Whitewater Kayaks

Featured review by Bill Dykes

The plastic device on the front cockpit coaming is useful to bungie your paddle to the kayak for brief periods of time. Lay your paddle down 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the boat and then hook the bow bungie chord into the plastic device to lock in your paddle.

The Katana is easy to outfit and the fitting can be dialed-in pretty tight because of all the pads and shims Dagger provides. I have a longer rec/touring 13 footer to use when I want to go fast in the lake or on swift moving water. I bought the Katana to be able to paddle area lakes and local moving water. I paddled a Katana 10.4 on the Tuckasegee and Nantahala rivers in early September (class 1, 2 and 3 water). Had a blast. Had to swim a couple of times too because my roll move did not result in a roll.

Read more: Dagger Katana 10.4 reviews (2)

Featured review by Shaifali

If you are short heighted, not very muscular, and haven't found the right kayak for you. Your search is over and you can pick this blindfolded. Special recommendation for girls.

I am very excited with my Dagger Mamba 7.6. This new boat looks like the perfect choice for someone who needs one kayak that can do it all. I am a beginner I am 5'2" and 50 kgs and since last 2 years I could not find the perfect fit for me and it wasn't very encouraging. I am even more excited and encouraged to kayak in white water now. I have not yet run class 4 or 5 with this, but my kayaker friends recommend it for those big runs also. The same forgiving design and added volume, that allows you to nail your line in a challenging rapid is also what will help a beginner progress to an intermediate level very quickly.

Read more: Dagger Mamba 7.6 reviews (2)

Reviewed by Planet Zero Gravity

The Liquid Logic Hoss was actually my first whitewater boat, and I still have it.  The Hoss is a great river runner that can also catch a wave along the way to surf, while having plenty of volume and stability to run big water. From the manufacturer, Liquid Logic: Hoss is a river runner for the paddler sized between 130 and 240 lbs. It is easy to paddle downstream and easy to roll. We took the tried and true qualities of our creek boats and joined them with a playful hull design that allows any paddler to surf, spin and carve on waves while also paddling the river confidently.

Read more: LiquidLogic Hoss review (1)

Reviewed by Andrew Brantley

This board is my first whitewater kayak and I've really honed my skills in on this one. It is a little longer than most creekers, but makes for a fast ride. Has some cool color options, and maneuvers well. Stable.

Bought a Remix 69 used at NOC for their GAF sale. Great boat for my first kayak. Taken it down plenty of high class 3s and some 4s. Actually a good flat water paddling kayak considering the length and build. This makes it nice to use for casual paddling. The badass outfitting is great, and adjustment is very easy! Some complain about the lack of storage in the stern, but it doesn't seem too difficult for me. Buying direct from LL now makes the boat cheaper which is an added bonus. This boat has been difficult for me to surf with, but I'm still working on it. Works much better in a longer, flatter, and bigger wave. Good for creaking, river running, and great to learn on! 

Read more: LiquidLogic Remix 69 review (1)

Reviewed by Ox3

Responsive and adaptable kayak that is good at many things, great at fewer.

This kayak was purchased to for use on whitewater trips, flatwater exploration, and ocean surf. That already says a lot about the boat. The Karma RG is fast in a current and tracks well in flat water even while allowing much greater maneuverability than non-WW kayaks of similar length. Although the Karma RG could be called a crossover, it lives with the LL Stinger XP in separate tier. Not only does the Karma outpace models like the Dagger Katana, Remix XP, etc., it will outperform those models in more demanding conditions.

Read more: Jackson Kayaks Karma RG review (1)