This article is a work in progress. Better photos, supporting documents, and complete information to come.

I've tried a LOT of playboats. I've hunted high and low trying to find what works best for me. One of the cool things about kayaking is that the equipment does make a notable difference. A lot of egomaniacs will try and go "rah rah rah it's not the boat it's the paddler!" and then promptly not be able to roll over an inflatable kayak because that shit just ain't true! The dynamics of a boat can be notably different.

I love kayaking. I enjoy getting out on the river. Heck even when my day doesn't go right I just relax and soak in the place kayaking took me. I really enjoy screwing around kayaking as well. Boofing rocks, ripping into eddies, stern squirts, cartwheels when I can pull them off... I love playing around and just having a hoot with kayaking. It fills me with joy, gets my adrenaline needs out of the way, and helps me reset from the drag of the work week. So, when I tell you I want to take this boat into my back yard and shoot it full of holes...

Short version: In paddling, I'm a big fan of having a boat to make hard stuff easier, and a boat to make easy stuff harder. Between the two boats, you will always be challenge. The karma is my boat to make hard stuff easier. It's also my girlfriends, and the majority of our crews favorite boat.

Current Overall Impression: I've sold this boat and have found other boats more enjoyable. The LARGE zen is just a straight up turd! See more about why below!

I really love getting out for adventures. I love being outdoors, I love adrenaline, and I love getting away from it all to go camping. White water provides much of this for me, but taking a good amount of camping gear with you in kayaks weighs them down and really eats away at their primary advantage: being nimble. Also, as mentioned over in my review of the Tributary Tomcat Solo IK, I wanted something a bit more relaxing to take down the river.

Some years back, I organized a whitewater kayaking trip with friends. At the time, all of my boats were hardshells, and I just kind of thought that was the way to fly. Some one I respect as a solid white water enthusiast joined up, and brought inflatable kayaks. I didn't fully understand why he was in an inflatable kayak at first, but he described the situation as follows: