The by Advanced Elements is an inflatable kayak built with the space conscious water sport lover at the heart of its design. Unlike rigid Kayaks, the Firefly uses high-quality inflatable chambers to provide buoyancy and lightweight, durable rigid panels to protect the inter-tubes and user.
Its design features also include plenty of built in storage in the form of a mesh pocket and interlaced bungee straps which can be utilized to secure cargo while you’re on-the-go.
The Firefly also features Twistlok valves to make inflating and deflating the kayak a breeze while also lending the user a level of security on the open water that only comes with quality built parts. It also has a landing plate and fin tracking that improves performance and enhances durability. These features seem to set this kayak apart from others, but how does the product hold up during real world usage?
Advanced Elements Firefly Kayak
Positives
This product instantly gets thumbs up when it’s time to test if it saves space and lives up to the claims of its lightweight build. The rigid form technology put into the body and outer shell don’t interfere with how compact it is and how feather-light it turns out to be either.
The Firefly doesn’t require a roof rack or a spacious trunk; it fits well into a normal car and can be carried around easily. It also performs well in lakes, rivers, and other water bodies, easily navigating in shallow, rocky, and deep water alike.
There is also ample space for a user despite its compact travel size and a good deal of storage available for all sorts of water gear. It performs well on the open water and has been lauded as a “perfect kayak for beginners” through several independent reviews.
Negatives
The Advanced Elements Firefly has its limitations, mostly due to the fact that it is inflatable. While it is great for open water with a gentle current, it is also underwhelming on rough waters or whenever it needs to be steered against the current.
The lightweight design also makes it more susceptible to strong wind and creates a difficult experience when attempting to use it as one would a traditional kayak. It also imposes a weight limitation of 250 pounds and isn’t exactly roomy for people with long legs or those who are taller than average (below 6’ 2”).
Though it is a big reason some people love the design, the inflation aspect of the Firefly could also be considered a nuisance if not taken into consideration. Advanced Elements has been filling a much needed role in the watersports industry with products akin to the Firefly for over 12 years and has built a reputation around quality and affordability.
Though their office is located in the United States in the city of Benecia, California, they offer multiple ways for their customers to voice their options and offer them advice from a customer service hotline to forums on their website.
Taking the advice and positive feedback from their worldwide customers, they produced products with highly durable materials and hybrid designs using state-of-the-art methods and time tested materials such as vinyl and polyester like the Firefly. While the Firefly doesn’t perform well in high-stress environments such as the ocean and heavy rapids, it serves its purpose as a freshwater craft perfectly.
Its tough, but the lightweight design means that it can easily be used to explore a river with light rapids and then carried back upstream. The Firefly’s role as a fisherman’s kayak is also well served since it has ample storage options for tackle and other utilities while being easy enough to use for a beginner.
Polarization
Getting to know about the product and weighing its positives and negatives gives a clear view of whether it’s overall positive or negative for consumers. Though there are some factors that might make a consumer look elsewhere for a kayak, there is a lot of reasons to buy the Advanced Elements Firefly.
The benefits of the Firefly would likely be lost on most kayaking enthusiasts, as they are already invested in roof racks and used to the bulk of traditional craft and won’t need the space and weight benefits that an inflatable kayak offers. For most consumers, however, this is the perfect product at the right weight, size, price, and with the right quality. It is easy to say that the Firefly Inflatable Kayak from Advanced Elements equals a Positive (+) for the vast majority of its audience.
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