Are inflatables costly? No more so than many canoes and kayaks. The cheapest boats usually have unreinforced vinyl tubes. They’re great beach toys for good swimmers. Period. Better boats have Hypalon-coated fabric tubes or encapsulated air-cells. These are more expensive, but they’re a lot stronger, too, and they’re still no more costly than even the cheapest folding kayaks. As an added bonus, better-quality inflatables withstand higher inflation pressures. Higher pressure means greater rigidity, and rigidity translates into easier paddling and better control.

It’s a useful reminder that if you are intending to do more than amuse yourself for a couple of hours at the beach, it’s worth doing your research.

On that note, here are some of the basics you should be looking for in an inflatable canoe if you are considering it as a serious alternative to a hardbody canoe.

• How much weight to you want to carry – even 2 person boats vary quite a lot in what they can handle.
• Do you need room for storage, e.g. camping equipment?
• Are you going to use it for whitewater, sea, or still water?
• Is speed or stability your main priority?

Some recommendations, from a browse of the reviews:
Streamlined paddling on rivers or lakes: Stearns Spree 2-Person Inflatable Kayak for paddling on river or lakes
Whitewater and for those looking for stability: Sea Eagle 340 Inflatable Kayak
All-round favourite: Sevylor Colorado Inflatable Canoe

Whatever you want to do with your canoe, it seems like there should be something out there to meet your needs.