As you have obviously already determined, inflatable kayaks are not just pool toys! There are a good number of high-quality models available for both whitewater and touring.

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Mind you, there's no doubt that inflatable touring kayaks are at a disadvantage to hard-shell boats in several areas. First, they are slower, due both to the friction of the material and the flex of the hull, which inevitably absorbs some of the paddler's energy. Inflatable kayaks generally don't track well—especially in crosswinds—due to the lack of a rigid keel. Also, all your gear is out in the open—as are you. Self-bailing models let incoming waves and slop drain out again, but you and the gear will still be wet. So you must dress appropriately and make sure your stuff is sealed in dry bags and well lashed down in case you capsize.

The other side of the coin? Easy: Try to think of a hard-shell kayak that can be carried around in the trunk of a Toyota Corolla, or stored in an apartment closet, or flown on a commercial airline as excess baggage. The tremendous flotation built into an inflatable boat offers a huge margin of safety; also, inflatable boats are much, much more resistant to punctures than you would think, and the multiple chambers prevent total deflation in the unlikely event you stick your Swiss army knife through one tube. And the boats have an amazing amount of structural give. I've watched inflatable kayaks shrug off impacts with rocks that I'm convinced would have holed a fiberglass hull.

Now, to answer your question, on the off-chance you still remember it. I think the best touring inflatable kayak on the market is the Aire Sea Tiger. Formerly available in a short (one-person) and long (two-person) version, it was recently redesigned so that one model now serves as both a single and tandem kayak. It's 18 feet long and 35 inches in beam, with two very comfortable seats and a fine Feathercraft-style rudder, which is set up for tandem use but can be converted for solo paddling with a cable extension kit.