Intex Excursion Pro K1 Review
Rating
Performance: 6
Size/Weight: 6
Durability: 6
Setup: 7
Value: 8
OVERALL: 6.6
Your perfect partner for water adventures
This inflatable kayak gives you better quality than Intex's Challenger without breaking the bank. It keeps things simple with plenty of room, a comfy adjustable seat, foot brace and handy spots for fishing rods and your phone or camera. The smooth PVC glides surprisingly well and dries fast when it's time to pack up.
Comparison
Rank: #5
Open Size: Long and thick
Packed Size: Small and portable
Weight: Heavy
Capacity: Low
Best For: Relaxed paddling on calm water, fishing trips, or casual outings.
Pros: Stable, moves quickly, easy to control, great value and comes with paddles and a pump.
Cons: The PVC material might not last forever and the included paddle and pump could be better.
Verdict: One of the few fishing-friendly kayaks we recommend, this is a fantastic all-around choice for fun on the water.
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Intex Excursion Pro K1 compares to others in our list of the Top Ten Inflatable Kayaks, or see how we choose the best inflatable kayak.
Specs:
Open Size: 120x36in
Packed Size: 23x29x13in
Weight: 20lbs
Capacity: 220lbs
Approx Price: $212.09
First Impressions
The Excursion Pro comes with a lot of stuff in the box.
You get two removable skegs (short and long), two fishing rod holders, a plastic footrest, an accessories bar with phone mount, an inflatable seat and even an extra booster cushion if the seat isn't tall enough. Plus, it includes a paddle and pump.
We appreciate all these options as they make the kayak useful for different activities, but it sort of feels like Intex is trying to make up for something.
And we think we know what: The kayak's 3-layer PVC/polyester/vinyl material doesn't feel as tough as others we've tested and the seams don't look as sturdy.
Setup/Packdown
How long setup takes depends on how you use it. Like most inflatables, it has three air valves and isn't hard to pump up.
For us, we’re happy to go a bit more minimalist, so we could slightly cut setup time by not adding the fishing rod holders, mobile phone mount or accessories bar, just pump up and install the seat, poke the footrest into the right holes for our leg length, and turn it upside-down to slide in the skeg (short for shallow water, long for deep water). For the purpose of this review, we did try putting those accessories in and found them easy to click into their very obvious attachment points.
Packing up is straightforward since the smooth material dries quickly. Just don't lose all those small parts!
Paddling Experience
For the price, the Excursion Pro handles better than we expected. With the long skeg, it tracks straight well; with the short one, it turns easier but wobbles a bit more. It's stable enough for fishing, thanks to its wide design.
The hard footrest is nice as it gives you something to push against while paddling (though it's not as firm as a drop-stitch floor would be).
Our biggest issue? The seat. Like the Intex Challenger, it feels like sitting on a squishy marshmallow. Add the booster cushion and it gets even wobblier. It's not great for long fishing trips as you'll want more support.
Final Verdict
For the money, the Excursion Pro does well on the water. It's versatile and stable, but the seat isn't comfortable and we're not convinced it'll last long. Still, if you want a budget-friendly kayak with lots of features, this is a decent pick, just don't expect top-tier quality.
Why not visit our list of the Top Ten Inflatable Kayaks of 2025 to see how the Excursion Pro compares?
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.