Intex Challenger 3, 3-Person Inflatable Boat

So I bought this boat in the last minute on Amazon (thanks to my amazon prime shipping) because my friends from out-of-town were coming to visit me for that weekend and we want to take a ride on the boat around the lake. For $26 - this boat is definitely worth the money - and it comes with two inflatable seats. The boat is build for 3 people - but it actually only good to sit two comfortably. GREAT FOR STARTER. Pros: -Cheap boat -Decent size for two -Nice comfy seat -well designed Cons: -thin material , as long as you row this boat around wide open water you will be alright (avoid anything sharp in the water), it can take minor hits here and there though -the boat does not come with pump and oars - I ordered my oared from Amazon for $13 and used intex pump from other boat Overall - I am very happy with this purchase!

We've had all types of boats (inflatable Advanced Elements Kayaks, tubes, towable tubes and inflatables behind our Malibu Response LX, Fish Hunter etc). Anyway, we'd bought one of these Intex "cheap" boats about 20 years ago (thinking that it would not last the summer of our young kids at the time). Well, that stinking thing lasted 20 years of floating rivers, kids and such. It was nice to have something that we kind did not care about (if that makes sense)?! ;-) So the old 20 year old Intex finally bit the dust (I supposed we could have found the leak)...but it was so much easier to buy this brand new one. And we are happy to get another one. So will it last as long? Who knows...but this new one seems like just as great a value at the last Intex 20 years ago! And we already had old cheap paddles and AirHead electric inflators...so just be aware to read the description (there are no paddles or pump with this particular version).

When this says 3-person, it means 3-person, not 2.5 or 2-person. Plenty of room, holds air very well. Beware: inflatable seats do not fasten into place. If you are river rafting and they get loose, they will easily float away. However, they make great swimming pool floats. 4 oar rings instead of merely 2. Doesn't come with oars or pump, bringing down the price, slightly increasing the inconvenience. Wonderful replacement raft if you already have the amenities.

This boat is a big disappointment! It leaked during the first use. It came with no oars at all. (The reviews we read warned us the oars might be inferior, but, in fact there were no oars at all.) It is flimsy and insubstantial. Too narrow, too low in the water. We had the one use, it leaked badly, luckily had oars from our old boat to get us out and back in time. Well be looking to return it when we get home.from the lake.

Absolutely love this boat. I have had several inflatable boats used for fishing, and this one is by far the biggest and best for the price! You cannot find a bigger, more heavy duty boat for under $100! This one is a steal!

Works pretty well with my SailboatsToGo sail kit The firmer and more rigid inflatable boats like the Intex Mariner or Hydro-Force Voyager 1000 work better, but they are also a bit less portable. So, it's a tradeoff. For the lightest and most compact hull (most compact when deflated I mean) this is a good choice.

As noted in other reviews, this is really a two-person boat. For occasional modest adventures on calm water, it will be satisfactory. But I wouldn't expect more than that. The rowlocks are plastic-welded to the vinyl body of the boat, and are an obvious potential point of failure, as you can see them flexing under the stress of rowing. If a split opens there, the primary buoyancy chamber will deflate fast. Note that although the boat has three separate inflatable sections, one holds about five times as much air as each of the others. If the main one goes, you have a problem. No oars are supplied, so I bought the ones recommended. These screw together in sections. They can come unscrewed. If you fail to notice that the blade at the end of the oar is rotating freely, it can drop off and leave you holding a pole without anything on the end. I suggest two pairs of oars, especially since there are two pairs of rowlocks. The boat has very little directional stability, which I suppose should be expected from an inflatable, but is still annoying. If someone inexperienced is trying to row it, they'll have a hard time maintaining a course. Don't expect this boat to slip through the water like a solid-hulled boat. There is quite a lot of resistance, which increases with an extra person displacing more water. Add it up, and you have a toy of limited utility. Easily transportable, easily inflatable (if you buy the not-included pump), reasonably good value, but ultimately dissatisfying.

this is a great raft for rivers, it takes a little time to air up but is very durable