Tripper 172

Great canoe. can carry a lot of gear. a bit heavy thought

I bought my tripper in 1995 and it is now 2018, It was used. I have been on many rivers, loaded down, and it is a great boat. It survived oyster shells, drunken marsh rides in the late 90's, intentional collisions with jealous kayakers and many other potential canoe-ending situations. I don't know if it is the fastest and I don't really care... but I do know that I felt safe in the Okefenokee surrounded by massive alligators. Paddling any canoe is good for the soul. Paddling this canoe made many memories with my friends and with my family. I respect any product that lasts 25-30 years. Thanks Old Town.

I practically stole this canoe in 2016 for $130. The previous owner used it for many years in whitewater. The small ropes and remnants of adhesive tie downs for extra flotation are telltale signs, along with the crease in the royalex midship on one side. There are brand new gunwales and Kevlar skidplates installed too! My girlfriend and I take our canoe out as often as possible on lakes, ponds and rivers. One of our greatest trips was under the Old North Bridge on the Concord River, the location of the "shot heard 'round the world". We mostly paddle empty and the wind does have an effect on direction, but the fun factor outweighs any of the canoes shortcomings (I.e. +/-80lbs). I believe it was made in the late 80's-early 90's and has many, many more years of life in it.

The Old Town Tripper is the perfect all around canoe. It's built for wilderness camping and with its 1300 pound capacity it can handle all the gear you would ever dream of taking along. Its sharp entry line makes it reasonable fast and easy to paddle. Being a large boat it is very stable and perfect for beginners. The shallow arch hull design gives it excellent secondary stability, (meaning you remain very stable even when leaned on its side.) It has moderate rocker, which together with the shallow arch design make it a surprisingly good boat for whitewater.

I bought mine new in 1987, and have paddled it extensively on Class II-III stuff, and on a small handful of Class IV rapids too. Its hull is made of Royalex which makes it extremely durable. Believe me, I've hit a LOT of big rocks including one memorable collision on Devil's Jump on the Big South Fork. That left a little scar, but that's it.

For a long boat, it turns well. Credit that again to the moderate rocker, plus the fact that it has no keel. (Unless you plan on paddling nothing but lakes, I would not own a boat with a keel. Just don't do it.)

The only negatives I would note are that it is heavy to portage (about 85 pounds) but that's to be expected of a high volume 17 foot long boat with a 15" depth. That depth can also work against you on a windy lake. Learn to treat the wind as you would current, and it becomes much less of an issue.

In summary, the Old Town Tripper is just a great all around boat. I've owned many boats but my Tripper has always been our favorite. I've literally paddled it on hundreds of trips and probably over 2,000 miles. She still looks good for her age, but more importantly she still performs like new.

Great boat (mine's about 35 years old). Single-handing it in the wind on a lake, what I do is sit on the deck amidships with only a throwable float cushion under me. This trims the boat so it doesn't weathervane. If I move a little more forward, the stern'll start to trail out a bit in the wind, heading the bow up so I make more progress forward and less drift sideways.

I actually love the way it feels solo in light to moderate airs - a bit like flying or walking on the water. I often stand midships with a long paddle.

I use a trolling motor sometimes and that works well too. It's nice to motor upriver using the bow as a stern, then change seats to the real stern and paddle down. The boat trims nicely with the battery, motor, anchor & chain at the other end.

I have owned and paddled a Tripper 172 for over 25 years. It is big and not the fastest, but it will carry a big load and still get you there dry. I regularly solo it and if the load is balanced out, it is no problem. I always wind up carrying everyone's extra gear and it only helps the Tripper perform better. It will turn on a dime loaded or empty, but does track better loaded down. With the high stems it will weathervane if you don't keep it into the wind. With the rocker and fullness in the bow and stern it handles whitewater very well.

It is one tough boat that will carry a big load though most anything you put it through without a problem, it is very forgiving, you can't beat it for a river expedition boat. I have lighter and faster boats, but if the river is rocky and challenging this is my ride.

I bought a used Tripper made from something called Oltanor.(I think). On a float on the Buffalo River in Arkansas my canoe got wrapped around a rock. I was ahead of it in a kayak. When I saw it all of my gear was floating down toward me and I starting grabbing it, wondering how I was going to get it someplace where I could bring my car. I noticed three or four people helping my friend try to get it off the rock. It was pinned by the current and shaped like a horseshoe. I didn't see them get it free, but it had popped itself back into canoe shape. Amazing! We loaded it back up and continued our float. It has a slight wrinkle as the only evidence of what happened. Thirty-two years later it's still good as new. Magic canoe!

I agree with all the people who said the Tripper is a great boat. I have taken mine on big lakes in Canada, Rivers in the USA, Potomac, Shenandoah, and into the swamps in NC. The only issue I have is when it's not loaded it's hard to keep straight in the wind, as you cross the bigger rivers or lakes. Other than that it's a great boat.

Lakes to class IV, our tripper has seen it all. I bought my Tripper used 17 years ago to take the dog out on a local lake and fish. Within a few months, trips down the local class II Haw inspired a love for whitewater that's never abated and grown to Class V kayaking.

I still love taking the Tripper down Class III and low IV, such as the Youghiogheny or French Broad's section IX. I have no idea how many times it has been down Frank Bell's rapid. We've never had a problem other than severe heart palpitations. We've even popped an ender there, which is absolutely terrifying from the stern of a 17' boat.

Probably unique in the Tripper world, our boat has foam saddles with thigh straps, footpegs, and the mandatory drink holders. With a 60" center bag, 36" bow bag and 24" stern bag, it floats high even when rolled. -- Yes, a tripper can even be rolled. A slow roll is surprising easy as long as no one is in the bow, allowing the bow to rise so that you don't have to fight the width at the center.

For whitewater, you definitely have to anticipate required moves in heavy water well in advance. It feels a bit like guiding an aircraft carrier at times, but you can still make it dance with well timed powerful strokes as long as you are not fighting heavy current. There's not much like the feeling of arcing the boat into a massive green tongue at the entrance of a large rapid and feeling the acceleration then slicing through huge holes without slowing down.

Loaded with camping gear, paddling the 2 year old around the lake, or making the bowman scream as we drop over Kayaker's Ledge, the Tripper is truly the most versatile river craft I've ever seen. If I had to select one boat, I'd give up our whitewater and sea kayaks and another canoe for the Tripper. No question. Thanks Old Town.

My wife and I bought the Tripper in 1978. It was our first purchase as a married couple and one of the best.

We have rated it a ten because it performs so well for what it was designed to do. It is superb for carrying two or more people and heavy loads safely through rough conditions. On the other hand, it is not an ideal boat for fast day cruising on large open bodies of water, where speed, lightness and the ability to make headway against strong winds are the primary needs.

We have used the Tripper primarily for day cruising on the Maine coast and we are generally paddling with a light load. The typical conditions in summer are calm with small seas until about 1 or 2 in the afternoon, then there are usually winds up to about 15 mph and seas 1-2 feet until sundown. In the spring and fall, the winds tend to blow all day and night, although there are periods of calm.

The Tripper can handle waves of almost any size so long as they are not actually breaking and the paddlers understand proper bracing and leaning techniques. We have paddled forwards, backwards and in circles in wind driven waves and standing waves without trouble, even with the waves broadside. If broadside to a wave, just brace and lean into the wave if it looks big and steep.

We have thirty years of data that show that our average cruising speed in the Tripper is about 2.3 mph. This is the ground speed, which takes into account the average reduction in overall forward progress due to tidal currents, wave action and the wind. Someone considering the Tripper for use on open bodies of water should know that my wife and I have found that we cannot paddle the Tripper forward against headwinds once whitecaps form, which is about 12-15 mph. Remember, however, that our boat is lightly loaded and that we are not very big people or especially strong.

Some special characteristics of the Tripper are that it is comfortable, stable and dry. We have paddled it all day without getting out of the boat, since it is spacious and stable enough for napping, eating lunch and adjusting clothing when it is anchored in an area of calm water.

We don't recommend the Tripper for open water cruising unless the winds are light, because it makes much more sense to use a faster canoe for this purpose; nor do we recommend the Tripper when there is portaging to be done, since it weighs a hefty 80 pounds. For most other uses, however, it is excellent.

If you are an all around canoeist, tripping, white water or knocking around on your local pond and only have the coin for one absolutely bomb proof boat, the Old Town Tripper is the boat for you. I have been paddling one for 25 years, I have owned several other boats, but I always come back to big red.

