Air Glide 473 - 4.73M Double Inflatable Kayak
Regular price
AUD1,645.00
Sale price
AUD2,099.00
NEW 2021 AIR GLIDE 473
- NEW! Foot controlled rudder system for effortless maneuverability (optional)
- Improved high quality 1680D All-Terrain bag (with rugged 3-wheels for better usage over more terrains)
- Improved comfort footrests (thick padded foam with hard plastic core for more comfort and support)
- Improved paddle quality with stronger blades and shaft.
- Improved bow drainage system (moved floor drainage valves to nose drainage bung)
PLACE YOUR ORDER TODAY!
100% DROP-STITCH TECHNOLOGY.
About Drop-Stitch Inflatable Kayaks
Are inflatable kayaks any good?
Are they as good as normal kayaks?
Being inflatable, do they bend like pool toys?
These are questions we have been asked from beginners and expert kayakers alike, as they inquisitively ask about this advancement in kayaking. And for good reason.
How for so many years did most of us deal with lugging around heavy, polyethylene kayaks, straining our backs and having to worry about:
- Where am I going to store my kayak?
- How light a kayak can I get?
- What is the easiest way to transport my kayak?
Welcome to the brand new 2021 Air Glide 473 by Bay Sports, a 100% drop stitch kayak designed here in Manly, Australia. The Air Glide 473 is a brilliant lightweight kayak with excellent tracking and build quality. But what makes this inflatable kayak so much more better than the rest? Read on...
Drop-Stitch vs. Regular inflatable kayaks?
You're not alone if you hear inflatable kayak and think the inside is just filled with air. Whilst your average camping air mattress is just that, Drop-Stitch inflatables like our Air Glide range (and also our inflatable Stand Up Paddle Boards), contain millions of tough polyester threads that connect the top-to-bottom, and side walls of the kayak. This allows them to be inflated to high-pressures whilst giving them rock-hard rigidity and form.
The result? Hard shell kayak feel and performance, with easy transportation and storage of an inflatable.
Watch HD Video Walkthrough of Air Glide 473
Please note this is the old model shown.
- The new 2021 model, the drainage has been moved from the floor to a nose drain plug.
- The velcro footrests have been upgraded to high quality foam footrests with clips.
- Now with option to add a rudder system with foot controlled operation
- Significantly improved accessories quality including larger bag now with 3 larger all-terrain wheels
What makes this inflatable kayak superior?
- Advancements in inflatable water sport technologies, in particular drop-stitch manufacturing techniques, have developed in recent times, we are experiencing a fast transition into more practical, lightweight, yet sturdy watercraft.
- This inflatable Drop Stitch kayak is faster, stiffer and stronger than any conventional air kayak. It can be easily transported in a compact bag. At just 19.9kgs, the material is much lighter than any polyethylene double kayak on the market, whilst the boat shape is narrower and nevertheless provides more space. And with up to 10 psi air pressure, so it is as stable and solid as a hard shell kayak.
- The side chambers and bottom floor are made of high-denier (drop stitch) fabric for superior strength, high-pressure inflation, durability, and abrasion resistance in this patent-pending kayak construction.
- Moulded V-shaped shape underneath bow and stern made of rigid, durable material for better tracking, easier paddling, and greater speed.
Key benefits of Inflatable Kayaks
- Up to 50% lighter than their traditional counterparts plastic kayak, making for easy transportation to and from the water.
- Folds up into a compact bag, making great for those living in apartments, or those with little room to store a plastic kayak - you can leave it in the boot of your car or store it away in your cupboard.
- Remarkably tough and durable, being made from an abrasion resistant material, inflatable kayaks won't ding or scratch like a traditional plastic kayak.
- Great performance and tracking capability, with huge advancements in the rigid V-hull, including a clever slide-in skeg, makes for a fast kayak that holds a straight line.
Key Features
The Air Glide is the ultimate inflatable kayak for use on rivers, light whitewater, on lakes and for kayaking for those demanding more than just a traditional inflatable.
- Up to 4x higher operating pressure (10PSI) than regular inflatable kayaks.
- 2 side carrying handles, allows kayak to be used and transported by one person.
- Adjustable 4-point High-back seats provide excellent back support and comfort.
- Detachable large skeg keeps kayak on a straight track while paddling
- Tough, durable, compact, and lightweight, with great maneuverability and excellent stability.
- Surpass the speed of a hard-shell kayak yet enjoy easy portability.
- Multiple D-rings allow seat adjustments for one or two persons.
- Deluxe, replaceable H3 high-pressure valves are reliable and airtight.
- Large screw-type drain valves allow for fast, easy draining of the kayak and are easy to open and close.
- Unique ultralight, universal design for all ages
Air Glide 473 vs. KXone Slider 485
- Whilst both are the same high build and construction quality, the Air Glide is a better value 100% Drop-Stitch inflatable kayak.
- Bay Sports have further developed on the KXone design, adding 5cm extra width, 4cm higher side walls, and 12cm shorter length to provide greater stability and better prevent water splashing into the boat.
- Option to add foot controlled rudder system for vastly improved maneuverability.
- We have also added 2 x side carry handles, for effortless carrying by one person. This is a huge benefit other inflatable kayaks lack.
- Removable wind deflector and water shield - diverts water to channel off the kayak and back into the water, not in your kayak.
