Bluewave Glider Drop Stitch Kayak Review
by the bald scrambler
Published By: Daniel Weadley. Date: 17th October 2024. Filed at: Kayak Reviews. Disclosure: I earn commission from purchases made via links, read more.
I’ve paddled over 500 miles in the Bluewave Glider drop stitch kayak, mostly on the middle Thames around Henley, Maidenhead and Windsor, and also a few miles on canals, lakes and smaller rivers.
This is my honest review.
In a hurry?
Here are the key points:
- I prefer it to the basic Itiwit Kayak and the £1000 Advanced Elements Kayak I tested.
- Best for serious paddlers who wish to cover distance efficiently.
- It’s rigid (10psi).
- I found it unstable/wobbly at first.
- The most comfortable seat I’ve ever experienced – with a high, supportive back.
- Easy to assemble, deflate and can be wiped clean in minutes.
- I found that it stays in a straight line with minimal effort.
My Video Review
This Kayak is Sold on Amazon
I’ve seen this kayak for sale on Amazon.
This is What I Like About The Bluewave Glider Kayak
It’s narrow – This kayak cuts through the water and gains speed quickly. It’s faster than any of the previous kayaks I’ve owned.
It stays on heading – I’ve never struggled to keep this kayak going in a straight line, and it naturally wants to straighten out – making it perfect for long river treks.
It’s made from dropstitch – This makes the kayak firm and rigid. It doesn’t sag in the middle when I sit in it, even though I’m a heavy guy.
The seat – This seat is held in place by four straps so it won’t slip. It also has a high supportive back and is far more comfortable than seats I’ve experienced on other kayaks.
Reasonable weight – At around 15kg, it’s half the weight of other inflatable kayaks I’ve used over the years.
Easy to clean – The material doesn’t absorb moisture and can be wiped clean and I’ve never had to leave it in the sun for hours to get it dry. Water drains quickly and easily out of the hole at the rear.
Compact – The deflated kayak is compact and easily fits in the boot of my Ford Focus.
Photo above: Kayaking on a canal
Photo above: The seat connectors are solid
Photo above: In the boot of a Ford Focus
What I Disliked
There’s very little that I dislike about this Bluewave Glider kayak and I’m clutching at straws here a bit:
It’s unstable – As the kayak is very lightweight and narrow, it’s very unstable and it took me a while to get used to it.
More wobbles – The seat comes with an optional cushion but this raises the height of the user and the centre of gravity – the end result is an even more wobbly kayak.
In short; it’s not the most stable kayak and it took me a while to get used to it.
Also, being long and narrow, the kayak doesn’t turn on a penny as it always wants to straighten up.
This Kayak is Sold on Amazon
This kayak is sold on Amazon and there are more reviews from customers there.
Is This Kayak For You?
The most important points for me are:
- Being easy to clean.
- Lightweight enough to carry on my own.
- Rigid enough that it doesn’t sag.
- A comfy seat that I can spend hours in.
- It must stay on heading (straight) as I’ve had kayaks before that always pull off centre and that interrupts the flow of the paddling.
For me, these priorities are more important than stability but if you’re just looking for some casual fun on a lake, perhaps with the kids, then a more stable kayak might be a better choice.
This is my third inflatable kayak and is miles ahead of the others. Overall, I feel it was a great purchase at a reasonable price too.
I rate this kayak 4.5 stars out of 5. See how Amazon buyers have rated it here.
If I Could Give You One Tip
If you’re serious about inflatable kayaking, and I could give you just one tip, it would be:
Go for a dropstitch kayak.
I’ve owned four inflatable kayaks and I’ll never go back to those spongy rubber tubes.
This Bluewave Glider is made from firm dropstitch and has lasted me three years so far with no issues whatsoever.
The short video below explains what dropstitch is:
Other Bits of Info
There are three air chambers and these can be filled to about 10psi, each has a high quality valve that’s easy to use:
It has two handles; front and rear but I found it light enough to carry with one hand:
The seat is secured with four straps and metal connectors, this prevents the seat from slipping.
It barely moves an inch, even if I lean right back:
You also get bungees at the front and rear to store items.
Here are the specs:
Length: 3.9m.
Width: 0.7m.
Weight inflated: 14.3kg.
Material: Drop stitch, all three chambers can be inflated to 10psi.
Seat: High back, four connection points.
Seat cushion: Yes, removable.
Foot rest: Yes, removable.
Carry bag: Yes, revised with the latest version, now has wheels and shoulder straps.
Max load: 225kg.
About Daniel Weadley
This review of the Bluewave Glider Kayak was created by Daniel Weadley, aka The Bald Scrambler.
From walking along beaches and kayaking down rivers to making his way up mountains and even jumping out of planes, Daniel has a love of the outdoors but scrambling is his real passion.
Daniel Weadley aka The Bald Scrambler
1 Comment
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Have fun, keep safe. Hopefully I’ll see you on the mountains one day
By The Bald Scrambler
I have a Shipwreck Arrowstream, which looks exactly the same. I think they are made in China, with different decals and sold on. Having said that, I would agree with everything you say, except I have only had mine a few months. I have only been kayaking a couple of years, and originally had a hard shell, but due to transport and storage issues swapped for the Shipwreck. As you say it is not as stable as my sit on top, or as manoueverable, but again, as you point out, after about 10 mins all good