AirTrek 120: SUP, kayak, or both

More of a kayak than a SUP. The deck is flat and open like a SUP, but the seat, pedal system, ergonomics, performance, and cockpit are all kayak-first. The "SUP-like deck" is about storage flexibility, not paddling stance.

More of a kayak than a SUP. The deck is flat and open like a SUP, but the seat, pedal system, ergonomics, performance, and cockpit are all kayak-first. The "SUP-like deck" is about storage flexibility, not paddling stance.

What gives the AirTrek its SUP-like look

The Highlander AirTrek 120 has a wide, flat top deck. Looked at from above, it has the same general silhouette as a big inflatable SUP — wide, planar, no cockpit well sunk into the deck.

That's where the SUP comparison ends.

What makes it kayak-first

Seat: the Horizon Pro Seat (or a Cajo-spec inflatable seat) clips to the deck. SUPs don't use kayak-class seats; the Highlander does.
Pedal drive: the Traverse Pedal Drive (or a fin drive via the Fin Drive Adapter) drops into a dedicated drive well in the deck. SUPs don't have drive wells.
Rudder: full Traverse Fatback Rudder System with foot-pedal and hand steering. SUPs don't have rudders.
Ergonomics: designed around sitting and pedaling, not standing and paddling. You can stand on it for sight-fishing, but the boat is built for the seated kayak fishing position.
Performance: tracks like a kayak, handles wind and chop like a kayak, fishes like a kayak.

Why the flat deck instead of a sunk cockpit

Sit-on-top kayaks with flat decks are nothing new. The Highlander's flat deck just makes that approach work on an inflatable platform. The benefits:

More usable rigging area — you can place gear anywhere on the deck instead of being constrained by a molded cockpit well
Sit-stand transitions are easier — no cockpit edge to climb over when you stand up
Easier to clean and dry — flat surfaces drain and wipe down
Better drop-stitch construction — the structural design of AirTrek panels works better with a flat deck

Standing on the AirTrek

You absolutely can stand on the 120 for sight-casting — at full 10–12 psi inflation pressure, the deck is rigid like a SUP. But that's not the boat's primary mode. Most owners stand briefly to scan or sight-cast, then sit back down to pedal.

If you want a fishing platform that's primarily meant for standing, look at the rigid Terra 116 with its SUP-style flat hull — it has a meatier standing deck and the rigid-hull stability under foot is even more confidence-inspiring than the inflatable.