Gear Review: Dagger Green Boat
I first bought the Dagger Green Boat with the intention of using it to carry way too much gear on overnight trips. Having been spoiled for years by friends willing to carry my things on their rafts, I am used to a certain amount of luxury on river trips and the Green Boat seemed like the perfect way to carry that over to the more spartan world of kayak self support trips. Maybe it is not the perfect boat to carry into Upper Cherry Creek or the Grand Canyon of the Elwha, but on a run like the Middle Fork of the Salmon or the Rogue River, it seemed hard to beat.
The Dagger Green Boat
And it has been. The Green Boat powers through flatwater stretches like a sea kayak, but has all the maneuverability of a modern creek boat for when the pace picks up. Inside, it has more space than you should use, and that room can be expanded even further by replacing the foam in the stern with another dry bag (note: best for non technical runs without the possibility of pinning). The only real limitation for the Green Boat in an expedition setting is your own ability to control its momentum once it is fully loaded down.
Nate Paddling his Green Boat on the Hood River
Just talking about how well the Green Boat carries a load though, does a disservice to how much fun it is to paddle in everyday situations. Its got all the speed of the long boats of the past, but with enough modern rocker that taking it down a run is more dance and less wrestling match. There is a learning curve to it, but once you get a handle on keeping it straight and thinking a few moves ahead, the Green Boat opens up a new way of looking at familiar rapids.
Just talking about how well the Green Boat carries a load though, does a disservice to how much fun it is to paddle in everyday situations.
That said, you will probably be moving so fast that everything will just look like a blur anyway. My suggestion is if you haven’t tried a Green Boat yet, do yourself a favor and go learn a little about speed. You won’t go back.
