A day spent testing the Aquaglide Backwoods Purist 65 Ultralight TPU Inflatable Touring Kayak - Just like a Packraft, but under half the price and budget friendly
It all begins with a Sunrise
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⬆️ Perfect day to be on the water. #ad
It all started with an impromptu online purchase. The anticipation built in the build-up to its arrival, as I obsessively scoured the internet, in hope of finding some in depth blogs or reviews. Only instead to find there’s next to nothing in terms of reviews on the Aquaglide Purist. Though fortunately the one article I was able to find was purely positive about a Fisherman’s experience with this hybrid style Touring kayak, which seemingly could have been referred to as some sort of hybrid as it appears to the have benefits of both a packraft and a Kayak. He spoke about it being the ideal inflatable Fishing vessel, bringing his hobby as an Angler to the next level, with its inbuilt 20 inch ruler to measure the fish, paddle straps that double up as a rod holder, the ability to cast a line without spinning the boat, and further upping his game by having the option of an elevated viewing position when sitting on the rear cargo area, enabling him to spot cruising fish and make longer fly casts.
This brings us to the morning of its arrival, every engine sound we heard we were dashing to the window, until… DING DONG, “Yes it’s here” I excitedly shouted as I raced down the stairs. Happier then ever to see our local delivery lady working on a Saturday, she’s in for a tip this Christmas😉.
let’s move on to the unboxing, which bizarrely bought feelings of dejavu, from when I was a small child playing pass the parcel at birthday parties 🎁, as my husband and I both took turns opening a series of three rectangular boxes, each box being smaller than the last, like those little Russian dolls that each have an identical smaller version of themselves inside🪆🪆🪆, once we finally managed to get through the ultimate Fort Knox of packaging 📦we could begin to admire the fine craftsmanship.
⬆️ Photo above, showing me holding the TPU Purist Kayak packed in its dry bag that doubles up as an inflation bag, its super light and manageable. #ad
In the final box contained a dry bag with a Boston valve on the bottom to double up as an inflation bag - which negates the need to carry a separate foot pump and hose when out on hikes. Within the fold down, clip locked dry bag was the Purist Kayak, along with its inflatable seat, which attaches to the Boat with strong Velcro strips. Separately packaged within the same box was an alternative option to inflate the boat - a foot pump & hose, repair patch and instructions.
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We quickly got to work inflating the Kayak, first inflating the seat with its two straw style inflation attachments and then the Purist using the inflation/dry bag included. In all our eager haste we’d inflated it in our lounge rather than by the waters edge 😂. It’s shorter than most typically shaped Kayaks due to its teardrop shape and lightweight design, so surprisingly we were able to fit it into the back of the car with the back seats down (albeit a large 7 seater car).
We packed a second kayak to use aswell as we’d both be taking it in turns in the one person Purist.
Removable seat. #ad
Purist 65 #ad
Launching the boat from the shelving river bank was a dream, with no need to worry about stones or sticks scraping the bottom, due to its heavy-duty yet lightweight TPU construction, it proved to be extremely hardwearing and tough, proving it can endure far worse than that.
Stability on the water was great, and equally so when clambering in and out. Aided by its large rib style sides which hold a high volume of air, adding to its sturdiness and buoyancy. I was even able to stand up briefly and paddle a few strokes as though it was a gondola, envisioning myself in Venice as onlookers from the River side cheered me on, presumably hoping my frolicsome show would end with a splash and a good laugh. After this short lived moment of bravery, I had an even greater sense of confidence and trust in terms of the unlikelihood of it capsizing.
⬆️ You can see in the photo above we’d made the mistake of not inflating it enough, surprisingly it still handled fine even with it being under inflated. #ad
Paddling the Purist was a breeze, as each paddle stroke bought me further and further into a sense of tranquillity, that only being on the water can bring. A sense of calmness and escapism as I paddled further along the river, amongst the sounds and sights of nature at its best. Emerald green Dragonfly’s silently flew around me, to the sound of bird song, as the glimmer of sunlight on my face added a sense of wellbeing as it shone through the leaves of swaying willow trees that bordered the rivers edge.
