Gear Review: Pyranha Ripper Whitewater Kayak
Value Rating: 9
Durability Rating: 8
Overall Rating: 8
Location of Test: Orletta section of White Salmon River, Class 4
Duration of Test: 3 days
Product Name: Ripper
Product Brand: Pyranha Kayaks
Best Use: All whitewater, or surf the coast
Sizes: Small | Medium | Large
The Full Review:
The Ripper is a fast and fully capable whitewater boat that can be used in all sorts of rivers. The ripper has a low volume slice stern which allows for pivot turns and stern squirts. Though it has some features of play to it, most people using the ripper are using it as a river runner/creek boat because of its agility. I’ve seen a lot of videos of this kayak "ripping" through class 5 rapids. The ripper has a Small, medium, and large size and at 185lbs I can fit in either the small or medium but for harder stuff, I chose the medium.
I spent most of my time with this boat in class 4 and found it quite capable of handling difficult whitewater. The bow rocker gets you up, over, and through features quite well. I also had no problem in any holes because of the speed it carries. This boat has some hard edges which took a little getting used to, but when I did, I really enjoyed them. It will "slice" in and out of moving current with ease.
One thing I didn't like about the boat was how narrow it is. I found myself bracing quite often because it felt a bit tippy. The width of the boat also meant that my legs had to be in a tighter position than I normally like. This did start to bug me after I was in the boat for a couple of hours. The only other thing that I found frustrating was how difficult it was to "stern squirt". I think because its 9ft length it just takes a bit more effort.
I would say go demo one at Next Adventure and see for yourself. This is for sure a fun boat to paddle.
The Good
Fast
Low volume stern
Great outfitting and adjustability
Rolls easy
Extra bow rocker
Agile
The Bad:
Narrow
Harder to do stern squirts than other boats in its class
The Bottom Line:
While there were a few things that took some getting used to in the Ripper, it really is a killer boat. If you are looking to spice things up on the rivers you've been running for years the ripper is the boat for you. It will for sure make you a better paddler as you get used to it. The speed plus the bow rocker will allow you to take on some gnarly rapids for sure. The ripper would be a great boat to add to the quiver.
The Full Review:
The Ripper is a fast and fully capable whitewater boat that can be used in all sorts of rivers. The ripper has a low volume slice stern which allows for pivot turns and stern squirts. Though it has some features of play to it, most people using the ripper are using it as a river runner/creek boat because of its agility. I’ve seen a lot of videos of this kayak "ripping" through class 5 rapids. The ripper has a Small, medium, and large size and at 185lbs I can fit in either the small or medium but for harder stuff, I chose the medium.
I spent most of my time with this boat in class 4 and found it quite capable of handling difficult whitewater. The bow rocker gets you up, over, and through features quite well. I also had no problem in any holes because of the speed it carries. This boat has some hard edges which took a little getting used to, but when I did, I really enjoyed them. It will "slice" in and out of moving current with ease.
One thing I didn't like about the boat was how narrow it is. I found myself bracing quite often because it felt a bit tippy. The width of the boat also meant that my legs had to be in a tighter position than I normally like. This did start to bug me after I was in the boat for a couple of hours. The only other thing that I found frustrating was how difficult it was to "stern squirt". I think because its 9ft length it just takes a bit more effort.
I would say go demo one at Next Adventure and see for yourself. This is for sure a fun boat to paddle.
The Good
Fast
Low volume stern
Great outfitting and adjustability
Rolls easy
Extra bow rocker
Agile
The Bad:
Narrow
Harder to do stern squirts than other boats in its class
The Bottom Line:
While there were a few things that took some getting used to in the Ripper, it really is a killer boat. If you are looking to spice things up on the rivers you've been running for years the ripper is the boat for you. It will for sure make you a better paddler as you get used to it. The speed plus the bow rocker will allow you to take on some gnarly rapids for sure. The ripper would be a great boat to add to the quiver.