Jackson Karma RG (Rock Garden) - Review by JF Marleau

A huge thanks to JF Marleau for taking the time to get out in the Karma RG on the West Coast of Vancouver Island near his home in Ucluelet and providing this review.  JF is a kayaking guide, an instructor and a co-owner of SKILS (Sea Kayak Instruction and Leadership Systems).  He is also a member of the Kokatat Regional Team.

The first day I was surfing the Karma RG was with whales around the surf zone. Unfortunately, the photos are not great of the Karma RG and the gray whales.

Coming from a sea kayak surf kayaking background, this kayak is a new paradigm. I had some very fun surf sessions with this ultra maneuverable kayak.

FIT

I felt extremely comfortable in the Karma RG. I am 6.1 and 220 pounds. I love the easy and quick adjustments for a tight but comfortable fit provided with the Karma RG. Furthermore, I like how the foot rest absorbs the shock while I am vertical facing downward.

I like a lot the low back deck that makes rolling very easy.

A female friend of mine, 5.5 and 145 pounds tried the Karma RG and it was too big for her despite all the adjustments possible and the addition of extra padding. At this point JK is not planning to offer a smaller version of the Karma RG to cater to smaller people. I have a feeling that this kayak will be successful among kayakers and consequently this could possibly change.

Form and Performance

The shape of the kayak makes it ultra maneuverable. The speed of this kayak is slow when compared to a regular sea kayak but faster than some other whitewater kayaks.

It does track well and hold a line very well in the surf. Sea kayakers surfing long kayaks will need to adapt their wave selection as the Karma RG’s length and capability to catch small waves is different.

The heavy duty Go Pro mount is very reliable and solid. You can rely on them. This is refreshing as I have seen many failures of Go Pro Mounts in rough waters.

The whirlpool handles are so handy in assisted rescues or in case you swim with your kayak. This feature is great. I also have this feature on my sea kayaks. I recommend to anybody with a sea kayak to get whirlpool handles ,it makes rescues easier and save your fingers and hands from possible injuries.

Jackson Kayak has improved the tightness of the hatch cover from their first prototype for the mass production of the Karma RG. Despite having good hatches covers, it is recommended to ensure you have proper floatation in your hatch (s). The Karma RG has only a rear hatch. My experience over the years tells me nothing in kayaking is dry if you challenge rough enough conditions.

Like other whitewater kayaks, it has a drain plug. When I was emptying it in the hard sand, the drain plug hole was buried. This is not a big deal. Ideally for my needs I wish the drain plug was 1 or 2 inches higher.

This kayak has a lot of metal safety brackets. I was impressed to see so many of them. This feature makes it easy to lock your kayak where it's likely to be stolen.

The handles to carry the kayak were comfortable which makes long distance carry much more enjoyable.

Function

I only used the kayak during 3 sessions in the surf due to my busy work schedule. Unfortunately the surf was not great. I wish I had time to use it for rock gardening. This Ocean Play Boat is very versatile for surfing, rock gardening and also for the river or overnight trip. I have to admit the very large stern hatch provides a substantial amount of storage for overnight camping on the ocean or the river. If I was guiding, teaching or acting as safety kayaker, I would love to use this kayak to carry extra safety equipment. Furthermore, the large stern hatch allows for typical sea kayak rescues like the T-Rescue.

Conclusion

Calling it RG (for rock garden) might influence people to think it’s only for rock gardening. Believe me, this ocean play boat is very versatile. I truly enjoyed playing with it.

Jackson Kayak Journey Review by Sea Kayaker Magazine

Check out the latest issue of Sea Kayaker Magazine (August 2012) for their review of the Jackson Kayak Journey.  
Tech specs HERE

The issue can also be purchased on line for reading on your iPad or tablet device.

 ***the full review will be available to our Jackson Kayak dealers in a PDF format once the September issue is out***

 

Werner Paddles Grand Prix M1000 SUP Paddle Review

Mike

Grand Prix M1000 SUP Paddle Review by Mike Darbyshire of Deep Cove Outdoors

After putting my order in back in January I have been waiting patiently to get the new Werner Grand Prix Paddle in my hands and finally that day came last week.  Werner has spent time developing this paddle as a pure race paddle and with the change in blade shape and drastic drop in weight it sounded quite promising. After a couple training paddles, one down-winder and two races the Grand Prix didn’t disappoint.

