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.
