I have limited experience
Posted by: riverstrider
on Apr-11-12 1:22 PM (EST)
But I'll chime in anyways. My do everything boat is a royalex Mad River Explorer. It does nothing exceptionally well, except maybe for canoe poling. But I can set it up solo or tandem, take it anywhere and into anything (and have), paddle it empty or with a week's worth of gear.
But if I'm doing extended solo expedition paddling with gear through a variety of conditions, or paddling anywhere with big lakes, or doing any trip that involves any extended portaging, you'll find me in my Hemlock Canoe Works SRT. And except for poling, so far this boat has excelled in everything from flat water to Class III rapids.
YMMV
-Chuck