Im thinking about getting a new creek boat and was considering a riot sniper but have read that it is for tight technical rivers. I live in south west england so there is no massively big water but im concerned that if i planned on going to the Alps would it struggle compared to something like the CFS/Magnum. Also because it is only about 2 metres 16 centimetres would i have trouble gettin through holes and stoppers as i dont want to spend hours being back looped and trashed.

let me know what you think
cheers

You won't have big problems when you're going to the alps every once in a while. The boat is designed for steep, tight and technical stuff but it's not going to kill you on those few bigger volume rivers (alps is not that big water after all) that you do. If you want a boat more suitable for bigger water, look at for example the magnum, habitat or jefe, but not the cfs.. i think that the sniper handles bigger water better then the cfs (sooo slow, but a really good boat in smaller stuff).
The length in the stoppers will not be a major issue, yes it is shorter but it's still designed to handle holes and big stoppers. Just paddle hard, catch your speed and launch a big boof!

Hope this helps, have fun on the water!

I enjoyed the Sniper when I had one. The super blunt nose deflected off or rocks quite nicely, but it also got deflected at teh bottom of some drops more than I wanted it to. Ok when it resurvaces quickly, but I found it kind of kicking to one side or the other abit too much for me. When I went to DR and got a Mafia I was happier becausee the Mafia is still a small boat, but didn't get knocked around as much as the Sniper.
don't get me wrong. I have to restate that I enjoyed the Sniper when I had one. I just wished that it was a little bit (just a little bit) bigger, and that the bow was shaped a bit better. It did handle bigger water well enough that I didn't feel the need to go running for a huge older boat.

A new creek boat. That's always exciting. Have fun!

For this country the sniper is a good boat for most technical creeks we have. For the alps it will cope well I see in your avatar you have a play boat you might want to take them both out. For the steeper the sniper will be good, I would not worry too much about the length of the boat and getting stuck in holes, you will get up to your maximum in three strokes aslong as your on line and keep paddling you should be ok.

Last summer i took a CR out to Austria it was in floods at the end of May it handled the big stuff out there superbly and could not fault it.

THe year before we drove down in a van to briancon with just our river runners h3 245 and liljoe we wished we chucked in a play boat in our van aswell so we could have more fun on the playful runs and play spots!


These boats would also be suitable for what you intend it for in no particular order
river runners
Wavesport Diesel
LL CR125
LL Liljoe
Pyranha Inazone (whitewater)
Eskimo kendo (oldskool)
Pyranha Ammo S
Pyranha Burn S or M
Pyranha H3 235 or 245
Pyranha Recoil s or m
Riot booster

Creekers
habitat
Sniper
Magnum
M3 233
Huck
Jefe
Salto

Your best bet is to paddle as many boats you can borrow a friends if you can good luck may see you out there this summer