Riviera

I rented this kayak on a float trip with friends. It was well constructed heavy molded plastic. No seat padding or attached seat in the model, just a seat molded into the plastic. It is a sit on version. I liked this kayak. No tip overs and it felt very stable even in rough waters. It was also light to drag on and off shores for breaks. I never picked it up or carried it so I can’t speak to the grips or weight in that way. Only negatives I have to speak of are that the seat back fell off if hot where my swim top ties in the back so it was uncomfortable because of that. Also my legs were really between the 2nd & 3rd foot rest spaces so I either had to sit up more than I like or slouch more that I like too. It would be nice if it had more cup holders or something between the legs than just the one. I didn’t have a great place to put my tiny speaker or phone. Plus, my giant water bottle didn’t fit in the cup holder but it doesn’t fit in any cup holder ever. I just wish I had a cup holder the would fit it especially for activities like kayaking.

Don’t let some greedy outfitter give you this kayak. This kayak is garbage unless you want to bring a water bottle and some lunch and nothing else. Just can’t handle any type of fast water without filling the boat with water where it turns into a bathtub because there’s no scupper plugs. Has a spot in the front to put gear but no straps to tie anything down and no way to add them. I am 170 pounds and about 5 foot 10. This submarine couldn’t keep me and 50 pounds of gear above the water. I would hate to see it on the water with its max weight. Seat wasn’t bad so I will give it one star. I wouldn’t take this kayak if you gave it to me for free.

This might be my favorite SOT kayak if it had scupper holes, which it does not. That means you always have to carry a bilge pump and sponge. On very calm waters, it's not a problem. But on rivers with any waves (even sub-Class 1) you WILL get swamped, and that causes the boat to become unstable until you can get it emptied out. Other than that, here are the good points: 1) Very comfortable, which I didn't really expect with only a molded-in plastic seat, but... it was really comfortable. I can't explain it.
2) Tracks reasonably well.
3) Surfs reasonably well.
4) Handles waves well (I'm talking Lake Erie type waves) except for taking on water as I've already mentioned. 5) Maneuvers well enough. (Making a turning stroke at the crest of a wave seems to work best for not allowing much water inside.) 6) Not too heavy. I usually carry it in the bed of my little truck. 7) Super stable. If I didn't flip it on Lake Erie, it's not going to easily flip anywhere. 8) Comes in some cool colors.

I'm giving it five stars even though the lack of scupper holes bothers me a bit. Everything else is just so good. I like this boat a lot. Jackson done good. LOL

We operate a small river outfitter in Southwest Virginia, and our fleet of kayaks are primarily Jackson Riviera sit on tops. This kayak is perfect for our class I river. Since many of our guests are new to kayaking, they appreciate the stability and tracking that the riviera offers as well as the back rest. As owners, we appreciate their ability to “nest” on our kayak trailers and the durability that they provide - even during lowriver conditions where guests sometimes have to drag them a few feet. These are hard working kayaks that do not let us down. I gave this kayak a 9 instead of a 10 only because the square handles are more difficult to use than that of a comparable sit on top kayak - The old town twister - which has a more rounded handle. Our staff have to be very careful or they can get a twisted wrist when handling the Rivieras.

I love this kayak! It is perfect in size and is easy to move around in the water. It's easy storage and light weight. I enjoy the sit on top more than the sit in. I would love have one for my daughter.

This is a standard kayak found in liveries. It is a sturdy sit on top that fills with water constantly (including inside). I suppose one could say it is safe, although I did see a several capsizes in shallow water with deadfall. If there is a wind more than 5 mph, it tracks with difficulty. There are no bells or whistles, but it is pretty indestructable. It was comfortable even with only molded seats and footholds. The Riviera is probably best for flat water in lakes and shallow rivers.

