Comments Reviews on theboatpeople.com Raft Cataraft Inflatable Kayak Products and Service › Forums › Comment on Products › Inflatable Kayaks Touring › INNOVA › INNOVA Twist I Inflatable Kayak › Innova Twist I Touring Inflatable Kayak review by TBP
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October 15, 2013 at 3:04 am #843Lee Arbach TBPKeymaster
The Twist Inflatable Kayak from Innova is essentially a shorter, bare exterior version of the discontinued Innova Solar. In other words one with no rubber coating anywhere on the outside, only the inside surface. Other than having no rubber coating on the outside, the weight is 16 pounds compared to the Solar’s 20, and the width is about two inches less (we measure 29″, not the 31″ given in Innova’s literature). The overall length is 8’5″, quite short and comparable in that dimension to the old Innova Junior model. Despite this, the tiny Twist can accommodate a very tall pilot up to about 6’3″ with absolutely no problem due to the backrest being mounted pretty far aft. Tubes are a bit over 8″ and the inside width is 13″. Twist’s do come with a removable, bolt-less tracking fin.
Innova Twist Inflatable KayakInnova Twist Inflatable Kayak
Innova Twist Inflatable Kayak Strong FeatureThe strongest feature of this kayak is it’s unbelievably small packed size, not to mention the very low weight. For backpackers who want something that can easily be carried into a mountain lake or gentle stream, the Twist, a quality foot pump, and the paddle add up to no more than 22 – 23 pounds, allowing leeway for food and drink too. We would suggest using the Twist mostly for fresh water. Tim from Innova has a seven year old Twist that’s seen a lot of salt water use with little signs of harm, even after being uncleaned for most of that time. Despite this we’re still of the opinion that salt soaking though into the inner layer of rubber will likely degrade it in a shorter timespan compared to one of the fully coated Innovas (which let no water go through their material at all), or compared to a Twist that is only used for fresh water.
Care Entering the Innova Twist Inflatable KayakOne thing you need to do with a Twist, and this also applies to the Innova Swings, is that these boats must be boarded from a dock or stepped into after you are in 10″ to 12″ of water. They cannot be scooted from dry land into the water while you are sitting in them, and they should not be run up onto shore either. This is something you cannot get by with on any boat, Innova or otherwise, that uses material that is bare fabric on the outside. If you do, the resulting abrasion will ensure that the underside of the bow & stern will wear through very quickly. It’s not great for any boat, but these cannot be dragged around on dry land or shores.
There is a three-stepped inflatable footrest that you can remove if you wish. The inflatable backrest is part of the boat and does not come out. This backrest is fairly comfortable as long as you get it fully inflated. The Twist comes in yellow as shown, or a camo pattern. The solo and tandem Twists come with a nylon stuff sack and basic patch kit, and the removable tracking fin.
Innova Twist – All Accessories 10% offPlease note that any accessories purchased with your boat are 10% off, and also note that our shopping cart as yet does NOT reflect these discounts – it will show a higher total so we will adjust the bottom line before ringing the transaction through. If for any reason we manage to forget, we will enclose a refund check for the difference inside the box with your receipt.
The standard Twist solo color for 2013 is red with a hint of orange as shown in the first picture, and a gray interior. Sorry the photo’s a bit grainy.
Manufacturer’s Specifications for Innova Twist Inflatable KayakRIVER RATING: Class I
LENGTH: 8ft. 6in.
WIDTH: 31 in.
WEIGHT: 16 lbs.
AIR CHAMBERS: 3 Main
CAPACITY: 220 lbs (1 person)
PACKED DIM: 17x11x7 in.
MATERIAL: LitePack™ – No PVC!
INCLUDES: Drybag/backpack for transport, tracking fin, repair kit- This topic was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Lee Arbach TBP.
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