RPM

by  Dagger

This Product Has Been Discontinued

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RPM Description

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

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RPM Reviews

Read reviews for the RPM 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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5

The Dagger RPM was my very…

Submitted by: Kalebsm13 on 7/19/2019

The Dagger RPM was my very first kayak and it has not let me down! Ive had it now for almost 6 years and from learning the basics to taking on my first class three rapids the RPM did not disapoint. I would recomend it even as a beginer because it is a relatively managable size and easy to roll over. i recommend this boat to anyone whos looking to learn and have some fun while they're at it because this kayak is a gem!

5

The RPM is the perfect river…

Submitted by: paddler236618 on 12/22/2015
The RPM is the perfect river runner. Attributes that make it a lot of fun down river, in holes, and very large waves I highly recommend this kayak if you are looking to rapidly gain technique and skill as a general river runner compared to boats like the Zen and Diesel. You will progress 10X faster. This is my ultimate kayak for up to G3+ (and I own 12 Kayaks of many designs and do a huge amount of boating). The RPM is possibly the best all round river runner.
5

This boat is longer,…

Submitted by: paddler235822 on 8/7/2014
This boat is longer, narrower, faster than other river runners. Probably the easiest kayak to roll. Very basic outfitting but I find it suits me perfectly.

I am a solid intermediate white water paddler in up to Class 3+ rapids. The RPM serves me well. I am told that to progress I should get a kayak with a planning hull and edges. I just might do that but I will not get rid of the RPM.

4

I have owned my RPM for 10…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 7/3/2014
I have owned my RPM for 10 years, and it is a great boat. It is a fun boat to run the river, and an easy boat to roll in. I have used it in all different classes of whitewater and it is fun for every one. I highly recommend this boat to anyone looking.
3

Followup review of the RPM,…

Submitted by: ohioboater on 10/12/2006
Followup review of the RPM, in light of the newer crop of river runners that are now on the market...

I still think the RPM is a great design, especially if you're into long boat play and slalom-style moves; however, for general river running, it's no longer the best out there. Kayak companies have finally figured out that there's more to creating a river runner than just rebranding last year's playboat design. Examples? Wavesport Diesel and Dagger Mamba. Both are more stable than the RPM and still have most of its other positive traits. The only things you give up are the ability to do stern squirts and a bit of hull speed.

Pros for RPM - good hull speed for it's length, but short enough not to be too hard to maneuver. Low volume stern makes for good front surfs and stern squirts. Easiest rolling boat ever made.

Cons for RPM - low volume stern can catch and flip you in bigger stuff and makes it hard to carry extra gear.

4

This is the best river runner…

Submitted by: ohioboater on 4/28/2003
This is the best river runner I have ever paddled! I may someday buy a slicy little playboat, but I'll never sell my RPM. You'll hear a lot of folks say to avoid displacement hulls like the plague. If you're planning on learning to playboat, that's probably good advice. But if you like running the river between playspots as much or more than the playing itself, the RPM can't be beat.

The RPM has great hull speed, stability approaching that of a flat hulled boat, and good maneuverability. Boats like the GT and Booster are capable of running rivers, but it's a lot of work. The RPM does so effortlessly. For example, a simple diagonal move across the current takes 3 or 4 times as many strokes in a GT than in an RPM.

Of course, the RPM doesn't sidesurf quite as well as a planing hull boat, but you can't have everything. As a class III river runner, the RPM rocks!

4

Best boat ever. Beginners?…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 3/26/2003
Best boat ever. Beginners? YES. Advanced? YES. Let the guys at the shop talk, if you're really good, you can play boat this sucker anywhere. Only ones who are mad are the ones who can't use it well. Spins like a dream, rolls well in the need and is very predictable. Quite forgiving for its size, and speed, as well.
3

This may be a great boat for…

Submitted by: paddler229763 on 6/24/2002
This may be a great boat for 150-pounders but was terrible for my weight:200#. There is simply not enough volume in the stern for my weight range and I found that unless I weighted extremely forward against any current coming from aft, it wanted to do an ender all on its own. A very uncomfortable feeling. Dagger needs to change the paddler weight profile for this boat.
4

