About myself

I weight 218. Not huge but big.

About the test environment

i tested this boat on the Goodwin Canyon section of the Stanislaus River in California Class IV+

Review

Honestly, I have not paddled every creek boat out there, so I'm not going to even try to compare the Mega-Rocker to other boats. However, I have owned the original Rocker and will give you an idea of the differences between the Rocker and the Mega Rocker.

I chose the Stanislaus river for two reasons. 1. it was running in December. 2. it has some challenging rapids but nothing too life threatening.

Outfitting: Same as the Rocker only improved. The Back band is a lot better and doesn't have that silly slip cover on it, like the old Jacksons. The Bulk head is also improved so that you can now stow gear in the Bow. There isn't a ton of room up there, but enough for my first aid kit, and lunch. The padding around the knees is also thicker and more comfortable. Finally, they put these nylon handles on the center pillar of the bow, so that when you are carrying your boat, you have something to grab onto. Very nice!

Size: It's XL for sure. The bow looks like a big Salto and the stern reminds me of the Dagger CFS only bigger. There is plenty of room in this boat. You can store lots of gear in the stern, and it's easy to access.

Performance: Very 1st impression..."Man this thing turns fast." It spins on it's belly like a play boat. I was very impressed. the old Rocker and Super Hero for that matter, turned like a pig.
Jackson added a lot to the rocker profile, actually giving the boat some rocker. It boofs really well and it is also easier to get up on rock ledges. The old Rocker lacked this ability. The Mega Rocker is also very fast. When you put in a couple of strokes, your gone. it moves quickly across current and rapids.

Heading down the river I purposely drove the boat into some holes to see how it would respond. It resurfaced quickly after driving the bow into the first hole. Plus, i stayed online which was an unexpected bonus. Other holes the boat just auto boofed over.

Stability was another factor that I was concerned about with this boat. However, I did not have a problem with primary or secondary stability at all. I can easily put this boat on edge and paddle away. It tracks well. When I did flip it, It rolled up nicely.

What I didn't like: So far this review sound very one sided. That is because I was honestly very impressed with this boat. However, there are some things I was unhappy with.

1. Weight. It weights 50 lbs empty. Mine weighed over 60 lbs after the throw ropes, first aid kit, breakdown paddle, water bottle and lunch. I know that if a boat is going to be 8'6" it's going to be heavy, but man, I need to start lifting weights.
2. Water bottle placement. The new boats offer some bungees for your water bottle. The problem is it is directly on top of the Bulk head cleat. If you like to move your bulkhead forward and back a lot, as I do, this is a pain. I opted to stash my water bottle in the back and use the bungees for my throw rope. It's too bad Jackson couldn't find a better solution for this.
3. Cockpit size. This is a pro and a con. The Mega Rocker has a huge Keyhole. This is a great safety feature. However, my spray skirt, that fits my S.Hero, old Rocker, and S.Star, had a hard time staying on. In fact, it imploded on me after going over a nice sized drop. I have since ordered the Bomber Spray skirt from Mountain Surf. They have developed a skirt for the Mega Rocker called size Jackson #4. So problem solved, but it sucks that I had to spend $160 for a new skirt.

That's about it. Overall, I am really pleased with the Mega Rocker. I'm sure it will become a creeking classic. Oh, and I am not affiliated with Jackson Kayak in any way, other than I dig their boats! But I like other companies too.