NEW 2023! Spinera Hybris Inflatable Kayaks

Spinera Hybris High-Pressure Inflatable Kayaks

Spinera’s new Hybris inflatable touring kayaks offer amazing, top-end features at mid-range prices. Most notably they have high-pressure dropstitch floors, and tough single skin tubes… so they’re great performers on the water, and easy to look after off the water.

High-pressure Dropstitch Floors

Dropstitch fabric floors can be inflated to higher pressures making them much stiffer than cheaper alternatives (eg “I-beam” floors), resulting in a boat that’s more efficient and enjoyable to paddle. However dropstitch fabric is expensive and is generally the preserve of the next price level up in inflatable kayaks.

Single Skin Construction

Most mid-range (£500-ish) kayaks are of the double skin type, with a PVC bladder inside a nylon fabric outer. Spinera Hybris kayaks are constructed from single layer ultra-durable, mesh-reinforced fabric that’s much less sensitive to (and can be inflated to higher) pressure, and is much quicker and easier to dry out after use (just wipe it down, no mould or rot).

Plenty of Legroom!

Time after time we see 10ft inflatable kayaks being sold with two or even three closely-spaced seats… where are your legs meant to go? The mid-size Hybris 410 is 14ft long, with a fine entry bow and lots of legroom between the two seats… longer is faster too! Spinera also offer the 500 (16ft) model with three “proper” adult seats.

Double Skeg System

Spinera Hybris kayaks have easy-to-fit, click-pin skegs (no tools or loose components to lose), and (we think uniquely) they’ve put fittings for two of them in line along the hull… giving superb tracking characteristics if you’re undertaking a longer touring trip out on the sea for example (we’d probably only use the back one on shorter trips in shallow water).

No Nasty Corner Cutting!

Wherever else you look – whilst you can see some differences between the Hybris and more expensive alternatives (eg Aquaglide Chelans) – Spinera have not cut corners to the extent of spoiling the boat, for example:

– the seats are supportive and adjustable

– the included backpack does the job it’s meant to, and is plenty large enough!

– the valves are all the same size (one of our pet hates when they’re not!) and use a proper bayonet fitting

What are the Capabilities of a Spinera Hybris Inflatable Kayak?

As with most inflatable kayaks, they’re fine on rivers, lakes, harbours, and for playing around off the beach on a sunny day. But a Spinera Hybris is also capable of much more (if you are!)… we took one along the north Cornwall coast and were very pleasantly surprised by its competence and mile-eating ability in quite a choppy sea, with a crosswind. They’re genuinely much better than an inflatable kayak in the £500-ish price range has any right to be! (As responsible boat sellers we should at this point make clear that like any other small boat, what you can or can’t do in it has at least as much to do with – the experience and fitness and preparedness of – the occupants, as the boat itself….)

This review is very good if you have a spare 15 minutes:
Spinera Hybris 410 review

Quite simply, if you’re in the market for a £500-ish inflatable kayak, in our opinion the Spinera Hybris range is the best option currently available. You can spend much more, you can spend quite a lot less… but these are almost outrageously good for the money!  They are so much better than other offerings (including from some very well-known names) at this price that they shouldn’t really be in the same category.

On the water a Spinera Hybris will be stiffer, faster, and track straighter than its price-point rivals. It will almost certainly be more comfortable, and more spacious, too.

When you’re back on land (or in your motorhome or yacht) it will be quicker and easier to dry out… and it will fit in its bag!