Rockit or Diablo ?
bh...@capital.net
Both these boats are older designs(things are changing fast). Newer
designs that would fit you would be the new generation of creek boats
like the Wavesport Y or Godzilla and the Riot Kix.
Brian
Marc
Looking for advice on what white-water kayak to buy.
I'm 80 kg (176 lbs) and 1.90 m (6' 3") long, with shoe size 12.
Thus, there aren't many kayaks where I fit in nicely without getting
cramp after half an hour.
I'm looking for an all-round boat (suitable for steep creeking, big
water, shore surfing)
Because of plastic durability, I would like to limit my choice to either
Prijon or Eskimo.
Trying a few boats, I have now limited my preferences to the Prijon
Rockit or the Eskimo Diablo.
Both seem good, sturdy all-round boats, with lots of room for my long
legs and big feet.
Does anybody have experience with both these boats?
Which one would be the better buy ?
Any other options I should consider?
Any help would be appreciated
KHa...@my-dejanews.com
paddle my 3D down stuff I know well and the Diablo goes on scary runs and the
steep stuff. The boat spins and boofs exceptionally well but is extremely
slow and doesn't track at all. I recently paddled the Eskimo Cerro thinking
it would be a faster replacement for my Diablo but I was wrong. It was
faster, however, the Diablo is much sportier and plays a heck of a lot
better. I'm 6'1" 200lbs and have plenty of room in the boat. You can't beat
the Eskimo/Prion plastic.
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
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"...@utk.edu
Marc wrote:
have you tried a prijon tornado? I believe it is far superior to the
rockit or the diablo for all-around use, especially for someone your size.
eric r.
Marc
Marc wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Looking for advice on what white-water kayak to buy.
> I'm 80 kg (176 lbs) and 1.90 m (6' 3") long, with shoe size 12.
> Thus, there aren't many kayaks where I fit in nicely without getting
> cramp after half an hour.
> I'm looking for an all-round boat (suitable for steep creeking, big
> water, shore surfing)
> Because of plastic durability, I would like to limit my choice to either
> Prijon or Eskimo.
> Trying a few boats, I have now limited my preferences to the Prijon
> Rockit or the Eskimo Diablo.
> Both seem good, sturdy all-round boats, with lots of room for my long
> legs and big feet.
> Does anybody have experience with both these boats?
> Which one would be the better buy ?
> Any other options I should consider?
> Any help would be appreciated
Today I tried both. The Rockit seems more agile and slightly faster than
the Diablo. Rockit's tracking is worse though. The Diablo on the other
hand seems a bit more comfortable.Anybody with a Rockit with some comments ?
Marc
Charles Foster
> Today I tried both. The Rockit seems more agile and slightly faster than
> the Diablo. Rockit's tracking is worse though. The Diablo on the other
> hand seems a bit more comfortable.Anybody with a Rockit with some comments ?
Never paddled a Diablo but I went from a Cyclone (excellent tracking) to
a Rockit. My first hour in the new boat was pretty stressful. With the
relatively poor tracking and extreme rocker it felt like I was balancing
on a beach ball. Later that day as I got more tuned into the boat I
really came to appreciate its amazing responsiveness and how easily I
could avoid rocks in tight rapids.
I still love the Cyclone for bigger water situations but am looking
forward to spending some more time in the Rockit on the creeks.
--
Charles Foster
North Fork WebWorks
http://www.flash.net/~cfoster2/
Wilko
>
> Marc wrote:
> > Trying a few boats, I have now limited my preferences to the Prijon
> > Rockit or the Eskimo Diablo.
> > Both seem good, sturdy all-round boats, with lots of room for my long
> > legs and big feet.
> rockit or the diablo for all-around use, especially for someone your size.
Hey Eric, this is a troll, isn't it???
A Tornado superior for all-round use??? ROTFL!
In space with weightlessness, maybe! On WW, no way Jose!
(I'm 6'8", 210 lbs and paddle a Diablo... with my paddling buddy Marc
K.)
--
Wilko van den Bergh
Quibus (at) worldonline (dot) nl
Sociology Student at the Tilburg University, The Netherlands
Whitewater Kayaker AD&D Dungeon Master
Secretary of the Eindhoven Canoe Club "De Genneper Molen"
--------------------------------------------------------------
No man is wise enough, nor good enough
to be trusted with unlimited power.
Charles Colton
--------------------------------------------------------------
ri...@cam.org
mkouwe...@best.ms.philips.nospamm.com wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Looking for advice on what white-water kayak to buy.
