The FX is the first kayak created with adjustable volume "pods" and at 5’9" is the shortest freestyle kayak available. Pods or no pods the bow and stern have Hood Scoops to collect water and pop you skyward. Inside the FX uses Dagger’s new Performance Fit System adjustable seat and thigh braces with a ratchet backband through the thigh braces and inflatable hip pads. The FX is by far the most specialised aerial specific boat in the test.
B Bounce A Pop: Biggest air loops, tricky to line up. A Hull Speed: Surprise. Much slower back surfing. B Carving/Edge A Release
A Looseness: Narrow; allows you to use edges for clean spins.
D Slice/Hole play: Look at it! C All-river: Lots of volume, but pearls and pushes. B Outfitting
Pro Quotes
"The FX was the fastest boat tested on a wave, what do you think of that? Flatwater loops awesome. Not fun unless you are doing big loops in a small hole, or doing a helix or airscrew on a wave where speed is necessary. A one trick boat, but it does that trick well."—Eric Jackson, Wave Sport.
Bliss Stick FLIP STICK length: 6’ 6” width: 25.5” weight: 31lbs volume: 47gal
At 6’ 6" the Flip Stick was the longest of the boats tested but with aggressive kick rocker to go huge on new school aerial moves. The Flip Stick’s best charac- teristic is its raised edges and forgiving ability to bounce, loop, spin, carve and cartwheel and run a river without the punishing learning curve.
A Bounce: Great rocker profile; forgiving landings. B Pop C Hull speed: Traded hull speed for rocker. B Carving/Edge B Release B Looseness
B Slice/Hole play: Good balance, must work to keep vertical.
A All-river: Lots of rocker, length and volume; friend- ly edges.
D Outfitting: Much work to do with foam and glue.
Pro Quotes "Decent edges, carves pretty well, but not overly fast on edge. The Flip Stick is pretty well balanced, not especially slicey but its volume distribution makes it an okay cartwheeler."—Patrick Camblin, Liquidlogic.
"The most underrated playboat of our time. It’s fast, loose and it has the rocker speed to really take off on the water. One of my favourites for bounce on the wave."—Billy Harris, Necky.
"Its rocker makes it hard to use its slicey shape to your advantage, it goes flat when cartwheeling."—Eric Jackson, Wave Sport.
"The outfitting is outdated."—Corran Addison, Riot.
"Its extended rocker allows for effortless front and back surfing and the edges along the side of the kayak ride high. The Flip Stick is longer than most of the boats which is nice for cartwheeling and being able to con- trol them easier. It’s capable of taking a beginner down the river for their first time as well winning rodeos. How cool is that?"—Joe Hitchins, Bliss Stick.
"On a big wave it should generate big air due to its aggressive kick rocker. It’s specialty: air blunts."— Eric Gautier, Pyranha.
"Fabulous! The huge rocker, as well as the 6’6" length, makes for an awesome river running boat. You feel completely safe surfing big holes, as the bow will not bury. Moving around the river the boat stays online while keeping its speed up."—Brendan Mark, Dagger.
Rapid bottom line:
The Flip Stick is a solid all-river performer—the type of boat that neither scored super high in any perform- ance category nor bombed—except outfitting which is left to you to make a good fit. Bounce on a wave and pop from a hole would be its playboat specialty but getting down the river to the wave is where the Flip Stick shines brightest.
"The short length of the FX make it easy to get a good bounce high enough to huck aerial moves. Air blunts and backstabs are easier since the bow and stern require less air to pass underneath you. The concave bow and stern load water to eject the boat
Dagger FX
length: 5’ 9” width: 24.5” weight: 29lbs volume: 55 gal
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www.rapidmag.com
Paddler: Brendan Mark, Dagger
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