I purchased a new Old Town Tripper 172 this spring. After using it for the last 3 months for tripping as well as recreational canoeing and fishing, it ROCKS. This canoe is by far and away the most sea worthy, versitaile, canoe I have ever been in. Although I would not describe myself as a grizzled vetran of thousands of canoe trips, I also am not a rank beginner and have spent time tripping on the ocean in Alaskas inside passage, on rivers, on lakes reservoirs etc etc. I purchased the tripper specifically as a multi purpose craft and it has meet/exceeded my lofty expectations. I read the other reviews and people mention that it is a beast, or heavy, or whatever. I am not entirely certain how many people spend 2-3K on a kevlar canoe, but for those of us willing to part with 1,000 dollars or so the tripper is the same weight as any other canoe in that price range (of similar dimension) and in my hands feels very very light on the water. I can easily put it on my truck unassisted but would need some help for extended carries. My wife and I were on a large reservoir tripping with another few boats and were the fastest boat in thr group.... by a LONG way. The tripper is NOT slow, its just not a racing canoe. It tracks very well (especially when loaded) and is a joy to paddle responding well to a measured distance pace. I average 3.5-3.8 mph at a relatively leisurly pace, this is a distance eating pace and is measured with a very expensive GPS over a 2 hr moving average on a large lake with light winds, we were fishing so we were constantly changing direction and thus with/against the wind for equal times since we finished where we started. ANyhow, STABLE, easy to paddle, tracks well, durable, and actually not that heavy.... the best of all worlds....

I have two Trippers, and have had them for many years. They are tough, large volume canoes capable of carrying an enormous amount of gear. One of mine has cane seats, the other has the plastic seats. I prefer the plastic ones because they do not need periodic replacements and because the cane seats are mounted with dowels and long #10 bolts. That method of mounting is not terribly sturdy. However, Crazy Creek canoe chairs and most aftermarket seat backs can not be used on the plastic seats. Despite the length, the Trippers turn easily. Due to the depth, they can be a task in cross winds. These are not fast canoes, but they do what they are designed to do well. If you want to stand in a canoe, the Tripper is ideal. These canoes are too heavy for all but the shortest portages, and they are difficult to cartop. Few canoes will take the abuse a Tripper will take. In almost twenty years, I have only added skid plates and done the usual replacement of cane seats. Trippers are very popular canoes, but most people who own them really do not need the capacity and would be happier with the Penobscot 17 or similar canoe.

It took me about 2 months of investigation to pick our first canoe. My wife and I drove several hundred miles test paddling numerous brands and models. As an engineer, I was interested in an optimum hull geometry and material for our needs. We have numerous lakes within an hours drive of our home, ranging in size from 26 acres to several thousand acres. We have little interest in whitewater above class 2. But in case we mistakenly put ourselves into some class 2 to 3 whitewater, I wanted a proven hull integrity we could count on. My wife and I are both big people, and I knew the two of us, plus a days gear, and fishing gear, would average around 535# to 575#.

We liked the Penebscot 17 ft, but wanted more initial stability plus more space for gear and leg room. the Camper 16 ft. was more stable, but too small for our needs.

We are very glad we picked the Tripper!. I'm very glad I selected the Aqua Bound Carbon fiber Edge paddles as well, after accurately determining the proper lengths for us. Very light weight , very responsive to "J" and "c" correction strokes when I'm the only one paddling while my wife takes pictures of the eagles or uses the binoculars. With just an average paddling effort, we amazing glide silently PAST fishing boats running their electric trolling motors. Still new at this, sometimes we set a faster pace just to humble some of the louder fisherman breaking the otherwise peaceful beauty of the lake we're on. it's also fun to slowly push deep into the lily pads for some excelent fishing the their electric trolling motors get fouled up on and their boats may bottom out on.

Once, so far, the winds kicked up to 20-25 mph, and we obviously did have to work a little harder, but so did all the trolling motors we PASSED. For safety, I installed the foam outrigger unit in the Cabela's catalog. The stability increase is amazing for the rather small foam floats. We keep them in a maximum up postion because we find we don't ussually rock the canoe too much, and their never in the way while paddling or fishing. The 80# Royalex rides on top of our Suburban, and really isn't too bad to lift with the pull-out helper bar on our Thule rack.

