NRS MaverIK: Why Kayakers Should Own an Inflatable

Review by Richard L. Hartman

For most hardshell kayakers, mention inflatable kayaks and the first thought that crosses their minds is "Why should I care? I know how to paddle a real kayak."

No one would dispute that inflatable kayaks have not, to date, matched the performance potential of a hardshell boat. No skilled kayaker would willingly trade his kayak for an inflatable kayak (IK) when a play wave or play hole beckons.

This opinion is derived from the perspective of a skilled hardshell paddler - one who already knows how to handle a kayak in moving water, knows how to take advantage of a river's features to have a great time. From that point of view, an IK is a step backward.

But there are "others" out there, my fellow paddlers. Family members, friends, co-workers, significant others and, perhaps more importantly, potential significant others [grin], who do not share those skills in rotomolded plastic. They have yet to experience the joys of whitewater. They are innocents to the siren call of rising river levels and long-damp neoprene.

Said more bluntly: We have people in our lives who don't understand the fun we have on the water, and cannot join us because they don't have the skills necessary to safely handle a hardshell kayak. It takes lots of practice to gain a reasonable roll and some basic paddle strokes. Many people lack the time, or the patience, or the determination to power through the early learning curve. They haven't experienced, and cannot imagine, the fun beyond the learning curve so they can't or won't make the investment to get there.

You cannot just throw a novice in a kayak and expect them to have a good time running a river or working a playspot. They will be frustrated with swimming all the time, and your day will be spent repeatedly ferrying them to shore and gathering up the inevitable "yard sales" of equipment. In short, taking a novice on the water - at least early in their paddling career - is no fun for anyone. It's not how you want to spend an otherwise good day of kayaking. And, frankly, it's not really even a good way to introduce someone to our sport.

Knowing this, what do you do when visitors drop by during paddling season? When your significant other tires of being left behind while you go off to have fun without them? When the river is perfect, but you just don't want to cancel a date with that "special someone"?

If you're like most boaters, you grumble - but still give up on the river and resign yourself to off-water activities with your non-kayaking friends. Some paddlers keep a raft around for group events, but that still takes you out of your kayak and eliminates any playboating. "At least I'm still on the water", I hear you say. That's true, but there has to be a better answer.

If you're a hardshell kayaker, you should own a performance inflatable kayak.

In this article, we'll explore why.

"Performance" Inflatables?

Is there really such a thing as a "performance" IK? After this review, my answer is Yes. I'll spend the rest of this review explaining that conclusion.

Figure 1

Figure 1 shows the Performance version of the MaverIK Inflatable Kayak from Northwest River Supplies (NRS). Yes, it looks a lot like standard, run-of-the-mill IK's from any number of manufacturers... two tubes, a thwart that doubles as a backrest, rockered ends. But there are differences that separate this IK from your average Wal-Mart pool toy - or even from other high end IK's.

First, the MaverIK is built like an NRS raft. Which is to say, like a serious professional whitewater vehicle. The basic platform is 38 ounce, 1100 denier DuPont Hypalon - heavy duty, impregnated-fabric material. The high abrasion areas (main tube bottoms, bow and stern) are further covered with 48 ounce, 840 denier neoprene chafer patches. If you've had bad experiences with thin, leaky PVC inflatables, you can put those concerns to rest. Durability just isn't a question here. You don't have to worry about your novice whitewater guests destroying their ride (and your equipment) by brushing against rocks and twigs.

Another novice-comforting feature is the MaverIK's self-bailing floor. The paddler sits on a pair of tubes which run most of the floor's length. Bailing simply isn't required, again removing one more concern for your guest to handle (and for you to teach). No more bailing buckets knocking around inside. No more sitting in an eddy while your guest bails out his boat (again).

The thwart is huge and serves as an excellent back support in addition to its structural responsibilities in the hull design. The thwart is fixed in place, sewn and glued to the side tubes but pneumatically separate from them for safety. This is one of the few areas where I could recommend a design change: If the thwart were laced in, it could be possible to adjust it fore and aft for paddlers of different weights and sizes and thus more easily trim out the MaverIK for optimum performance. (That you can even worry about things like hull trim in an IK should tell you something about how this vessel performs!)

Figure 2	Figure 3

The self-bailing floor and the thwart are two of the paddler's contact points with the MaverIK. But virtually all IK's include a floor and a thwart. Figures 2 and 3 begin the differentiation of the MaverIK from its lesser brethren.

The MaverIK includes two thigh straps which attach to the main tubes via a pair of dedicated D-rings. Figure 2 shows the rear attachment point, and Figure 3 shows the front attachment point and adjustment system. Roughly centered on the strap is a beefy backband-like pad which cradles your knee area, distributing the strap's force across a large surface area of your leg while still yielding good integration between your body and the hull.

The thigh straps come separated from the IK proper, but install in seconds and can be left in place during storage. The straps have quick-disconnect clips at the rear, and are somewhat more permanently attached at the front. Once installed, the rearmost strap buckles provide a quick and easy way to adjust the straps to a given paddler's legs. The buckle is easier to tighten than loosen, and none of our reviewers ever experienced an unintentional loosening of the straps.

