Submitted: 06-02-2003 by BJC
The Ocoee is the best open boat I have paddled for slalom and general river running, especially creeking. My review is to be understood in this context: I'm 5'10", 190# and am comparing this to the Outrage, the Outrage X, Rival, and Phantom. There are better boats for big water, but then it is not intended for that environment anyway. It carves and pivots extremely well, is not as fast as the Mad River boats or the Rival, but is the quickest of the lot. Perhaps the Phantom is as quick, but cannot sustain glide through a stroke like the Ocoee. It snaps in and out of eddies quicker than any of these boats except the Phantom, but I found the edge to be more predicatable then the Phantom.I've heard that the edginess is comparable to the Viper series and shares design characteristics. This is a unique hull that is not recommended as a first whitewater boat, but worth mastering for an experienced paddler who wants to paddle creeks or run slalom gates. |