Pyranha Storm (Medium & Small) Review: Something Special
What can we say… we both think that this boat is something truly special. Thom has had the privilege of paddling the Storm for a while now, testing it across several different river styles and features. Paula got hers a bit more recently (the medium is always made first as you may know!)
First Impressions: Sunbury Weir (Thames)
Thom’s first introduction to the Storm was on a high-water Sunbury Weir wave on the Thames. This wave is big and super-fast (and definitely recommended if there is plenty of water in the Thames). The Storm’s aggressive rails and wide, flat hull absolutely ate it up. The hull is incredibly loose; with the slightest weight shift onto a rail, the boat carves like a dream. Spins, flip turns, and blunts were the order of the day. Thom loves surfing big waves, and he walked away thoroughly impressed.
River Running: The Moriston
Next stop was the Moriston. Thom has paddled this river many times over the years in a few different kayaks, and the Storm is without a doubt the most fun boat he has ever taken down it. The short tail and playful nose rocker turned every single feature into a treat. Thom was initially a little dubious about how a boat with such a flat, wide hull would boof, but he was pleasantly surprised. It skipped out of drops like a much larger boat. The generous rocker allows you to skip into tiny eddies, turn with barely any effort, and catch the smallest waves. Meanwhile, the short tail meant Thom was throwing tailies and splats on features he had never even considered before (on the Moriston!). We did so many laps, trying tricks and moves Thom had previously felt he didn’t have the right boat for.
We took the boat for a spin on the Garry that week too and the number of kids eyeing up the Storm was a good gauge of the popularity of this boat.
Low Volume Fun: Deefest
Our next opportunity to rip in the Storm was at Deefest. Although the river was super low, there was still so much fun to be had—eddy lines to slice, small waves to shred, splats to throw, and smiles for miles. This was also the first chance Paula had to try out the Small Storm. Sometimes us small people find that the small doesn’t really mean small and we are swamped by the allegedly small version of a popular boat. Not the Storm. Pyranha has made the small a proper small, absolutely nailing the sizing. Paula jumped in with minimal adjustments and immediately felt at home. She was soon tailying on every eddy line, cruising over holes, and carving up the small waves on offer. Paula was catching waves on the way down which she normally wouldn’t consider. She even managed to have a long surf on a family trip on the Wye on a wave we all thought would not retain.
High Volume River Running: The Upper Dart
Once we got home, the summer rains hit, and the Upper Dart came up to a prime flow. Dropping everything, we rallied to the river, incredibly excited to try the boat there. The Upper Dart has so many amazing features and technical moves. The river was high, with several must-make moves to avoid holes. We were seriously impressed by the speed such a short boat could generate; at no point did the boat feel sluggish or vulnerable. The generous rocker and slicey tail made lifting the bow over features effortless. Because the hull stays wide all the way up the bow rocker, the Storm is stable and holds its direction perfectly when landing and skipping over features. In the Storm you can have the confidence that you would normally get from a more traditional “river runner”, without missing out on any of the river play that you want to turn your hand to. We surfed and enjoyed every single feature like never before. It turned into one of the longest laps ever simply because we kept walking back up to run lines again!
The Verdict
In summary, Pyranha has absolutely nailed it. Having tested it on a huge variety of river styles, the Storm has earned a permanent spot in our quiver. It is business at the front, giving you the confidence to clear holes and hit your lines, and a party at the back to squirt and taily your way down the river. Combined with a hull that any surf boat would be jealous of, the Storm really is a “one-and-done” kayak.
See you on the river!
Paula and Thom
#oldtingsstillstorming