Hi! I’m Holly, a 21-year-old university student and a member of the University of Bristol Canoe Club. Kayaking has become a huge part of my life, and I love getting out on the water whenever I can.
I was first introduced to kayaking at university through the University of Bristol Canoe Club and have been paddling for 3 years now. During that time I have fallen in love with this sport and now couldn’t imagine a life without it.
Like many beginners, I started with club kit, but after a year, I was ready for my own boat. This was when I got my beautiful, pink, second-hand Pyranha Z.One, which was a fantastic boat for learning and honing my skills. It gave me a solid foundation and prevented me from developing any bad habits. However, as I began tackling more challenging rivers, I realised I needed something more capable.
When it came time for an upgrade, I demoed several boats at the Tryweryn from Radical Rider, including the Small Ripper 2. But as soon as I paddled the Firecracker, I knew I had found the one.
From the moment I hopped into the Pyranha Firecracker 232, I knew it was something special. As a shorter paddler (5’3”, 65kg), I struggled to find a boat that felt proportional, but the Firecracker nails it. The shorter length provides a sense of connection and control to the bow, which I didn’t feel in longer boats. In the Firecracker, I feel balanced and in control, which makes every movement feel intentional and precise.
If there is one word to sum up the Firecracker, it is playful! No river is dull in this boat. Whether it’s a gentle section of river or feature-packed whitewater, the Firecracker brings the fun. Tailies are effortless – smooth as butter – and the vertical stability makes them feel incredibly natural. The shorter tail creates more opportunities to get vertical, even on shallow rivers. The wide hull means surfing on any wave is smooth and easily controllable. I can’t wait to push my down-river tricks even further.
Even though it looks like a small boat, the Firecracker packs a surprising amount of volume. This makes it stable and confidence-inspiring without compromising its playful nature. The large bow rocker allows it to skip over holes effortlessly. This has given me the confidence to push myself into bigger water and more technical rapids. I am currently a grade 3+ paddler pushing into grade 4. I really appreciated the extra stability when going down more technical higher-flow rivers such as the Upper Dart and the Tawe, as the Firecracker gave me the confidence to focus on my technique and line rather than worrying about getting knocked off balance.
You’d think that, with this boat being so short and wide, it might be slow, but the Firecracker defies expectations. It holds speed well through holes and boils, allowing me to keep up with longer boats. The sharp rails make eddy-hopping a dream, as it snaps into even the smallest eddies with ease, making it an excellent choice for technical rivers where quick adjustments are key.
The Pyranha Firecracker 232 is everything I could want in a boat – playful, stable, and agile. It has the perfect balance of stability and liveliness, making it an excellent choice for paddlers, such as me, looking to push their skills while having an absolute blast on the river. For me, the Firecracker 232 is the perfect balance of fun and performance. It’s given me the confidence to push into harder whitewater while still making every river feel like a playground. No matter where I take it, I always come off the water grinning—this boat just makes kayaking more exciting.
Holly
