Sea Eagle 370 Pro Review

The Sea Eagle 370 Pro is a tandem boat that can convert for solo paddles and has a capacity of 650 pounds. It's made of 38 mil PVC and comes with two paddles, a foot pump, and a repair kit. It features seatback pockets, bow and stern grab lines, two small tracking fins, and a drainage port.

Performance Comparison

Gliding and Tracking

Often, what slows you down when paddling an inflatable kayak is a heavy fabric that traps water and a boat that sits low in the water with lots of drag surface. The Sea Eagle 370 Pro combats both. The PVC hull doesn't soak up water, allowing you to glide more smoothly. A drainage hole in the back also helps keep you from collecting too much water in your cockpit. Though the PVC sides aren't as beefy as some of the burlier (and more expensive models) we tested, they hold more pressure than many other low-budget models. This helps the boat maintain its shape better, keeping you sitting on top of the water rather than sinking into it as if you were paddling a partially deflated pool toy.

The 370 Pro is 12.5 feet long, long enough to help you track better as you paddle. Especially with two people paddling, this boat tracks reasonably well and glides through the water with ease. Up against a stiff wind or tall waves, however, progress in this tall boat is rather hampered. But on calm days and flat waters, it's a breeze.

Maneuverability

The seats of the Sea Eagle can also be inflated to be quite thick, vaulting you higher above the water and providing you with a better angle for steering. Because very little of the craft is below the water, the Sea Eagle turns quickly and easily when you want it to. Making tight corners with two paddlers is never as easy as a single boat, but this high-riding kayak isn't particularly difficult to maneuver.

The 370 Pro had no problems over shallow lake bottoms and minor submerged obstacles during our testing. Sea Eagle claims this boat can even handle Class III rapids. We're not convinced hitting rocks at high speeds would be a good idea in this boat, but we didn't test it in conditions that intense. The paddles that come with your purchase are fully functional, though not particularly impressive — they fit together rather loosely, leaving an awkward wobble in them during use.

Stability

Crammed between the hugely inflated sides of the Sea Eagle 370, our testers felt fairly stable and secure. Without a lot of extra side-to-side room to move around, it's easier to feel balanced. On the other hand, the design of this boat floats you high above the water — the higher you are, the less stable you'll be. What this translates to is the feeling of stability on flat waters, but an immediate sense of instability in rocky waves.

Getting in and out of the 370 Pro is fairly simple as well. With such tall sides, folks who have a harder time bending over find it a little easier to climb into this kayak. If unbalanced while climbing in, though, the thick, high seats can be more likely to dump an unsteady passenger.

Ease of Transport and Set Up

The first time setting up the Sea Eagle is a little rough. It has a whopping nine chambers to inflate (though six are small), but it's installing these identical valves that is the headache. They come in a bag, not attached to the kayak in any way, leaving you to install all nine of them by stretching the not-very-stretchy plastic rings over the top of every opening. This was difficult to do, strenuous on our fingertips, and generally frustrating. Once the valves are installed, however, setup is simpler. A small foot pump is included with the boat, though it takes a very long time to inflate everything using it. By using a different, larger pump, we were able to cut down our setup time by almost half. An included clear plastic “pressure gauge” makes it easy to see when you've achieved the appropriate pressure for the sides and bottom.

Deflation is very simple, as all nine Boston valves unscrew from their ports, letting air rush out quickly — though then they are open for debris to enter inside the boat. The worst part about packing up the 370 Pro is getting it back in its poorly designed bag. Rather than opening across a long side of the bag, like nearly every one of its competitors, Sea Eagle has created a bag that is long, narrow, and has a too-small opening. This 42-pound boat (not including the paddles) is made to be carried over a single shoulder. It's adjustable and has a small padded section, but it's heavy and bashes against your legs. It does, however, fit all the necessary components, allowing you to keep everything you need in one tidy package. We appreciate not needing a checklist before heading out for a day on the water. The only extra pieces you need to remember are the life jackets!

Comfort

The challenge with most tandems is finding enough leg space for all your passengers. The 370 Pro seats are stand-alone pieces that squeeze into the kayak wherever you want them to go. While at first, we were skeptical that they would stay in place and be firm enough for paddling, we're happy to report that they work wonderfully. Not only did we have no issues with the seats maintaining their positions while we were out on the lake, but they're also exceptionally easy to move around while you're already on the water if you need to make adjustments. Other similar models we tested are more challenging to change mid-float, forcing you to get out of the boat and adjust the velcro under your seat. That, or they simply don't have long enough attachment straps to let you put the seat where you really need it. The free-floating seats also make it possible to easily convert this tandem into a solo boat.

With carefully curated seat placement, we found it reasonably easy to avoid crashing paddles with our partner. And, while the 370 Pro is a great size for casual paddling, it doesn't have a ton of extra space for additional gear or accessories — whatever you bring will be sharing space with your feet. It does have small seatback pockets, though, which close twice with a zipper and two snaps.

Construction Quality

Compared to the many other models we tested with heavy tarpaulin or hard plastic, the 370 Pro doesn't seem all that durable. However, next to the boats we tested with similar PVC material, this one holds up. It didn't become deformed when fully inflated (yes, that happened with some).

In case you do manage to get a minor rip or puncture, the 370 Pro comes with a small repair kit and clear instructions on how to use it. While there are a handful of reports of rocks getting the better of this boat, most of the complaints we found online were from folks struggling to paddle in the wind (we hear you!).

Should You Buy the Sea Eagle 370 Pro?

There are cheaper all-inclusive tandem kayaking packages out there, several of which we have tested. However, when it comes to handling (on flat water), comfort, and overall durability, the 370 Pro is the one we like best. This budget-friendly tandem conversion boat is versatile, adaptable, and downright pleasant to paddle on calm waters. And knowing that the only additional expense is a pair of life jackets makes it all the sweeter.

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