All AIRE boats are made right here in Meridian, Idaho, USA.
Each raft, cataraft, and kayak are manufactured to live up to the
standards of whitewater enthusiasts, which includes our team at AIRE.
We stand by our products, that’s why we offer the best warranty in the business.
Not all base fabric denier is created equal. Our fabric has a high-tenacity polyester micro-yarn base cloth which means it’s light, sturdy, and tear-resistant. We use a 1670 denier weave that is tensioned in all directions before and during the PVC application which gives the fabric exceptional dimensional stability. Why does that matter to you? When you inflate an AIRE boat, it’s rock solid, which leads to better on the water performance. The quality-driven, highly automated and controlled manufacturing of our base fabric means we don’t have to overcompensate with a tighter or heavier weave.
Ferrari manufacturers AIRE PVC with 70% of the coating on the outside of the base fabric and 30% on the inside, so you get more PVC coating where you need it most. Our AIREcell technology allows us to use non-airtight 37 oz. PVC which is more resistant to punctures, tears, and the general punishment it receives on the water. Why? Manufacturing airtight PVC requires longer exposure to high temperatures, which weakens the base polyester.
We finish our PVC with an acrylic lacquer. This finish provides UV protection from hot days in the sun and adds significant abrasion resistance. For three years leading up to 2017, AIRE worked with Ferrari on developing a new double layer finish for the gray fabric we use on the undersides and chafe strips of rafts and catarafts. Learn more about the Fabric change HERE
AIRE rafts come standard with a regular floor pocket (RFP). The regular floor design intakes a little water in the pocket between the AIREcell and the PVC. This gives the floor ballast which helps the raft track better and “stick” to the water in rapids. It gives the boat a little more weight on the floor side when the boat is up on edge, which, sometimes, helps pull it out of a flip.
Sealed floor pockets prevent water from entering between the AIREcell and the PVC. Sealed floor pockets (SFP) have three valves and waterproof zippers which make these floors a more expensive than the RFP, but there are some advantages with the added cost. Sealed floor pockets are a better choice when running silty rivers and keep the boat a little lighter, which is handy for portaging the raft around a waterfall.
AIRE kayak floors attach to the tubes with an internal and external double stitch, reinforced with webbing. Cargo loops line the floor for seat and thigh strap attachment, and to lash down dry bags and gear. Welded mesh bailing holes in the floor top and bottom create the self-bailing and ballast system. The mesh keeps debris out of the floor pocket and allows water to circulate inside and through the floor, which adds ballast and stability to the kayak.
Wait, what? Catarafts don’t have floors! (But you can buy one HERE). Okay, okay, so catarafts don’t come with frames or floors, BUT paddle cats, such as the Sabertooth and the Mammoth, do. AIRE paddle cats come with laced in Superman mesh floors. The mesh bails instantly and prevents the floor from scooping in water. Superman mesh is made by individually coating each strand of braided polyester before the weaving process. It lives up to its name in toughness and durability.
