Budget-Friendly, Inflatable Kayak That’s Actually Good: Sea Eagle SE370 Review

Picture this: Two wildland firefighters on their day off, racing back upstream to beat the setting sun, with an 5 a.m. start time for the next day, dragging an inflatable kayak up the last shallow section in the dark, while only semi-ironically belting out an original cadence musical rendition of David Goggin’s “Who’s Gonna Carry the Boats?” 

I doubt this is what the Sea Eagle SE370 was designed for: the shallow abrasive rapids, the idiots on board, or the after-dark packing. Nevertheless, as one of the most popular inflatable kayaks on the market, the SE370 no doubt sees a wide array of circumstances. After all, it’s got a high capacity, packs down well enough, and has the budget appeal for anyone looking for a step up from an intro Intex inflatable.

So, naturally, I had to drag it up a mountain and through a narrow desert canyon to paddle it and gauge the pros and pitfalls of the SE370’s mass appeal. Here’s what I found out about this uber-popular inflatable yak.

In short: The SE370 is massively popular for good reason. It’s not light, but it is packable. It’s easy to drain and relatively quick to dry. Its thick vinyl handle scrapes well, and while calling it a two- or three-person craft is a stretch, it is a camping-capable heavy-hauler with packages that offer plenty of bang for your buck if you can catch them on sale.

Looking for an inflatable kayak? Check out how the Sea Eagle compares to the rest of the fleet in GearJunkie’s Best Kayaks Buyer’s Guide.

Sea Eagle SE370 Kayak: Review

My first thought upon picking up my SE370: “I can’t wait to get this bad boy in the water.”

My second thought: “Wow, that’s heavier than I expected.” A few ounces shy of 40 pounds (and north of Sea Eagle’s 33-pound estimate), it’s far from light. At 12.5 feet long, it’s really more of a 1.5-person kayak, which puts it in a strange place for weight comparisons. 

Inflatable kayaks generally fall into three categories: single-layered, double-layered, or fully dropstitch kayaks. Held up beside other two-person single-layer yaks, 40 pounds is on par. Against double-layered or dropstitch designs, it’s even good.

Stacked against other 12.5-foot inflatables, even drop-stitch ones, it often runs heavy by several pounds. Compare it to most single-person craft — and it’s not great. 

Fortunately, after initial inflation, the SE370 breaks down into a relatively compact package. With some shoving, I could fit the yak alone into a 70L pack. Throw portages and hikes into the equation, and your mileage may vary: With the addition of a camera and fishing supplies, my first paddling trip up to an alpine lake saw me hauling 75 pounds up a mountain. 

I’m a bit biased, though. I need to convince myself that the many hours I devote to lifting heavy objects are also useful outside. So, I’d say the SE370 still technically counts as “packable” for trips that involve much more paddling than packing.

Set-Up and Breakdown

The SE370 may be a car queen, but it’s no royal pain to take it from trunk to tributary. Its construction is pretty typical, and it opts for a 38mm PVC triple-chamber body with one inflatable floor and two pontoons. There are two other smaller chambers on the topside on either end, forming a loading deck for gear. 

The design places the valves for the side rails recessed into the stern, keeping them out of harm’s way but making them slightly difficult to access. A few times, while trying to top off the boat, I almost accidentally unscrewed an entire valve and let the air out.

Even so, I used the included foot pump to easily inflate the 370 fully within 10 minutes. The electric pump offered in several of its bundles cuts that setup time down to as little as 5-7 minutes. 

Sea Eagle does include a gauge to hold against a scale printed on the rail to accurately inflate the kayak. However, in my experience, the gauge never gave a reading that matched the scale, even when I fully inflated the kayak. Additionally, since there was no reference point, I had to rely on intuition to tell when the floor was fully inflated.

Fortunately, inflating a kayak isn’t rocket surgery. Both the manual and electric pumps stow away reasonably well and inflate quickly. And with a large stern-side drain plug, emptying out any onboard water after a paddle is as straightforward as it gets.

Drying, an oft-overlooked aspect of caring for inflatable kayaks, was relatively quick and easy as well. One big exception to it drying quickly, though, is if you get water into the actual inflation chambers, which may take days on end, depending on how much you take on.

At 40 pounds dry, the SE370 isn’t the most fun thing to hose down and clean. Our waters boast invasive shellfish, so inspecting every craft nook and cranny for hitchhikers is common. Luckily, despite its relatively thick PVC construction, the 370 dried relatively quickly. When I suspended it with the stern-side drain plug down, the sun often bleached it as white as bones within a day.

