Kayak Series names
To avoid any possible confusion about kayak models when looking at photos etc - all Neris hybrid folding kayaks (EG Smart / Smart PRO) have a Series logo on the front side deck and all Neris folding kayaks (Alu / Valkure) have a Series logo on the rear deck.
EG - you will only see "NERIS SMART PRO" on all three Smart PRO models
Inquiries
No matter which country you are based in, do contact
us with your queries. Prices are linked to the Euro - we will provide quotes
in your preferred currency if not based in the UK. If there is already a NERIS dealer in your country, we will re-direct your query to them
Ordering
When you would like to order, contact us and
we will provide up to date quotes. We will also send you an invoice with relevant
payment details etc.
Or if you need advice etc, we are more than happy to help
with your
queries.
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Looking to replacing the skin for your Pouch RZ85 or old Russian made kayaks?
Speak to us about a replacement skin for your German
made Pouch RZ85-3 or old Russian Saliut/ Taimjen kayaks
Looking for something?
If you are looking for something
that is not listed on our website please give us a call or email
us.
NERIS
NERIS products are all made in Europe, using European / USA made materials
and high grade German welding machines.
3-5 year warranty on all NERIS products (domestic usage)
Important Notice
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid license
/ permission from the relevant authorities to
use water craft on UK's waterways, rivers, lakes, etc. Not all inland
water is open to paddlers, some access points / rivers are privately owned
or is bounded by
land which is private, so do check beforehand. Membership of a
canoe union / club is very beneficial.
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NerisUK
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Introduction
NERIS specializes in watercraft made with high grade aluminum and PVC / TPU. All the boats and high grade materials that the boats are made from, are all produced in Europe, with the PVC / TPU welding done on quality German made machines.
NERIS have been in production for over 20 years originally supplying Eastern European countries through various large retail outlets and as well as being rented out by river tour hire companies. Recently dealerships has opened up here in the UK, USA, Canada as well as around the EU.
Many of the NERIS products incorporate the 1st in
a few designs - NERIS is the 1st with the innovative 'Transformer'
Series of folding kayaks, the 1st to produce the Flexi-mast fold down 'A' frame
sail rig design for folding kayaks, and recently, the new SMART range of hybrid folding kayaks. On the dry-bags side, there is the very functional and practical deck BUN dry-bag, with its very uniquely positioned roll-down neck.
Over the last 16 years, different models and types of NERIS watercrafts have been thoroughly tested and used worldwide. This is testament to the hard wearing quality of the PVC used for the hulls and a lighter grade for the upper decks plus the PVC welds used in between. NERIS folding kayaks have been used down large rapids on the River Nile in Uganda, the Colorado in USA to freezing waters in Alaska, Greenland, Norway and Siberia.
What
is a Folding Kayak?
The concept of folding kayaks (often referred as "Kleppers" in the UK, much in the same way as people use "Hoover" which is a brand name of a vacuum cleaner) has been around for a very long time - first sold
commercially on a large scale in Germany in the early part of the 1920's and
still
going
strong.
A very high
proportion of recreational touring kayaks in use in Germany nowadays are of the folding kayak
type.
A typical traditional Folding Kayak has two main parts - a skeletal type frame and
a one piece outer skin. The frame is usually made of wood, aluminum, or carbon
fiber. The skin is usually canvas for the deck and CSM / TPU for the hull, or
all 100% PVC, or similar. All the parts of the kayak packs into backpacks / carry bags and
usually takes between 15-25 minutes to fully assemble, depending on the size
and
type of kayak. The kayak frame is designed in such a way that it is impossible
for the kayak to come apart whilst in the water and no tools are required during
assembly / disassembly.
The folding kayak is still the only type of kayak that is still widely used by
the
military special forces around the world.
Some early stats about folding kayaks
1st English Channel crossing - 1909
Used in North / South Pole expeditions - 1926/8
Trans Atlantic crossing - 1956
What
is a NERIS hybrid folding kayak (SMART & SMART PRO Series)?
NERIS recently developed a new concept based on the traditional folding kayak with an emphasis on reducing the number of frame pieces and hence the kayak's assembly time and total weight. This was achieved through replacing the usual side gunwale framework with a large single bow-to-stern high pressure air tubes ("Sponsons") on each side. The hull itself is still the same as on traditional folding kayaks in that there are no inflatable elements in the floor as commonly seen in inflatable kayaks and is single skinned with protective outside keel strips. Aluminum cross ribs supports the kayak's skin inflatable side walls - in the event of punctures of the sponsons, the boat shape is still mostly retained preventing ingress of water into the boat itself.
Differences between the SMART's and other branded inflatable kayaks
(Why are SMART's safer than inflatables / pack-rafts?)
Inflatable kayaks have inflatable longitudinal air chambers in both along the floor and sides. It is these chambers alone that form the structural shape and strength of the boat. Should there be an air leak / puncture in one of the side walls or a faulty inlet / safety valve, the side wall may collapse completely allowing ingress of water which in turn can lead to catastrophic consequences the further the boat is from the water's edge especially if the weather is less than ideal or if the water is freezing cold. It is very difficult to continue paddling once a side wall has collapsed so you will have to get out as quickly as possible to minimise the water ingress and swim to shore, towing the boat. If the floor fails, then the side walls will cave inwards as the weight of the paddlers and kit stinks the floor downwards leading to a very floppy boat. Most of the sub +/-£800 inflatable boats available on the market here in the UK, are re-branded mass produced in the Far East, are not "fit for purpose" for off-shore use, serious paddling (EG multi-day trips) and family safety which is why 100% inflatable kayaks are not permitted to use in some locations.
