Field Test A TRADITIONAL PACK CANOE, AVAILABLE IN
ORANGE, LIME , PURPLE AND BLUE. PHOTO: GEOFF WHITLOCK
[ CANOE TREE ] What’s NEXT
Is it a canoe or a kayak? That’s the question on everyone’s lips when they encounter the all- new NEXT from Old Town Canoes and Kayaks. Borrowing from the pack canoe tradition,
NEW HYBRID DESIGN FROM OLD TOWN OFFERS BEST OF TWO WORLDS Drawing on 100 years of boat design experi-
the NEXT injects twenty-first century flair, with modern tech, spiffy color options and an ultra-comfortable kayak-style seat, into an enduring design. “This has been my baby, I’ve been pushing for
it for a while,” says Old Town boat designer, Bob McDonough. “There have been pack canoes out for hundreds of years, but no one had dialed the design in 100 percent with modern materials and an innovative seating system.” Offering high-end performance, which ex-
perienced canoeists will love, the NEXT also boasts an approachability that novice paddlers will appreciate. Paddling away from the dock, I’m immediate-
ly struck by what a comfortable ride the NEXT is. It’s not just the supportive lawn chair-style seat that I have to thank, it’s that the NEXT is a fun, slim and stable little boat. The NEXT quickly achieves a snappy top
speed. Its long waterline with subtle rocker of- fers excellent tracking, though it remains easy to maneuver. The NEXT has a super low profile, just 11.5 inches of depth at the center, which means a stiff breeze presents little trouble.
56 | Canoeroots
ence, Old Town has created a model that is as suitable for single blade paddling as it is for double. The NEXT’s Element seat system is easily cus-
tomizable. The placement and angle of the seat are simple to adjust on the water, as are the foot stops. This effortless customizability makes the NEXT straightforward to trim once you’ve filled the 450-pound capacity with gear, kids or the hound. At 53 pounds without the seat, the NEXT cer- tainly isn’t the lightest solo canoe on the mar- ket, but its three-layer polyethylene hull prom- ises to reward owners for years to come with maintenance-free durability. What I love most about the NEXT is the
convenience factor—its easy to throw over my shoulder for a quick lunchtime jaunt or for an after-work session. “The NEXT supports paddling opportunisti- cally within a paddler’s schedule, rather than paddling being a destination-based event, as in the past,” says Old Town’s marketing director, Luke LaBree. “Personal time on the water is a big area of growth, we’ve seen this underscored by the boom in the SUP market.” Defining the NEXT as a personal watercraft in flashy marketing materials, Old Town is look-
ing to capture a new generation of outdoor ad- venturers and fitness enthusiasts, adds LaBree. This hybrid even has its own stylish micro site with handsome models and paddling babes, turning grey-haired stereotypes about canoe- ists on their scruffy heads. “We’re going after the recreational kayak
customer as well as the canoe customer. We didn’t want to be pigeonholed,” adds de- signer McDonough. Neither should you. KAYDI PYETTE
jDIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to get a preview of the Old Town NEXT.
Old Town NEXT Length ..........................................................13’ Width............................................................29” Hull Weight .........................................53 lbs Capacity.............................................450 lbs Material ....................................3-layer Poly MSRP ...................................................$999.99
www.paddlenext.com
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