I bought a Riviera in March, 2014. I have used it probably 50 times since then. Great boat, really stable. Perfect boat for big and small rivers. Not the fastest boat by any stretch, but I'm not sure that sit-on-tops are ever particularly fast. I would not hesitate to recommend this boat to anybody. Easiest boat to paddle that I know of.

"Not that one," I thought when, at an Austin kayak rental, a large group of us were being paired with various craft. "That one looks cheap. And I want one with an actual seat!" But I was given the Jackson Riviera anyway -- and I'm so glad I was!

I'm 51 and fairly new to kayaking, overweight and none too confident in my ability to handle anything fancy. And for that reason, the Jackson Riviera is now topping my list as I decide on my first kayak to purchase.

Here's the good:
Despite only having a molded-in seat, the Riv was seriously comfortable. I spent 3 hours on the lake and could have gone longer. It was also easy to paddle and turn, fairly fast, and remarkably stable. Best of all (by my reckoning) it turned out to be a tough workhorse of a kayak -- no bells and whistles, just a solid boat.

Since then, I've done some research and found that it has a replaceable skid plate in back, so that you can drag it, and it's made in America--I watched a video that showed various workers making kayaks and talking about their commitment to "Make it like it's yours."

So why only an 8? If there's a kayak I would rank a 10, I haven't found it yet! Also, there are at least 2 things I would change about the Riviera. The biggest is, I would like to see more padeyes on the front half, for heaven's sake! In order to add more line, for safety and grabbability, I'll have to install some myself once I get my own Riv. (One of the benefits of a sit-on-top is that it's supposedly easy to get in and out of even in deep water, but line surely does help the process). The other is that I would like some self-draining scupper holes.

All in all, though, this is the kayak for me!

We bought our first Riviera in mid June 2013, bought number two & three Rivieras this week. We are total beginners, I have never liked the water or any kind of boats, I am older(57) overweight & don't particularly like exercising. What a difference this kayak has made in my life, I can't wait to get up so I can go to the river! I am eating better, feeling better, loving being outside. In the past month I have only missed about 6 days not being on the water due to a very rainy July. I can't say enough good things about my Riviera, my whole attitude is 100% better because of this kayak.

I just purchased my second Jackson Riviera. The newest addition is the version made from crosslink. I highly recommend this sit on top. It's great for exploring small streams as it has a shallow draft. Its great on flat water lakes but with a length of 11'4" long don't try to keep up with longer touring kayaks. Its great on flowing streams. And it surfs great.

• No scuppers - no problem. Just carry a bilge pump if you want the water out.
• You can easily attach padeyes for thigh straps.
• The built-in front and rear carry handles makes it easy to secure if storing outside or while on your rack.
• The built in seat back in extremely comfortable.
• And as it was designed for livery use, it's one tough boat.

If you are looking for one kayak to cover a range of uses, this is the kayak to buy.

Just purchased a Riviera for the wife and she LOVES it as well as I. She is a total beginner with zero paddling experience and after a couple of slow river trips she cruises like a pro.

This is a fantastic shallow water/rock bottom river sled that still tracks extremely well in deep water and had a good glide as well. We are living out a major drought this year and water is limited so this boat shines even more the hull is almost bulletproof. She has bounced it off some serious granite boulders and it bounces well!

I myself like to drop in the molded cockpit and relax in it as well. I am six foot three and 250 lbs and it fits me as well as her five foot seven body. We have let other novice family members take it down river and they all love it because its stable, easy to control and just plain relaxing.

I too would like to see a drier seat with the addition of scuppers but not if its going to sacrifice any the durability the Riviera has to currently offer.

Final note: if you are considering kayaks for the family try out a Riviera first, comfortable, maintenance free, durable, stackable and priced right.

Picked this kayak up recently to use on both lakes and rivers. I'm 6'2 - 220 pounds and it fits great. Just got done with a 2 hour paddle on a lake and for a sit on top it was extremely comfortable. A lot due to the built in seat and the position of the foot pegs. Construction is solid. Stability is top notch - very similar to my Ocean Kayaks.