Profile

I use the pack daily on my local river. I throw it on the car before work in the morning, lock it up with a bike lock near the trail that runs beside the river, park the car, go for a quick 3 mile jog, then canoe a few more miles back to the car. On days I get to canoe with friends, the pack is easy for my 105 pound frame to throw around on one shoulder and keep up with the guys. Nobody ever needs to assist me with my boat, which I like. Now that I've been paddling different sections of the river daily, I feel I may be outgrowing it. I wish it had slightly higher gunwales, and more rocker. It does turn well, despite the flat bottom, if you know what to do with the paddle. I can maneuver in currents around all sorts of obstacles, some of which I have banged right into while learning. The royalex was wonderful to have while learning to avoid logs and rocks on the river, but I'm probably ready for a lightweight Kevlar boat with more performance. On lakes the pack seems sluggish until I just really get my paddle strikes going. Sometimes I sit on the side, like Becky Mason, which helps with speed. The pack is a wonderful boat for someone who just wants to be able to transport the boat easily and get on the water. The pack has been the perfect entry level canoe. I will always love it's simple, functional design.