Advanced Elements Introduces Revolutionary Inflatable Kayak with Performance to Rival Hard Shells

AirFusion EVO features high-pressure drop-stitch air chambers, an aluminum keel and a durable polyeurethane outer skin

Press Release • Benicia, Calif.

Paddlesports company Advanced Elements announced the release of the AirFusion EVO, a revolutionary design that will bring hard-shell speed and directional control to a packable inflatable kayak. The AirFusion EVO handles adverse conditions like a hard shell without the storage space or immobility of a heavy kayak. The AirFusion EVO hit the market March 30, 2018.

Weighing in at only 32 pounds, The AirFusion EVO packages this performance with a combination of high-pressure drop-stitch air chambers, an aluminum keel and a durable polyeurethane outer skin. It’s fully skirtable for rough water. The result is an inflatable kayak that has the speed to keep up with hard shells, the nimble maneuverability that goes along with 13’ length, and the portability that means it can live in an urban closet or get loaded onto a plane with ease.

“For decades, most inflatables have lacked the stiffness of hardshell boats, and that has meant that they don’t convey as much of the paddlers’ energy into forward motion and get blown around by the wind,” says Clay Haller, president of Advanced Elements. “No longer. The drop-stitch technology creates a very rigid structure, and an aluminum keel gives it a v-shaped hull that cuts through the water, providing unrivaled hull-speed.”

Drop-stitch technology takes two sheets of fabric and connects them using thousands of threads spaced consistently at a set length. The outer surface of the two sheets is coated with a PVC skin creating an air tight surface. Once the perimeter is sealed, the end result is an inflatable with flat surfaces and can be very rigid at high pressure.

The AirFusion EVO will be a hit with paddlers who want to cover distance toward a horizon with friends paddling a variety of different craft, and also want something they can pack up and take to faraway places or store in limited space. They may be interested in multi-sport journeys, or a single craft that can tackle most water, from camping trips to the coast, remote lakes, and quick fitness paddles on the home water.

The AirFusionEVO was designed in Advanced Elements’ Headquarters in Benicia, CA, inspired by the dynamics of the Bay Area, which range from slow moving rivers to the Bay’s winds and strong currents. It’s 13’ long, 24” wide, and can handle up to 235lbs of paddler and gear. It retails for $1,199.99 and is available at REI and other specialty outdoor retailers. Head over to Advanced Elements’ dealer locator at  advancedelements.com.