Paddling Performance

My first paddle across a mountaintop lake was both majestic and typical. The SE370 paddled like most single-layer inflatable yaks: incredibly stable entering and exiting, and easy to maneuver on still water.

With a single paddler, it swung a bit side to side while paddling, though its length kept this moderate. The kayak was also easily pushed around by gusts. Fortunately, most people don’t paddle often in 25-35mph winds. And for those who do, Sea Eagle’s QuikSail Package also offers a pseudo-sail attachment for the 370. 

The real test, however, would be a river canyon buried in the northern Nevada desert. With a narrow and winding course (along with a steep gradient), paddling this river would be anything but easy. In other words, it was a great idea for a budget inflatable!

Who’s Gonna Carry the Boat?

Between two occupants and gear, my paddle partner and I spent hours threading a needle with at least 475 pounds of gear. Downstream, the tightest turns resulted in more than a few hangups, shallow-water drags, and scrapes against sweepers. On turns that offered a little more berth, the SE370 was surprisingly easy to back ferry around corners. 

It wasn’t nimble, certainly — especially for tandem paddling, where the 12.5-foot length lends itself to occasional accidental paddle fencing. However, it does respond well to major corrective strokes.

The roughest waters we went through were Class II, which the SE370 handled with surprising ease. Upstream was a different story. Navigating back up the repetitive bends saw us clashing paddles much more to control the 370.

It boasts two skegs, but given the small size, the Eagle doesn’t track the best in current. It was a constant fight to control the bow’s angle — one that saw us hopping in and out to drag much more. 

In total, we likely spent around 2 hours dragging the SE370 along a rocky bottom. The fact that it shrugged that off genuinely surprised me. None of the webbing anchors showed the slightest sign of wear, and no matter how much water we got into the boat, the extra weight barely registered and was easy to drain.

Target and Value

The SE370’s value comes from several sources: ease of use, light recreational fun, hauling capacity on easy-to-navigate still and moving water, relative durability, and rather comprehensive packages. However, it’s also curbed by popularity.

In 2020, inflatable kayak sales skyrocketed as people looked for a way to get outdoors. The boom has tapered off, but the popularity of inflatables has been cemented enough. In 2025, more than a few inflatable kayaks are being sold for hundreds more than they are worth. 

The SE370 wasn’t immune to the price creep. However, Sea Eagle recoups a lot of value with bundles. I’d argue that the extra electric pump adds less value than the more portable foot pump. Likewise, the various packages all omit a life jacket.

Also, while the yak’s seats are comfortable and double as a flotation device, they lack a solid anchor point. On longer paddles, the backs aren’t the most supportive. 

Nevertheless, the bundles all allow someone to quickly go from out-of-the-box to on the water. The value might be a bit hamstrung for experienced paddlers who already have pumps, paddles, solid seats, and other gear besides.

However, the Pro and Sport Fishing packages, in particular, if you can find them around the usual $300-400 (respectively) sales prices, the bundles still offer an incredible deal for the right paddler.

Ultimately, the SE370 is beginner-oriented. I see it as a sleeper value for anyone looking to get into multiday trips on straightforward still or moving water. Those looking for a consummate tandem inflatable, a maneuverable inflatable for more technical waters (especially going upstream), and those already far down the paddling rabbit hole might find more value elsewhere. 

Sea Eagle SE370: Takeout Takeaways

The Sea Eagle SE370 is a great general recreation package that has weathered well the (pardon the pun) inflating prices of blow-up kayaks with bundles that offer good deals, a pragmatic compromise toward doing what most people expect out of an entry-level inflatable well. 

It’s by no means a dedicated tandem. But for the couple looking to test their relationship on a paddle trip, it’ll likely only make them contemplate breaking up on relatively technical upstream paddles. It’s by no means a dedicated multiday tripper, but on straightforward waters, it certainly has the chops to carry the weight.

Drying and stowing it is easier than with most double-layered and drop-stitch kayaks, while retaining enough durability for the occasional shallow-water drag. Being on the heavy side, it’s way more at home in a trunk than in a pack. Nevertheless, it packs down well enough that anyone with a 70L pack with a good frame can drain and ruck it from a rough pull-out.

If you have ample experience, gear, and want more technical chops, float on elsewhere. But for those who want a beginner-friendly first inflatable or a high-capacity backup they can keep in the trunk instead of the roof, the Sea Eagle 370 will have you flying high.