BOTE Zeppelin Aero Inflatable Kayak Review – Versatile and Fun for 2

Andrew Piotrowski

 

The BOTE Zeppelin Aero Inflatable Kayak $1399 is designed to be your go-to boat for a large variety of paddling and scenarios. Maybe you’re looking to get on the water this summer but you’re a city dweller with no storage or you drive a tiny car and space is at a premium.

Or maybe your heading out in the RV this summer and want to paddle without having to lug bulky kayaks around. Honestly, the scenarios are endless, we at some point in our lives will find ourselves limited by storage space. This is where the BOTE Inflatable Aero Zeppelin comes into play.

The Zeppelin might come in a small package, but it packs a big punch on all types of waters and missions. The removable seats, tandem compatibility, and host of awesome features make it the best tool for many jobs!

 

I think BOTE calls it the Swiss Army Knife of boats and they are right! 

BOTE Zeppelin Aero Inflatable Kayak Review

Over the past few months, I have been fortunate enough to test it out in a variety of scenarios, and below are a couple of different options:

• Solo Fishing: The Zeppelin is very stable and when combined with the high seat, self-draining hull, and comfortable deck it’s perfect for fishing in a variety of conditions. It’s easy to cast from the high seat and stable enough to cast standing up. The D-rings, deck rigging, and option to add different rack systems, round it out as a great vessel for solo fishing. 
• Solo Down River Trips: While I love big waves and fast water there is something truly special about a mellow float down your favorite river with friends. The Zeppelin would be perfect for this. The adjustable and inflatable seat would be comfortable all day long. Pair that with plenty of space for a cooler and dry bag and you are ready to go!
• Pre/Post-work paddles: A few years ago, I lived in Philadelphia and often found myself scrambling to get home after work, load the kayak, and get out on the river before dark. The parking and crime situation made leaving my kayak on my roof a big risk. This resulted in less paddling than I would have liked. However, the Zeppelin would have been a great solution to this problem. The Zeppelin deflates and folds into a bag that would easily fit in most trunks or back seats.  The quick inflation and great on-water performance would have led to many more days of paddling for me.

• Tandem Paddling: The Zeppelin can easily convert to a well-performing Tandem Kayak. The clever seat mounting system allows for a second seat to be easily added. I love that BOTE carefully labeled the seat mounts for solo & tandem to avoid any confusion. This past weekend my wife and I loaded it up with a cooler, chairs, and some safety gear and braved the choppy Chesapeake Bay en route to a local island beach. The Zeppelin plowed through the heavy wind and choppy seas and was a joy to paddle. We had plenty of spare room for our gear and it was very easy to get it down to the launch ramp. Our camp chairs ended up getting left on the boat as we decided to use the super comfy BOTE seats on the beach. I know I am repeating myself, but they are super comfy, if it was up to me, they would be in my living room all year. 
• Solo with the Pup: One of my favorite things is to take our Catahoula hound out on the river for some paddling and fetch. I moved the solo seat back to the rear tandem position and had my dog up front. This balanced the weight well and made for great paddling

Key Features:

• Versatile Performance: I live on the shores of the Wye River in MD. However, don’t let the word river fool you, it’s basically the bay. Its tidal, mostly salt water, and is subject to harsh winds. I paddled the Zeppelin a bunch in the early spring when cold temps and non-stop winds make the Wye a beast to paddle. Despite these conditions, the Zeppelin was stable and performed well in the chop. The high stature and self-draining hull kept me mostly dry. The high stature does make it very comfortable and easy to get in but does subject you to higher winds. However, this is a worthy tradeoff! 
• Removable and super comfy seats: As mentioned before the seats are super comfy both in and out of the boat! They also have a nice pocket and daisy chain for stashing gear.
• Well-built Paddles: Sometimes boat manufacturers will skimp a little on paddles and focus solely on boats. However, that is not the case with the Zeppelin. The paddles can be adjusted for length and offset, have soft padding wrapping the handles, and seem very durable. They also have a nice rubber stopper to keep water from running down the paddle. 
• Fast Inflation: I have tested a few different ISUPs and feel like the Zeppelin inflates faster. I am not sure if it’s the fact that instead of one big compartment to fill there are 3 on the kayak and 2 on the seat and this might just feel faster. However, it could also be the pump. I tested the pump side by side with an older pump I had, and it seems way faster!

• D rings Galore: There are a total of 12 D rings that make attaching gear very easy and convenient. 
• Deck rigging: The front deck rigging is great for stashing gear and still give the front paddle plenty of room when in tandem mode. Disclaimer – both my wife and I are both pretty short. Taller paddlers may choose to store gear in the rear.

• Durable bag: The travel bag is really well built. The multiple pockets, large zippers, and straps make it perfect for stashing the Zeppelin! Bonus the built-in wheels make it very easy to move.

MSRP: $1,399.00

Check it out: https://www.boteboard.com/products/zeppelin-aero-126-classic-seafoam-inflatable-kayak


Zeppelin Aero Inflatable Kayaks | BOTE