> I'm 80 kg (176 lbs) and 1.90 m (6' 3") long, with shoe size 12.
> Trying a few boats, I have now limited my preferences to the Prijon
> Rockit or the Eskimo Diablo.
> Does anybody have experience with both these boats?
> Which one would be the better buy ?
> Any other options I should consider?
> Any help would be appreciated
>
I have tried the Rockit and bought a Diablo last year because I found it was
the best boat for me. Didn't like the Rockit - found it was a barge, didn't
ferry great - if you want big volume and don't care how you get down a river
it is fine - did surf steep waves well & popped some beauty enders in it
though.
Diablo is great for river runners. Enough play potential for me too - though
i don't cartwheel or do any fancy stuff - front surf, side surf, enders blast
trashy stuff. Have taken the boat down steep stuff, big stuff, and low water
runs - wouldn't trade it for anything else. (no this isn't an advert!)
I weigh 190 lbs and measure 6'4" (damn dutch parents) and find the volume
about right (though might be nice to have a little more on those long days
down more wilderness rivers) - my feet do sometimes get a little cramped, but
i seem to have that problem on almost all boats.
The Diablo is more versatile and fun to paddle than the Rockit. Both are
tough and the Eskimo boats are hard to beat for comfort.
Good luck & have fun paddling whatever boat you buy!
Derek
Marc
ri...@cam.org wrote:
> I have tried the Rockit and bought a Diablo last year because I found it was
> the best boat for me. Didn't like the Rockit - found it was a barge, didn't
> ferry great - if you want big volume and don't care how you get down a river
> it is fine - did surf steep waves well & popped some beauty enders in it
> though.
>
> Diablo is great for river runners. Enough play potential for me too - though
> i don't cartwheel or do any fancy stuff - front surf, side surf, enders blast
> trashy stuff. Have taken the boat down steep stuff, big stuff, and low water
> runs - wouldn't trade it for anything else. (no this isn't an advert!)
>
> I weigh 190 lbs and measure 6'4" (damn dutch parents)
Hey, mine are dutch too!
> and find the volume
> about right (though might be nice to have a little more on those long days
> down more wilderness rivers) - my feet do sometimes get a little cramped, but
> i seem to have that problem on almost all boats.
So do I!
> The Diablo is more versatile and fun to paddle than the Rockit. Both are
> tough and the Eskimo boats are hard to beat for comfort.
It seems that most people agree on this....
> Good luck & have fun paddling whatever boat you buy!
> Derek
Thanks. Guess I'll have to buy a Diablo now...Marc
Marc
tracking is great. I wish I could could buy two boats, but for now, I'll just
want to buy one.
Thanks for your comments.
Marc
Marc
Anybody disagrees ?
Marc
Bill and/or Julie Eades
>
> Marc wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Looking for advice on what white-water kayak to buy.
> > I'm 80 kg (176 lbs) and 1.90 m (6' 3") long, with shoe size 12.
> > cramp after half an hour.
> > I'm looking for an all-round boat (suitable for steep creeking, big
> > water, shore surfing)
> > Because of plastic durability, I would like to limit my choice to either
> > Prijon or Eskimo.
> > Rockit or the Eskimo Diablo.
> > legs and big feet.
> > Which one would be the better buy ?
> > Any other options I should consider?
> > Any help would be appreciated
>
I originally bought a Rockit last June, and essentially owned it for 2
months until I could get rid of it. It was touted as one of the only
"carving creek boats" and "built for large paddlers". I wasn't
impressed! I am 6'3" and right at 200#, with size 11 feet. The hull
design of the Rockit was not terrible, but it's hull speed was nill and
it reacted a lot like a freaking cork. The real kicker was the
misaligned "adjustable" thigh braces that exist on all Flies and
Rockits. You take a tape measure from the front grap loop to both thigh
brace mounting bolts, and notice that the measurements are off by an
average of 1 1/2" (some over 2"). The travel of thigh brace adjustment
is about 5 inches, so when you subtract the misalignment amount to get
each thigh brace even, you end up with ~3 1/2" of adjustment, which
ain't shit, and not really much of a selling point.
Last fall I ended up with a Diablo, which I loved to pieces. *VERY*
comfortable! Other good attributes: wears well, carves well, is
tremendously forgiving, and is reasonably fast. Plays OK, side surfs
and back surfs best. Won't squirt for anything, though. It's a keper
boat, even though I just bought a Sledgehammer a month ago. (my new
favorite) . My wife now paddles the Diablo, and likes the edges that
did not exist on her old Creek 280.
