PO
V is for versatility. PHOTO: SCOTT MACGREGOR
MacGregor test-driving laps at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in
Charlotte, NC. PHOTO: DAN CALDWELL
boat insider
THE ESQUIF L’EDGE
ginner and intermediate paddlers to transition edge to edge, and carve around on features and in and out of eddies. It’s still fast and loose on a wave like the Molan, with enough rocker to prevent pearling when surfing. Blasting downriver, we noted that the bow
ramps up and over holes and reactionaries rath- er than diving in—perfect and predictable for all but the steepest holes, where we back endered knowing better. Outfitting is Pyranha’s tried and tested Con-
nect 30. Secure, adjustable and proven to withstand abuse, it even includes a roll of peel- and-stick foam for the knee area. With all its engineered outfitting, the Varun still uses pre- scored foot foam. While it offers carve-it-once- and-be-done simplicity, it cannot be adjusted for different users or even a different pair of shoes. The versatile Varun is a solid choice for fun,
comfortable and forgiving play-as-you-go downriver paddling and adventurous big water runs. Funny, we said much the same of the Ina- Zone 12 years ago. Pyranha remains committed to those who enjoy the whole river and…well, we still like to stern squirt. —Virginia Marshall
PYRANHA VARUN S/M/L Length 6’6” / 6’8” / 7’2” Width
24” / 24.8” / 26”
Volume N/A / 58 / N/A US Gal Weight N/A / 33.6 / 35.8 lbs Paddler N/A / 140-230 / N/A lbs MSRP $1,099 US / $1,299 Cdn
www.pyranha.com
DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to watch Rapid’s video review.
THE MOST ANTICIPATED CANOE OF ALL TIME
The new Esquif L’Edge was in the concept and development phase for an unbelievable eight years. Designer Craig Smerda (
www.rapidmag.com/0003) was originally inspired by the design innovations of the late Frankie Hubbard’s Spanish Fly—a freestyle boat much loved by southern creekers. Smerda began building on this benchmark in 2002 and in the years that followed he
designed and tested and eventually teamed with Jacques Chasse at Esquif Canoes to pro- duce just two prototypes. One bounced around the 2009 Open Canoe Slalom Nationals and the other was shipped to the Ottawa River for renowned open boaters Paul Mason and Andrew Westwood. The feedback allowed Smerda, design collaborators Mark Scriver and Dave Proulx, and Chasse to dial in final specs for the long-awaited production boat. The L’Edge is the first canoe available in both open and decked versions. We had the
chance to paddle both and preferred the open one. Call us old fashioned, but we like our open boats…well…open. Eight pounds lighter than its decked counterpart and with ash gunwales, the open version feels and looks more like a canoe. The decked model is drier, but both are so much drier than anything we’ve ever paddled that it’s of little advantage. When OC creeking, the wobbles should be the last thing on your mind. The L’Edge is
very, very stable. While faster than the Spanish Fly, the L’Edge is definitely slower than the Prelude and Zoom. With so much stability, we’re inclined to monkey around with the L’Edge’s width to gain a little speed. With the open model, you can chop thwarts and suck it in. Smerda himself recommends cutting off one to one-and-a-half inches if you’re looking to make the boat snappier. A foam bulkhead is the simplest, most universal outfitting system, though not the most
precise. It fits more like athletic support than dentures. In the case of the L’Edge this outfit- ting is out of sheer necessity. The patch anchors needed for thigh straps don’t stick well to polyethylene. Also, the L’Edge is a creeker at heart. Emptying my boat in a micro eddy with only a few feet of water before the next drop, I’d rather slide quickly back into a bulkhead than wiggle around, cinching thigh straps. The extreme rocker of the L’Edge allows it to boof anything. It rides high over reactionar-
ies and pops over holes. The boat’s poly construction also makes it super durable if you’re into shallow slides and concrete rivers like the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Eight years later, Smerda finally pulled it off—
he designed a canoe that should swat the Fly. The L’Edge is our new favorite creek boat, but we’re not giving up our Zephyrs, Ocoees and Sparks as longer, lighter, big-river boats. The secret is to match the L’Edge with the two-stroke technical rivers and play spots for which it was designed. —Scott MacGregor
ESQUIF L’EDGE DECKED/OPEN Material Polyethylene Length Width Depth Weight MSRP
9’2”
29.8” 16”
56/64 lbs
$1,729 US / $1,900 Cdn $2,033 US / $2,233 Cdn
www.esquif.com DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to watch Rapid’s video review.
www.rapidmag.com 27
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