Sevylor Tahaa Kayak Review
Rating
Performance: 2
Size/Weight: 5
Durability: 3
Setup: 6
Value: 3
OVERALL: 3.8
Cheap, Light and Frustratingly Directionless.
If you want to spend as little money as possible to get on the water and you care more about portability than performance, the Sevylor Tahaa will look very tempting. At just 7.9 kg and packing down to the size of a small suitcase, it's one of the lightest and most compact inflatable kayaks you can buy. For a casual half-hour paddle on a glassy pond, it's perfectly fine, but without a skeg, this kayak refuses to go straight, the seats slide around, and two adults will feel like sardines.
Comparison
Rank: #10
Open Size: Shorter and wider
Packed Size: Small
Weight: Very light
Capacity: Moderate
Best For: Beginners, families and casual paddlers needing an ultra-light, compact boat for calm, sheltered water on a budget.
Pros: Extremely lightweight, highly portable, stable, easy to inflate, includes a backpack.
Cons: Blunt, soft hulls means poor tracking and glide, seats slide and lack lumbar support, cramped for two.
Verdict: A stable, entry-level kayak perfect for low-stakes, fair-weather fun, but its significant performance limitations make it frustrating for anyone looking a serious paddling experience.
Skip ahead to First Impressions, Setup/Packdown, Paddling Experience, or the Final Verdict, check out how the Sevylor Tahaa 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: 312×92cm
Packed Size: 74×42×27cm
Weight: 7.9kg
Capacity: 160kg
Approx Price: £65.00
First Impressions
The Sevylor Tahaa is a light kayak. At just 7.9 kg, you can literally lift this whole kayak with two fingers. The packed size is also genuinely compact, roughly the dimensions of a large suitcase or a big hiking backpack, so you could easily toss this in a car boot, a motorhome, or even check it as luggage on a flight.
It seems perfect for someone who wants to dip a toe into kayaking without spending much money or storage space, but once you start to actually look at the kayak and set it up, the sliding seats and missing skeg are immediate warning signs that performance and comfort have been sacrificed for price and portability.
Setup/Packdown
The large Boston valves are simple to use, making the process easy for beginners. It takes about 10 minutes with a manual pump or a few minutes with a 12V electric pump; however, note that no pump or paddles are included, which adds to the total cost.
A standout feature is the Sevytest pressure indicator, which removes the guesswork by showing a green band when the kayak is properly inflated. The seats inflate quickly via small mouth valves, and the drain valve at the bottom is a helpful touch, allowing you to easily pour out water before packing up.
Packing is simple, as the Tahaa rolls up neatly and fits into its included, roomy backpack without a struggle. Like all inflatables, however, the kayak must be thoroughly dried before storage to prevent mildew.
Paddling Experience
The Tahaa is undeniably stable. That wide, flat hull makes it feel like a floating carpet and you can get in and out easily. You can even shift your weight, reach for something over the side, or let a child climb in without feeling like you're about to capsize. For absolute beginners, families with young kids, or anyone who is nervous on the water, that stability is reassuring. You will not tip this kayak on calm water unless you actively try.
Two adults can fit in it, though ‘two adults’ might be optimistic unless one is small or you're both friendly. It's really designed for one adult plus a child or a small pet. The 160 kg load capacity is generous on paper, but the physical space is the limiting factor. Two average-sized adults will have their knees quite bent and feel cramped over distance.
The most glaring issue is the lack of tracking as the Tahaa has no skeg, so nothing to keep it going straight. Every single paddle stroke sends the bow veering off to one side. Keeping this kayak going in a straight line requires constant corrective strokes. The seats are not attached, so as you paddle and shift your weight, the seats slide around and you find yourself constantly reaching down to reposition the seat underneath you. Also, the backrests, being inflatable, tend to soften and lose air over an hour or two, leaving you slouching.
The Tahaa’s short, wide, flat hull also lacks rigidity so the moment you stop paddling, the kayak stops moving. There's no glide and no moment where you can rest and let the boat carry you forward, which becomes tiring over time and makes the kayak feel slow and inefficient compared to a better-designed inflatable.
That said, for its intended use, basically a casual half-hour paddle on a perfectly still pond on a warm, windless summer day, the Tahaa works. You can float around, enjoy the scenery and not worry about tipping. Just don't expect to go anywhere efficiently, and don't expect to stay comfortable for long.
Final Verdict
The Sevylor Tahaa is cheap, so depending on your intended use could be worth taking a chance on. It's a low-risk, low-commitment way to see if you like being on the water - but you may be better off investing in something firmer and better to paddle so you enjoy your kayaking more from the outset.
Want to see how the Sevylor Tahaa 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.