Had the 16’ Explorer for…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 5/4/2021
Had the 16’ Explorer for several years. Have done class IV with huge drops. The bow paddler completely disappeared in some giant waves and we punched right through them and emerged floating on top in a split second. We were with 14’ rafts and took the same lines no problem. It can be a bear to track straight especially solo or in high winds. But that may be a measure of my beginner J stroke skills. It’s a great boat overall. It’s just not as smooth tracking as a hard shell prospecteur in the flatwater. And also if you’re loaded with lots of multi night gear the boat rides with an inch or two of water on The floor which is good for the food cooler and hot weather but feet get cold paddling in shoulder seasons. Good news is you can just put duct tape or the patches that come with the boat over the self bailing holes to ride higher on the water with more glide. This boat lets you paddle water above your skill level In That it’s so forgiving with solid secondary stability. If the floor was drop stitch I don’t think there would be an inch or two of water on the floor with loads. But then you’d loose the amazing ability this beast has of bending over waves with out flipping. Great boat all and all.
I have been paddling SOAR…
Submitted by:
paddler539956
on 8/6/2019
I have been paddling SOAR Inflatables Canoes since 2007, and I absolutely LOVE them! I own an S12 and an S16, the former for a whitewater playboat and the latter as my big water expedition freighter. Each of my hulls has several thousand miles on it, and they are always dependable. The SOAR boats are the most versatile, highest quality boats I have even paddled, and I will NEVER trade them for anything else!
Great boat. I can roll it up…
Submitted by:
paddler231056
on 4/27/2005
Great boat. I can roll it up into a duffle bag, check it as luggage on a commercial airline flight, and head into remote areas like the Yukon, Nunavut or Northwest Territories without the hassle associated with a hardshell. It's very durable, very stable, and very forgiving for anyone with less skill and experience than would otherwise be needed to safely run remote wilderness rivers. It definitely allows me to access water that I wouldn't be able to with a regular canoe. The self bailing feature is great in whitewater. The company has also been very good to deal with. No problem recommending this boat to anyone.
I have owned my Soar 16 for a…
Submitted by:
paddler230996
on 3/22/2005
I have owned my Soar 16 for a couple for years now. It's a great boat. Very stable and tracks as well as a conventional canoe. I've gone down class 3s with my wife and 2 kids and had no trouble controlling the boat. We travel with it on top of our truck when we go camping. If we ever see a lake or river we want to check out, we just inflate it and we're on our way. It is a very versatile boat. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Bought my 16' SOAR year before last. Needed somethng a little more stable than my Legend 16 to carry my wife around in. She's a non-paddler, non-swimmer. The boat is just as easy to handle in the water as my royalex legend was. in fact, it's less prone to wind effects than a regular canoe. Hypalon tubes are tough and handle rocks, abrasions well. Very stable. Have run class II and III with no problems. The boat is just a little heavy and hard to get into its own carry bag. Well worth the money and rates a 10 out of 10.
