Z

This is my very first whitewater boat. I've had it for a couple months and it's an amazing boat! Rolls are incredibly easy and it surfs like a boss. It's a great boat to have fun at play spots if you're a bigger person. Like a typical boat of its kind if your paddle isn't in the water then you won't be going straight. I'm 6'6" 210 and the boat handles me great, only problem is that my left foot falls asleep within 20 mins of being in the boat. Although if you're my size you will most likely have to take out the foot pegs and make a foam bulkhead.

I freaking love this boat. Im 16 and Ive been paddling for about 2 years now, 1.5 of them with this boat. I got this used from a lady that weighed 4x my weight who got it used from someone who had the boat since it came out, and its still all good.

Pros:
Excellent hybrid between a river runner and a playboat (By todays standards at least, when this came out it would of been considered a playboat). I can run rapids like im in a Habitat and play in a hole like im in a Little Hero. I can do enders and spins and still punch through nasty holes. Also great for beginners, hard to flip (also hard to roll), and easy to go straight in for beginners.

Cons:
Because its a hybrid and not a dedicated boat, it doesnt do as well in tasks as others, but it still has a nice combination of attributes. I cant punch through everything like im in a Greenboat or do insane playboat moves like im in a Biscuit or Star. I cant do cartwheels and I need a REALLY strong current and a lot of depth in order to just an ender, let alone a flip. The biggest problem with this boat is the amount of space you need to in order to any playboating move. Optimally you need a freestanding wave in the middle of the river with no rocks on/near it and a good 2-3 ft of depth. And waves like those are really rare. The only 2 that come off the top of my head are NOC wave on the Pigeon and that big ass wave on the Ocoee I forget the name of.

But if your not a HUGE playboater like evolving to be, this boat is great for you. Great hybrid at a great price.

I have had my Wave Sport Z for about 2 months and I LOVE it so far. I am new to paddling and being about 6'2" and 190 lbs, I did quite a bit of shopping around to find a boat that I could fit in comfortably. So far I have taken the boat down a few Class I/II rivers with the biggest so far being the Nantahala River. Again, I LOVE this boat! Being a novice, the boat has been very forgiving and has great initial stability. At the moment, I am still perfecting my roll. The Z is easy to roll, although I still am perfecting my technique. I highly recommend this boat!

I'm very happy with my Z. I can sit in it all day long (unlike my Wave Sport X). It spins nicely and surfs well. It doesn't stern squirt as nicely as the RPM. For catching big waves on the fly though it is slow slow slow. The big flat profile has a high initial stability, but when it's upside down it also has a high initial stability. Rolling on a squirrely eddyline can be a chore sometimes. It snaps right up in fast water though. On steeper stuff it has a tendency to stern squirt, even when you think you've punched the hole.

Good downriver boat. Was a blast on Upper Gauley as it loves to surf big holes. You need bigger water to get to huck huge wave wheels, but it can be done. I weigh 215 and found it difficult to flatwheel, but it spins, rockwheels, and splats like a champ. I feel comfortable enough that I have taken it down the Narrows of theGreen River 5 times. If you are looking to buy, consider a good price if you find one for less than $700, as people are probably going to be hanging on to them.

I give the Z a 10. I would give it an 11 if I could. If you are over 230lbs. and want a play boat that can still be paddled down river, this is it. It squirts, surfs and catches ends with ease. It stay together in pushy water and is very retentive and speedy for a playboat. Although I feel that you need to be around the 230lb mark to get the most from the Z, my friend can shred in it and he weighs 190lbs. The only down fall if there is one might be that unless you are a bigger paddler it may be hard for you to do flatwheels. Even at my 240 I have to be perfect on the technique and have to hop to pull flatwheels.