Aqua Marina Laxo IK: Overview
The Aqua Marina Laxo is an entry-level inflatable kayak available in 1, 2 or 3 passenger arrangements. The Laxo is built for recreational paddling on flat water and has enough capacity for you (and your paddling partners on the larger kayaks) and everything you need for a day of fun on the water. As the Laxo is designed for shorter, recreational, floats, the overall design and construction is not that of a high-performance inflatable kayak and there are a few aspects that we’d like to see improved for the Laxo to be a great all-around recreational kayak.
Specifications
Dimensions:- Length: 9’4”, 10’6”, 12’6”
- Width: 35”
- Tube Diameter: 10.5”
- Kayak Weight: 25.5 lbs, 26.5 lbs, 38.5 lbs
- Capacity: 1, 2, 3 people
- Maximum Payload: 250 lbs, 400 lbs, 460 lbs
- Warranty Period: 1 year
- Returns Period: 30 Days
- Price:
Construction and Durability
The Aqua Marina Laxo is available in three different sizes (9’4”, 10’6”, and 12’6”) designed for 1, 2, or 3 passengers. Each size uses the same materials and construction, with the only difference being the overall length of the kayak and the number of seats and paddles included.
There are three separate air chambers – one for each side tube and one for the floor. All three air chambers are made of a lightweight PVC air tight chamber surrounded by a water- and uv-resistant nylon fabric. You can access the PVC air chambers for cleaning or repairs by opening the zippers along the sides of the tubes and rear of the floor. Each air chamber has a Boston valve for inflation. The valve itself has a one-way flap that only lets air in, and to deflate the Laxo, you simply unscrew the entire valve body from the air chamber. While Boston valves are simple to use, their biggest downside is the pump interface – there is no way to lock the pump hose into the valve. It simply stays in place with a bit of friction. If the hose is not fully seated into the valve, it will leak and make inflating the kayak much more difficult. The Laxo, regardless of size, comes with a single foot-pump inflator. These pumps are slow-going and have no pressure gauge. I do recommend picking up a 12v pump (most have Boston valve adapters included) so you can set the pressure and have it automatically turn off once inflated.
Both the I-Beam construction floor and the side tubes have a maximum pressure rating of 1 PSI. Inflatable kayaks do typically use lower pressures than inflatable paddleboards, however 1 PSI is still quite low compared to upwards of 6 PSI maximum pressures in other tube-chamber inflatable kayaks, especially with the relatively small 10.5” diameter side tubes. As the tube diameter decreases, more pressure is needed to maintain an appropriate amount of stiffness (and vice-versa). This low pressure makes itself very apparent, very quickly while on the water as the Laxo will bend easily wherever you are seated. If you press on the tubes to help re-adjust your seating position, it’s easy to accidentally collapse the entire tube down to nearly half of its width. Ideally we’d like to see the Laxo updated with higher quality air chambers and valves to support pressures in the 3-4 PSI range for the smaller side tubes.
On the water, the Laxo’s flexibility results in a sagging feeling and increased bow and stern rocker. This makes it more difficult to paddle straight and also makes the kayak more susceptible to being pushed by wind or waves.
The nylon fabric coating on the Laxo does a good job of shedding water rather than absorbing it, and provides a good level of protection for the inner PVC air chambers. While not puncture-resistant from a sharp impact, the nylon fabric holds up well against abrasion during launch and landing.
Each size of the Laxo is rated for a different person and weight capacity. The 9’4” solo size is rated for one person and up to 250lbs. The 10’6” tandem is rated for 2 people and up to 400 lbs, and the 12’6” triplet version is rated for 3 people and up to 460 lbs. If you and your equipment are within about 40-50 lbs of these maximum ratings, I would recommend sizing up to the next larger version to help mitigate the amount of flex and improve overall stability.
Specifications
| Dimensions | |
| Length | |
| Width | “ |
| Thickness | “ |
| Weight | |
| Max Capacity | pounds |
| Board Weight | pounds |
| Kit Weight (SUP & accessories) | pounds |
| Buying Info | |
| List Price | $ |
| Warranty | years |
| Returns period | days |
Features, Accessories and Comfort
The Aqua Marina Laxo recreational kayak is built for casual cruising on calm waters. There are two storage bungee cords on the bow and stern decks that can easily accommodate a bottle of water and a pair of shoes, or a small dry bag. There are no specific internal storage areas or bulkheads in the rest of the kayak, and the only d-rings are those intended to hold the seat straps. The rear D-rings can easily be fit with straps or carabiners to hold additional cargo.