The Tripper's bow is a great combination of a traditional graceful curve plus a rather narrow edge ssimilar to the Penebscot. It tracks well due to it's 17'-2" length, and turns like the Camper which is far easier than the Penebscot. These product reviews helped me a lot, and I hope our comments return the favor. We love our Tripper as equipted because we can relax,have fun, and sneak right up on nature, with minimal effort!

I have owned a wood trim tripper for more than 20 years. It has a a fewbattle scars for sure. I have paddled it on everything from the Upper Hudson to the Allagash. I have also owned a MR Exployer and an Old Town Wood Canvas. My tripper is one of my prized possessions. It is battle scared to be sure but it is still a thing of beauty, in my eyes anyway. It has lovely traditional lines. It looks like a canoe should look. This boat is a wonderful boat for everything except trips with numerous long carries. It is a great white water boat both tandem, and even solo. It will handle class 4 white water just fine. It responds well to the pole as well. It is the best boat one could possible own for extended trips where white water will be encountered. It is a terrific boat on lakes so long as it is loaded. The wind can be a problem on a lake crossing empty. If your primary use is flatwater tripping with lots of portages don't buy a Tripper, or any royalex hull for that matter. If you want to run any whitewater, on trips or on local rivers, get a Tripper. In my judgment the Tripper is superior to the Mad River Exployer. Old Town's are better put together. Also, the hull just seems to perform better all around, especially when paddled tandem.

I have had my Tripper for over 10 years and without doubt this is one sturdy and major capacity canoe. My canoe has been used to transport two hunters, 100+ decoys, my lab and assorted "stuff" to the duck blinds. Stumps have not phased the hull beyond minor scratches and dings. Even in high winds and 2-3 foot waves it will maintained track and initial stability. This is a two paddle canoe that has performed well for years and I recommend it highly if you have large capacity needs.

We have had a red tripper for about five years. It has mostly been used for family recreation. Some lakes for fishing and several trips down the Guadalupe river. It still gets many compliments, it seems very durable and I would recommend this canoe

Had the chance to paddle the "famous tripper" during a tripping expedition. I owned a Mad River Explorer at the time. The tripper responded as well as my Explorer in most every aspect. For heavy water I would go with the Explorer. For class II I would take the Tripper - although not speedy it still paddles reasonably well for a white water hull. Will go down in history as a "classic" if it has not already reached that pinacle already.

One of the great canoes of all time! My Tripper took me down waterways from the Chapleau-Nemegosenda to the Allagash to the Thousand Islands. I love this canoe.

I remember crossing Chamberlain Lake when the remnants of hurricane Bob hit us at mid-lake. The Tripper quartered perfectly and kept us dry despite some very BIG rollers. I feel like it saved my life.

It handled the Chase rapids well enough to allow us time to rescue a family with two brand new Malecites wrapped around rocks in midstream. Our two Trippers ferried out to the submerged and fully wrapped Malecites several times until we could rope them up and coax them off the rocks.

On a hundred mile trip up (or down) the Chapleau, the Tripper took so much abuse, I was amazed at how little evidence the Oltonar hull showed of its ordeal. Incredible and indestructible.

Oltonar/Royalex? After paddling next to 14-foot alligator with BIG teeth down in the Everglades, I prefer THICK, slippery Oltonar to thin, tooth-catching Kevlar. Same thing applies to big ole bears... I have much more confidence in thick, slippery Oltonar than thin brittle Kevlar.

Comfort? Forget cane and give me those Old Town vinyl seats any day of the week! Also, the width of the Tripper allows luxury gear that makes canoe camping so much more enjoyable than backpack or kayak camping. I still like a cooler full of steaks or lobster on ice to freeze dried Cacciatore.

Speed? We couldn't beat those Malecites AFTER we pulled them off the rocks and duct-taped them back together! So if you want speed forget the Tripper. But if you want to get to the destination in a reasonable time, in safety and comfort, this is one of the best canoes ever built.

Every canoe is a compromise. The Tripper rates a 10 for wilderness and expedition canoeing. It has the best balance of features that are important to me. I have felt this way for some 20 years and I still highly recommend this boat.

Brianne Elizabeth Corbett