reasons: it excels in on-water performance, is a thoughtfully designed and constructed kayak, and is comfortable and versatile. We found it very difficult to fault, and thoroughly enjoyed paddling it.
Performance (speed, tracking, manoeuvrability, stability, load handling): 10/10
Speed: Higher speed translates to better paddling efficiency. In our 100m speed test, the Edge Pro 1 was easily the fastest kayak we tested. This is down to its hydrodynamic hull design, the smoothness of the PVC surface and its sharp bow shape.
Tracking: In our straight-line tracking test, it performed well, with the skeg doing a fine job of keeping it on course. When we tested it without the skeg, the hull shape also naturally guided it reasonably straight.
Manoeuvrability: We found it surprisingly easy to turn for a kayak of this length, again owing to a curved diamond hull shape that has been designed with both tracking and manoeuvrability in mind.
Stability: The rigid full drop-stitch of the hull together with the curved base makes this kayak extremely stable. When rocking it deliberately, we found it moved with our body exactly as a curved hard-shell kayak would, which is not something we've come across in any other inflatable.
Load Handling: Interestingly, the Edge Pro 1 actually performed better under both 50% and 80% load. When fully loaded, the hull sat lower in the water, putting more of the lateral curves of the hull into the water and improving handling considerably.
We found the performance of this kayak extremely impressive, the best performer across all criteria.
Construction (materials, seams, valve quality, durability and fittings): 10/10
The Edge Pro 1 is a full drop-stitch kayak that uses Razor Kayaks' Tech-Stitch material on the outer for additional durability, and employs innovative techniques such as incorporating a bend into the drop-stitch itself to create its hull shape.
Seams and valves were neat and clearly of high quality, holding pressure throughout our three-day inflation tests without any issues.
It performed well in our abrasion tests, and the D-rings and other attachments were also of a high standard.
Razor Kayaks has opted for a 5cm thick drop-stitch rather than the more standard 8 to 10cm. Because of its angles, however, the hull shape has the compression needed to remain rigid whilst being lighter than a thicker drop-stitch. The thinner drop-stitch also allows for additional room in the cockpit.
Setup/Pack Down (inflation time, valves, folding, and drying): 9/10
The Edge Pro 1 has just three valves of a matching type, and a fully PVC outer, which makes it very straightforward to set up and easy to dry. It also has a solid foam seat that simply needs to be clipped in rather than inflated, along with a footrest that is equally simple to clip in and easy to adjust by re-clipping.
You do have to reach slightly under the hull to attach the pump to the valves, which is the only drawback we could find here. It is, however, a minor quibble that is significantly outweighed by the benefits of the enclosed hull shape and simple three-valve setup.
The bag it comes with unzips fully and has ample room to pack the kayak and accessories back in without any fuss.
Portability (weight, packed size, ease of carrying): 8/10
At 15.8kg, it is not the lightest inflatable kayak on the market, though that is somewhat to be expected in an enclosed sit-in hull design that naturally requires more material. The bag is a backpack-style design, which we found comfortable and easy to carry, and the packed size is very manageable. On balance, we feel the benefits of the kayak on the water more than outweigh it being slightly on the heavier side.
Comfort (seat support, legroom, fatigue over distance): 10/10
Razor Kayaks has updated its seat across its latest models with a thicker foam base, which provided a good degree of comfort on longer paddles. The footrest was also perfectly positioned for paddling ergonomics, and there is a generous amount of legroom throughout.
The kayak has clearly been designed for use in all conditions, with an optional spray skirt available. We tested this and found it comfortable and effective at keeping us dry.
Value for money:
Priced at £970, this kayak sits firmly in the premium tier. It is unquestionably an extremely well-performing kayak with excellent build quality and a good many well-thought-out features, so we rated its value for money as good, given it is the best kayak we have tested.
Best for:
A wide range of water and weather conditions (rivers, lakes, coastal)
Paddlers seeking high performance across all areas
Long day trips or multi-day expeditions
All body types, including larger and heavier paddlers
Committed paddlers looking to invest in the very best option
Overall:
The Edge Pro 1 is an extremely high-performing, high-quality kayak. It rated highly across all of our categories and was an absolute pleasure to paddle. If we could only pick one kayak, this would be it.
