SANDBANKS STYLE OPTIMAL KAYAK REVIEW

This video is our review of the Sandbanks Style Optimal tandem drop stitch inflatable kayak. It covers the:
1. Inflation and setup of the kayak
2. The drop stitch construction of this type of kayak
3. Its build quality
4. How it performs in different stretches of water including canals, rivers, lakes and the sea
5. How it paddles when used tandem and also when used solo, and
6. The pros and cons of this type of kayak
LINKS: our website: kayakcrew.co.uk/
Sandbanks Style: www.sandbanksstyle.com/
The Sandbanks Style Optimal kayak comes in a solo only model and a tandem model. This review is specifically of the tandem version of the kayak although its build quality and features are obviously almost identically to the solo version, just in a larger kayak that can accommodate two persons.
The tandem version can be used solo by one person as well is being used by two people as a tandem.
It is a full drop stitch inflatable kayak which means that it inflates to a very high pressure of 10 psi - 12 psi and this results in the hull and decks of the kayak becoming very firm so that the appearance and performance of the kayak is very similar to that of a hard shell kayak.
We have a number of different types of inflatable kayak and have therefore been able to draw comparisons between this and the other kayaks that we have.
00:00 Introduction
0:32 Price
1:10 Specification
1:39 Drop Stitch Construction
2:20 Contents of Package
2:53 On the Water Tests
8:22 Solo Mode
9:18 Pros of the Kayak
10:32 Cons of the Kayak
11:14 Summary
11:42 Montage
13:00 Kayak Crew!

[@CharlieChapling]

Did you use some sort of spray skirt with this as it looks like one when your out at sea? Thanks

[@TheKayakCrew]

No, we did not use a spray skirt. The only inflatable kayak we know of which you can fit one to is the Itiwit x500. With the Sandbanks, most of the water that splashes in drains to the drain well under the rear deck well.

[@JamesJoyce-gk5jf]

If you use it solo, do you need a longer paddle rather than the ones that come with it as you're sat at the widest point of the kayak?

[@TheKayakCrew]

Hi, the Sandbanks Optimal is 90cm wide in the middle. You need fairly long paddle of at least 230cm wide to paddle it solo. I bought a 250cm wide Werner Camano paddle and one of the other guys bought a 240cm wide one since we generally use wide inflatables which are 90cm-100cm wide. The included paddles that come with the Sandbanks are 230cm wide, so just about wide enough to use it solo. I just prefer the wider paddles because they avoid you sometime scuffingyour wrists on the sides of the kayak when paddling.