Figure 4

Figure 4 shows the MaverIK's last paddler contact point: The footbrace. This brace is similar to the well-known Yakima style braces which used to appear in many hardshell kayaks. This too ships separated from the tubes, but the rail slides into place easily and the footpeg then adjusts from notch to notch by pressing a release lever on its back side.

Figure 5

Figure 5 shows the resulting system and how it secures the paddler's legs to the hull. The footbraces are very secure, and the straps are comfortable even when very tight against bare skin.

With respect to the degree of integration achievable, there's no getting around the fact that this is an inflatable kayak. Those tubes have a degree of compliance, of "give", no matter how hard you inflate them. And since the straps and footbraces attach to the tubes, there is always a little flexure in the system beyond anything expected in a hardshell kayak.

That being said, it's remarkable just how much integration you do achieve. I often test my hardshell outfitting by sitting in the kayak out of the water and rocking it up onto its rails, left and right, using only hip and leg motion. This test quickly reveals any areas of looseness, or points where additional padding is needed for long-term comfort.

Figure 6

Figure 6 shows a paddler view of the outfitting system (with the thwart slightly deflated for improved visibility). It is entirely possible to paddle the MaverIK without using the thigh straps, or the footbraces, if that makes your guest more comfortable. If such cases, I would recommend tightening the straps to a flat, taut position to keep them out of the way under the legs.

Alternatively, you could remove the straps and footbraces completely - it's not difficult. But I'd leave them in place even if your guest starts out not using them. My suspicion is they will quickly be donning those straps in order to share in the action they'll be seeing you enjoy in your hardshell. The MaverIK inspires a feeling of confidence that encourages people to "try things". I'd leave the straps and footbraces in place to encourage that behavior because it will speed their learning curve, build confidence, and help them have more fun.

Figure 7

Figure 7 shows the hull. The enormous chafer strips on the main tubes are clearly visible here. The twin-chamber construction of the self-bailing floor gives your guest a comfortable surface on which to sit, and the numerous drain holes running down each side permit the MaverIK to go from completely filled to totally empty in two seconds flat. (I know this from personal experience, because I filled it by side surfing.)

The placement of those drain holes is more than just accidental. Their position relative to the seam joining the side tubes with the floor yields an almost-dry seating surface. This is different than some self-bailing craft, where a certain amount of residual water seems to always be sloshing around inside. The MaverIK certainly has some water in it at all times, but the drain hole positioning keeps it channeled to the sides and away from the paddler.

Figure 8

Figure 8 shows the seating area, with the left leg strap moved out of the way for a clear view of the floor-tube interface. These two inflated chambers are quite close to each other under most circumstances, and the residual water permitted by the drain holes is kept within the open channel below and to the outside of the seating surface. All of this translates to improved comfort and fewer worrisome details for your guest.

Figure 9

Figure 9 shows the rear section of the MaverIK. Note the sturdy D-ring for attaching throw bags, dry bags, etc.

All of the valves are located in this area behind the thwart. The MaverIK incorporates four inflation/deflation valves: one on each side tube, one in the floor, and one in the thwart (hidden in Figure 9). These are Leafield C-7 raft-style valves with repairable seals and stems which lock open for deflation. Protective overcaps are included and tethered to the valve housings.

You may have noticed the "extra" valve-like object on the floor. That's a relief valve which releases pressure above 2.5 PSI. Only the floor has such a valve. The reason is because the center seam in the I-beam floor is glued in, and if overpressure causes it to fail it's a difficult (read: expensive) repair. NRS's elegant solution is to avoid the problem rather than have to fix it. Think about that: Instead of just letting the seam fail and blaming (and charging) the customer, NRS spent a little extra time and money to avoid the problem outright. That's excellent design and excellent proactive customer service.

Assembly and Setup

Figure 10

"The MaverIK comes with everything you see here!" [grin]

Actually, NRS includes a very complete set of components. The MaverIK arrives in a compact cardboard box that can be shipped via UPS. The footbraces and thigh straps are individually wrapped in plastic and require installation before use. Everything else shown in Figure 10 is related to repair. That's right, NRS has included a complete repair kit including a dry box in which to keep everything. Rasp, patch material, adhesive, even a valve wrench - it's all here. NRS charges $35 for a standalone repair kit like this one, and even then it doesn't include all the parts shown above. NRS could have left this out (like many other manufacturers do) and no one would have felt wronged, but their deservedly legendary service couldn't permit that. Kudos to NRS for its excellent customer support!

It takes all of five minutes to install the footbraces and thigh straps. No instructions are included for these components, but none are really required. A guidebook to NRS inflatable vessels is included which covers inflation and deflation steps, ongoing care, and other basics.

Inflation is easy. Standard pumps achieve a friction fit in the valves so a lone individual can inflate the MaverIK. Frankly, pumping up a raft is my least favorite aspect of using inflatables because it consumes time and effort - but the MaverIK's volume is deceptively small because those chambers fill faster than you'd expect even with a manual pump.