There is a long strip of soft “loop”-side velcro connector along the center of the floor. This lets you adjust the position of the seat(s) up and down the length of the kayak. However you may be ultimately limited by the length of the seat straps if you plan to set the seat far forward to fit more cargo in the rear of the kayak. The seats themselves have a foam-padded seat (about 2” thick) and a high/soft seat back. The seat has a small zipper on each side to allow the seat back to fold down for easier storage. There are four straps to connect the seat to the kayak (two on the top to go forward, two on the bottom to go back). The straps are adjustable, however they do not get very long due to their doubled design with the only adjustment being at the seat itself. On the back of the seat is a small cargo pocket that can hold a water bottle, sunscreen, or other small items, however it is not waterproof.
Aqua Marina also includes a 4-piece aluminum and nylon kayak paddle for each passenger. The paddles fit together easily, though with some play between sections. The paddle blades have a narrow, asymmetrical shape which is perfect for low-angle recreational paddling strokes. On the bottom of the Laxo are two slide-in fin boxes you can use with the included fins to increase tracking performance while paddling.
The Laxo does not have a foot brace, nor any method of attaching a foot brace. While this does limit your ability to use your entire body to paddle (versus just your arms and back), it also provides plenty of room for your legs. The amount of space for each individual paddler on the tandem and triplet models of the Laxo is determined by where you place the seats. However because of the limited length of the seat straps, there’s not quite as much adjustability as I’d like. The seat itself offers comfortable padding to sit on, and the seat back can be tightened and loosened to dial in the amount of back support you want. There is just enough space between the side tubes for an adult to comfortably rest their legs against the inside of the tubes and not feel compressed.
Stability, Maneuverability, and Speed
Most paddlers, myself included, enjoy time in the water, but we’d rather stay upright and in our boats for most of the day. The Laxo has great stability for recreational paddlers and some light kayak fishing. The flat bottom design and 10.5” tubes make it very hard to tip the Laxo over (see above). However placing weight on a specific part of the side tubes will collapse the tube slightly – so don’t try to correct your position by pushing on the side of the kayak if you do find yourself living life on the edge! During tight maneuvering and hard paddling I never felt like the Laxo was going to capsize or even tip dramatically to one side or the other.
The Laxo’s maneuvering and tracking performance are directly impacted by whether or not you use one or both included fins, and which length Laxo you are using. Without the fins I was able to spin the Laxo 9’4” in a full circle with just two forward-sweep paddle strokes. The 10’ 6” version turns similarly as well, and the 12’6” takes a couple extra strokes as you push the extra three feet of length sideways in the water. Once you add the fins, turning becomes more difficult, but it is easier to paddle straight.
With good, even paddle strokes the Laxo tracks straight with relatively little effort even without its fins. However if the paddle is not centered or you don’t apply equal power on each side (or if you have multiple people in the tandem or triplet version), it does drift and spin easily. Adding the fins drastically increases the tracking performance. If you are on a larger body of water and plan to paddle a long distance – definitely use both fins. If you’re on a smaller river or lake/pond, then it might be better to have the extra maneuverability offered by removing them. Finless tracking performance would also be increased with a more stiff design and construction.
Going fast in the Laxo is definitely relative. You can certainly paddle it at a faster speed, but the overall shape and the high flexibility of the kayak make it difficult to attain any faster paces for longer periods of time. The Laxo tends to slow down very quickly between paddle strokes as well. For a recreational cruiser kayak, it’s easy to paddle at a comfortable pace, I just wouldn’t recommend the Laxo if you are looking for high speeds or long-distance paddling.
Warranty and Customer Support and Value
Aqua Marina’s warranty and customer support are primarily handled by its network of retail vendors as they do not sell directly to customers. They do warranty the Laxo against manufacturing defects for 1 year from the date of purchase, however any return policies are set by the retailers. In North America, the current Aqua Marina distributor is Zoppinh.com. They offer a 30 day return period for new/unused equipment. They can be reached by phone, email, web form, or social media for questions or concerns. Aqua Marina can be contacted directly via a web form or social media.
Overall the Aqua Marina Laxo offers a complete introductory inflatable kayak kit for 1, 2, or 3 paddlers (just add a PFD!). However the current North American pricing does not reflect the overall quality and value of the Laxo when compared to several other, similarly priced, options.
Overall Impressions/Review Summary
Overall, I found the Aqua Marina Laxo is a bit lax in performance. This stems primarily from its lower-pressure construction. I feel like the sizing and design are where they should be for this type of inflatable kayak, but they are hampered by the Laxo’s flex on the water. Sizing up does help reduce that flex, but it certainly does not eliminate it, and seat adjustability may be an issue for some users. Hopefully we’ll see an upgraded version of the Laxo in the future that can support a bit more pressure for an overall better experience on the water.