About the reviewer

I've been kayaking for about 1 1/2 years. I do abit of surfing and alot of flat water play. Can bow stall, double pump and tail squirt.

Test environment

Surfed big waves on a Scottish island called Islay( terrifing). But i mostly play on flat water.

Review

A fast boat that is awesome on a wave and won't leave you to catch up with it. Reallyeasy to bow stall and tail squirt. It will roll with ease and grace. However it is difficult to double pump deu to it's length.

The out fitting is firm but comfy. The only bad thing i have to say about this boat is that compared to other boats i've been in like the Dagger G-Force it does feel a bit cramped inside even when adjusted

Conclusion

A joy to paddle and a boat youwill be proud of

About myself

Gromit paddler trying to learn to kayak in a country with the LOWEST ANNUAL RAINFALL IN THE WORLD.

About the test environment

RIVER: Murray River, Heights 1.2m to 2.7m
SURF: Height, 2m to 5m

Review

Sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp. The rails on the ZG are totally unforgiving to a bigginer learning whitewater. Playing in a hole at the bottom of a rockslide becomes painful as everytime you dip an edge upstream you get your head rather forcfully intorduced into the rock slide beneath you. For bigginers this is a lesson. For others this is ammusing. I am not a quick learner.....Small currents washing over the back deck can be enough to put you off balance and therefore off line. Awesome for cartwheeling and surf. needs more volume if you want to attempt anything else.

Conclusion

Not great for total begginers but addequet for intermediatery paddlers. Enjoy, Red Fred

About myself

I have been paddling for almost 3 years now. I paddle as often as I can and paddle all types of rivers. Playboating, river running, overnight trips and creeking.

About the test environment

In the mostly, shallow, rocky rivers of South Africa. Couple of big volume runs too.

Review

+ awesome outfitting and super comfortable. I've got the first block of foam in and paddle with the seat all the way forward. Maybe I've got shorter legs than most.
+ Flat spins pretty well and actually cartwheels really well in a hole. Flat water tricks are super simple and 20 ends with this boat is quite possible for me.
+ Gets air very easily, even on smaller waves.
+ Carving on the ocean is very easy and the boat responds nicely to edge transition.

• Maybe not enough bow rocker. Pearls easily on waves and even on flat water. Maybe I'm a touch heavy. Once all my gear is wet and with extras like split paddles, food, water, throwbag and all the other safety kit, camera.. etc... the boat is probably then too heavily loaded.

• A little edgy once all the gear is in and being back looped while river running is a stronger possiblity on class 4 to 4+. Although this boat shouldn't really run lower volume class 4 in my opinion.

• This boat doesn't have awesome pop for looping but will loop for sure. An over thruster such as a big beach ball between your legs seems to help.

Conclusion

I have had this boat for more than a year now and am still super happy with it. It's still going to serve me as a playboat for a while still. But for river running it's not that great so I bought an EZG60 for the trickier rivers. My Necky Blunt is still my creeker of choice.

• The ZG54 is really good although I have mentioned it's poorer river running characteristics. This is probably because I'm fairly heavy. I have a mate who is about 15 kg less than me and finds it's great on tricky, higher volume runs. *

Adrian Tregoning on the Ash River:
http://adrian.playak.com/images/zoom/XKRFHV/img_5695.jpg

Mike Pennefather on the Umkomaas River, Deepdale Gorge, Long Drop rapid:
http://adrian.playak.com/images/zoom/BJJVFC/img_2907.jpg

About myself

UK based Hurley regular.

Test environment

From a hole to a big green wave back to a 40 foot wide hole, depending on levels.

Review

Ripping. Absolutely ripping. I cannot believe that nobody has written a review on it as yet. Once these boats came on the scene early 2005 it quickly became clear that it was the fastest boat around which made it easily the boat going largest on the wave. Huge air. Fast transitions. Easy enough to cartwheel. Will loop given a deep enough hole.

Conclusion

Overall, this boat goes, big time. Not yet been superceeded as an all around top end air catching mean machine it's not been beaten..