And that manual pump is a must. Even with a 120VAC electric pump which does not lack for power, I was unable to "top off" the chambers to full pressure without employing a small hand pump. It's wise to carry a small hand pump in a dry bag while on the river anyway, since water and air temperature can change the pressure within the chambers.

NRS recommends that the MaverIK's chambers be inflated to 2.5 PSI. The relief valve in the floor is a handy way to gauge that: After filling all chambers reasonably full, add air to the floor until the relief valve releases a bit. Now you know that the floor is at 2.5 PSI, and you can use its firmness for comparison with the other chambers.

Performance

The short story: The MaverIK delivers more fun than any other inflatable I've ever used.

I was amazed by the responsiveness I found in this inflatable craft. Remember, this IK doesn't have sharp edges. It's longer, and taller, and wider, than most production hardshells on the market today. And there's no way those thigh straps, innovative and excellent though they are, can possibly give you the tight hull integration that hardshell paddlers expect from a kayak and minicell outfitting.

Despite all this, the MaverIK is FUN on the river! Tracking, spinning, and carving all feel like a slightly sluggish hardshell. Side by side with the classic Sevylor Tahiti (hey, I've got to compare it to something), there really is no comparison. The MaverIK has a faster hull, is more responsive, and can actually pull off some moves like a hardshell kayak. A Tahiti makes me feel like a passenger, but the MaverIK makes me feel like I'm in control. That feeling of control is what inspires non-hardshellers to push the envelope and try new things, which leads directly to them having more fun and catching the spirit of our sport.

When the MaverIK capsizes (generally when you're trying to surf it!), recovery is a fast solo effort: Just flip it back over and climb in. There's enough primary stability to permit climbing right over the main tube without swimming (or being towed) to the riverbank. Paddle to an eddy, put your thighs back under the straps, and you're good to go. This self-sufficiency makes a huge difference for newbies... "swimming" is no longer a dramatic event involving lots of people and lots of time.

During this review I put paddlers of all skill levels into the MaverIK. One young man, who had never been on a river before, was doing coordinated eddy entrances and exits within an hour. Another, early-intermediate kayaker (can roll, but has little on-river experience) found his limited skills improving in real time as he pushed his own personal envelope without worrying as much about swimming, and caught his first-ever front surfs and corner spins.

It was like that with everyone who tried the MaverIK. One comment I heard really summed it up: "I'm not that good, but I'm right out here with the real kayakers." While some might decry that and instead wish to keep the rivers and playspots to themselves, I think it's important to introduce new people to kayaking. After all, we each learned from someone and it's appropriate to give something back to the sport.

Summary

Let's face it, whitewater kayaking can overwhelm a newbie. They're in water, sometimes upside down... they're locked into a strange, unstable craft... they're surrounded by moving water with currents and foam and rocks and who-knows-what-else lurking about, none of which they yet understand. They have to wear a HELMET and a LIFE jacket, which doesn't exactly scream "safety". If they do something wrong, they're likely to swim some distance and have to be "rescued", reinforcing feelings of dependency and inadequacy. All of this conspires to make newbies - if they are willing to get out in a hardshell at all - want to find a nice big eddy and just sit there, doing nothing.

I've seen that more times than I can count. And as I mentioned at the start of this article, that behavior enters into your decision making process when family, friends, guests, and other non-kayakers compete with the river for your attention. They can't take care of themselves on the water, which means you become their babysitter. Or, you stay home and miss the river entirely.

The MaverIK gives you another option - and therein lies its greatest value. I've seen what happens when a newbie is put into a performance IK like the MaverIK. The forgiving nature of the MaverIK doesn't punish them for beginner mistakes. They find "Hey, I CAN ferry across that tongue of current". That leads to eddy entrances and exits... and before you know it, they're poking their bow into a wave or hole and mimicking what you're doing in your hardshell. That immediate gratification can help convince them that the investment of time and money to learn hardshell kayaking is really worth it.

The MaverIK rewards more than it punishes, which inspires confidence and encourages an adventurous attitude. And that translates directly into more on-the-water time for YOU. No longer do you have to give up precious river time for your non-kayaking friends. Indeed, visitors become an excuse to get out on the water; they can take turns in the MaverIK at your favorite park-and-play spot while you "set the example" in your hardshell [grin].

Think of the MaverIK as a whitewater accessory that increases the amount of time you spend on the river. Your non-kayaking friends and family will love you for it. And they need never know that the primary beneficiary of your MaverIK is YOU.

And that's why, if you're a hardshell kayaker, you should own a performance inflatable kayak.

Richard L. Hartman is an Engineer and freelance reviewer of whitewater equipment whose articles appear in a variety of online and print media. To provide equipment for review or inquire about hosting Richard's reviews on your site, send email to richard [at] richardhartman [dot] net. Article and photographs are Copyright 2003 by Richard L. Hartman, Spokane WA USA. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. This article may be referenced by a web hyperlink if done so in its entirety.