Phantom

by  Dagger

Phantom Description

The Phantom is a canoe brought to you by Dagger. Read Phantom reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other canoe recommendations below or explore all canoes to find the perfect one for you!

Dagger
Phantom Reviews

Read reviews for the Phantom by Dagger as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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4

This is Dagger's entry into…

Submitted by: Wavespinner on 2/18/2019

This is Dagger's entry into the sub-9 racing creeker category. While the competitors depart from the traditional creeking template by designing in edges and planing hulls, Dagger keeps the faith. It's essentially a displacement hull and will spin on a dime. But, you can count on it to be fast, even with a bow with enough rocker to climb over anything. Dagger puts enough plastic in to take the punishment. The outfitting is very adjustable and comfortable, including a ratchet to jack up the thighs. I do deduct a star because moving the seat requires a tool. The cutaway at the sides is generous and makes a very rollable hull even more so. This category is dominated by high volume boats and the Phantom is no exception. However, unlike some of the others, a smaller person will feel very comfortable and in control. You have a fast, maneuverable boat that will take good care of you in rhe big stuff. the tradeoff of the hull is that you won't be doing much carving.

5

This is my favorite…

Submitted by: mscantlebury on 8/2/2006
This is my favorite whitewater solo canoe--and I've tried many. It's short, nimble, quick, and a great surf boat. I think to truly appreciate the boat, you also need to be relatively modest in size. I wouldn't recommend this boat to someone over 190 pounds. The chine is not as hard as an Ocoee's, so you don't quite have the same precision, but drop the side of the boat to nearly the gunwale and the Phantom turns on a dime. I moved from the Ovation to this boat and instantly bonded with the Phantom. Since then, I've bought both a Bell Ocoee and Evergreen Solito, but still my favorite boat is the Phantom. They're not making them anymore, but I've managed to find and buy several. Good luck finding yours. Mad River, if you're listening, consider getting the Dagger mold for the Phantom and for the Dimension, just like you have for the Caption. The Phantom and Dimension (the best whitewater tripping canoe ever made) are well worth putting back on the market.
5

Put mine in the water for the…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 4/9/2001
Put mine in the water for the first time today - based on other reviews, I was concerned about the ability to track on flat stretches between rapids. I took my Phantom to a local reservoir, and with a wind of about 10-15 mph, I had no problem after I learned to incorporate a slight lean toward the paddle (pushing the boat away from the paddle) at the start of my J stroke, and a slight lean toward my paddle at the middle, and a lean away from my paddle at the end.

I was also concerned that about my size (6'3", 240 lbs) - as long as I stayed on the pedastal with my feet flat back I felt pretty stable, after I got a feel for the thigh straps. It did not feel at all stable, even sitting still, when I tried to move my legs to give my feet a break. Some ankle rests will eliminate the need to rest my feet.

The boat turns on a dime, and I can't wait to take it out on the kind of water it was meant for. I think that it accellerates just fine, if you know how to paddle.

Having tested what are the supposedly weakest points of the boat and being pretty happy with them, I'll assume my opinion on the whitewater performance will match the previous favorable reviews.

Addendum (4/17/01) - Took it out on whitewater - I was amazed at its ability to catch eddies. I still am not able to keep my feet comfortable and still keep my center of gravity low enough to keep from going swimming. Great boat, which I could say the same for my tired old feet. Anybody out there have any ideas?

5

This is definetly not a c1…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 3/20/2001
This is definetly not a c1 but it is an oc1 that rocks!
3

I think this boat is a piece…

Submitted by: paddler228979 on 10/25/2000
I think this boat is a piece of junk. It resembles an ugly bathtub. It does not turn well and has little hull speed. Finding a comfortable spot on its edge for surfing is impossible. When you do get it onto its rail it WILL NOT TURN!!! My rating :Decline the phrase to suck! It is dry though. My feeling is that if you want to playboat in a canoe that is under 11 feet, JUST GET A C-1. These short boats do not cut it.
4

Great OC-1, probably one of…

Submitted by: paddler228644 on 5/31/2000
Great OC-1, probably one of the best on the market today. I was a little heavy for it at 220 lbs, but it still performed very well. Great hole boat, with the exception of the new hybrid models like the Aftershock, the Phantom is the loosest open boat I've paddled. Lots of fun in busy class III-IV stuff, good acceleration and very quick turning, but I would leave it at home for any river with long flats. because of its length, it tracks poorly. However, all things aside, a great boat.