Before recently purchasing my inflatable (Sea Eagle 12.6SR ), I have researched many manufacturers and read up on many reviews including posts on this site. Sorry to say, but I gave up on considering Aquastar when I had tried to contact them via email. After sending them my question, I found that may request was routed directly back to my email account. Sea Eagle on the other hand responded to many of my questions ( some directly from the companies president ) and have been around for 40 years. Although more pricey than Aquastar, it is times like this where it is worth paying the extra cost.