Finally a real freestyle boat for people with long legs and big feet. At 6’1” this boat is big for me, with loads of knee room and a comfortable foot box. The slight bumps at the feet are effective and don’t hamper performance in any way.
The Precision Adjustable thighbraces and seat makes fine tuning and overall balance easy. The boat comes with tons of foam and a clever Thigh Booster that can be easily contoured or built up to provide leg support. An Immersion Research ratcheting backband completes the outfitting to ensure a snug, yet adjustable fit.
The volume in the Super Ego is more evenly distributed than some of Dagger’s other freestyle boats, which makes it more predictable while back surging or flatwater flailing. The super slicey nose ramps up quickly to knee volume creating comfort but also a big surface to vertical stall on. The stern, although shaped differently, offers the same slice and stall characteristics.
Stern squirting and flatwater cartwheels are easy, even with the relatively big volume. Very stable on end, especially the stern. On a wave this thing rocks. I found it easier to continue flat spinning rather than trying to stop it. Once the hull cuts loose it literally lifts off the water and skips through the spin. Beyond the original flick to get it going, it takes no effort to keep it spinning. Insane. Besides comfort, the hull is the second greatest selling point.
Being the shortest boat I’ve paddled, I found flat water/straight line speed slow. However, the Super Ego has no problem catching waves, as it accelerates to plane VERY quickly. Things seem t happen fast, as the short length allows change in direction so quickly. Paddling boily water the boat goes no where, and doesn’t provide much charge across strong eddy lines. It seemed easier to boof across eddy lines, to keep the nose up and water off the minimal deck.
Overall – the most exciting new design on the market. Comfort, wicked spinning, super slicey.
Specs
Length: 7’6″
Width: 24.5″
Capacity: 140-220 lbs
Volume: 51 gal
Cockpit: 34″x19″
SRP: $1520 CDN
This article first appeared in the Early Summer 2001 issue of Rapid Magazine. For more great boat reviews, subscribe to Rapid’s print and digital editions here.