The best "all round" beginner…

Submitted by: paddler229554 on 12/31/2001
The best "all round" beginner to intermediate boat ever built. Does awsome looking stern squirts but just about every other play move is pretty hard. After my first two years of boating with the RPM, I switched to a Centrifuge. Now that I'm used to it, I'm finding it does almost everything better than the RPM. I'm learning some rodeo moves that I could have never done before. Edging in the Centrifuge gives me much more control in class III and IV. What am I saying? Well, the RPM is a great boat and I'm glad it was my first one. Just know when it's time to move on.
4

Great boat. Wish I had bought…

Submitted by: paddler1760 on 9/12/2001
Great boat. Wish I had bought it first. Rolls with ease. Extremely stable AND maneuverable. As my skill improves I will likely buy a boat with a flat hull for better spinning and side surfing abilities. But, I will keep my rpm.
3

I am 6'1", 200lbs and I sold…

Submitted by: paddler229175 on 4/5/2001
I am 6'1", 200lbs and I sold my RPM after a few months. I cannot recommend it for beginners/intermediates of my size/weight, since there is too much volume in the bow and not enough in the tail, so I often went vertical in holes. I tried the RPM Max, but it was too big for me and had the same strange volume distribution. There is better boats around.
5

This is the best boat I've…

Submitted by: paddler229056 on 1/8/2001
This is the best boat I've ever had the pleasure to paddle, the yok, new river, gauley river, slipperyrock, it just doesn't matter, big water or creek, it's the most versatile and forgiving and exciting boat there is!
5

Awesome ocean surfer - very…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 1/7/2001
Awesome ocean surfer - very forgiving, easy to roll, fast turning. no pitch-poling.
4

Beautiful boat that handles…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 11/13/2000
Beautiful boat that handles well in all moving water and has plenty of stability for beginners. This is plenty aggresive if you don't want to move to a low-volume playboat.
4

Having boated for 6yr's and…

Submitted by: paddler228631 on 5/23/2000
Having boated for 6yr's and being 5`-9" 150lbs I found the rpm to be a boat that i will always keep around. It rolls easy and although it has a flat tail it reacts in a soft manner,your not fighting the tail always being worked .I put my wife in a RPM of her own and at 5'-3" 110 she loves it. It responds to her moves and she became a better boater because of it. Try one and you will know why not many are to be found on the used boat market.
5

This is the boat I learned to…

Submitted by: paddler228632 on 5/23/2000
This is the boat I learned to paddle in from the beginning. Stability was above excellent in anything I went into and it taught me how to squirt ( unexpectedly of course) without killing me in the process.I have been told that it is not an especially forgiving boat for a beginner, but if you have any type of an agressive streak in you this boat is the perfect one to start with.
4

First off, I am 5ft. 7in.…

Submitted by: paddler228040 on 3/31/1999
First off, I am 5ft. 7in. 155lbs-I consider myself to be about the perfect size for the RPM. I started paddling a Crossfire and jumped to the RPM 5 months later. It is the best selling boat of all time for many reasons. It frontsurfs up a storm and sternsquirts with the greatest of ease. I have had no trouble with it on up to class IV+ water (Lower Gauley). On the downside, the shape of the seat allows little room for good outfitting and the lack of seat adustment (flaw on all Dagger boats) tends to make the trim of the boat stern heavy- making it too grabby in many holes. Forget flatspins and easy 360's because it does not have a planing hull. I still recommend the RPM for aggressive new boaters as a stepping stone to lower volume, shorter rodeo boats.
4

The RPM from Dagger has been…

Submitted by: paddler228009 on 3/2/1999
The RPM from Dagger has been their all-time best seller for a reason. It's versatility allows paddler's of all levels to enjoy rivers of all types. Is it the hottest new playboat? No. Is it the boat you'd take down the Narrows of the Green? Probably not. But it is a boat that plays well and is comfortable enough to paddle all day long. I've had a blast in mine. Nuff said.
5

Best all around boat around.…

Submitted by: paddler227961 on 11/9/1998
Best all around boat around. No glitches or kinks very predictable and sheds water well. stern squirts easy and does front moves well too. for anyone who likes to run hard rivers and play ask anyone who owns one and you rarely hear a bad word. Even if your a beginner this is a great one to get in!