The SMART's (SMART & Smart PRO Series boats) have a bow-to-stern keel board frame
(and integrated end posts / deck ridge bars) and cross ribs. The keel board frame with the upright end posts and deck ridge bars is the same as used on all the ALU and Valkure Series folding kayaks. This keel board, besides providing a "rigid" floor, also functions to keep the ends of the boat apart so you would not have a situation where the boat would fold in half like it would happen on inflatables if both side chambers deflated. The Smarts also have cross ribs which are locked-in into the keel board and also into pockets on the sides of the inflatable sponsons. These cross ribs keeps the kayak skin in an upright position all along the cockpit section of the boat even when the sponsons are deflated. Hence the kayak can still keep water out and be paddled if one or both of the sponsons deflate whilst out paddling. The main "structure" of the kayak still retains its boat shape.
The Smart hull is smooth single skinned, much in the same way as traditional folding kayaks, with similar profiled hull shapes. These boats travel over water more smoothly and economically than inflatables.
SMART's are very safe to use for off-shore
expeditions, whilst having more storage capacity than inflatables of the same length. In fact, a company called ' Neris Expeditions', using a fleet of Smarts, has been running regular10 day self contained holiday expeditions around the world at places like Greenland, Lofotens, Aegean Sea (Turkey, Greece), and SE Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines), apart from shorter 2-5 day trips on inland rivers. It is very questionable that 100% inflatable kayaks including pack-rafts can safely fulfill such roles off-shore, especially in sudden adverse weather conditions or in freezing waters. All NERIS boats are 'All-Seasons' meaning that they can be used all year round, from freezing waters to hot summers - spray decks can be fitted and the automatic Pressure Relief Valves on the SMART's takes care of over-pressurisation via excessive pumping or from the heat.
Overview of the construction / structural differences between all four Neris Series (ALU, Valkure, Smart, and Smart Pro)
NERIS two seaters kayaks / canoes
Neris ALU-2 (5m long, 0.84 width)
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Neris VALKURE-2 (5.5m long, 0.84m width)
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Neris SMART-2 (4.85m long, 0.92m width)
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Neris Smart PRO (5.35m long, 0.86m width)
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NB - most NERIS Series have standard 1, 2, and 3 seater versions. Valkure-1 has been discontinued, and there is no standard 3 seater Smart PRO. The base model has a bare ladder-like floor frame as pictured above - in the UK, you have the option to have the lighter floor slats (standard) or the heavier floor boards (optional) fitted.
Here is a breakdown of the different frame "groups" that makes up the complete skeletal frame in traditional folding kayaks which has been "standard" since the first kayaks were designed by different companies in the late 1920's early 1930's.
A full skeletal frame set has 4 main structural elements / components:-
Group 1 - Cross ribs - creates the cross section hull profile
Group 2 - Bow-to-stern longitudinal ladder like floor keel board
Group 3 - Bow-to-stern longitudinal ladder like upper side gunwales & lower side hull pole stringers
Group 4 - Cockpit surrounds (EG washboard / coaming)
The frame groups that each respective NERIS Series have are:-
- ALU and Valkure Series have all 4 frame group components
- Smart Series have Group 1 & 2. The oversized high pressure side bow-to-stern air sponsons replaces the need for Group 3 & 4 frame components
- Smart PRO Series is the same as the Smart Series but also have Group 4 frames to provide extra "reinforcement", when necessary, to support the smaller diameter sponsons for "choppy" water usage (EG Off-shore wave troughs). For flat water usage, Group 4 frames does not need to be assembled. If the PRO is being used as a canoe with optional extra wooden bench seats, then Group 4 needs to be assembled (the seats attaches to that frame).
Briefly the Series have:-
ALU Series - basic skin and full aluminum skeletal frame (no sponsons)
Valkure Series - skin with internal small diameter bow-to-stern gunwale sponsons and full hybrid (wood cross ribs & alu longitudinal pieces) skeletal frame. The Valkure-2 PLUS variant has internal bow-to-stern sponsons
Smart Series - skin with extra large diameter external bow-to-stern sponsons and 1/2 of the total original design alu skeletal frame
Smart PRO Series - skin with medium to large diameter external bow-to-stern sponsons and 3/4 of the total original design alu skeletal frame
With the reduction of frame parts, the SMART / Smart PRO Series kayaks are lighter as well as being quicker to assemble and have smaller backpack bags. Internal volumetric storage space is bigger in the ALU & Valkure Series.
Other folding kayak brands have models which are called "Quattros" (4 sponsons) -
the volume of air in these boats is slightly less compared to the SMART PRO's - the difference being is the Smarts have the sponsons incorporated with the main skin, whereas the Quattros have sponsons inside nylon / PVC sleeves on the inside of the kayak skin.
Foreground - Neris Smart PRO, background - Neris Valkure-2
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