Aquaglide Navarro 110 Review
Rating
Performance: 7
Size/Weight: 7
Durability: 7
Setup: 8
Value: 6
OVERALL: 7.0
The Mr Dependable of inflatable kayaks.
Stable, durable, protective, good-looking… the Navarro is everything we’re looking for in our life partner, and this inflatable kayak should go the distance. Quick and easy to set up and pack away, there’s storage space and insane stability on the water, while comfort here is key, with a covered deck and even a real cushion for the seat.
Comparison
Rank: #5
Open Size: Thin and long
Packed Size: Mid-size, heavy
Weight: Towards the heavy side
Capacity: High
Best For: Flat and choppy water, an excellent choice for new paddlers.
Pros: Very comfortable, very stable, and made of high-quality materials that will last.
Cons: Outpriced by many comparable kayaks in this category (grab it if it’s on sale!), not the greatest handling when paddling in a straight line, and requires switching valve adapters to fully inflate.
Verdict: The perfect kayak for a leisurely float downriver or low-key exploration.
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Aquaglide Navarro 110 compares to others in our list of the Top Ten Inflatable Kayaks, or see how we choose the best inflatable kayak.
Specs:
Open Size: 335cm x 90cm
Packed Size: 63cm x 58cm x 28cm
Weight: 12kg
Capacity: 113kg
Approx Price: £699
First Impressions
The Navarro fit easily into its included duffel bag - we would generally prefer a backpack-style bag for ease in getting to the water, but found this one to be fine to carry.
There were a few pieces that go together to form the kayak, which is pretty standard to most inflatables - separate seat, footrest and fin. Extras such as paddles and pump are not included. Although unlike most other inflatable kayaks the deck is very much enclosed, you can also purchase an additional skirt for the cockpit to make it even more watertight (not tested).
The kayak itself was covered with a sturdy 600 denier ripstop polyester fabric, attractively coloured and with a nice X-shaped detail throughout. At 11’/335cm long, it’s one of the longer kayaks that made our Top Ten list, and it takes advantage of that length with zippers in the bow decking and a stern hatch to access well thought out storage areas.
The construction was clearly high quality and we liked the fact that it’s a drop-stitch floor which gives a nice firmness.
Setup/Packdown
For us, this is the biggest weakness of the Navarro.
There are four inflation points - well, that’s reasonable, I hear you say. Unfortunately the valves are all different - the two side bladders inflate through boston valves, the floor through a Halkey-Roberts valve, and the cockpit rim with a twist-lock valve. It just means that you have to switch through valve adapters to get everything inflated (in practice, you can inflate the cockpit rim with your mouth if you have to). We definitely prefer designs where the valves are uniform.
Once it was inflated, the rest was pretty easy - the seat and footrest both attach to the floor via hook and loop velcro strips that run for a really good length, meaning that the relative positions of the seat and footrest were nicely adjustable. Turn it over and the fin clicks in easily.
And then there’s pack down… because it’s covered in fabric, it takes a while to dry out, and as with all inflatable kayaks, you want them to be dry before putting them away. For us, this is just an additional annoyance that other kayaks don’t have - however, in the Navarro’s case, there are reasons this design choice has been made.
Paddling Experience
Because it’s encased in polyester, the Navarro is a great choice for paddling in cooler weather, or if you don’t want to get wet. We took it through some chop and found the polyester decking did a great job of keeping water off. However, our testing day was a hot, sunny one, and I would’ve loved the feel of the sunlight and the occasional splash of water on my legs that I’m used to when paddling. I think this one comes down to personal preference and prevailing conditions, and I can definitely see that if you’re paddling in a cooler climate the Navarro may be one of the best choices for you.
In terms of comfort, definitely no complaints - we loved the firm but comfortable thicker cushion used on the bottom of the seat, and the seat’s high pack was supportive. I personally prefer a footrest that suspends between two D-rings as I prefer to push through the middle of my foot over pushing with my heels as you have to with this one as it’s attached directly to the floor, but that was a small issue. We also loved how much stuff we were able to pack into the storage spaces and keep dry - we took a picnic rug, lunch, ample water, some snacks and sneakers so we could explore on our breaks.
It was efficient enough to paddle once we got used to holding our arms above the cockpit rim, however for a kayak of this length it didn’t track quite as well in a straight line as we’d expected. This may have been due to the shorter length of the included fin.
We did like the consideration behind some of the smaller design features, like the carry handles placed either side of the seat so it was easy to carry when inflated, straps to attach your paddle so you didn’t have to worry about losing it when taking a photo, and the nice stringy bungy deck lacing that firmly held a dry bag with phone etc for quick access.
Final Verdict
The Navarro is a hands-down winner in cold weather conditions, and for day expeditions in comfort. We’d love if Aquaglide had smoothed out the setup and packdown process a bit more in their design, and potentially included a longer fin, but if you’re looking for a kayak that’s more enclosed this is easily one of the best options out there.
Want to see how the Aquaglide Navarro compares to others? Check out our list of the Top Ten Inflatable Kayaks of 2024.
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.