I began my forray into the wide world of kayaks with the following criteria in mind:
1. I really want to paddle whitewater.
2. River-running is what caught my interest in the first place (as in, “ooh, that looks fun, I want to do that!”).
3. The more I see, the more I really want to try playboating.
And thus the search for my future kayak began.
It seems there are three types of river-running kayaks: pure river-runners, “creekable” river-runners, and free-runners (”playful” river-runners). I don’t see myself venturing beyond class III or IV whitewater in the near future, so I next narrowed it down to river-runners and free-runners.
As I have come to understand the matter, the major differences between these two types of boats are in the following characteristics:
River-runner - more volume, faster downriver, more forgiving in rapids, tracks straighter.
Free-runner - smaller, more playful, good for up to some class IV, turns faster, good for beginners who want to try out playboating.
The free-runners are starting to sound really good. The more I imagine it, the more I want to throw an air loop.
Here is a list of some of the boats I am considering, all of which have been recommended here and there by various folks:
Dagger Mamba
Jackson Fun
LiquidLogic CR
LiquidLogic Hoss
Pyranha Recoil
Wavesport Diesel
Wavesport EZ
In a review of new models, the Fun and the Hoss were labeled as “playful” river-runners. Elsewhere, the Fun, EZ, CR, and Recoil were listed as free-runners, while the rest of the above models were listed as river-runners.
Also, as I hear more about Jackson kayaks and corporate policies, I’m increasingly inclined to throw the cost of a new boat their way rather than at any other company. As an engineer, I apreciate their designs and manufacturing methods; I like their taste in boat materials as well as the small design features like “no screw holes” and “no metal parts.” As a concerned citizen of planet earth, I appreciate their apparent environmental awareness as a company, as evidenced by their recycling policies. As a broke college student, I appreciate their pricing. As a tall female, I appreciate their cockpit sizing. As a sufferer of recurring lower back problems, I appreciate the custom-fit/custom-comfort systems in the cockpit. And… well, not to sound fanatical, but when it comes to Jackson Kayak, I really like what I see and hear.
When I get around to test-driving some kayaks, I’ll make a follow-up report. On paper, everything looks nice. It all comes down to paddling.
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