What's the difference between a drop-stitch kayak and a standard inflatable?

Drop-stitch construction uses thousands of internal threads that let the hull hold much higher air pressure, producing a firmer, more rigid floor and hull that tracks and paddles closer to a hard-shell kayak. Standard inflatables like the Intex line are lower-pressure and softer, which is more forgiving and far cheaper but flexes more in chop and wind.