- 3 Year Warranty on Bay Sports Air Glide series, opposed to a 2 Year Warranty on the KXone Slider series. We stand by the excellent build quality.
Equipment Included
-
1 x Premium Quality Ballistic-weave nylon carry backpack with 3 x all-terrain wheels and padded shoulder straps.
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1 x Double-Valve Bravo
Hand Pump - 1 x Slide-in 9” Skeg
- 2 x Superior Comfort Kayak Seats (with detachable 10 cm padded booster seat) + Large velcro storage pouch.
- 2 x Premium Foam Footrests
- 2 x Lightweight Aluminium Paddles (4-piece)
- 1 x Removable plastic water deflector piece
- 1 x Quick Repair Kit (with PVC patches and valve repair tool, glue not included for hazmat reasons)
Plus option to Add Rudder System (Includes 2 x Adjustable Sliding Footrests and Rudder System and all cabling)
Want to add an additional Hi-Back Kayak Seat with Booster Cushion?
Specifications
- L: 4.73mtrs W: 0.89mtrs H: 0.36mtrs
- Kayak Weight: 20kgs
- Boxed Weight: 25kgs
- Maximum weight capacity: 250kg
- Capacity: 2 Adults + 1 Child
- Shipping Carton Size: 97 x 55 x 47 cm
Delivery pricing and information
Australia: Free Express shipping within Australia. Select this option at checkout. Includes tracking and insurance.
International: USD$280 via International Express Courier with Tracking (10-14 days transit time). Select this option at checkout. Includes tracking and insurance.
Setup and assembly videos
How to setup footrest and rudder system
How to use manual hand pump to inflate kayak
User Guide
Click here to download the 2021 Air Glide Inflatable Kayak User Guide.
Magazine Reviews
See what the industry experts have to say about the Air Glide 473
- Click here to read Outdoria Magazine's review
- Click here to read Inflatables Guide review
- Click here to read Paddle Pursuits review
Reviews
AustraliaSeems to be well made and will be interesting to see how the material holds up over the years especially with the folding. Be nice if the floor was totally sealed to the sides somehow so there was no hidden areas for sand, dirt and water to be trapped.
AustraliaStill quite a large and bulky bag to move around and unfortunately I managed to damage the kayak getting it out to the car. While wheeling it over hot concrete the bag was dragging and wore a hole through the bag and the kayak without me even realising which required repairs before I got to use it. I would like to see a sturdier bag perhaps with some ridged plastic reinforcing on the back to prevent damage like this. The kayak paddles well in calm conditions but is almost impossible to steer in wind. It also wobbles side to side a lot when I have my husband in it with me just paddling in calm conditions. Fine on my own and never feels like it would tip but just not very stable when there is a heavy weight in the boat. Plenty of room for gear or taking the kids which is great. Folding up takes a bit of practice but overall not too bad to pack up. I don’t rate it as good as our hard shell plastic kayak but for an inflatable I suspect it is quite good but have not used others to compare. Still gives benefit of being more compact to pack and travel with than a hard shell which is what I was after. It was more expensive than my hard shell and given already damaged I expect the longevity will not be good. Hard to be confident for a long trip in it. Seats are very comfortable, the additional cushion is great and I like the storage in the back of them. Overall I am not convinced it was worth the money, I am not in love with it but with more use I may come to like it.
AustraliaI’m so glad I did a lot of research into inflatables before choosing this brand. It’s the lightest, strongest and easiest to inflate. It’s super roomy too and we are both 6 foot tall and large framed. We have done both sea and lake trips with great success. I highly recommend this product. The seats are super comfy too and give you some added height enabling easier paddle strokes.
AustraliaFor what they are these inflatable kayaks are very good quality. It's hard to replicate the experience you'd get in a normal kayak so don't go in thinking that you will. The main negatives about this kayak is the size - I wish it came in a smaller 2 person version - this one is extremely long so that makes it quite hard to pack up. When you do pack it up into the carry bag it's bulky and quite heavy - by the time you get all the stuff packed it would be more like 30kg. We bought this to use on holidays when we can't take our normal kayaks on top of the van - so we thought this would be good to carry in the luggage cage, unfortunately, due to the weight and size, it's too difficult to lift it up there. The carry bag could be a bit stiffer as well, once you have the things in there the handles are too floppy and it's hard to drag. The bag is very big and I would have liked to see the dimensions published on the website before buying it. We bought the optional rudder system but there are no written instructions on how to install that - eventually found a video about how to attach the pedals but nothing about the rudder and how you're meant to attach the rope to it to lift it. The rope on both the rudder and pedals is pretty cheap and nasty and has a lot of stretch in it. Haven't managed to set it all up very well yet, maybe having it super tight will help steering. The paddles are really bad - heavy and virtually useless - we use the basic paddles we got with our normal kayaks, they're basic but 100% improvement on the ones supplied - I didn't want to spend another $200 per paddle to get better ones! On the positive side - the delivery and customer service from Baysport was good (though I am still waiting to hear back from a query about the rudder from well over a week ago). The kayak construction itself is good, no fear of ripping or puncturing easily and it's quite stable. My advice would be that, unless you're just going to throw this in the back of your car and you have kids and a lot of gear to put in the kayak, consider the KXone 4.1m kayak for two people I think it would be much more manageable.
good quality product ! I now need to order the rudder add on .