⬆️ Another photo above with it being under inflated (our error), clearly lots of fun though none the less 😆. (We did inflate it properly after, in order to give a fair and accurate opinion). #ad
This is by no means a fast paced kind of kayak, for me however this further added to its charm, as I paddled along at a slow and leisurely pace. The lack of Skeg or Fin as some may call it, does of course mean the front zigzags as you paddle. I found that gentle, half submerged paddle strokes at the centre of the sides improved this issue. Moving on now, to the pros that the lack of Skeg provides, such as how lightweight and compact it is when packed down, and during portage when Skegs can make getting in and out tricky, risking damage to the Skeg and Kayak. Regardless of the lack of Skeg, the tracking when not paddling was good and remained straight, unlike other Skeg-less examples that spin as soon as you stop paddling. If you’re the creative type you could add your own DIY skeg if you wish, although I prefer it without one due to ease of portage. In my opinion the benefits of not having a Skeg outweigh the negatives.
Close up of the Brand Logo, Purist 65. #ad
Another pro to this kayak is the seat! I sat in total comfort on the surprisingly large and comfortable inflated seat, which has fantastic back support due to the seat being fully supported by the curve at the rear of this unusual teardrop shaped Kayak. I could easily describe the comfort level as being on par with my armchair! Having spent an entire day taking it turns, we both agreed this is the most comfortable kayak seat either of us had ever experienced, with none of the usual aches after a long day on the water.
Portage of this ultralight kayak was super easy, with it weighing a mere 2.8KG I was able to easily lift it in and out of the water with one finger. I can confidently say I could carry this for long distances if needed, making it ideal for solo adventures. it has four conveniently placed carry handles adding to its convenience. With its integrated storage solution in the form of Deck Bungee cargo cord at both bow and stern, along with its high quality, reliable Boston valves for ease of inflation added to its simplicity. It’s packs down relatively compact and could fit in a large hiking rucksack along with multi day camping gear for a Pack raft type of venture. Alternatively it could be strapped to the outside of a smaller day hike backpack for use on those desolate high mountain lakes and lochs.
⬆️ Me holding the Ultralight TPU Inflatable kayak with one finger! #ad
This boat excels on still or calm waters, ideal for angling and getting on the water in those hard to reach places that most other kayaks would be too heavy to carry to. It has everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Let’s wrap up this in depth review with pros and cons and our overall conclusion.
PROS AND CONS:
Pros:
Ultra lightweight when compared to other kayaks. Weighing in at only 2.8KG.
very compact when packed in comparison to other kayaks, in my opinion on par with some of the larger packrafts.
Extremely comfortable
Fine craftsmanship, built with TPU to withstand the test of time, hard wearing and rugged, resistant to tears and damage.
Integrated storage bungees
Integrated handles
Fantastic stability and buoyancy
Good tracking when not paddling - (does not spin when you stop paddling)
Integrated paddle/rod holder
Integrated ruler
Great value for money
Can be used for packraft type adventures due to its lightweight and compact packability - at around half the price compared to actual packrafts.
Cons:
lack of Skeg/Fin
The front zigzags when paddling (see above for my tips to reduce this)
Slower pace than the typical style Kayaks (which are much larger and heavier)
Doesn’t come with a paddle
Doesn’t come with a buoyancy aid
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Our conclusion:
We’re very happy with this kayak, so much so that we intend to buy a second one to keep in our 4x4, it’s small pack size is ideal, taking up hardly any room in comparison to other inflatable kayaks.
We feel it has an edge over Packrafts due to its teardrop shape adding back support, creating comfort that lasted all day. Its large side chamber's resulted in fantastic stability with extra buoyancy. In addition to this benefit over standard packrafts we discovered the larger than usual side chambers helped with a dry entry and exit, this same feature meant that paddle drips scarcely made it into the Cockpit, keeping us dry and warm, making it well suited to Winter paddling.
Brilliant value for money and built to stand the test of time, with fine craftsmanship and high quality TPU. All this at around half the cost of a typical Packraft.
Aquaglide is a well known, reputable brand you can trust, known for its high quality.
Buy the Aquaglide purist 65 Kayak on Amazon now, you won’t regret it, it’ll be the best thing you buy.
Always wear a PFD/Buoyancy aid when on the water (don’t be a numpty like my husband and forget to pack it).
Perfect day spent in the Aquaglide Purist 65. #ad
Buy now from Amazon. Check it out via this link:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.