One note on the thigh braces for both the Diablo and the Kendo. Not to
belittle anyone, but these puppies are complex at first glance. When
you realize they are the thigh brace equivalent of 8 way power seats,
you may like them. I do not know of any other manufacturer that offers
4 axis of adjustments for braces. Once you work with them initially (It
takes a while to get them perfect), they hold the slickest thighs!
Bilbo
--
Bill and/or Julie Eades, Jonesburg (where?), MO
"hydrodynamically passionate"
Becton Dickinson Immunocytometry- http://www.bdfacs.com/home.htm
MO Whitewater Association- http://www.i1.net/~akravetz/mwa.html
Bill and/or Julie Eades
>
> have you tried a prijon tornado? I believe it is far superior to the
> rockit or the diablo for all-around use, especially for someone your size.
>
> eric r.
My first boat was a Tornado for the same reasons mentioned. However,
you have to graduate someday from the Volvo of all boats (Tornado). The
Tornado is not superior in later, more adventuresome periods of your
boating career. Plus if you swim, (I, of course did originally, and my
friend who bought it does now) you have 90 gallons of water to deal with
pouring out, with the boat weighing in at almost 50 pounds dry to star
with. Yeah, it's a good big guy starter boat, and *really* fast, but
you tend to outgrow it quickly.
Marc
> Bilbo
>
> --
> Bill and/or Julie Eades, Jonesburg (where?), MO
>
>
Hi Bill,
Thanks for your comments, this is exactly what I needed to make my choice.
Soon, I'll be paddling this baby in Austria... No worries about the thigh
braces, I'll figure them out.
Marc Kouwenhoven
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Chris Webster
> long days down more wilderness rivers)
Try self-sustained multi-day in an RPM. It'll teach you minimalism.
--Chris
Eagles may soar, but weasels aren't sucked into jet engines.
Wilko
>
> One note on the thigh braces for both the Diablo and the Kendo. Not to
> belittle anyone, but these puppies are complex at first glance. When
> you realize they are the thigh brace equivalent of 8 way power seats,
> you may like them. I do not know of any other manufacturer that offers
> 4 axis of adjustments for braces.
Hmmm, turn sideways, tilt, and forward/backward, that's three axis
that I can find... where's the fourth Bilbo?
> Once you work with them initially (It
> takes a while to get them perfect), they hold the slickest thighs!
I have to agree, having had an argument with them for the first 90
minutes, they have been perfect ever since, even on very bouncy stuff.
I love the seat as well, it's softer than the hard plastic Prijon ones.
Wilko
:-D Not to rub it in Marc... but I told you so!!!
(Marc has been looking for boats with a certain dislike of the shape
of the Eskimo boats in his mind... I told him that he might end up
with a Diablo after all :-) )
Wilko
>
> I weigh 190 lbs and measure 6'4" (damn dutch parents) and find the volume
Hey Derek, I'm 210 lbs and 6'8", and I can't say that I mind my parents
are Dutch... it just would be awfully practical to deflate myself
when I want to paddle a nice play boat like the X or the 007 :-)
Eric Princen
We just need to lop of your feet.
-Eric ;-)
Wilko wrote in message <35C04EFB...@worldonline.nl>...
Bill and/or Julie Eades
>
> Hmmm, turn sideways, tilt, and forward/backward, that's three axis
> that I can find... where's the fourth Bilbo?
>
OK, I guess it's not really an axis, but the fourth motion is releasing
the securing spikes by separating the half round portion from the actual
brace section and moving *it* in two different ranges of motion. I
stand corrected.
--
Bill and/or Julie Eades, Jonesburg (where?), MO
Wilko
>
> Hi Wilko,
>
> We just need to lop of your feet.
>
> -Eric ;-)
Yo Eric,
I can always count on you (or Scott B. for that matter) to come up
with a practical solution to my problems... although it does involve
involuntary actions by me most of the time (Dinner at the Weiser's,
amputating some parts with farm implements, having Great Danes have
a little mistake on someone's front step, etc. etc.)
It's always nice to have people think along... some of the time! ;-)
JDD RIO
>Anybody disagrees ?
>
>Marc
>
>
I demoed the Rockit and let my two friends paddle it. We all gave it the
thumbs down for the reasons stated above. In addition it's not an easy boat to
roll because of the high, v-shaped front deck. The boat takes a while to get
to the flat position.
