What Playboat To Buy - Patrick Kyle

What playboat you get is up to personal preference, but I will attempt to outline the pros and cons of all freestyle boats that I have demoed:

2016 Rockstar - Pros: Very comfortable due to Jackson outfitting, you can really feel the water underneath the boat as it molds to you. Easy to initiate both ends on flatwater and whitewater due to the relatively stubby/slicey ends. Can be thrown around really easily. Cons: Has a low volume in both ends making it hard to go as huge as other boats in a hole. Edges aren't quite as good on a wave as some other playboats.

Rockstar 4.0 - Pros: Added volume makes the boat go a lot bigger/get more air. Jackson outfitting... Better edges than the 2016 for taking of on a wave as well as being faster. Cons: Harder to throw around on flatwater, is quite large so some major adjustments and added foam are needed before this would fit me, generally a bigger boat - depends on your height and weight as to whether this is an advantage or disadvantage.

Piranha Jed - Pros: Amazing edges, the boat really flies on a wave, very responsive/twitchy. Very fast, easier to catch a wave and get faster runups before a bounce. The boat is looser and spins more easily than either of the rockstars on a wave. Plastic is much better quality and less likely to break, more volume than the 2016 Rockstar gives it more air in a hole. It is also considerably cheaper than Jackson boats. Cons: Harder for flatwater tricks (except for stern squirts), outfitting is not the best. Does let in more water and is slightly heavier.

Dagger Crazy (My Very First Boat) - Pros: Very slicey, easy for flatwater, easy to initiate tricks, fast on a wave, very cheap. Cons: It leaks, lacks needed volume, the edges aren't that great, it is really uncomfortable to sit in.

All Star - Pros: Much more volume than the 2016 Rockstar, Jackson outfitting.... Cons: Harder to initiate on flatwater.

That is a rundown of all the playboats I have ever paddled in, only critiquing the boats on features that I have tried them on (for example: never paddled the Rockstar 4.0 in a hole of the All Star on whitewater).