AIRE Tributary Tomcat Solo Inflatable Kayak

I have used this boat twice now. I do REALLY like it. I have paddled it in Class II and III whitewater. The boat is sturdy at 2.5 PSI per chamber. It handles much better than a commercial ducky. I was able to surf some small waves. I cannot stress how good this boat handles for a mid level inflatable kayak. I will say, you will not catch a quick tight eddy. The boat handles well but not that well. Larger eddys are easy to catch. I have had this boat in some very pushy flood stage water and was able to get into eddys ok.Now for the cons. The seat that comes with this boat is absolute garbage. Even though I condemn the seat that comes with it, keep it. It may be a bad seat but it makes for a wonderful footrest. I suggest replacing the seat with Aire Cheetah Seat. Its a very good seat with good back support. I also encourage anyone that buys this boat for whitewater use to get thigh straps. Between the full back support of the Cheetah Seat, thigh straps and the original seat being used for a footrest, you can really lock yourself into the boat tightly for better control and maneuverability.Con 2: This boat does not come with a pump. This is sad in my opinion as ANY inflatable should come with a pump. I already had a pump so it wasn't an issue for me but may be an issue for a new buyer.Con 3: This boat does not come with a storage bag. You will have to get your own.To sum it up. I do love this boat and would recommend it to anyone wanting an inflatable that doesn't break the bank. Two reasons it did not get a 5 star rating was because I haven't had it for a long time yet to address durability and because the seat that came with it is horrible.

I do like the boat overall, BUT I almost drowned last week when the boat flipped in a strong current and I was thrown out. THere was NOTHING to hold onto from the outside (or the inside for that matter). what saved me was that my paddle was tangled in my gear and i could hold onto that as well as fellow boater coming to my rescue. IMHO this boat should be outfitted with D rings and a ropes on the outside to grab onto. And that should be a standard safety measure.

We've been whitewater rafting for decades, and I'm not really up to the challenge of a hardshell kayak anymore. This is so much fun! I bought an AGM battery to take along, so we use the electric raft pump to inflate this. That way you can deflate it when no one is using it. But that hasn't ever happened, because everyone loves this thing!

This is our second tomcat! My husband bought our first one 12 years ago but I just used it for the first time this summer (2016) and refused to give it back until I had my own. My 8 year old rides in mine with me when we are just floating the calm part of the river.

it was quick and dry and able to ferry and surf. Loved it, taking it and my canoe up to do three water next week

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.  I have 2 of these and have run many class III and IV rapids in my Aire Tomcat Tributaries and they are amazing kayaks, best inflatable I have personally ever used and from my research these are much more maneuverable and can carry more weight then the NRS Outlaw, which is one of the only other quality white water kayaks in this price range, in my personal opinion this is the cheapest serious white water kayak and for it's capabilities it is a steal of a dealThese use to consistently go for just over $700 and I purchased the first one of my two at that price, I got my second one at just over $600For higher class rapids you will want to get some thigh straps and mount something to push your feet againstThese work well for me at a weight of 140lbs plus gear but I have actually done just as good if not better when I take my dog with me, making the weight 240lbs plus gearI have seen other reviewers get upset that these dont come with a pump, paddles and a bag but true quality white water inflatables rarely include such items and in my experience package deals like that usually are a set of cheapo gear

I have 2 of these and have run many class III and IV rapids in my Aire Tomcat Tributaries and they are amazing kayaks, best inflatable I have personally ever used and from my research these are much more maneuverable and can carry more weight then the NRS Outlaw, which is one of the only other quality white water kayaks in this price range, in my personal opinion this is the cheapest serious white water kayak and for it's capabilities it is a steal of a dealThese use to consistently go for just over $700 and I purchased the first one of my two at that price, I got my second one at just over $600For higher class rapids you will want to get some thigh straps and mount something to push your feet againstThese work well for me at a weight of 140lbs plus gear but I have actually done just as good if not better when I take my dog with me, making the weight 240lbs plus gearI have seen other reviewers get upset that these dont come with a pump, paddles and a bag but true quality white water inflatables rarely include such items and in my experience package deals like that usually are a set of cheapo gear