Honestly, it’s not easy to choose a Pyranha downriver, half-slice kayak these days. I currently have four of them sitting outside my window, vying for my attention to get loaded up on the car and taken to the river.
I’m a stocky 73kg (160 lbs), and depending on the river’s power, I like to swap between the Medium and Large sizes of Pyranha Kayaks.
The Large Ripper is arguably my favourite kayak ever. I can take this kayak to any kayaking zone on the planet and be stoked about my kayak choice 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time, I find myself wishing I had 100% of the Scorch L… but still, the vast majority of the time, I want to be in the Ripper L. I find it incredible for tailies, I can cartwheel it in a deep hole, and when I’m running rivers, I feel confident and fast.
The Medium Ripper. The dust gathers on the cockpit rim as it sits in between the favourite Ripper L and the fancy new Firecracker. The Medium Ripper is an incredible kayak, but I can still get the large vertical easily enough, and the extra volume makes river running much easier… Why, then, do I keep this kayak? Because every time I get in it I am shocked at what a weapon it is and the different skills I can use only in this kayak. It’s just a touch small for me to use with a camera bag and first aid kit in it on big, chunky rivers.
The Firecracker 242. I was confident I wasn’t going to like it that much, all the way up until the first lap. Then I understood it for what it was, a kayaking motivational booster. There are days when the level isn’t that great, but in the Firecracker, I know I will have a good time and be able to find a way to challenge myself. The soft edges and extra width inspire confidence in less confident kayakers, and it is ridiculously easy to tailie. This kayak makes me kayak more!
The Firecracker 252. This is a truly big kayak. I think it will be incredible for actually large-sized kayakers. For myself, at my size, it’s just too much boat to throw around, and I think that I might throw one of my ribs out along with it. I find it pretty cool that it’s a genuinely big kayak for big people and has been scaled up well. I keep it in the fleet because I’m pretty sure I will hit the biggest loop ever in it when I eventually find the right hole to loop it in, and it could be great to have the large version if I go back to Turkey again… Last year’s trip was at high water with the medium Firecracker, and it was a touch sporty at times!
For now, on a medium-low day on my local river, I’m taking the large Ripper. It’s cold, and I don’t want to play that much, but I still want to do a few tailies, surf some waves, and hit all the lines really cleanly. When it warms up it will be time for the return of the Firecracker.
Good luck with your kayak choices, and see you on the water,
Bren
