Gumotex Thaya Review
Rating
Performance: 8
Size/Weight: 8
Durability: 9
Setup: 10
Value: 10
OVERALL: 9.0
A smart, adaptable kayak with a rigid floor.
Can't decide between solo paddling or bringing friends? Want to squeeze in a kid between two adults? The Gumotex Thaya handles it all, with its clever design easily adjusting for one, two, or even three people on the firm, high-pressure floor. The extra-wide sides keep things stable, making it great for paddlers of any skill level.
Comparison
Rank: N/A
Open Size: Wide and spacious
Packed Size: Portable
Weight: Light
Capacity: Mid-range
Perfect For: Leisurely paddles and longer trips on calm waters
Pros: Well-built, flexible seating options, simple to inflate and pack up
Cons: The Nitrilon material claims to be tough, but we have some doubts
Verdict: A premium kayak that delivers excellent quality and a smooth paddling experience
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Gumotex Thaya 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: 13’5x2’11in
Packed Size: 25x16x10in
Weight: 39lbs
Capacity: 507lbs
Approx Price: $1750.00
First Impressions
The Thaya comes packed in a very neat-looking dry bag, which is great for keeping the back of your car clean on the way home (just make sure you take it out when you get home so it can dry properly). It’s also nice and easy to pack as it rolls up like a sausage and has a strap to hold everything together. Overall, it’s one of the more compact two-person kayaks we tested, which is handy when you consider the seats and footrests are rolled up inside that bundle. The only thing stored separately is the fin (and of course, your own pump, paddles and safety gear).
The first thing that really stood out to us when we opened the bag was how shiny the Nitrilon material looked. It’s not like the dull, rugged finish you usually see on higher-end kayaks. To be honest, it looked a bit like cheaper vinyl at first. Gumotex uses this custom material in most of their kayaks and their advertising says it’s extra tough. We haven’t had a reason to doubt them yet…
Setup/Packdown
There are two ways to look at how the Thaya sets up. On one hand, it’s pretty handy that you can leave the inflatable seats and footrests attached and just roll everything up together when you're done. No need to clip seats and footrests back in next time. On the other hand, it’s kind of a hassle to pump them up every time. If you’re going with the three-seat setup, you’re looking at EIGHT places to inflate, which felt like a bit much to us.
That said, the seats are made with drop-stitch material, which makes them way more comfortable than the usual inflatable seats you find. So that’s a win (though we do have to take off points for the way the seams are finished, as the edge of the fabric sticks out and looks a bit messy, which you wouldn’t expect at this price).
Since the Nitrilon is smooth and shiny, it dries quickly and rolls up with no fuss, so we were happy with that part.
Paddling Experience
The Thaya paddles pretty well for something without much shape underneath. We thought it was fairly close in feel to the Razor Kayaks R2 Ultra, although it could have used a longer fin and tougher ends like the R2 has, as it wasn’t quite as steady in a straight line. Still, with the drop-stitch floor and smooth Nitrilon base, it moved nicely over the water and held up fine when we came across a bit of wave action.
We found the seats and footrests comfy over a few hours on the water and the wide side tubes didn’t get in the way too much. All up, a pretty smooth paddling trip.
Final Verdict
There are a few smart features in the Gumotex Thaya that make it stand out from other kayaks we tried. It’s very well made, easy to handle (as long as you don’t mind a bit more time on the pump) and enjoyable to paddle. It’s also the priciest kayak we tested. What really makes it special is how small it packs down into that carry-friendly dry bag, along with the nice touch of the drop-stitch floor.
Want to see how the Gumotex Thaya compares to other kayaks we tested? Head over to our 2 Person Inflatable Kayak Review.
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