Help me decide: Stomper 90 or Superhero

[Prop Job]

I'm looking to move into a larger boat from my Super Fun on the big water and have narrowed it down to these two. The Stomper 90 (90 gal, 8'5") can be had for $960 and the Superhero (90 gal, 7'9") for $800. Coming from the smaller boat I'm looking for something that will still have decent maneuverability and be able to punch through the holes and larger features. I'll be using it primarily on the Tot, Richland, and the occasional road trip. I'm 6'2", 215 lbs. I'm torn, help me out. Thanks.

Alex

[Twindad]

You might consider Chris Kuntz's Pyranha Nano Large in the Board's for sale section. He's got a good price on it, it's in good condition, it's high volume and would appear to be your size.

[okieboater]

I had a couple year old super hero and it was one of my favorite boats. Excellent creeker plus a good fun surf machine. If you like that super fun hull, the super hero has a lot of that hull designed in with a creek type top. Plenty of foot room in the super hero.

Looked at the Stomper quite a bit. Really liked what I saw. Still have a Remix 79 and it is an excellent all around boat. I see lots of similar design between the Remix and the Stomper. With the Stomper obviously being more oriented to creeking but the Remix more of a all around great river runner. But am out of the buying new kayaks.

My bet is you will not go wrong with either boat for the rivers you listed.

Might come down to the best deal unless you can do a in water test of both boats. The in water test would be the best way to choose.

[Prop Job]

How was the Superhero in the bigger water? Did you feel like you were in control or just getting pushed around? I'm leaning towards it for the agility, price, and I've been really comfortable with the outfitting in the Jackson boats.

I looked at the Nano but I'm afraid once I get all my gear on and get wet I'll be at the top of the weight range.

[Opes]

I boat a Nano L and am heavier than you. It floats me really well. I am really satisfied with it and I think the transition bewtween it and my playboat is an easy one.

SYOTR,

Josh

[Lupe]

I'll add my 2 cents which is a different perspective. First off, I'm a huge Jackson fan...I have 4 Jackson boats in my garage (well, 5 right now since I have a friends Jackson in there too right now). One of those boats is a Hero. I had gotten the Hero as I was coming back into paddling with a weak right arm and thought the shorter more maneuverable boat would be better for me as I built up more strength. Before the Hero (and my strength issues) I had paddled a full on creeker (Jackson Rocker) and I now paddle a Karma The Karma I believe is very similar to this recent crop of creek boats a la Stomper, Shiva. Not that there aren't differences, but the overall hull shape and design are similar.

I have found that I was actually getting pushed around more in the Hero than I am now in the much larger Karma. I love the way the Karma paddles. For me it just seemed there was something about so much volume in the Hero in such a short length that made it harder for me to hold on a line. Plus, it's just a slow boat due to the length. That was fine when I was with a group all in playboats (also slow), but so many are in these longer latest generation river runners now that the (lack of) speed in the Hero was quite noticeable to me when everyone else had longer boats. (Keeping in mind I do paddle a bit slower due to strength issues a bit).

Of the boats in my garage, probably the Hero will be sold later this season. Still love my 4Fun for playful river running, loving the Allstar for fooling around at Rockport, and my Karma is now my big water/creek boat to round out the fleet.

Having said ALL of that...paddling is very, very personal, so while MY EXPERIENCE might say give the nod to the Stomper, you may find the SuperHero suits you just fine! Any boat that gets you down a river is a great boat!

Cheers

[okieboater]

For what it's worth, I never had any problems being pushed around in "big water" in my super hero. Big water description depends a lot on the boater's definition. IE big water on the Grand Canyon or New River is different from most "big" water in this area of the US.

Might be cause I have a habit of putting out a modified brace (sometimes turns into a slicing on the side vertical rudder) depending on the stuff I am going into in the super hero. EJ and Mary DeRheimer got me into this habit. Mary got me into the brace stuff down in Ecuador and after seeing EJ at work on a clinic at NOC I turn the brace blade angle into a vertical position and use it as a extended keel as needed. On both strokes you can feather the angle as needed.

I do that in the Remix or my Response as well.

The super hero is slow in the flats for me for sure, not a problem in the gnar tho.

Like I said, based on the rivers you mentioned boating on, I bet either the super hero or stomper will be a good boat.

[Prop Job]

Cool, thanks for all the input guys.

[RomanLA]

Is it the new shorter Super Hero (7' 9")? If so, I spent all summer teaching in one and like it a lot. It's a lot shorter than the other river runners I've paddled, which is a little weird at first. I've found it to be ridiculously forgiving though. I definitely prefer the Jackson outfitting over the Liquid Logic. I've only seen the Stomper, but it has some serious rocker. If steep stuff and boofing are your thing, it may be the way to go.

Dave...my thing is a bow draw into big laterals...super stable and holds your position. It's something I figured out during my GC trip last year.

p.s. I'm a Jackson Kayak dealer, but I've spent a lot of time paddling Jackson, Pyranha, and Liquid Logic boats.

[okieboater]

Yup, some times my brace rudder will turn into a type of bow draw. But I normally use the procedure in the next paragraph to alter boat line up, then upon entering the crashing wave lean forward to keep the force of the wave hitting my chest area from putting my body on the back deck at the same time getting that brace blade horizontal and out into usually a low brace but sometimes a kind of low / high brace. If that makes sense. Bottom line kayakers need that outrigger paddle support to keep from flipping in the funny oncoming water of those big crashing wave holes and laterals.

EJ did a article some where on using a vertical brace / rudder in short boats more or less like a keel to keep them going straight. Also, drawing on my time in canoes I find that by changing the position of the vertical paddle shaft and angle of the blade, I can make the shorter flat bottom kayaks (if I have some forward speed) move laterally a little or a lot. Which comes in handy if you need to fine tune your entry point. I have seen EJ demo this at NOC as previously noted.

Those big laterals in the Grand Canyon can move a kayak as much as ten feet or so in a heart beat - has happened to me. Boaters sure don't want to loose their angle of attack when this happens.

I am a big fan of the super hero designs. I like EJ's designs but have personal experience with the plastic breaking which has happened a lot more than it should with his boats at least in my opinion. Over the many years I have boated and the way too many kayaks I have purchased - a Jackson Villain is the only kayak I have owned that the plastic broke.

[Prop Job]

Well I was leaning toward the Stomper for the added speed but ended up getting the shop to come down to $750 shipped for the Superhero. At $200 cheaper it was tough to pass up. Both are new 2012 closeouts.

[okieboater]

Heck of a good deal.

Both are good boats, but I would have done the same as you did if faced with the same decision.

Give the board a post when you make your first run down the Tot or Richland.