Rating

Performance: 10

Size/Weight: 7

Durability: 10

Setup: 7

Value: 7

OVERALL: 8.2

The full package in performance.

You could take this on some serious touring, coastal exploration or full-day sightseeing. The only trouble we found was carrying the heavy backpack where it’s packed into, and we needed a lot of patience for setting it up and drying it up after use. But performance-wise, it exceeded our expectations. Stability, rigidity, and beautiful tracking and handling make this a great choice for almost any use.

Comparison

Rank: #3

Open Size: Longer and narrower

Packed Size: Big

Weight: Heavier

Capacity: High

Perfect For: Coastal, Flat water.

Pros: Fast and huge weight capacity.

Cons: Narrow interior, big and heavy packed size, takes a long time to set up and to dry after use.

Verdict: Some serious downsides, but impressively fast and stable on the water.

Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible compares to others in our list of the Top Ten 2 Person Inflatable Kayaks or see how we choose the best inflatable kayak.

Specs:

Open Size: 460 x 82cm

Packed Size: 93cm x 56cm x 31cm

Weight: 23.5kg

Capacity: 249kg

Approx Price: $1,549.00

As the name suggests, the AE AdvancedFrame Convertible makes use of hard plastic elements where it can to give the kayak more rigidity. It does give it good stability and rigidity as a high performing kayak, something we can attest to in its 1 person counterpart. The Convertible comes with a foam floor as standard, which is definitely a minus in terms of firmness - however, it is available in an ‘Elite’ model with a drop-stitch floor for about $700 more, and if you can afford it, we’d recommend choosing that one (or, if you’re set on drop-stitch, choosing one of the other kayaks on our list that do come standard with a drop-stitch floor).

We wonder what could be sacrificed if it had lessened the weight and size because we see how they built this with such rigidity that you can take two hyperactive dogs with you and not worry about puncturing the fabric. The aluminium rib frame and 3 layer material certainly help with durability, although waiting for that material to dry once you’re finished paddling is one of its downsides.

It was a battle between carrying this the way it was made—as a backpack—or having to use 2-3 sets of hands to divide the load with hand carrying. At almost 24kg, this was pretty heavy for an average size person to carry, so hiking to your destination is highly not recommended - bring a car and park a few steps from where you’ll be unpacking and launching.

We also took into consideration how much we were loading up in the bag. The many included features and accessories like the extra paddle holders, a full zipper for the cockpit enclosure, pump adapter, and the multi-layered construction, all add to the weight. These are definitely advantages to performance and durability, but come at the cost of transportability.

Advanced Elements has clearly considered the setup process and it’s really well-planned and instructed - but that’s in an attempt to mitigate the many valves (of different types), bits you have to insert (like a bow stiffener) etc. Compared to all the other kayaks we reviewed, it was pretty onerous. Packing down was also challenging because it takes the hull fabric a while to dry and it’s a bit tricky to fit everything back in the bag.

After quite an adventure transporting this, we now got to the real adventure! Boy was it fun to paddle this kayak around. The seats had great lumbar support that were comfortable throughout the trip. We sat firmly without the backrests bending unlike some kayaks we tested. The directional fin really managed to keep it stable on the water and made the paddling experience more enjoyable. Most times, we paddled straight through the rough waters.

The built-in aluminium ribs added rigidity to the bow and stern and really improved tracking. And here’s where all that weight and onerous setup time comes into play - multiple air chambers mean if you lose pressure in one while you’re ages from the shore you’ll be fine to get back, and the durable fabric covering gave us real confidence that you could scrape this along rocks and not worry about punctures.

Paddling performance all the way. This was a well-thought out kayak that is equipped with the necessary features to add strength and give you excellent performance on the water BUT - you need to be up for longer setup and packdown times, and carrying its weight. It’s also quite expensive. Overall a fast craft, recommended for coastal or flatwater, whether paddling solo or tandem.

Want to see how the Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Convertible compares to other kayaks we tested? Head over to our 2 Person Inflatable Kayak Review.

Water & Outdoors reviews are written by our staff writers, who combined have over fifty years of experience on the water and outdoors. We may earn commissions if you choose to buy through a link you’ve clicked on our website, however this does not influence our reviews. For more information, please see our Editorial Policies.