Granted, with some time it might grow on you but prepare to spend some time
getting used to it. Never paddled the Diablo. I've owned a couple Prijons
(T-Canyon and Invader) and they are indestructable. Still, after doing some
serious looking around, I don't find their designs very interesting. You might
want to at least sit in or paddle a Godzilla before making your choice.
JDD...@aol.com (Dan Dunlap)
river...@my-dejanews.com
for myself as a not-so-large paddler, the rockit is a fine
boat. THis is only my 2nd boat, so I am not an expert on these
things, but it catches the tiniest eddies, resurfaces
all level and in line and (usually) right side up,
turns on a dime, and rolls up easily. I'd learned to
roll on a *very* stable boat, and once I hopped into the rockit,
I could suddenly hand roll, without having ever tried hand rolling
before. It front surfs great, carving nicely. This is the boat
I took to the ocean last weekend (seems so long ago already),
and played in the soup, and just had a fantastic time getting
air on the way out (ok, just a little) and riding back in on
the broken waves. Can't wait to get to where I can *really*
get out and ride a wave!
I got this boat for relatively safe river running, surfing river
and ocean. I wanted a kayak with a size appropriate to feeling
like the boat and I moved together, but not so small that I
felt like I was riding on the back of a rubber duck. (bathtub
not duckie). I'm 5'5-6", 148lb, a nice fit in a pretty red rockit.
Otter
Dag Grada
JDD RIO wrote in message
<199807311352...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
>>It seems that most people prefer the diablo over the rockit....
>>Anybody disagrees ?
>>
>>Marc
Sure I disagree but I believe that the initial question dealt with a boat
for general river running. This being the case, the Diablo is the better
boat. The Rockit shines (or would that be a red glare?) in steep, highly
technical water. The trade off between the two lies in speed and tracking
with the Diablo and maneuverability with the Rockit.
it's not an easy boat to
>roll because of the high, v-shaped front deck.
I have never had any particular difficulty in rolling the boat but there are
easier to roll boats out there. The strong pitch to the forward deck (and
the stern deck for that matter) give the boat a highly predictable
resurfacing characteristic. At times when all or part of the boat are
submerged, the Rockit generally surfaces upright and headed in the same
direction. This has not been my experience with other boats.
>Granted, with some time it might grow on you but prepare to spend some time
>getting used to it.
This is very true. I spent several weekends cursing my Rockit until I
finally figured it out. In my experience, the boat offers a high level of
control but at the same time demands it. If allowed to, the boat will "jink"
all over the place, most notably in larger volume flows. If the steeps are
your thing and you don't mind being seen in such a fat, safe boat, give the
Rockit a try. For general river running, there are a number of boats that
would be more suitable.
As ever, Dag
Eric Princen
Wilko wrote in message <35C0F2DF...@worldonline.nl>...
>I can always count on you (or Scott B. for that matter) to come up
>with a practical solution to my problems... although it does involve
>involuntary actions by me most of the time (Dinner at the Weiser's,
>amputating some parts with farm implements, having Great Danes have
>a little mistake on someone's front step, etc. etc.)
>
>It's always nice to have people think along... some of the time! ;-)
Well, we do what we can.
-Eric ;-)
Bill and/or Julie Eades
>
> I know this thread was for the "large" paddler, but
> for myself as a not-so-large paddler, the rockit is a fine
> boat. THis is only my 2nd boat, so I am not an expert on these
> things, but it catches the tiniest eddies, resurfaces
> all level and in line and (usually) right side up,
> turns on a dime, and rolls up easily. I'd learned to
> roll on a *very* stable boat, and once I hopped into the rockit,
> I could suddenly hand roll, without having ever tried hand rolling
> before. It front surfs great, carving nicely. This is the boat
> I took to the ocean last weekend (seems so long ago already),
> and played in the soup, and just had a fantastic time getting
> air on the way out (ok, just a little) and riding back in on
> the broken waves. Can't wait to get to where I can *really*
> get out and ride a wave!
Well, I thought I would throw my other serious dislike of the Rockit.
It *is* a good creek boat, with one qualification being the high side
walls near the cockpit. I *really* hate my upper side rubbing against
the inside of this cockpit, it almost seems to impede my lean and my "C
to C" travel. Maybe I just don't like creek boats.
river...@my-dejanews.com
http://www.aca-paddler.org/paddler/apr1998/prijon.html