AIRE Tributary Strike 1 Inflatable Kayak

Note:

In stock, lime green only - that's all AIRE is making color-wise for now.

The AIRE Tributary Strike 1 inflatable kayak is 10' long and 37" wide in the center. For this year, the color will be lime green with gray graphics, so ignore any images of orange Strikes. AIRE upgraded their Tributary kayak line a couple years back. Strike solos now weigh a mere 27.5 pounds, a full nine pounds less than the previous incarnations. And, along with the fantastically low weight, the new 1000 denier base fabric (up from the previous 500 and 600 denier models) assures more rigidity when inflated. They also now feature mesh over the bottom side of the four drain hole groups (six on the tandem Strike), and like the Lynx & Outfitter, they have a pair of flip loops on the bottom as well. These are little stitched in handles that allow you to invert an upside down Strike with just one hand.

So far the only unfavorable feedback on the solo Strike has been from a couple of larger fellows that were in the 250 to 275 pound range, and from a few paddlers who've had trouble keeping the boat straight in large diagonal waves (and this is indeed difficult due to the fairly low bow rise). Everyone else including us has felt this is a top contender among AIRE's line with it's quick predictable handling, even if it is an import. It is in fact our favorite among AIRE's five solo models.

AIRE Tributary Strike 1 Inflatable Kayak Has Value

The AIRE Strike 1 Inflatable Kayak falls in between the less expensive Tributary Tomcat and the American made Lynx in several ways. It has a five year warranty that does not cover owner damage like the U.S. boats. This is much better than the one year coverage that Tomcats have, only half as long as the Lynx, but the same as most other high end whitewater models. The outer material is the same pvc used for the Tomcats, but a major difference is that the side tube bladders are the same urethane as AIRE's U.S. boats, not the heavier, less stretchy vinyl used on the Tomcats. This improves the long term reliability tremendously. Rather than replacing bladders after 8 to 10 years you should be looking at more like 20+ years for the urethane. We say "should be" since many 1989 and 1990 AIRE boats are still running around with the original bladders. We honestly don't know what to give for a lifespan on them since AIRE has not been around long enough to say.

In hull design, the AIRE Tributary Strike 1 inflatable kayak retains the width and high stability of the Tomcat, but it has rocker on the ends (15") closer to what you find on the Lynx, with a zippy elliptical shape like a widened Force XL. All in all, for most middle of the road class III and IV paddlers, this might be the very best choice of all. For an extra $170 over the Tomcat solo's cost, it does seem to offer a lot more value.

Strikes have excellent performance, arguably as good as the Lynx, as long as the pilot is under 225 pounds. With paddlers between about 190 and 225 pounds, it has about the same hull speed as the Lynx. For larger paddlers above 230 pounds it will actually get slower, which is why we previously mentioned the larger paddlers not being as enthused. The smaller footprint of the Strike combined with a floor that inflates thinner than the Lynx I means big paddlers will bog it down more than a Tomcat or Lynx model. However the thinner floor also keeps your center of gravity lower and makes the Strike very stable. Strike I's and Lynx's both track poorly, so you need a bit of patience to get used to them. You can purchase one of our glue-on AIRE fin kits if your use will be primarily on flat water.

The AIRE Tributary Strike 1 Inflatable Kayak uses Summit valves like the Tomcats, which have been quite reliable, but the valve cap strings can tear off if you don't lock the cap on fully clockwise. Summits require an adapter if you are using mass produced cylinder pumps, or any foot pump, but this twist-in adapter is included in the little patch kit. K-Pumps, some of the Salamaders, EZ-Pumps, and a few other American made cylinder units will mate to the Summit valves without an adapter.

Please note that any accessories purchased with your boat are 10% off, and also note that our shopping cart as yet does NOT reflect these discounts - it will show a higher total so we will adjust the bottom line before ringing the transaction through.

*The price includes free UPS ground to any lower 48 state destination. Please note that our shopping cart will still try to charge for UPS, but we will deduct it before capturing your credit card funds.