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.
- Tube covers: Inner tube covers add stiffness and abrasion protection.
- Rigid bow & stern: Built-in rigid panels define the bow and stern and improve tracking.
- Hull design: Landing plate and tracking fin improve performance.
- Storage: Secure your gear using the bungee deck lacing and store your essential items in the front mesh pocket for quick and easy access.
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.
For more gear reviews be sure to check out baseoutdoor.com.
Don’t miss out on similar products like this one:
- Built-in aluminum ribs define the bow and stern and improve tracking
- 3 layers of material for extreme puncture resistance
- PreAssembled at the factory. Simply unfold, inflate and attach the seat
- High support, adjustable padded seat provides comfort for hours of paddling
- Looks and paddles similar to a rigid hard-shell kayak with the portability of an inflatable
- Duffle Bag with removable shoulder straps and 2 Folding Seats
- Integrated Pressure Relief Valve in Floor
- Inflatable Coaming for Spray Skirt Attachment
- Durable Double Coated Rip-stop Fabric
- Bungee Deck Lacing. 3 Layers of material for extreme puncture resistance
- Built-in aluminum ribs define the bow and stern and improves tracking
- Three layers of material for extreme puncture resistance.Folded size 35 X 21 X 12 inches. Max Weight-550 pounds. Weight-52 pounds
- Pre-assembled at the factory; simply unfold, inflate, and attach the seats
- High support, adjustable padded seats provide comfort for hours of paddling
- Three seat locations allow for paddling solo or tandem
- The Deschutes 110 is built for the adventurer looking for a lightweight, efficient open deck touring boat that’s an excellent choice for single or multi-day expeditions.
- DIMENSIONS: 11’ (335 cm) L x 36” (91 cm) W x 9.5” (24 cm) H x 10″ tube diameter.
- CAPACITY: 1-person | 300 lb. (136 kg) max weight.
- BEST FOR: 1-person touring and expeditions.
- HULL WEIGHT: 18.1 lbs / 8.2 kgs
- Durable aluminum rib-frame in bow and stern for enhanced tracking and stability
- Lightweight and compact design for easy transportation and storage
- Spacious cockpit with large opening for effortless entry and exit
- Adjustable high-back seat ensures hours of comfortable paddling
- Quick and easy setup allows you to hit the water in no time
- EASY TRANSPORT – Lightweight and compact, this kayak is easy to assemble and, with the Boston valve, it inflates and deflates in minutes; paddles come apart and the pieces can be conveniently stored with the boat in the included carrying bag allowing you to take the fun of kayaking wherever you go
- READY FOR ADVENTURE – Explorer K2 Kayak is great for experiencing lakes and mild rivers with a friend, this kayak is sporty and fun with a streamlined design for easy paddling, with the bright yellow color and sporty graphics this makes the kayak highly visible in the water
- STABILITY – Made with rugged vinyl construction and built for performance, this sturdy kayak has an inflatable I-beam floor, a low-profile deck, and high-buoyancy side chambers for stability, comfort, and function; the removable skeg provides exceptional directional movement
- 2-PERSON CAPACITY – The Explorer K2 is a two person capacity kayak with a 400 pound maximum weight capacity. When fully inflated the kayak measures at 10.3 feet X 3 feet X 1.8 feet
- ADVENTURE ACCESSORIES – Includes two 86 inch kayak paddles, two inflatable seats with backrests, heavy-duty grab handles with grab lines, two quick-fill Bonston valves, high-output pump and one repair patch
- Aluminium rib-frame design - The bow and stern are composed of built-in aluminum ribs for improved tracking. Designed to perform similar to hard shell kayaks
- Lightweight - ONLY 17 lbs! - The simple inflation chamber design combined with lightweight materials makes for an ultra-light kayak.
- Easy setup - Simply unfold, inflate, and attach the seat. - Pre-assembled at the factory.
- Durable - 3 layers of material for extreme puncture resistance.
- Practical - Bungee deck lacing on both the bow and stern can be used to safely attach bags or other items you need to carry.
- 90-DAY LIMITED WARRANTY
- Easy-to-carry backpack system turns into the seat
- 21-gauge PVC construction is rugged for lake use
- Tarpaulin bottom provides durable protection from punctures
- Multiple air chambers allow another chamber to stay inflated if one is punctured
- Versatile setup for both solo or tandem paddling adventures
- Puncture-resistant multi-layer construction ensures long-lasting durability
- High-back padded seats with integrated storage pockets and bottle holders
- Streamlined bow with rocker design for improved tracking and maneuvering
- Heavy-duty PVC tarpaulin hull provides superior protection against wear