Gumotex Swing 1 Kayak Review
Rating
Performance: 8
Size/Weight: 8
Durability: 9
Setup: 8
Value: 8
OVERALL: 8.2
A compact, closed-deck kayak that handles far more than its size suggests.
The Gumotex Swing 1 is a lightweight, closed-deck inflatable kayak built for solo paddlers who want something genuinely versatile. It’s capable on calm lakes and rivers, surprisingly composed in light rapids, and compact enough to carry on public transport or tuck into a small car boot without a second thought.
Comparison
Rank: #3
Open Size: Short, wide
Packed Size: Very small
Weight: Lightest available
Capacity: Moderate
Best For: Paddlers wanting a lightweight, packable solo kayak that handles lakes, rivers, and light coastal trips with genuine capability.
Pros: Light, compact, agile, closed deck, durable, easy to dry, great for varied water conditions.
Cons: Basic seat and footrest, snug for taller paddlers, zippers not waterproof, not fast.
Verdict: A well-built, impressively versatile solo inflatable that punches well above its weight class, held back only by a seat that most serious paddlers will want to replace.
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Gumotex Swing 1 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: 316×87cm
Packed Size: 69×38×23cm
Weight: 11.3kg
Capacity: 120kg
Price: £879.00
First Impressions
Pull the Gumotex Swing 1 out of its bag and it immediately stands out from almost everything else in the inflatable kayak world. Rather than the open sit-on-top design you'll find on most budget-friendly inflatables, the Swing 1 has a proper closed deck, complete with a cockpit opening, zippered hatches fore and aft, and aluminium spreader bars that click into place to give the hull its shape. It looks, genuinely, like a real kayak.
At only 11kg, it's impressively light for what it is, and it rolls down into a package small enough to fit in a rucksack or the boot of even a modest car. The included bag is functional if not particularly glamorous, and unlike the backpack-style bags on some competitors, it's shoulder-carry rather than worn on the back; worth noting if you're planning longer hauls to the water's edge. Construction quality is immediately apparent: the Nitrilon rubber material used by Gumotex feels robust and purposeful, and there's a reassuring solidity to the whole thing that you don't always get at this price point.
Setup/Packdown
We found that setting up the Swing 1 is slightly more involved than a basic open inflatable, but once you've done it a couple of times, it really does clock in at around five to seven minutes, and that's a reasonable trade for what you get in return. The order of operations matters: the tracking fin slides into slits in the hull base and must go in before inflation, so don't forget it at that stage. The aluminium fore and aft braces (which are unique to this design) clip in front and behind the cockpit to keep the deck taut and the hull rigid. They make a big difference to stiffness and without them the kayak would feel considerably floppier on the water. Then it's three chambers to inflate (floor and both sides), followed by fitting the seat and adjusting the footrest.
One of the genuinely clever design elements is the zippered deck access. Being able to open up the bow and stern sections means cleaning out any water that gets in is simple, and drying the inside of the kayak after a day out is far easier than on fabric-covered alternatives. You're not leaving it propped up for two days hoping for the best, just a decent wipe-down and an hour in the sun, and it's ready to pack. It compresses to a compact bundle, secured with a clip-on strap and fits neatly into the carry bag without a wrestling match.
Paddling Experience
This is where the Swing 1 gets genuinely interesting and where it separates itself from the crowd of recreational inflatables. On the water, it feels responsive and surprisingly agile, more so than its compact dimensions might suggest. Without the fin in, it spins readily and behaves in a playful, manoeuvrable way that makes it well suited to tight rivers and narrow channels. Pop the fin in and it settles into a more disciplined straight-line track across open water, though note that when you stop paddling, it does have a tendency to start rotating, so it needs consistent paddling rather than the occasional lazy drift.
Speed-wise, this is not a touring kayak. It's short, it's wide at 87cm and it won't win any races against a sleek hard-shell, but it moves at a more than respectable pace for its size, accelerates quickly and once up to speed it glides nicely. For the kind of use cases the Swing 1 is built for, that's more than sufficient. The closed deck is a great feature in choppier or moving water: light rapids, tidal splashes and boat wash are all handled with considerably more confidence than an open inflatable would manage.
Stability is another strength. The width means you can lean and shift without any real anxiety about a capsize, which makes it a welcoming choice for beginners and for situations where you might be paddling in less-than-ideal conditions; even kids could handle the Swing 1 comfortably with supervision.
The standard seat is functional but not generous, so you might want to swap it out for an upgraded aftermarket option. The footrest is on the basic side too, giving you modest support for longer stints. Taller paddlers in particular may find the legroom a little snug. We don’t think these are dealbreakers, but they're worth factoring in if you're planning for long days on the water rather than the occasional hour-long float.
Final Verdict
The Gumotex Swing 1 is a capable, durable and versatile solo inflatable that works across a broader range of conditions than almost anything else at a comparable price and weight. Lakes, calm rivers, sheltered coastal bays, light whitewater, the Swing 1 handles all of it with confidence, and it does so in a package that weighs around 10kg and fits in a bag you can carry on your shoulder.
Want to see how the Gumotex Swing 1 compares to other kayaks we tested? Head over to our list of the Top Ten 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.