The InaZone was very easy to paddle from the start. I first took it down the Dart Loop, and after a slightly shaky start getting used to the edges, hopping into my first few eddies, everything quickly clicked…
Category Archive: Tests and Reviews
Feedback on kayaks from around the world
27
Jul
Lyndon’s Pink and Yellow One
From the first launch, I realised this is nothing like the Firecracker! Sure, it’s a shorter kayak with half of the volume cut from the tail (half-slice), but the way these boats paddle is totally different…
03
Jul
#RipperUp (or Why You Should Add a Half-Slice to Your Quiver!)
I’ve managed to curate a small fleet of Ripper 2s to allow students to paddle whilst on the Soča, and I’m here to highlight some of the real advantages of using a slicy boat in these environments.
18
Jun
Two Half-Slices Too Good to Choose Between
For most of my whitewater career, I’ve been a raft guide who also kayaks, and so my summers have been spent taking strangers down familiar waterways, my winters have been spent in a creek boat, and I’ve never had much need for a half slice. That changed last summer…
09
Jun
Storm – Business & Party, from the Front to the Back.
The Storm really is a “one-and-done” kayak.
20
May
Birthday Boofs in Ecuador with the ReactR
I seem to like this boat more every time I take it out. The ReactR is a highly capable design that strikes a great balance: stable when things get pushy, but also playful and nimble for finding joy in every eddy turn.
13
May
What kayak should you learn in?
Is a performance half-slice with sharp edges the way to go for every paddler? While some people benefit from being ‘cuddled’ down the river in a creek boat, this can slow down the learning curve and, for those not venturing into steeper drops, give dull feedback to the paddler.
28
Apr
An Ode to a Playboat, by a Non-Playboater
Now, I find myself singing the praises of a boat I really have not enough expertise to speak on; but as a “non-playboater”, who tries to occasionally playboat, I can’t help but love the Helectron.
22
Apr
Large Pyranha Storm Review
I’ve not been a fan of short half slices in the past, preferring the speed of the longer options, but I’m hooked on this boat!
29
Jan
River Tay Wizard Review
The Wizard is unlike any boat I have paddled before. Where I was initially apprehensive about trying this unique boat, the trip revealed it to be a positive mix of two boats.