Junior

It is tough as nails, very lightweight (17lbs), fast, and maneuvers superbly. It surfs like a champ and can surf all day flooded full of water. It is NOT self bailing, so the water has to be dumped after a tough rapid. I weigh 190+ lbs and have no problem with it. It is more stable than a Safari due to very low center of gravity. The neighborhood kid has yet to spill on class IV technical whitewater.

My only gripes include the floppy floor (add 1" thick ethafoam to the floor to solidify it and keep from bruising your bum on rocks), the cruddy valves (tighten too loose and you lose air, too tight and you can't get them loosened easily), the loose seat (which floats out in the water when you surf the boat), no thighstraps (make some!) and the wear areas on bow and stern (it wasn't designed for Class IV abuse - put patch material on the bow and stern to strengthen areas).

It's a shame this boat isn't sold in the US anymore, but you can still order one new from Gumotex overseas. A kid, teen, or even adults under 200lbs can use this boat for all kinds of paddling adventures. Get an Innova backpack (a top-notch way to carry any inflatable!). Hike it in to a steep creek, pump it up, paddle it out. Take it to the lake, tracks great and paddles fast. Take it to the beach and surf. Take it on an airline. Awesome performance all around.

The tracking is good, for a boat without a skeg. It is faster than I expected for such a short boat.

I am 6'1" and 180 lbs. and I seem to just fit inside and it is definitely NOT overloaded. It could probably handle 200 lbs. plus. However it is probably more suited to someone 5' 9" and 150 lbs.

I also have a Safari and in some ways the Junior is more fun. You sit right on top of the water (the floor is not inflatable, but the seat bottom is) and because the boat is small and manueverable it feels like an extension of your body. Would be great for kids as well as adults.

Better quality than a comparable Sevylor boat.