Out of the Box:

My first reaction when I picked up the paddle is that it was very light. The swing weight was minimal and felt considerably lighter than the other ‘high end’ paddles at our shop. I was slightly concerned that the drop in weight would result in a lack of stiffness.  I ordered the mid-size blade which comes in at 98 square inches for blade size. 

The size is about the same as the Werner Nitro but it is slightly shorter and a little bit wider.  Werner has a pretty unique handle on all of their paddles and the updated carbon version feels comfortable and reduces the weight even further.   I also liked the updated logos on the blade, the yellow logo looks great and stands out in a crowd of similar paddles…Appearance is everything after all.

Racing and Touring:

Nitro on the left, Grand Prix on the right

I glued the handle on and went for a short down-wind paddle that afternoon. The blade feels great through the water with it’s dihedral shape and didn’t flutter.  I liked the narrow blade which allowed for a quick stroke rate and kept my stroke close to the board.  I tend to prefer a faster stroke rate rather than longer more powerful strokes and I felt that the reduction in weight didn’t translate to a lack of stiffness.  Maybe a bigger stronger paddler would notice more flexibility but it felt pretty stiff to me.

It didn’t take me long to get used to the paddle but I did find that during the down-wind paddle and even when the wind picked up while I was racing; the paddle was so light that when switching hands it gets blown around in the wind quite easily.  Not sure if that is a con or something I just need to get used to.

I know that over a long day of touring or racing that any reduction in weight is a blessing and I’m excited to use the paddle for this season of racing.

Final Thoughts:

I think that once people start getting this paddle in their hands and giving it a try we will see plenty of them on the water.  With 3 different blade sizes and the option of Werner’s bent shaft there should be a paddle to fit everyone.  The paddle will easily compete with the Quickblade Kanaha Elite Racer and is actually lighter and cheaper.  If you are interested in trying the paddle we will soon have two for demo at the Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Centre waterfront location.  A bent shaft and straight shaft will be available for demo. 

If you are ready to buy they will also soon be in our retail store Deep Cove Outdoors and retail for $389.  Werner has donated a Grand Prix paddle to be given away as a draw prize at the Tour de Indian Arm race coming up on May 20^th so come out and race and you might walk away with a brand new paddle! 

Jackson Kayak Zen 75 - Review

Jackson Kayak Zen 75 - Review by paddler Tony Dyrsmid

My first impression of the Zen 75 is as follows; Although this is a large kayak it is easy to carry due to the grab strap on the centre pillar and lighter carrying weight (43 lbs I weighed it) . Right out of the box it is super comfortable. The only thing that I had to do was move the seat forward a notch and I was good to go. This is standard fare for me as I have short legs.

 
I was amazed at how well the boat carves and holds a line while surfing even the smallest waves. I was able to look around much more and be aware of where I was on the wave, That put a huge smile on my face.  Ferrying is so easy in this boat, one good hard stroke to cross the eddyline and then just rudder to hold your angle. It catches all the waves as you cross the river and you don't seem to drift down as I have noticed in other boats. It is super stable while ferrying and inspires a ton of confidence. Hold that line. Just point this baby and minimal corrections are all you will need to get where you want to go. And, you will get there fast as it makes short work of those sometimes long paddles between drops and to the takeout. With great hull speed and excellent tracking, attainments are also a breeze.

 
Due to the stability of this boat, I did not flip it while paddling. The initial stability is surprisingly good and the secondary stability is absolutely bombproof. That being said, I did a roll in the eddy and I can't say I have ever rolled a boat that that was so easy to roll. It was so easy that I had a big grin on my face as I came up. Unbelievable. What a confidence builder.

 
All in all I am very impressed with this boat and highly recommend it for any level of paddler. For beginners it is stable, tracks well, has great hull speed and most importantly is easy to roll. This is a great confidence builder allowing the new paddler to progress rapidly. This boat will take
you up to the advanced level of paddling big water in a relatively short time. For the intermediate and advanced paddler, try it and you will find love at first sight.

About Me: I am 5' 10, 190 lbs. I have been paddling for about 15 years but started late in life. I have just recently had 3 years of minimal paddling so my skills need to be brought back up. That being said, with just one hour in this boat I am already feeling a lot more confident and doing a lot more. I feel that my skills will leap ahead paddling the Zen 75 and I expect to be comfortable paddling Tamihi rapid (class IV) by early summer.

 
Thanks for taking the time to read this and have fun paddling. Look for the gray haired old fart with the big grin on the river.

THANKS TONY!!!