Driftsun Rover 220 Review
Rating
Performance: 2
Size/Weight: 3
Durability: 4
Setup: 3
Value: 3
OVERALL: 3.0
Built for adventure.
Just like the solo version, this kayak delivers impressive performance for rapids! The high-pressure valves and eight self-draining ports mean you're ready for action. Of course it includes a GoPro mount, as you'll definitely want footage of those class IV rapids! While the cockpit feels tight and the wide sides make paddling awkward, this kayak can handle serious punishment in fast-moving water.
Comparison
Rank: N/A
Open Size: Shorter
Packed Size: Portable
Weight: Light
Capacity: Excellent
Perfect For: Whitewater and rough conditions
Pros: Supportive seating, easy to carry, holds plenty of weight
Cons: Tough to repack, standard PVC underside isn't ideal for rapids, performs poorly on calm water
Verdict: An excellent pick for whitewater enthusiasts
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Driftsun Rover 220 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: 12’6x38in
Packed Size: 31x20x14in
Weight: 28lbs
Capacity: 600lbs
Approx Price: $899.99
First Impressions
The name says it all! The Driftsun Rover 220 is made for drifting through fast-moving water, especially rapids. At 12’6” long and able to hold up to 600lbs, it’s a fairly short two-person kayak with enough room for your gear. You wouldn’t really want it to be longer for running rapids, but the shorter size does make it a tight squeeze for anyone with long legs.
The thick PVC layers are built to slide across rocks and bounce off obstacles in fast water, but we do have some doubts about how strong the base is underneath.
It comes with comfy seats that have EVA padding and nice high backs, a camera mount at the front, a skeg you can take off at the back, aluminium paddles and a carry bag, so, all up, it’s a well-thought-out setup.
Setup/Packdown
For a kayak that can carry this much weight, we were surprised by how easy it was to move around. The carry bag fits the paddles, pump, and seats in a tidy way. The tough part was using the small included pump to fill up this chunky kayak, so we ended up grabbing our own triple-action pump instead. One thing we did appreciate was the three Halkey-Roberts valves, which made the inflation process much quicker and easier.
Once it was fully inflated, the rest was simple. The seats clip in quickly and can be moved around to suit one or two paddlers.
Letting the air out was super quick, too. You don’t need to squeeze or push it out, just open the valves and let it go. Folding it back up into the original shape was a bit tricky, though, so packing it away took us a bit longer than we expected.
Paddling Experience
Just like the smaller 120 version, we noticed this one doesn’t move in a straight line too well on calm water. It’s a bit like driving a car with steering that overreacts; paddle on one side and the front swings the other way, then the same happens when you switch sides. It made it tough to stay straight, even with the skeg on. But on a class II river where steering needs to be quick, it handled much better and felt like the right boat for the job.
The seats really stood out, as they had great support and just the right amount of firmness. We liked sitting close to the bottom of the kayak because it helped us paddle more smoothly and with less effort.
Another thing we were thankful for on the rapids was the self-draining plugs. We usually don’t use them because they slow the kayak down a little, but when you’re in rapids, keeping dry is more important than speed. With eight plugs, they did a good job getting rid of the extra water inside.
Final Verdict
All up, this is a great pick for people who want to take on rough water and rapids. If you’re planning to use it more for calm lake trips or cruising around, the higher price might make you think twice, but if whitewater is your thing, this could be just the right one for you.
Want to see how the Driftsun Rover 220 compares to other kayaks we tested? Head over to our list of the Best Two-Person Inflatable Kayaks.
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.