Profile

Having the versatility of an inflatable SUP appealed to me because the ease to transport and store was what I needed. Having two hard BIC SUP's already I was running out of room and ability to transport more boards when several of my family wanted to board. To me BIC means affordable quality and above average performance. Being used to my BIC Ace TEC wings I was not sure how I would feel on the inflatables. Of course there is a difference in feel but I found the inflatables to be just fine for an enjoyable time on the many lakes I paddle on in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate NY. The heavy duty back pack, the pump and the 'board' itself are well made and I expect many seasons of service and fun from them. A great choice if a person is looking for the advantages of inflatable SUP's.

I have had my Epic mid wing paddle for over 4 years now. I alternate using it on my four different boats, under varying wind and current conditions. It performs very well with a minimum amount of getting used to it initially and a little touch up on technique between outings with it. I like the angle of attack with it as not overly high for my style of paddling. It does drip a lot of water into the cockpit though; I need to put some drip catchers on the shaft, just never got around to it. I love the latitude of increasing and decreasing the overall shaft length to accommodate the different width boats I paddle. It is very light, very strong and fun to paddle.

I am very pleased with my recent purchase of Swift's Saranac 15 footer. Owning a few other kayaks and paddling several others over the years, I have gotten a sense of the different nuances a kayak can offer in the areas of stability (primary and secondary), tracking, rocker, chine, comfort, ease of entry, and many other things people tend to note when buying and using a particular boat. In all of those things mentioned I have found the Saranac to perform well above the 'average' and really think it excels in the area of tracking (without the skeg deployed) and stability.

As I have aged it has become more important for me to find a boat that is easy to get into and out of, lightweight, comfortable and efficient to paddle. The Saranac has met and exceeded my expectations and I look forward to keeping this boat in my 'fleet' a long time.

I bought the Dagger Specter new and have been moderately happy with this boat. I will admit that it is heavier than I prefer but this has had a least the advantage of less weather cocking than a lighter boat would have. The boat tracks well with or without the rudder engaged and rocker is not bad. It is a very stable boat both initially and secondarily. Not being as limber as I once was, I greatly appreciate the very generous cockpit opening. It make my entering and exiting the boat a much easier task. the thigh braces are too high for my 5 foot 10 inch frame and don't help at all. The seat is comfortable for long paddles. Dry storage is generous.

Having other kayaks to paddle, I don't use this boat as often as I used to but I have taken many beginning paddlers out for their first time ever in the Dagger Specter and their favorable first experiences were formed by having a safe and stable feeling.

I would recommend anyone looking for a good used, stable, durable and comfortable boat to buy a Specter.

I am completely satisfied with the ACE-TEC WING. It is my first ever SUP and while maybe not my last, I think I will get years of enjoyment out of it. After kayaking and canoeing for many years, the allure of stand up paddling gave me the bug to give it a try. Old dogs can learn new tricks. And of all the boards that I tried out, the BIC Ace-Tech gave me a great sense of initial stability and after using it for a while I came to appreciate the secondary stability as well. I live in Upstate NY and the ocean is a few hundred miles away. But, some of our wind whipped lakes in the Adirondacks can make mini whitecaps appear on a clear blue sky day. Couple that with wakes created by powerboats and the irregular wave patterns that are created make for a bumpy ride at times. But the ACE-TEC gives me a good solid feel under my feet. The glide seems to be efficient on flat/calm water and I cover a lot of 'ground' in short time. While it does seem a bit bulky and cumbersome, that trade off for stability is worth it to me. Pricing seemed fair. Pros Initial and Secondary Stability Cons Balance point at the carry handle seems off a bit. Usage I use this boat for exercise and touring. I would like to enter in some novice racing with no expectation of outdoing those on faster boards.

For my first ever SUP I don't have a lot to compare it to. But, it was very easy to get up on and the initial stability of it was apparent. Secondary stability made me comfortable and confident that I could quickly get used to this new paddle sport. Having been a long time canoe and kayak lover, I am excited to begin this new sport and think my new BIC board will give me years of fun and great core exercise. Pros Very stable--both primary and secondary. Cons The only thing that I would like to see on this board is a bit more vivid color scheme. Usage Touring, exercise.